Democratic Senators Urge DEA to Fully Legalize Cannabis

Senators argue that rescheduling to Schedule III would not resolve the worst harms of the current system, call for shaping the cannabis industry free of corporate capture.

A group of 12 Democratic U.S. senators, led by Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and John Fetterman (D-Penn.), are urging the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to fully legalize cannabis.
The senators sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, asking for more insight on the agency’s scheduling review of cannabis.
The senators argue that rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act would not resolve the worst harms of the current system.
The senators highlight the opportunity of shaping the cannabis industry 'from the ground up' free of 'corporate capture that has influenced alcohol and tobacco regulations.'
The DEA is currently conducting a review of marijuana scheduling, following a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.