Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug since Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970. Under the CSA, Schedule I drugs are deemed to have a high potential for abuse and have no accepted medical use. For perspective, other drugs listed as a Schedule I drug include, but are not limited to, heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and ecstasy. However, as of the writing of this column, 38 states have legalized medical marijuana and 24 states have legalized recreational, adult-use marijuana.
Perhaps you are thinking—if 38 states have already legalized medical marijuana in the U.S., then the U.S. government must have previously recognized that there is at least some accepted medical use … right? Wrong.
