Reclassifying marijuana: What this means for the United States
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Reclassifying marijuana: What this means for the United States

Marijuana reclassification could be burning issue

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As previously reported on WISH-TV, The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. Reclassification would be a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.

Brent Griffiths, senior politics reporter at Business Insider, stopped by the WISH-TV studio to discuss the topic with News 8 Daybreak’s Jeremy Jenkins

Reclassification and legalized recreational use

Griffiths says the U.S Drug Enforcement Administrations move to reclassify the drug does not change anything, at least right now.

“What this really means is that instead of treating marijuana to heroin, it’s going to be treated more like ketamine and some anabolic steroids,” said Griffiths.

Scientific research of cannabis

Griffiths estimated that this move will create more opportunities for scientific research of cannabis specifically how it can treat disorders like post-traumatic stress.

“There’s been a lot of efforts on medicinal marijuana to try to help people who to try to help veterans and people who are experiencing those sorts of conditions.” said Griffiths.

Marijuana vendors and sellers

Griffiths says reclassification could make it slightly easier for them, but they still need more help. Most recently, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced the cannabis banking bill.

“He’s tried to pass this now for a little while to make it easier to access the financial system for people in the cannabis industry,” said Griffiths.

For more information, watch the interview in the video above.