The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) has brought together cannabis companies, advocacy organizations, and scientific and legal experts to make the case for scheduling reform in a comprehensive advocacy effort ATACH is calling the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform (CCSR). CCSR is led and managed by ATACH and is the industry’s campaign for rescheduling. To join or learn more contact Alison Modrak alison@atach.org.

Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform Launches

Shortly after President Biden’s announcement, ATACH formed the Coalition for Cannabis Scheduling Reform, which was approved by the
ATACH board of directors as a new ATACH committee. This brought together cannabis companies, advocacy organizations, and scientific and legal experts to make the case for scheduling reform in a comprehensive advocacy effort that is being managed and led by ATACH.

Adam Goers and Bryan Barish were named as co-chairs for CCSR, and the organization helped publish CCSR’s June 2023 report as part of the administration’s evaluation process, which can be read here.

Rescheduling Cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III

On August 30, 2023, it was made public that the federal agency Health and Human Services (HHS) is recommending to the Department of Justice that marijuana should be moved from Schedule I to Schedule III. This process is not complete, but the recommendation alone was historic. It would allow marijuana to be treated more fairly at the federal level for the first time since 1971, when it was first placed in the Controlled Substances Act.

The Controlled Substances Act provides the basic framework by which all drugs are regulated in the US, and marijuana was placed in the most severe category for drugs in the country, Schedule I, more serious than even meth and cocaine. This category creates a lot of unfairness in the system, particularly as states license marijuana businesses to serve qualified consumers. Rescheduling means that the Administration would move cannabis from Schedule I to a less severe category. It isn’t a complete fix, but will provide important relief.

What happens next?

Currently the DEA has the authority to make the final decision, although it was President Biden who set off the process and will be waiting on the agency response. We will know what the DEA’s decision is when they publish proposed rules in the Federal Register. That will initiate a public comment period.