The US Drug Enforcement Administration’s rescheduling review process remains active despite recent setbacks, according to a DEA official familiar with the matter.
Acting Administrator Derek Maltz has indicated internally that the agency will continue its reform efforts, telling staff “it’s not my intention to kill rescheduling,” the official said.
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The timeline remains unclear after a DEA judge canceled public hearings that were scheduled to run from January 21 through March 6. The judge has established a 90-day period to reassess the situation.
The delay follows procedural issues, with the judge criticizing the agency for not properly following directives in submitting evidence.
Moreover, Maltz will soon be replaced by Terrance Cole, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency. Cole is Trump’s second choice for the position after withdrawing Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister from consideration in December.
His career spans both federal and state service. He spent 22 years with the DEA, working as an investigator and holding posts in Oklahoma, Colombia, Afghanistan, and Mexico City. He also served in executive positions at the agency’s Washington headquarters.
Currently Virginia’s top public safety official, Cole leads the state’s Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security, managing 11 agencies and a workforce of approximately 19,000.
His views on drug policy emerged in recent social media activity. Last year, while visiting Virginia’s Cannabis Control Authority, Cole used hashtags suggesting opposition to marijuana distribution, including “#justsayno”.
He later shared research claiming increased potency in seized cannabis, citing a University of Mississippi study showing THC levels rose from 3.4% in 1995 to 15.3% in 2021.
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