Final answer:
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) gives the US Attorney General the authority to schedule controlled substances. While the FDA regulates many aspects of drug safety and efficacy through the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the CSA specifically governs the classification of drugs as controlled substances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal statute that gives authority for scheduling controlled substances to the US Attorney General is the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which was passed by Congress in 1970. According to the CSA, the U.S. government defines marijuana as a dangerous drug, classifying it as a Schedule One controlled substance, and such designations are enforced through prosecutable acts. While states have made moves to legalize substances like marijuana, either medicinally or recreationally, there is often a tension between state and federal laws, as federal authority still classifies marijuana as illegal under the CSA. The US Attorney General, representing the federal government, has the authority to enforce these classifications, with recent policies adjusting the enforcement of these laws, especially in relation to medical marijuana use.
Furthermore, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) governs much of the FDA's regulatory authority, but the CSA is the specific legislation that endows the US Attorney General with the power to schedule substances. Regulatory powers also involve the FDA to an extent; however, the purview of the CSA is more directly concerned with controlled substances and falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, of which the Attorney General is the head.