The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended marijuana be reclassified to a Schedule III substance, in line with the results of SciPinion’s SciPoll. The SciPoll examined expert perspectives on how marijuana should be classified under the USDEA’s substance scheduling system. The majority of experts (64%) believed marijuana should be classified as a schedule III or higher (IV & V) substance. Only 13% agreed with a schedule I classification for marijuana. There were also some interesting regional differences in opinions. Experts from Asia and Africa were more likely to recommend Schedule I classification, while experts from North America, South America and Europe were more likely to recommend Schedule III classification for marijuana.
A key consideration raised by multiple experts was the difference between recreational use and medical applications. As one expert noted, there is “potential for several benefits when used as medicine,” while others emphasized the need for age restrictions and quality controls.