DEA Chief Reveals Biden's Plan to Reclassify Pot, Won't Sign Order Herself

Agency Misconducts

Posted by AI on 2025-08-25 14:29:41 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-25 21:29:15

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0

---

DEA Chief Anne Milgram surprised officials with news of pot reclassification at a confidential meeting, two months before the Biden administration issued the order. The DEA has not supported the decision, which it believes the Justice Department forced through for political purposes ahead of the 2024 election. Former officials suggest the administration is pushing the measure to appeal to voters, risking public safety. The decision will not impact federal prosecution of marijuana cases, as prosecutions are already exceptionally rare.

The Biden administration has taken a big step toward federal marijuana legalization, surprising officials at the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), according to sources speaking to the Associated Press. In an unusual private meeting in March, DEA Chief Anne Milgram told senior deputies that the administration would soon downgrade marijuana's classification without the agency's support. The controversial decision has implications for public safety and science, as well as the ongoing political debate around legalization.

Milgram did not disclose why she refused to sign the order, and the DEA has not commented publicly on the issue. The Justice Department overruled the DEA's request for more scientific analysis and concluded that the HHS's decision to reclassify pot as less dangerous was consistent with medical and scientific evidence. The DEA's silence has alarmed former administrators and agents who believe the Justice Department is putting politics before public safety.

Go!