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NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court says the Drug Enforcement Administration must "act promptly" if formally asked to take another look at laws that consider marijuana as dangerous as heroin or LSD.
The ruling came Thursday in a 2-to-1 vote by judges from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
It stems from a lawsuit brought by the Cannabis Cultural Association and several individuals, including an Iraq war veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The plaintiffs now have an opening to persuade federal authorities to change how they classify marijuana. Many states have legalized recreational pot use, but marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
Judge Guido Calabresi wrote that a review of current law might find that it was once rational but "is now heading towards irrationality."
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