So, back to that legalization thing

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

that map makes me mad every time i see it

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20906]

58 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

that map makes me mad every time i see it

It's kind of cool that you can leave El Paso, pick up some vape product in New Mexico, then drive through Arizona, California, Oregon and all the way to Seattle without worrying about getting busted. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

10 minutes ago, Horn Under a Bad Sign said:

It's kind of cool that you can leave El Paso, pick up some vape product in New Mexico, then drive through Arizona, California, Oregon and all the way to Seattle without worrying about getting busted. 

[Voldemort86 2259]

2 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

that map makes me mad every time i see it

Bathroom Dan,  potty Patrick, Dan Patrick 

that fucker kills it every year in the state legislature regardless of what Texans think and other republicans think.  I really wish Dan Patrick would die.

[Voldemort86 2259]

6 hours ago, bolverk said:

All five at least have medical. It's getting tougher break new ground. Although, North Carolina and Georgia seem ripe for the pickings.

My analysis of the map and future opportunities is as follows:

Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania are only a matter of time. All 3 states have had detailed conversations, votes, and they seem to be trying to sort the last few things out.  It’s a “when” not “ if” thing here.

North Dakota and South Dakota seems like they vote on it nearly every election cycle. If they continue to allow votes on it, it will eventually break thru and that’s 2 more red states we can add to the pile. Every 2-4 years people in these states get it on the ballot thru the ballot initiative process.

West Virginia seems to be trending to the “when not if” category. 
 

I’m still Skeptical on Florida. Florida is both Republican as hell and crazy as fuck. They have used the Florida Supreme Court to stop it from getting on the ballot before and may do so again. Desantis is a 70 year old man in a 40 year old’s body. For some reason, he really doesn’t like this stuff. You’d think anyone under 50 wouldn’t be hostile to marijuana, but there are lots of idiots in the US population.  In addition, Florida needs 60% to pass ballot initiatives and recreational is still considered somewhat controversial so I’m not sure it could get 60% statewide in Desantis land with the GOP trying to stop it there.

 

Georgia and Wisconsin are considered “playing the long game”. We flipped the Supreme Court in Wisconsin, we are fixing the maps, and hopefully we can take control there and get abortion / weed legalization passed like the majority of Wisconsin residents desire.

Georgia we need to continue to have liberals move there for work. We need more black Georgians to get over the age of 18. Georgia is competitive like we were hoping Texas would be by now. The demographics in Georgia seem to be trending in the dems direction.  Take the legislature / governor in Georgia and they could pass it. 
 

Activists have tried to get medical on the ballot in Idaho, Nebraska, and Wyoming, but they’ve had trouble with either collecting enough signatures or the Supreme Court / republicans have stepped in and killed it. 
 

there are still lots of wins out there to be had and fight for. Like I said,  I wish Dan Patrick would croak so maybe Texas could join the fun.

[bolverk 30313]

Anyone know Matthew's Surly handle?

Federal Scientists Recommend Easing Restrictions on Marijuana
In newly disclosed documents, federal researchers find that cannabis may have medical uses and is less likely to cause harm than drugs like heroin.

Marijuana is neither as risky nor as prone to abuse as other tightly controlled substances and has potential medical benefits, and therefore should be removed from the nation’s most restrictive category of drugs, federal scientists have concluded.

The recommendations are contained in a 250-page scientific review provided to Matthew Zorn, a Texas lawyer who sued Health and Human Services officials for its release and published it online on Friday night. An H.H.S. official confirmed the authenticity of the document.

The records shed light for the first time on the thinking of federal health officials who are pondering a momentous change. The agencies involved have not publicly commented on their debates over what amounts to a reconsideration of marijuana at the federal level.

Since 1970, marijuana has been considered a so-called Schedule I drug, a category that also includes heroin. Schedule I drugs have no medical use and a high potential for abuse, and they carry severe criminal penalties under federal trafficking laws.

The documents show that scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration make marijuana a Schedule III drug, alongside the likes of ketamine and testosterone, which are available by prescription.

The review by federal scientists found that even though marijuana is the most frequently abused illicit drug, “it does not produce serious outcomes compared to drugs in Schedules I or II.”

Marijuana abuse does lead to physical dependence, the analysis noted, and some people develop a psychological dependence. “But the likelihood of serious outcomes is low,” the review concluded.

The review also said there is some “scientific support” for therapeutic uses of marijuana, including treatment of anorexia, pain, and nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy.

Federal officials cautioned that their analysis was not meant to suggest that they had established the safety and effectiveness of marijuana in a way that would support F.D.A. approval, only that data supported some medical uses of marijuana.

These conclusions apparently led the F.D.A. to break from decades of precedent last August and advise the Drug Enforcement Administration to recategorize marijuana, a move first reported by Bloomberg News.

