President Joe Biden of the United States made a significant statement on Thursday, suggesting that the mere purchase and use of marijuana should not lead to imprisonment. This proposition was officially communicated by President Biden through his personal X account (formerly Twitter).
The Biden Administration introduced a proposal at the end of April to reclassify marijuana (cannabis), with the Justice Department initiating the process on May 16.
Since its categorization as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, the new proposal aims to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. This would place it in the same category as drugs like Ketamine and painkillers containing Codeine, which are deemed to have a lower likelihood of dependence.
Today, my administration took a major step to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug.
It’s an important move toward reversing longstanding inequities. pic.twitter.com/mxNQqQg1s7
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 16, 2024
While the proposal does not legalize marijuana, it is expected to lead to a reduction in federal arrests related to the substance. However, marijuana will remain a controlled substance until the public comment period and hearing process are concluded, as reported by Strait Times news.
In a related development, Nigerian musician Seun Kuti recently advocated for the legalization of marijuana in Nigeria. He argued that there is no scientific evidence linking marijuana use to any disease. Kuti lamented the loss of Nigeria’s unique strain of marijuana due to the ban on its cultivation in the country.
He pointed out that many countries, including Israel, have legalized marijuana, emphasizing the need for Nigeria to conduct independent research on marijuana use. Kuti highlighted that even in Israel, considered the “holy land” by Nigerian Christians, marijuana is legal and that Israel is leading in medical marijuana research.
