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Federal hearings to peg cannabis down the drug scheduling ladder begin Jan. 21 and will run six weeks, a Drug Enforcement Administration judge ruled Wednesday.
Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II laid out a detailed schedule for testimony from both supporters and opponents of moving marijuana from Schedule I to the less-restrictive Schedule III drug classification.
“The time has come to receive evidence and proceed with the hearing,” Mulrooney wrote, closing the preliminary motion period.
The DEA, which earlier this week claimed its role as the proposal’s proponent, will testify first at the agency’s Virginia headquarters. Each party will have 90 minutes to present evidence plus opening and closing statements. Hearings will run 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Tuesday through Thursday each week.
Pro-rescheduling groups like the National Cannabis Industry Association will testify through Feb. 6. After a week’s break, opponents including Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) will present their case from Feb. 18 to March 6.
Mulrooney in a footnote also determined that over 43,000 public comments submitted on rescheduling “cannot be” considered as evidence in the formal proceedings. He recently rejected motions to disqualify DEA from the process over alleged bias and communications with anti-cannabis groups.
If marijuana moves to Schedule III, state-licensed cannabis businesses could gain tax benefits while some research restrictions would ease, though federal controls would remain in place.
All parties must submit documentation by January 3. Cross-examination will be limited to 20 minutes per opposing party.
Recent motions to pause proceedings until after President-elect Donald Trump takes office have been unsuccessful.
Pro-rescheduling testimony (Jan. 21-Feb. 6):
Jan. 21: DEA (as proponent)
Jan. 22: Hemp for Victory
Jan. 23: Cannabis Bioscience International
Jan. 28: Connecticut Cannabis Ombudsman group
Jan. 29: National Cannabis Industry Association
Jan. 30: Village Farms International
Feb. 4: The Commonwealth Project
Feb. 5: Veterans Initiative 22
Feb. 6: Dr. Ari Kirshenbaum
After a week break, anti-rescheduling testimony (Feb. 18-March 6):
Feb. 18: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Feb. 19: International Association of Chiefs of Police
Feb. 20: DEA Federal Narcotics Agents Association
Feb. 25: Smart Approaches to Marijuana/Nebraska
Feb. 26: Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
Feb. 27: Cannabis Industry Victims Educating Litigators
March 4: Dr. Kenneth Finn
March 5: National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association
March 6: Dr. Phillip Drum
reschedulingruling1204“}]] [[{“value”:”The order details a schedule for evaluating the proposal, with testimony from both supporters and opponents spanning six weeks through March.
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