According to the Pew Research Center, an overwhelming share of U.S. adults─91%─say that cannabis should be legal nationwide for medical and/or recreational use. Fewer than 8% oppose legal cannabis for adults. Yet, there is still considerable misunderstanding about this unique plant, which evolved about 28 million years ago on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.
An objective look at some relevant facts might alleviate part of the confusion. For example, much of the residual negative social perception around cannabis can be attributed to its classification by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I drug on the Controlled Substance Act (CSA).
The CSA places various substances in one of five schedules based on their medical use, potential for abuse, and safety or risk for dependence. They are ranked in a progressive order, with Schedule V substances the least dangerous and addictive and Schedule I substances considered the most dangerous and addictive, with a “high potential for abuse” and “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”
It has been argued that this system for classifying both legal and illegal drugs is flawed, outdated, and unscientific, exemplified in part by the incorrect placement of cannabis in the most restrictive class, Schedule I, reserved for the most harmful, dangerous, and addictive drugs. Full schedule as follows:
Schedule I (e.g. heroin, marijuana) A) High potential for abuse B) No currently accepted medical uses C) Lack of accepted safety for medical use
Schedule II (e.g. cocaine, methamphetamine) A) High potential for abuse B) Currently accepted medical use C) Potential for severe dependence
Schedule III (e.g. hydrocodone, codeine, anabolic steroids, Buprenorphine, and Ketamine.) A) Lower potential for abuse than I and II B) Currently accepted medical use C) Potential for moderate or low dependence
Schedule IV (e.g. Darvon, Valium, Xanax, Lunesta, Tramadol, and Ativan) A) Low potential for abuse relative to III B) Currently accepted medical use C) Potential for limited dependence relative to III
Schedule V (e.g. cough medicines w/ codeine) A) Low potential for abuse relative to IV B) Currently accepted medical use C) Potential for limited dependence relative to IV
Logical arguments for removing cannabis from the Schedule of Controlled Substances have ensued for decades, pointing out the obvious misclassification, since cannabis does, in fact, have established medical uses and is demonstrably safer than most, if not all, drugs on the Schedule. Correcting this error would help expand medical research, ensure patient access, and remove federal prohibitions, among other potential social benefits.
Nonetheless, in August 2016 the DEA reaffirmed its position, refusing yet again to remove cannabis from Schedule I classification. The organization did announce, however, that it will end restrictions on the supply of cannabis to researchers and drug companies that had previously only been available from the government’s own research facility at the University of Mississippi (UM).
It must be noted that, while the DEA justifies the continued Schedule I classification of cannabis on the lack of U.S. scientific research, exactly the opposite is true. In fact, the University of Mississippi (UM) has been involved in government-funded cannabis research for decades, with researchers illustrating a thorough understanding of the crucial need for studies that explore the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis use.
According to the January 2022 Ole Miss News, “Cannabis research is nothing new at the university, as for more than 50 years the school and its National Center for Natural Products Research have provided standardized cannabis products for research through a competitive contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Drug Supply Program. In addition to participating in NIDA, UM collaborates with industry partners in support of the development and commercialization of FDA-approved drug products derived from cannabis.
Meanwhile, despite government control over cannabis research with an aim towards pharmaceutical applications─the primary focus of UM research─efforts continue to correct the DEA misclassification. In April 2022, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3617) passed the House. This proposed legislation would have removed cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, imposed new taxes, and decriminalized it, facilitating the expungement of federal cannabis criminal convictions.
Although the MORE Act stalled in the Senate, the facts remain. Removing cannabis from Schedule I of the CSA and legalizing it in the U.S. could save billions by reducing government spending for prohibition enforcement in the criminal justice system, and potentially generating additional billions in annual revenues through proposed taxation and regulation.
Moreover, millions of Americans would be able to benefit from the therapeutic value and scientifically proven medical benefits cannabis offers, such as those published in a 2014 study in the Hawaii Journal of Medicine and Public Health suggesting that it is an extremely safe and effective medication that can help to alleviate chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety. The study concluded that “Cannabis has shown extreme promise in the treatment of numerous medical problems and deserves to be released from the current Schedule I federal prohibition against research and prescription.”
While this is clearly a complex topic, an objective appraisal of the facts is foundational to a rational discussion as we continue to learn about this ancient plant and how to ensure its safe, appropriate, and responsible usage in society. Stay tuned for Part II.