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The DEA has finalized its expert witness list for the cannabis rescheduling hearing kicking off today in Arlington, Virginia, tapping an FDA director and a veteran pain-management physician to build its case. Because the DEA bears the burden of proving that cannabis has a currently accepted medical use and a lower potential for abuse, these witnesses are set to testify on the FDA’s scientific evaluations and the clinical benefits of using cannabis over opioids. However, the setup is already drawing intense scrutiny: the DEA rejected every single pro-reform petitioner, meaning the only outside organizations permitted to cross-examine the government’s witnesses are anti-rescheduling groups.
Beyond the curated guest list, the hearing is running directly into a major logistical paradox. In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche already shifted state-licensed medical cannabis to Schedule III, leading Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek C. Julius to rule that this specific hearing will strictly cover the remainder of marijuana—meaning recreational use and bulk crops. Yet, the DEA’s entire witness strategy centers almost entirely on medical data and patient-safety models from New Hampshire’s medical dispensaries. This leaves the proceedings in a bizarre spot, as the government is prepared to argue its case using evidence the presiding judge has technically banned from the room.
This is a summary.
Read the original article: DEA Plans to Call Pain Management Doctor, FDA Official to Testify at Cannabis Reschedule Hearing
Original article written by Tony Lange. Published on June 26,2026 by Cannabis Business Times.
