On Friday, January 20th, the federal government waved the white flag in the war on drugs as it regards the cannabis plant.

President Biden issued presidential pardons to any American or lawful permanent resident who has a conviction of cannabis possession on their record.

At the same time, he ordered the Dept. of Health and Human Services to compile a case for the reclassifying of cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug, such as heroin and cocaine, to a Schedule 3 drug, like testosterone and fortified Tylenol.

Decades of advocacy have created a national picture where 38 states have legalized cannabis for medicinal use, and 24 states, two territories, and D.C. have legalized cannabis for recreational use.

The United States FDA Controlled Substance Staff writes in the HHS report that their agency is recommending the rescheduling of cannabis as it meets all three criteria for doing so, namely a lower potential for abuse compared to Schedule 2 substances, an existing and established medical use, and a lower psycho-physical dependency potential.

"The marijuana withdrawal syndrome appears to be relatively mild compared to the withdrawal syndrome associated with alcohol, which can include more serious symptoms such as agitation, paranoia, seizures, and even death," writes the FDA, which added that while there are many unproven claims about the medicinal use of cannabis, there is "credible" scientific evidence for its use in reducing the side effects of chemotherapy.