The Drug Enforcement Administration issued a proposed rule May 21 to reschedule marijuana as a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act. If the transfer is finalized, regulatory controls applicable to Schedule III substances would apply, though “existing marijuana-specific requirements” will continue to apply and “additional controls … might be implemented,” including import and export authorization requirements under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the DEA said. Marijuana would also remain subject to FDA regulation, and a “drug containing a substance within the CSA's definition of ‘marijuana’ would need FDA approval” to be introduced into interstate commerce, unless an investigational new drug application is in effect. Marijuana is currently classified in Schedule I. Comments are due July 22.

The Census Bureau emailed tips this week on how to address the most frequent messages generated this month in the Automated Export System.

CBP plans to soon renew its electronic export manifest pilot for vessel cargo, an agency spokesperson said in a May 17 email, days after the agency officially renewed its separate EEM pilot for rail cargo (see 2405100036). The vessel cargo pilot was last renewed for two years in 2022 and expired April 27 (see 2204260042). The renewal notice will be published in the Federal Register, the spokesperson said.

CBP renewed its electronic export manifest pilot for rail cargo for two years, the agency said in a notice that is to be effective May 13. Renewing the pilot will allow CBP to continue to determine whether EEM will “allow for improvements in the functionality and capabilities at the departure level,” the agency said.

The EPA has published a final rule, effective July 8, imposing import certification and export notification requirements for methylene chloride, a chemical that has killed those using it as a paint stripper and for bathtub refinishing.

The Census Bureau last week published a set of tips for U.S. Principal Parties in Interest that have trouble getting an authorized agent to correct Electronic Export Information in the Automated Export System.

The Census Bureau recently updated the Automated Export System to revise the types of exports to Australia and the U.K. that can be filed with License Code C33 (No License Required). The update reflects export control changes made last month by the Bureau of Industry and Security, which reduced certain licensing requirements for shipments to Australia and the U.K. as part of the AUKUS partnership (see 2404180035).

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new reporting requirements for 30 chemicals under significant new use rules. The proposed SNURs would require notification to EPA at least 90 days in advance of a new use by importers, manufacturers or processors, it said in a notice published in the April 8 Federal Register. Importers of chemicals subject to these proposed SNURs would need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements should these proposed rules be finalized, EPA said. Exporters of these chemicals would become subject to export notification requirements. Comments on the proposed SNURs are due by May 8. The SNURs would cover the following chemical substances:

The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending for one more year the temporary listing of three synthetic benzimidazole-opioid substances -- butonitazene, flunitazene and metodesnitazene -- in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a notice released April 10. The synthetic benzimidazole-opioids, first temporarily listed in 2022 (see 2204110029), will now remain listed in Schedule I until April 12, 2025. DEA also released a proposed rule to permanently list these synthetic benzimidazole-opioids in Schedule I, with comments due May 13. Substances may be temporarily listed under the CSA for three years.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is permanently placing the synthetic benzimidazole-opioids etodesnitazene, n-pyrrolidino etonitazene and protonitazene in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, it said in a final order released April 10. The substances had already been temporarily listed in Schedule I since 2022 (see 2204110029). The final order is set to take effect April 11.