Justice Department Moves to Reclassify Cannabis as Less Harmful

The US Justice Department has recommended that cannabis be reclassified as less risky, a decision that could help the growing legal marijuana industry benefit from tax breaks.

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday “circulated a proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III,” according to a brief department statement. “Once published by the Federal Register, it will initiate a formal rulemaking process as prescribed by Congress in the Controlled Substances Act.”

Several steps remain before marijuana can be taken off Schedule I, where it’s listed with dangerous narcotics like heroin, and put on Schedule III, which is for ...