That recommendation is being considered by the D.E.A., which is expected to formally announce its decision within months. The reclassification will be subject to public comment and debate before it is made final.

The scientific assessment has prompted tensions between career employees at the D.E.A., a famously conservative law enforcement agency, and the researchers and health officials who support reclassification, according to two senior administration officials.

Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, said in an interview this week that his department had stayed in touch with the D.E.A. about marijuana’s status and had “communicated to them our position.”

“We put it all out there for them,” he said. “We continue to offer them any follow up, technical information if they have any questions.”

Advocates for the marijuana industry have hailed a possible rescheduling as highly significant, a powerful way to get marijuana businesses out of the shadows and operating on the same tax footing as other major United States corporations.

Other experts are more circumspect. They note that any long-running study of marijuana that the federal authorities have reviewed may not account for the escalating strength and increasingly frequent use of marijuana, which has been tied to psychiatric problems and chronic vomiting among users in recent years.

For years there was the promise, ultimately unmet, that marijuana could be used to combat opioid abuse or treat mental health problems, said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford health policy professor and a former federal drug policy official.

“As the science has gotten better in the intervening decades, most of the therapeutic claims about cannabis have been debunked,” he said.

“And the evidence that cannabis can in fact be quite harmful has gotten stronger — yet it is now that the federal government has decided to call it a medicine.”

President Biden urged federal officials to “expeditiously” re-examine marijuana classification in October 2022, when he also issued pardons for those charged with marijuana possession under federal law.

Mr. Biden cited the disproportionate rates of arrest and prosecution of people who are Black and Hispanic for marijuana-related crimes, despite similar rates of use among white people. In December, Mr. Biden again issued pardons for people who had been convicted of simple possession and use of marijuana on federal land.

Federal data shows that marijuana is popular: An estimated 52 million people in the United States reported using it at some point in 2021. Fewer people, about 36 million, reported marijuana use in the previous month, trailing alcohol and tobacco use.

“Decriminalization and legalization is as popular as it ever was,” Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, a Democrat, said in an interview last year regarding his state’s early legalization of cannabis.

“None of the horror stories materialized,” he said. “Underage use is down in Colorado. We regulate marijuana like alcohol, effectively. Responsible adults can choose to recreate with alcohol or marijuana in our state as long as they do it in a safe way and don’t drive, don’t show up at work inebriated.”

In 38 states, marijuana is legal for medical use; it’s legal for recreational use in two dozen states and territories. Its pungent scent has become common in many communities, wafting from car windows at intersections in California and hanging over the crowds in Times Square.

Changing the way federal officials regard marijuana has long been a subject of fierce debate.

In 2016, the D.E.A. rejected a petition to reschedule marijuana, citing federal health officials’ stance at the time: “Marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States, and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision.”

Last month, Michael D. Miller, a Justice Department official, defended the D.E.A.’s prerogative in making the final decision on the administration’s position.

“D.E.A. has the final authority to schedule, reschedule, or deschedule a drug under the Controlled Substances Act, after considering the relevant statutory and regulatory criteria and H.H.S.’s scientific and medical evaluation,” he wrote in a letter to Representative Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat who has pushed the D.E.A. to reconsider marijuana.

[Slacks 7047]

On 1/10/2024 at 2:33 AM, Voldemort86 said:

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/west-virginia-senate-president-says-marijuana-could-be-legalized-to-help-curb-fentanyl-epidemic-sooner-than-later/
 

Republican West Virginia senate president talking about legalizing marijuana relatively soon because his state is getting hammered by the opioid epidemic. 
 

West Virginia legalizing would be huge for several reasons. WV is the reddest state in the country. Would send a message to other republican states. WV going legal would fully surround Pennsylvania with legal states and put more pressure on them to legalize. New Hampshire is an island of prohibition as well, but prohibition seems to be holding on by a thread in that state.

your possibilities for 2024 legalization appear to be :  

Florida, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. 
 

24 states fully legal. 26 to go. Just want to see this sham of a prohibition die. 

My suspicious black ass does, too. 

[Slacks 7047]

13 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Anyone know Matthew's Surly handle?

Federal Scientists Recommend Easing Restrictions on Marijuana
In newly disclosed documents, federal researchers find that cannabis may have medical uses and is less likely to cause harm than drugs like heroin.

Marijuana is neither as risky nor as prone to abuse as other tightly controlled substances and has potential medical benefits, and therefore should be removed from the nation’s most restrictive category of drugs, federal scientists have concluded.

The recommendations are contained in a 250-page scientific review provided to Matthew Zorn, a Texas lawyer who sued Health and Human Services officials for its release and published it online on Friday night. An H.H.S. official confirmed the authenticity of the document.

