The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said it will decide in the first half of 2016 whether marijuana should be reclassified under federal law. The agency gave no indication what its decision will be. There are five categories, or schedules, for drugs in the U.S. Schedule I drugs are considered by the DEA to have the highest potential for abuse and no current accepted medical use. Marijuana is currently a Schedule I drug, along with heroin and LSD. If marijuana were rescheduled, it still would be illegal under federal law, but the change might ease restrictions on research, and reduce penalties for marijuana-related offenses. The DEA was responding to a letter sent last July by eight Democratic senators, who urged the federal government to facilitate research on the benefits of medical marijuana. The senators said the research is needed because millions of Americans are now eligible by state law to use the drug for medical purposes.

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