Medical Marijuana: What's the Hold Up?

First off, this discussion is NOT about legalizing recreational cannabis (marijuana) because, as a college student in today’s world, I’m not even sure how I feel about that topic. It is about the necessity for a change in the legal scheduling of cannabis from the Schedule 1 drug that it currently is.
The scheduling of drugs is done by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Schedule 1 drugs, like cannabis, are described to have no current medical use, a high potential for abuse, and are considered to be the most dangerous. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. The largest problem with Schedule 1 drugs is the fact that this classification makes it very difficult to do research on them. Medical marijuana has proven medical benefits for a variety of diseases, but this hindrance on research doesn’t allow all of the potential benefits or the potential long term effects from the drug to be explored. This lack of knowledge only perpetuates the negative stigma behind medical marijuana.
Cannabis is an endocannabinoid and endocannabinoids are substances naturally found in the body. They are involved heavily in the aging process, the immune system, pain, memory, mood, and energy balance to name a few of their many roles. Clinically, supplemental endocannabinoids, through medical marijuana, has been proven to help diseases such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain disorders, migraines, and many types of cancer.
Though some patients with these disorders are being helped immensely with legalized medical marijuana, it is not a drug that is universally legalized or readily accessible for all that may benefit. There also has not been enough large-scale clinical trials on the drug to inform the public on all of the pros and cons of the drug.
In order for scientists to explore further the benefits or consequences of marijuana in the body, the scheduling of the drug needs to be changed. The DEA determined in 1961 that cannabis had no medical use. This is 2016 and last time I checked, some people with access to medical marijuana are showing major medical improvements in their diseases. In a modern society with plenty of brilliant scientists looking for cures and plenty of American’s suffering from life-debilitating diseases, it seems silly to stifle research that could change lives with a rule made before we even landed on the moon.
I’ve included a link from the National Institute on Drug Abuse if you wish to read more on this topic:
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine