What happened at the DEA cannabis rescheduling hearing? In this episode of the Bioactive Podcast, Dr. Riley Kirk sits down with Max Jackson to break down the cannabis rescheduling hearing, Schedule III, the DEA’s marijuana rescheduling process, and the future of cannabis policy in the United States.

Max Jackson offers a rare firsthand account of the DEA’s marijuana rescheduling hearing. A former commercial cannabis cultivator who managed approximately 13,000 flowering plants in California’s Emerald Triangle, Max attended most of the hearing in person and took handwritten notes because there was no public livestream or recording.
So what actually happened inside the room?

Riley and Max unpack the arguments surrounding the proposed move of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, including the debate over medical use, cannabis research, whole-plant cannabis versus isolated cannabinoids, dosing, adverse effects, and the limitations created by decades of cannabis prohibition and restricted research.
They also discuss some of the claims made during the hearing, the perspectives of the parties opposing rescheduling, and what the process could mean for cannabis businesses, researchers, cultivators, medical professionals, and consumers.
But one of the biggest questions remains: what happens next?

Max explains the role of the administrative process, why the hearing itself does not determine the final outcome, and how the DEA fits into the next stage of the cannabis rescheduling process.

If you've been following the DEA cannabis rescheduling hearing, Schedule III cannabis, marijuana legalization, cannabis policy, federal cannabis reform, or the future of the cannabis industry, this conversation offers a perspective you won't get from simply reading the headlines.
Whether you're a cannabis consumer, home grower, cultivator, researcher, medical professional, policymaker, or cannabis business owner, this episode gives you a closer look at what was actually said during one of the most consequential cannabis policy proceedings in recent years.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Schedule I Science Catch-22
00:47 Meet Max Jackson
02:24 How He Got In
03:40 Inside DEA Security
04:36 No Livestream Fallout
07:33 Who Opposed Rescheduling
09:05 Bias And Expert Framing
11:46 Psychosis And CUD Claims
17:56 IV THC And Product Myths
20:06 Plant Vs Single Molecule
24:24 No Medical Use Argument
27:32 Save The Children Focus
31:47 Legalization Means Regulation
32:15 Humboldt Illicit Market
33:54 Court Strategy Signals
34:44 Drugged Driving Testing
36:38 Tolerance And Impairment
39:17 Research Collaboration Gaps
41:58 Breastfeeding And Postpartum
43:41 ER Harms And Education
46:35 Schedule Fit Debate
52:07 DEA Museum Narrative
55:13 Van Check At DEA
58:37 What Happens Next
01:00:15 Wrap Up And Resources

Connect with Max Jackson
Cannabis Wise Guys
https://cannabiswiseguys.com/

Cannabis Fact Book
https://thecannabisfactbook.com/

Email: max@cannabiswiseguys.com
IG: www.instagram.com/cannabiswiseguys/

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