On Thursday, more than 12 bipartisan congressional legislators sent a letter asking for transparency in the ongoing review of marijuana scheduling that President Obama directed last year.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D.OR) circulated a draft version of the letter to colleagues and sought signatories, before sending it to U.S. attorney general Merrick Garland and Secretary Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra.
According to the letter, Biden’s scheduling directive is “an opportunity for honest assessment of origins and consequences of federal policy.” It also states that marijuana was originally scheduled on stigma and not science and that it’s now “time to address marijuana’s current reality as a state-regulated substance.”
“The burden of proof should be placed on the administrative review of marijuana’s schedule to ensure that marijuana remains a Scheduled Substance. The assumption that marijuana should be completely removed from the Controlled Substances Act is necessary to correct the failure of the war on drugs and the prohibition of cannabis.
They also stated that administrative descheduling “would not negate Congress’ obligation on comprehensive federal cannabis law reform” and that there are many thoughtful legislative reform proposals that have already been presented in previous sessions.
The letter states that each of the proposals “respects the leadership states have shown for 50 years in rethinking failed and discriminatory wars on drugs.” “Given the extent of the failures of the federal government on marijuana, the Administration must also take meaningful actions to de-schedule the drug and work with Congress and the States in the future.”
“To ensure accountability in your conclusions–which has been absent in so much of the history of federal marijuana regulation–transparency is key. We ask you to make all evidence that marijuana is more susceptible to drug abuse than other descheduled substances regulated at the state and federal levels available for public review. Due to the federal restrictions placed on marijuana research because of its scheduling, it is important that all departments examine the entire range of research. It’s time for the federal government to adopt a more transparent approach to marijuana policy.
16 signatories have signed the letter which also includes Robert Califf, Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as a CC.
Neben Blumenauer, who is the co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, are: Reps. Barbara Lee and Lou Correa (D–CA), Dina Tuus (D–NV), Nancy Mace (R–SC), Eleanor Holmes Norton & Mark Pocan (D–WI), Jared Huffman & Jan Schakowsky (D–IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D–NJ), Jared Huffman & Jan Schakowsky (D–CA), Jan Schakowsky & Donald Payne (D–NJ), Val Hoyle (D–OR), Val Hoyle (D–OR), Val Hoyle (D–OR), Val Hoyle (D–NJ), Val Hoyle (D–OR), Val Hoyle (D–OR), Val Hoyle (Bayne)
The HHS secretary sent legislators, including Blumenauer, and Lee, a reply to a December letter to President about the need for the administration to recognize the benefits of cannabis descheduling, and take a clear stance.
The top federal health official did not address the main request of the lawmakers. He simply reiterated the department’s role in cannabis scheduling review and said that Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), makes the final call only after they have completed a “binding” scientific assessment.
Separately, last week’s Senate hearing heard that DOJ was “still working on marijuana policy” while waiting for the results of the scientific review by health agencies.
For his part, President Joe Biden has repeatedly praised his cannabis pardons, and his scheduling directive, in the months since October. This includes most recently at an event to mark the end of Black History Month.
View the letter below about marijuana scheduling issues from officials in the Biden administration:
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Photo by Mike Latimer.
The post More than a dozen Congressional Lawmakers Demand Transparency in Marijuana Scheduling Review By Biden Administration was first published on Marijuana Moment.
