Activists carry signs as they attend a press conference on Marijuana legislation reform outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday in Washington D.C. The news conference was organized by Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Drug Policy Alliance, Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and other drug-policy reform organizations. Speakers included those who were recently released after serving long prison terms for possession of marijuana, which is now legal in most states. Getty Images via AFP-Yonhap
WASHINGTON — The United States administration is expected to move to reclassify marijuana as soon as Wednesday, Axios reported, citing an official familiar with the matter. The decision to reclassify marijuana would represent one of the most significant federal changes to marijuana policy in decades, removing barriers to researching the drug's potential use cases.
In December, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the loosening of federal regulations on marijuana, paving the way for reclassification.
The move could lead to the psychoactive plant being listed alongside common painkillers, ketamine and testosterone as a less dangerous drug.
It would also likely reshape the cannabis industry by lowering tax burdens and make it easier for companies to secure funding, benefiting firms like Canopy Growth, Tilray Brands, Trulieve Cannabis.
The Justice Department and its Drug Enforcement Administration did not immediately respond to requests for a comment. The decision to reclassify marijuana rests with the DEA.
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world and the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. residents use it a year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Reuters reported in December.
Source: Korea Times News
