May 2, 2024–Statement by Shana-Tara O’Toole, Founder and President of Due Process Institute, on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s recommendation to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule 3 drug:
“Yesterday, the Drug Enforcement Administration recommended a reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 drug. Effectively, this would recognize marijuana as a far less dangerous substance and no longer categorize it alongside drugs like heroin. We acknowledge and celebrate the significance of this recommendation as part of the de-escalation of the ‘war on drugs.’ However, this reform still falls short in addressing some of the most harmful consequences of the United States’ misguided drug policy, has limited impact on federal marijuana arrests, and does not provide relief for people currently serving unnecessarily long sentences for marijuana possession.
We recommend the Biden administration continue this momentum for drug reform by supporting legislation that improves second chance opportunities for people with nonviolent marijuana offenses like the Clean Slate Act, pushing for the full descheduling of marijuana and its removal from the Controlled Substances Act, and continuing the use of the President’s pardon power to rectify unjust marijuana sentences.”