“Historic step” for a drug in the US

WASHINGTON (EFE).— The United States government will classify marijuana as a drug with the same level of risk as prescription drugs such as anabolic steroids, according to US media reports yesterday.

The newspaper “The Washington Post” and the television networks MSN, CNN and NBC cited White House officials as sources of their information about the historic decision.

Since 1971, marijuana in the United States has been classified in the same category as heroin, methamphetamines, and the lysergic acid LSD.

Relaxation

“The administration will take a historic step toward loosening federal cannabis restrictions and plans to soon announce an interim rule reclassifying the drug for the first time in more than 50 years,” the Washington Post stated.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is expected to approve an opinion from the Department of Health and Human Services that marijuana should be moved from a stricter category to a less strict one.

“This will mark the first time that the United States government would recognize the potential medical benefits (of marijuana) and begin to study them firmly,” the newspaper added.

Greater access

For its part, MSN noted that the measure, if it comes into effect, will not instantly legalize marijuana at the federal level, but it would expand access to the drug for medicinal uses and strengthen the cannabis industry in states where it is legal.

“The measure would also provide political gain for the president of the United States, Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election and has sought to improve the racial and criminal justice inequalities caused by the country’s long and failed war on drugs,” commented the television station.

Currently, marijuana for recreational uses and limited to those over 21 years of age is legal in 24 states.

Marijuana for medicinal purposes is legal in 13 states in addition to those where its use for pleasure is permitted.

For two years now, a law in favor of this drug has been promoted in the United States.

The bill seeks to decriminalize marijuana throughout the United States.