DEA to Hold Hearing on the Rescheduling of Marijuana
MEDIA ADVISORY
DEA Headquarters
WASHINGTON – Formal hearing proceedings regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana will begin on December 2, 2024 at 9:30 A.M. ET in the North Courtroom at DEA Headquarters located at 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA. This preliminary hearing will serve as a procedural day to address legal and logistical issues and discuss future dates for the evidentiary hearing on the merits. No witness testimony will be offered or received at this time.
In-person attendance is limited to designated participants and credentialed members of the media who have received confirmation of their in-person attendance.
WHAT: Commencement of formal hearing proceedings regarding the proposed rescheduling of Marijuana
WHO: Open to designated participants and designated credentialed members of the media.
WHEN: December 2, 2024 | 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: DEA Headquarters | 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, Va. 22202 | North Courtroom
FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Members of the public will have access to the court sessions virtually at www.DEA.gov/live.
FOR NEWS MEDIA: News media wishing to attend in person must RSVP to DEAPress@dea.gov by 10 a.m. on November 29, 2024. Due to limited capacity, RSVPs will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.
Designated members of the media should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. on December 2 and follow all security screening procedures. Media credentials are required to be visible while inside DEA Headquarters. Video and audio recordings are not permitted at any time inside the courtroom.
Background:
On May 21, 2024, the Department of Justice proposed to transfer marijuana from schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to schedule III of the CSA, consistent with the view of the Department of Health and Human Services that marijuana has a currently accepted medical use as well as HHS's views about marijuana's abuse potential and level of physical or psychological dependence. The CSA requires that such actions be made through formal rulemaking on the record after opportunity for a hearing. If the transfer to schedule III is finalized, the regulatory controls applicable to schedule III controlled substances would apply, as appropriate, along with existing marijuana-specific requirements and any additional controls that might be implemented, including those that might be implemented to meet U.S. treaty obligations. If marijuana is transferred into schedule III, the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and possession of marijuana would remain subject to the applicable criminal prohibitions of the CSA. Any drugs containing a substance within the CSA's definition of “marijuana” would also remain subject to the applicable prohibitions in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. For more information, visit www.DEA.gov.
# # #