The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to impede the Biden administration’s efforts to reschedule marijuana. The Republican-led House approved an amendment to an appropriations bill that would prevent the use of federal funds to implement any rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. This move comes as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are in the process of reviewing marijuana’s current Schedule I status.

The amendment, introduced by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), passed with a vote of 234-190, largely along party lines. Supporters argue that Congress should have a say in any major changes to marijuana’s legal status, while opponents view it as an obstruction to science-based drug policy reform. This action sets up a potential conflict with the Senate and the White House, as the appropriations process moves forward and the administration continues its review of marijuana scheduling.

Source: Forbes