The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has modified the allowable production levels of several controlled substances intended for research purposes.
Enhanced production limits for research substances such as ibogaine, psilocybin, and psilocyn have been confirmed, although the quotas for marijuana, THC, and MDMA will not experience alteration.
Expansion of Psychedelic Research Efforts
In forthcoming notices to be issued in the Federal Register, the DEA has delimited a proposed escalations in the production volumes of ibogaine, psilocybin, and psilocyn. The revised 2024 production allotment for psilocybin will rise from 20,000 grams to 30,000 grams, and for psilocyn from 24,000 grams to 36,000 grams. This is meant to meet the demands of ongoing research activities and clinical studies, with an anticipation that these quotas will persist through 2025.
The notices detail that these proposed augmentations are aimed to bolster research and clinical investigations by DEA-licensed Schedule I researchers. The adjustments mirror the necessity to sustain research and development as researchers pursue FDA approval for new medical treatments.
Moreover, the DEA proposes an elevation in the production quota for ibogaine in 2025, increasing from 150 grams to 210 grams, to further incentivize research into its therapeutic efficacy for severe mental health ailments.
Consistency in Cannabis Production Quotas
With respect to cannabis, the DEA has decided to maintain the established 2023 production cap at 6,675,000 grams, with no proposed augmentation through 2025. Similarly, production quotas for DMT, MDMA, LSD, and mescaline will not see any adjustments. This steadiness is observed as the DEA examines the potential reclassification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). An administrative hearing will be convened in December by the agency to gather more insights on this topic.
Under the mandates of the CSA, the attorney general annually dictates the Aggregate Production Quotas (APQs) for Schedule I and II controlled substances. Should there be a reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III, DEA would no longer be required to set quotas for it, thus altering the protocol for research access.
This possible reclassification follows legislative moves by President Biden aimed at streamlining cannabis research. It is important to note, according to the Congressional Research Service, that even if cannabis were less restricted under Schedule III, additional legislative measures would be necessary to truly facilitate biomedical research.
In other news, the DEA is set to hold a 10-day hearing regarding its proposed interdiction of two psychedelic compounds, following an earlier postponement due to a related court case dismissal.
As new production quotas are put into practice, they reflect the shifting landscape of drug laws and the public’s growing interest in the medicinal potential of controlled substances. The research community, medical patients, and policymakers are attentively observing these developments.
