Top U.S. Drug Agency Resists Biden’s Push to Ease Federal Marijuana Restrictions

In a private meeting at the DEA headquarters, Anne Milgram, the DEA chief, informed her top deputies of an imminent reclassification of marijuana by the Biden administration. This move would see marijuana shifted from Schedule I, where it is currently listed alongside heroin and LSD, to Schedule III, which includes drugs like ketamine and some anabolic steroids. Unusually, the decision-making process was taken over by the U.S. Justice Department, with Attorney General Merrick Garland signing the order instead of Milgram. The DEA has long resisted this reclassification, and Milgram did not provide a reason for the omission of the DEA's usual role. This development marks a significant shift in U.S. drug policy, with implications for federal legalization of marijuana. Some DEA officials speculate that political motivations related to President Biden's re-election campaign may have influenced the decision to expedite the reclassification process.