The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has confirmed that the federal process to review marijuana’s legal classification remains stalled—despite public assurances from the agency’s new administrator that resolving the issue would be among his top priorities.
Process Frozen Despite Leadership Change
In a joint status report filed this week, the DEA acknowledged that there has been no movement in the pending appeal related to marijuana’s potential rescheduling.
“Movants’ interlocutory appeal to the Administrator regarding their Motion to Reconsider remains pending,” the report stated, adding that “no briefing schedule has been set.”
This marks the third consecutive report repeating the same language, signaling that the appeal remains untouched since it was first filed. The update is the first official communication since Administrator Terrance Cole took office earlier this year—a leader who, during his confirmation hearings, promised to prioritize the marijuana scheduling review.
Political Promises and Administrative Delays
Back in August, the White House suggested that a final decision on whether to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act was only weeks away.
More than two months later, that timeline has quietly evaporated, and no new developments have been announced.
While this week’s filing does not represent a new delay, it underscores how the process has remained paralyzed through an entire change in agency leadership. Reform advocates say that what was once viewed as imminent progress has turned into prolonged bureaucratic inertia.
Reform Momentum Meets Federal Stagnation
The push to reclassify cannabis has enjoyed broad bipartisan interest in Congress and growing public support nationwide. Advocates argue that rescheduling would ease research restrictions, allow for better access to medical treatments, and reshape the financial landscape for the cannabis industry.
However, internal procedural disputes have bogged down the DEA’s handling of the case. Legal challenges to prior administrative steps have added complexity to an already slow-moving process.
Meanwhile, Sara Carter, the administration’s nominee for White House Drug Policy Director, told lawmakers recently that federal officials are “evaluating all options” on cannabis reform and described the issue as “bipartisan and evolving.”
Uncertain Path Ahead
For now, the marijuana rescheduling appeal remains without a timeline, direction, or visible progress. Whether Administrator Cole will follow through on his stated commitment to make it a priority is still an open question.
With Congress, state governments, and the public increasingly pushing for reform, the DEA’s continued inaction leaves a widening gap between federal law and modern political reality.
Dabbin-Dad Newsroom
