In a move that could have important implications for the legalized marijuana industry, a New Jersey appeals court has ruled that the state should review marijuana’s classification as a Schedule 1 drug, which makes it illegal under federal law.
Schedule 1 denotes substances that have no accepted medical use and are easy to abuse. The classification includes heroin.
Because marijuana is being used to treat health ailments, New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs must reevaluate the Schedule 1 classification under the appellate court’s ruling, NJ.com reported.
The medical benefits of marijuana are “abundant and glaringly apparent now” but weren’t known in 1971 when New Jersey adopted the federal classification, the court ruling said.
Judge Michael Guadagno wrote the ruling. The judge is married to the state’s Republican candidate for governor, Kim Guadagno, who currently is New Jersey’s lieutenant governor, NJ.com reported.
The attorney general’s office plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
credit:mjbizdaily.com