The records shed light for the first time on the thinking of federal health officials who are pondering a momentous change. The agencies involved have not publicly commented on their debates over what amounts to a reconsideration of marijuana at the federal level.

Since 1970, marijuana has been considered a so-called Schedule I drug, a category that also includes heroin. Schedule I drugs have no medical use and a high potential for abuse, and they carry severe criminal penalties under federal trafficking laws.

The documents show that scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration make marijuana a Schedule III drug, alongside the likes of ketamine and testosterone, which are available by prescription.

The review by federal scientists found that even though marijuana is the most frequently abused illicit drug, “it does not produce serious outcomes compared to drugs in Schedules I or II.”

Marijuana abuse does lead to physical dependence, the analysis noted, and some people develop a psychological dependence. “But the likelihood of serious outcomes is low,” the review concluded.

The review also said there is some “scientific support” for therapeutic uses of marijuana, including treatment of anorexia, pain, and nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy.

Federal officials cautioned that their analysis was not meant to suggest that they had established the safety and effectiveness of marijuana in a way that would support F.D.A. approval, only that data supported some medical uses of marijuana.

These conclusions apparently led the F.D.A. to break from decades of precedent last August and advise the Drug Enforcement Administration to recategorize marijuana, a move first reported by Bloomberg News.

That recommendation is being considered by the D.E.A., which is expected to formally announce its decision within months. The reclassification will be subject to public comment and debate before it is made final.

The scientific assessment has prompted tensions between career employees at the D.E.A., a famously conservative law enforcement agency, and the researchers and health officials who support reclassification, according to two senior administration officials.

Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, said in an interview this week that his department had stayed in touch with the D.E.A. about marijuana’s status and had “communicated to them our position.”

“We put it all out there for them,” he said. “We continue to offer them any follow up, technical information if they have any questions.”

Advocates for the marijuana industry have hailed a possible rescheduling as highly significant, a powerful way to get marijuana businesses out of the shadows and operating on the same tax footing as other major United States corporations.

Other experts are more circumspect. They note that any long-running study of marijuana that the federal authorities have reviewed may not account for the escalating strength and increasingly frequent use of marijuana, which has been tied to psychiatric problems and chronic vomiting among users in recent years.

For years there was the promise, ultimately unmet, that marijuana could be used to combat opioid abuse or treat mental health problems, said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford health policy professor and a former federal drug policy official.

“As the science has gotten better in the intervening decades, most of the therapeutic claims about cannabis have been debunked,” he said.

“And the evidence that cannabis can in fact be quite harmful has gotten stronger — yet it is now that the federal government has decided to call it a medicine.”

President Biden urged federal officials to “expeditiously” re-examine marijuana classification in October 2022, when he also issued pardons for those charged with marijuana possession under federal law.

Mr. Biden cited the disproportionate rates of arrest and prosecution of people who are Black and Hispanic for marijuana-related crimes, despite similar rates of use among white people. In December, Mr. Biden again issued pardons for people who had been convicted of simple possession and use of marijuana on federal land.

Federal data shows that marijuana is popular: An estimated 52 million people in the United States reported using it at some point in 2021. Fewer people, about 36 million, reported marijuana use in the previous month, trailing alcohol and tobacco use.

“Decriminalization and legalization is as popular as it ever was,” Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, a Democrat, said in an interview last year regarding his state’s early legalization of cannabis.

“None of the horror stories materialized,” he said. “Underage use is down in Colorado. We regulate marijuana like alcohol, effectively. Responsible adults can choose to recreate with alcohol or marijuana in our state as long as they do it in a safe way and don’t drive, don’t show up at work inebriated.”

In 38 states, marijuana is legal for medical use; it’s legal for recreational use in two dozen states and territories. Its pungent scent has become common in many communities, wafting from car windows at intersections in California and hanging over the crowds in Times Square.

Changing the way federal officials regard marijuana has long been a subject of fierce debate.

In 2016, the D.E.A. rejected a petition to reschedule marijuana, citing federal health officials’ stance at the time: “Marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States, and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision.”

Last month, Michael D. Miller, a Justice Department official, defended the D.E.A.’s prerogative in making the final decision on the administration’s position.

“D.E.A. has the final authority to schedule, reschedule, or deschedule a drug under the Controlled Substances Act, after considering the relevant statutory and regulatory criteria and H.H.S.’s scientific and medical evaluation,” he wrote in a letter to Representative Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat who has pushed the D.E.A. to reconsider marijuana.

So, until the DEA and other 3 letter agencies get a budget increase that covers the off-record funds generated and used to support off the record activities, they'll keep things as-is. 

I don't think the DEA really cares if you smoke or not. They have to have a hand in the funds transfer. 

