Researcher: Casinos should prepare for changes to federal cannabis policy

The Biden Administration took steps toward decriminalizing marijuana two weeks ago when the Drug Enforcement Agency announced its intent to reclassify the drug from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III.

This means legally, on the federal level, the DEA wants to treat pot like ketamine, steroids and tylenol with codeine – not like heroin, peyote and ecstasy. It will mark the biggest change to DEA drug scheduling in 50 years.

This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to blaze up at a blackjack table any time soon, or inside a Nevada casino hotel room, or even outside in a smoking area currently bearing a red slash through a pot leaf.