VP Harris Says Marijuana Should be Quickly Reclassified as Less Harmful

Vice President Kamala Harris called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice to quickly reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance, Reuters reports.

“On the schedule currently, marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin,” Harris said at a roundtable discussion. “Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair.”

Harris said that “nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed,” and added that “far too many people have been sent to jail for simple marijuana possession.”

Last year HHS recommended that marijuana be reclassified from Schedule I. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) defines Schedule I substances as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Schedule III substances are defined as having “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” The decision about rescheduling now rests with the DEA, the article notes.