adminState Rep. Mark Cohen (D-Philadelphia County) recently introduced a resolution petitioning the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule II controlled substance within their respective jurisdictions.
The resolution (H.R. 373) also urges the Pennsylvania Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Board to hold hearings on the rescheduling of cannabis.
The Pennsylvania Medical Society believes this is the responsible approach to medical marijuana and applauds the efforts of Rep. Cohen. Though it opposes legislation seeking to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania, PAMED supports further research and reclassifying marijuana to a Schedule II controlled substance to enable such research.
Five years ago, PAMED joined with the American Medical Association in urging that marijuana’s status as a federal schedule I controlled substance be reviewed, with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines.