...and this is the central problem with government bureaucracy: there are a LOT of people at the DEA that have invested their careers there. They're going to

...and this is the central problem with government bureaucracy: there are a LOT of people at the DEA that have invested their careers there. They're going to lobby and fight hard for continued relevance, even as policies shift. This is part of what's slowing down any refactoring of drug policies -- the DEA is often lobbying (and using their authority) in the best interests of the DEA. Stated more directly: it's in the DEA's interest to keep marijuana Schedule 1.