Law Enforcement Leaders Urge Biden To Reclassify Cannabis, Citing 'Direct Conflict Between State And Federal Laws'

In a letter to President Joe Biden on Thursday, a group of law enforcement leaders urged the administration to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug, considered to have no accepted medical use, to a Schedule III, which are “substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence,” stated the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) website.

“We are current and former police chiefs, sheriffs, federal and state prosecutors, and correctional officials from across the country dedicated to protecting public safety and reducing unnecessary arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration,” said the letter from the Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration group, reported The Hill.

“We believe that reclassification under Schedule III would be an important step to help both federal and state law enforcement better prioritize limited public safety resources.”

The letter highlighted the growing disconnect between federal and state marijuana policies, noting that by the end of 2024, 38 states will have legalized marijuana for medical or adult use, often with strong public and legislative support.

“Public opinion on how the federal government should treat cannabis has dramatically shifted away from historic punitive approaches to cannabis use,” the letter reads.

The discrepancy between state and federal views of legal cannabis, the group argued, creates challenges for law enforcement.

“We are concerned about how the direct conflict between state and federal laws that currently exists regarding the handling of cannabis makes it difficult for law enforcement to respond effectively to pressing public safety challenges.”

Other Letters To Biden

In January, a group of 12 Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram urging the administration to fully legalize cannabis.

This week, several of America's largest veterans organizations also joined the chorus of those urging the Biden administration and the DEA to lower federal restrictions on cannabis.

Government Health Agency VS. The DEA

Despite the August 2023 recommendation on the part of the Department of Health and Human Services to reclassify marijuana to Schedule III, the decision ultimately lies with the DEA, which made clear this past January that it, and it alone, has the authority to undertake rescheduling cannabis.

"DEA has the final authority to schedule, reschedule, or deschedule a drug under the Controlled Substances Act, after considering the relevant statutory and regulatory criteria and HHS's scientific and medical evaluation. DEA is now conducting its review."

Photo: Courtesy of Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration