DEA Denies Petitions to Reclassify Marijuana as Less Dangerous Drug

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iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has denied two petitions to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.

Marijuana will remain a Schedule I drug, the most restrictive category under federal drug control laws. Heroin and LSD are also considered Schedule I drugs.

“Marijuana remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance because it does not meet the criteria for currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, there is a lack of accepted safety for its use under medical supervision, and it has a high potential for abuse,” the DEA said Thursday.

When the DEA announced its review in April, the American Medical Association told ABC News that the group supported the review “to help facilitate scientific research and the development of cannabinoid-based medicines.”

But the DEA has ruled that more research needs to be done to determine the medical effectiveness of marijuana and the agency has loosened the regulations on marijuana research. The DEA plans to increase the number of DEA-registered marijuana growers to “provide researchers with a more varied and robust supply of marijuana.”

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