Clarification of Listing of “Tetrahydrocannabinols” in Schedule I

In a separate document published today in the Federal Register, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an interpretive rule stating that under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and DEA regulations, any product that contains any amount of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) is a schedule I controlled substance, even if such product is made from portions of the cannabis plant that are excluded from the CSA definition of "marihuana." (Hereafter "the interpretive rule".) Consistent with the interpretive rule, this document proposes to revise the wording of the DEA regulations to clarify that the listing of "Tetrahydrocannabinols" in schedule I of the CSA refers to both natural and synthetic THC. In a third Federal Register document issued today (immediately following this document), DEA is issuing an interim rule exempting from the application of the CSA certain industrial products, processed plant materials, and animal feed mixtures made from those portions of the cannabis plant that are excluded from the CSA definition of marijuana, to the extent such products and plant materials contain THC but are not used, or intended for use, for human consumption. The interim rule also provides a 120- day grace period for persons to dispose of existing inventories of THC- containing "hemp" products that are not exempted from control.