ANALYSIS: Rare Appeal to DEA Could Derail Cannabis Rescheduling

The chances that the Drug Enforcement Administration will reschedule cannabis anytime soon are greatly diminished due to legal challenges and the new administration’s conflicting positions on cannabis. Despite President Donald Trump’s support for cannabis rescheduling on the campaign trail, allegations of DEA misconduct during the administrative process so far might thwart the entire proposal.

Furthermore, newly appointed DEA Administrator Terrance Cole has a long history of opposing cannabis legalization. Between Cole’s stance and a rare interlocutory appeal left for him to decide, it appears less and less likely that the rulemaking will be finalized this year—if at all.

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