WASHINGTON (Michigan News Source) – For a generation of people who’ve been encouraged to “Just Say No,” an upcoming U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) policy change may be a tough pill to swallow.

The DEA is moving to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, and the move is expected to have ripple effects across the country.

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The Associated Press is reporting that the DEA’s proposal must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget before the policy changes. It would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than other dangerous drugs.

Upon approval by the Biden administration, the DEA will take public comment on its plan. It would move marijuana from a Schedule I drug (like heroin and LSD) to Schedule III (like ketamine and a few anabolic steroids). The new policy change would be implemented after the public comment period is complete.

The policy change does not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.

While the Schedule I change is significant, it will not impact the legality of recreational marijuana in Michigan, which voters approved in 2018. More information on misdemeanor expungements for marijuana-related offenses in Michigan can be found here.