Decision on US marijuana policy shift delayed until after presidential poll

A decision on whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in the US won't come until after the November presidential election, a timeline that raises the chances it could be a potent political issue in the closely contested race.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration last week set a hearing date to take comment on the proposed historic change in federal drug policy for December 2.

The hearing date means a final decision could well come in the next administration. While it's possible it could precede the end of President Joe Biden's term, issuing it before Inauguration Day would be pretty expedited, said cannabis lawyer Brian Vicente.

That could put a new spotlight on the presidential candidates' positions on marijuana. Vice President Kamala Harris has backed decriminalising the drug and said it's absurd to have it in the DEA's Schedule I category alongside heroin and LSD. The Democratic nominee's position has shifted over the years; she once oversaw the enforcement of