Democratic Senator Expresses Concern Over DOJ’s Handling of Marijuana Rescheduling
A Democratic senator has expressed concerns over the Trump administration’s plan to expedite the process of rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) told Marijuana Moment that while there are “things that look promising” about the move, he is “very concerned about where the DOJ will land.”
Booker’s comments come as the Department of Justice (DOJ) has yet to provide any updates or timelines on the rescheduling process since President Donald Trump issued an executive order last month. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has historically opposed marijuana reform, was not present at the signing ceremony.
The senator also noted that the administrative rescheduling move could potentially open the door to advancing additional cannabis reforms in Congress, such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act (SAFER) Banking Act, which would make it easier for marijuana businesses to access financial services.
However, Booker emphasized that he is waiting to see how the DOJ will handle the rescheduling process before taking any further action. He also expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s ability to “speak out of both sides of their mouth” on the issue.
Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who is expected to be the lead sponsor of the SAFER Banking Act this session, told Marijuana Moment that marijuana banking is “stacked ranked very low” as a priority due to other pressing issues. He also suggested that the administrative move to reschedule cannabis may take some pressure off lawmakers to act on the issue.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has yet to provide any updates on the marijuana rescheduling appeal process, which remains pending despite Trump’s executive order. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report discussed how the DOJ could potentially reject the president’s directive or delay the process by restarting the scientific review into marijuana.
