DEA Judge Urged to Allow Livestreaming of Cannabis Rescheduling Hearing Amid Transparency Concerns

A leading cannabis policy publication is pressing a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) judge to reconsider a ban on livestreaming an upcoming hearing about rescheduling marijuana under federal law. The hearing, set to begin June 29 in Arlington, Virginia, is poised to address the Trump administration's proposal to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Currently, only those able to attend in person will have access, raising concerns about public transparency and media coverage

Marijuana Moment’s counsel, Joseph Bondy, highlighted the importance of real-time access, noting that the DEA had previously permitted livestreaming for a similar hearing initiated under the Biden administration. "The public-interest rationale for contemporaneous access has not diminished," Bondy wrote in a letter to Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julis, urging that concerns about safety or witness management should be addressed with specific conditions rather than a total ban. He further argued that "limited physical seating in Arlington is not a meaningful substitute for livestreaming," emphasizing the need for broader access for national media and the public

The publication’s request is strictly for observation, not participation, as Bondy clarified: "Marijuana Moment seeks only contemporaneous public and press access to an administrative hearing of recognized national public interest." Bondy requested a response from Judge Julis by Thursday, underscoring the urgency of ensuring transparency in a proceeding that will shape the future of federal cannabis regulation

Meanwhile, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is also challenging its exclusion from participating as an interested party in the hearing. According to Marijuana Moment, NORML’s emergency request, also filed by Bondy, argues that excluding consumer perspectives will "substantially harm" the public interest. The DEA has so far only invited opponents of rescheduling to participate, a move NORML contends will lead to an incomplete record and continued federal-state conflict over cannabis policy

The hearing comes as the federal landscape for cannabis continues to shift. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche recently issued an order reclassifying state-licensed medical cannabis and FDA-approved products to Schedule III, and new tax guidance is anticipated for the marijuana industry. The Congressional Research Service notes that certified medical cannabis patients now have certain protections under Schedule III, while the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has updated firearms purchase forms to reflect the change for medical cannabis users

OG Lab notes that the outcome of this hearing and the broader debate over access and participation could set important precedents for transparency in federal cannabis policy reform. As the process unfolds, stakeholders across the industry and advocacy landscape are watching closely to see whether public input and scrutiny will be meaningfully incorporated into this historic regulatory shift