A person displays various types of marijuana available at a dispensary in Los Angeles.
Photographer: David McNew/Getty ImagesThe Justice Department formally started the procedure of classifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance, moving toward a major change in US drug policy.
The agency submitted a rulemaking notice on Thursday to shift marijuana’s legal status to Schedule III from Schedule I, the first step in what could be a lengthy process. A 60-day public comment period will begin, after which the Drug Enforcement Administration and Justice Department will make a final decision whether to remove marijuana from the list of the most-dangerous drugs.