INSIDE COMPLIANCE

Last December, President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the reclassification of marijuana to a Schedule III drug. Currently, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA), making it federally illegal to sell, distribute, or possess. This classificationsignificantly limits the ability to undertake scientific and medical research on marijuana and the extent to which medical professionals and individuals can make informed decisions concerning its use. Regardless of this prohibition, 40 states and the District of Columbia have state or locally sanctioned medical marijuana, and a majority of the American public (64%) believes that marijuana should be legalized. The impediment of necessary research, the public support for legalizing the substance, and the potential economic and medical benefits have led President Trump’s call to reclassify it. Reclassification will likely support the marijuana industry while simultaneously benefiting American health care.