After politicians such as former democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders recommended that Marijuana be reduced to a schedule 2 narcotic, the US Drug Enforcement Agency officials are saying no dice– weed will remain a Schedule 1 narcotic alongside heroin and LSD.
Related: The 5 States That Consumed The Most Marijuana Last Year
According to NPR, the decision came from the Obama administration after two democratic governors pleaded their case to make cannabis a schedule 2 narcotic. DEA chief, Chuck Rosenberg said the decision is based in scientific study that coincides with the US Food and Drug Administration’s belief that weed has “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”
“This decision is based on whether marijuana, as determined by the FDA, is a safe and effective medicine, and it’s not.” – Chuck Rosenberg, DEA
Still, many advocates for legalization say this move is counter intuitive and allows for the outdated comparison between the cannabis plant and severely addictive drugs such as heroin to live on. The validity of that comparison is especially suspect when Meth and Oxycotin are considered schedule II narcotics. Nevertheless, 42 states currently allow versions of medical marijuana use and four states (Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska) support the ability of their citizens to recreationally use THC.
Find the entire NPR article here: DEA Rejects Attempt To Loosen Federal Restrictions On Marijuana