HR1524: HR1524 General Assembly; reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substance in accordance with presidential Executive Order 14370; urge

26 LC 48 1706 House Resolution 1524 By: Representatives Bell of the 75th, Jackson of the 68th, Holly of the 116th, Frye of the 122nd, and Park of the 107th A RESOLUTION Urging the Georgia General Assembly to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I substance1 to a Schedule III substance in accordance with presidential Executive Order 14370; and for2 other purposes.3 WHEREAS, in 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed a review of the4 landscape of medical use of marijuana and found scientific supp ort for its use to treat5 anorexia related to a medical condition, nausea and vomiting, and pain; and6 WHEREAS, Chronic pain affects nearly one and four adults and mo re than one in three7 seniors in the United States, and six in ten people who use medical marijuana report doing8 so to manage pain; and9 WHEREAS, approximately 40 states including the District of Columbia have state or locally10 sanctioned, regulated medical marijuana programs; and11 WHEREAS, marijuana is currently controlled under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances12 Act (CSA). In 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended13 to the Drug Enforcement Agency that marijuana be controlled und er Schedule III of the14 CSA; and 15 H. R. 1524 - 1 - 26 LC 48 1706 WHEREAS, Schedule I drugs are classified as drugs with no currently accepted medical use,16 a high potential for abuse, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision;17 and18 WHEREAS, Schedule III drugs are classified as drugs with less potential for abuse than the19 drugs or other substances in Schedules I and II, having a currently accepted medical use in20 treatment in the United States, and a potential for moderate or low physical dependence or21 high psychological dependence in the event of drug abuse; and22 WHEREAS, the recommendation from HHS included a determination t hat medical23 marijuana has a currently accepted medical use. Such determination was based in part on a24 finding by the HHS Office of the Assi stant Secretary of Health that more than 30,00025 licensed healthcare practitioners across 43 United States juris dictions are authorized to26 recommend the medical use of marijuana for more than six million registered patients to treat27 at least 15 medical conditions; and 28 WHEREAS, findings by the FDA support the use of marijuana in th e treatment of pain,29 anorexia related to certain medical conditions, and nausea and vomiting induced by30 chemotherapy, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse concurre d with the FDA's31 recommendation that marijuana be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III of the CSA;32 and33 WHEREAS, in May 2024, the Department of Justice issued a propos ed rule to reschedule34 marijuana to Schedule III. The proposed rule received nearly 43,000 public comments and35 is currently awaiting an administrative law hearing; and 36 H. R. 1524 - 2 - 26 LC 48 1706 WHEREAS, with the presidential executive order on December 18, 2025, regarding37 "Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research" directed that the United States38 Attorney General shall take all appropriate actions to complete the rule-making process39 related to rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III of the CSA in the most expeditious manner40 in accordance with federal law, including 21 U.S.C. Section 811; and41 WHEREAS, the House of Representatives is committed to increasing medical marijuana and42 cannabidiol research to better inform patients and doctors for the United States and the State43 of Georgia. 44 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that45 the members of this body urge the Georgia General Assembly to expeditiously reschedule46 marijuana from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substan ce and take any and all47 necessary steps to increase medical marijuana and cannabidiol r esearch to better inform48 patients and doctors.49 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Represe ntatives is50 authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this res olution available for51 distribution to the Georgia General Assembly.52 H. R. 1524 - 3 -