A decision on reclassifying marijuana in the U.S. will be delayed until after the November election, raising its potential as a political issue. The DEA will hold a hearing on the matter in December.
Bollywood Fever: A decision on whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in the U.S. will not be made until after the November presidential election, a timeline that raises the likelihood of it becoming a key political issue in the closely contested race.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled a hearing for public comment on the proposed historic change in federal drug policy for December 2.
This timing suggests that a final decision might not be reached until the next administration takes office.
Although it’s possible that the decision could come before President Joe Biden’s term ends, it would be an unusually expedited process, according to cannabis lawyer Brian Vicente.
The delay could bring more attention to the presidential candidates’ positions on marijuana. Vice President Kamala Harris has advocated for decriminalizing the drug and has criticized its current classification in the DEA’s Schedule I category, alongside heroin and LSD.
Her stance has evolved over the years; she once opposed legalized recreational use for adults in California while running for attorney general in 2010.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has recently signaled support for a Florida legalization measure.
He has also expressed that people should not be jailed for marijuana, a stance that aligns with the increasing number of states where the drug is legal.
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump supported medical marijuana and argued that the decision on marijuana legalization should be left to the states.
However, during his first term, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed an Obama-era policy that had restrained federal authorities from cracking down on the marijuana trade in states where it is legal.
The Justice Department’s proposal to reclassify marijuana, made in May, acknowledges the drug’s medical uses and recognizes that it has less potential for abuse than other Schedule I substances. This proposal came after President Biden called for a review, describing the potential change as “monumental.”
The DEA has not yet taken a definitive stance on the reclassification, stating that it will continue to evaluate the issue as the federal rulemaking process unfolds.
If approved, the reclassification would be the most significant shift in U.S. drug policy in 50 years and could become a critical political issue, especially among younger voters.
However, the proposal faces opposition from groups like Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
The group’s president, Kevin Sabet, argues that there isn’t enough data to move cannabis to the less-dangerous Schedule III category, where it would be grouped with substances like ketamine and some anabolic steroids.
The DEA’s decision to hold a hearing has been hailed by Sabet as a victory in ensuring that the decision is guided by medical science, not politics. He also noted that 18 state attorneys general are backing his opposition.
While the marijuana industry has expressed some disappointment over the delay, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Stephen Abraham, CFO of The Blinc Group, a supplier of hardware for pot vapes, noted that delays often benefit the illicit market.
The legal marijuana industry, which has grown rapidly in recent years, is keen on rescheduling because it could allow state-licensed pot companies to take federal business-expense tax deductions currently unavailable for Schedule I or II substances.
Some advocates also hope that rescheduling could pave the way for Congress to pass legislation allowing banks to provide services to cannabis businesses, which has been a significant hurdle due to the drug’s legal status.
Additionally, rescheduling could facilitate more research on marijuana, as conducting authorized clinical studies on Schedule I substances is currently difficult.
Despite the potential changes, the immediate impact on the criminal justice system would likely be minimal, as federal prosecutions for simple possession have been rare in recent years.
As the discussion surrounding marijuana rescheduling intensifies, it is clear that the issue will continue to be a significant topic in the upcoming election and beyond.
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