The US government plans to change the status of marijuana and to designate it as a low-risk drug, DPA reported, cited by BTA, citing NBC News and the "Washington Post", which cited sources familiar with the plans.
In the US, access to controlled substances is regulated by a law that groups them into five different categories.
Until now, marijuana fell into category one, which included the most dangerous substances, such as heroin, ecstasy and LSD (LSD).
The next category includes cocaine.
According to the information that appeared in the media, marijuana is planned to be moved to the third category of substances, where steroids and paracetamol also appear.
Marijuana is completely legal or can be used for medical purposes in most US states. In some states, however, there are relatively strict bans on its use, which, according to the DPA, is the reason for taking action at the federal level.
Changing the status of marijuana will not change the situation at first. Penalties will continue to apply in those states with stricter rules. However, the federal measure is expected to further decriminalize marijuana.