[Bullneck 19511]

On 1/10/2024 at 3:33 AM, Voldemort86 said:

Republican West Virginia senate president talking about legalizing marijuana relatively soon because his state is getting hammered by the opioid epidemic. West Virginia legalizing would be huge for several reasons. WV is the reddest state in the country. Would send a message to other republican states. WV going legal would fully surround Pennsylvania with legal states and put more pressure on them to legalize. New Hampshire is an island of prohibition as well, but prohibition seems to be holding on by a thread in that state.

I realize everyone responds differently but I usually bite off half a 25mg gummy every night and I get a tiny buzz (equivalent of one beer) and sleepy.  

I've also taken oxy-whatever after a herniated disk in 2017 and 2022 and the high is about the same.  

How anyone would make both illegal (or in the latter case, available by prescription) is regarded.  

[bolverk 30313]

10 minutes ago, Slacks said:

So, until the DEA and other 3 letter agencies get a budget increase that covers the off-record funds generated and used to support off the record activities, they'll keep things as-is. 

I don't think the DEA really cares if you smoke or not. They have to have a hand in the funds transfer. 

I'm cautiously optimistic they'll reschedule based on the fact they don't have cover from the scientists anymore.

This is the head of the DEA. @Bullneck How was she as AG of NJ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Milgram

[Bullneck 19511]

56 minutes ago, bolverk said:

I'm cautiously optimistic they'll reschedule based on the fact they don't have cover from the scientists anymore.

This is the head of the DEA. @Bullneck How was she as AG of NJ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Milgram

Quote

Attorney General of New Jersey[edit]

Milgram became Acting Attorney General on September 1, 2006, following the resignation of former Attorney General Zulima Farber.^[8] From 2007 to 2010, Milgram served as New Jersey's Attorney General.^[9]

 

[bolverk 30313]

1 minute ago, Bullneck said:

 

I read that and was wondering if you had an opnion on whether she was decent/fair as AG.

[Fastbreak 4044]

When I was back in Austin for the holidays. I got some delta-8 gummies from RS to try to beat jet lag. The first night I was literally tripping balls, as in I couldn’t walk or talk. I made the mistake of taking right before I was called into a last minute meeting in Singapore (it was 3am Austin time) and I made it through 20 minutes before I had to just type “gotta run to other meeting”. If they would have wanted me to say something it would have been a disaster.

[Bullneck 19511]

53 minutes ago, bolverk said:

I read that and was wondering if you had an opnion on whether she was decent/fair as AG.

Sorry, just reread your post.  We didn't move here until 2013; her term ended in 2010.  

[Voldemort86 2259]

2 hours ago, Bullneck said:

I realize everyone responds differently but I usually bite off half a 25mg gummy every night and I get a tiny buzz (equivalent of one beer) and sleepy.  

I've also taken oxy-whatever after a herniated disk in 2017 and 2022 and the high is about the same.  

How anyone would make both illegal (or in the latter case, available by prescription) is regarded.  

Dan Patrick sucks.

[Bullneck 19511]

18 minutes ago, Fastbreak said:

When I was back in Austin for the holidays. I got some delta-8 gummies from RS to try to beat jet lag. The first night I was literally tripping balls, as in I couldn’t walk or talk. I made the mistake of taking right before I was called into a last minute meeting in Singapore (it was 3am Austin time) and I made it through 20 minutes before I had to just type “gotta run to other meeting”. If they would have wanted me to say something it would have been a disaster.

I bet they were thinking, "damn, this guy is hard core -- double booked with another 3am meeting!"

Edited January 13 by Bullneck

[bolverk 30313]

44 minutes ago, Fastbreak said:

When I was back in Austin for the holidays. I got some delta-8 gummies from RS to try to beat jet lag. The first night I was literally tripping balls, as in I couldn’t walk or talk. I made the mistake of taking right before I was called into a last minute meeting in Singapore (it was 3am Austin time) and I made it through 20 minutes before I had to just type “gotta run to other meeting”. If they would have wanted me to say something it would have been a disaster.

Delta-8 doesn't do a whole lot for me, but Delta-9? Holy shit.

[Mother mopar 3383]

Delta-8 doesn't do a whole lot for me, but Delta-9? Holy shit.

I stay away from both (such scattered effects for me) and just smoke flower but I also don't live in Tx anymore.

[CooterBrown 18287]

I’m finally leaving a job that drug tests. It’s been 15 long years and I haven’t had an opportunity to partake in all these gummies, deltas and other shit. Pray for me.

[Mother mopar 3383]

I’m finally leaving a job that drug tests. It’s been 15 long years and I haven’t had an opportunity to partake in all these gummies, deltas and other shit. Pray for me.

Time for you to read the Surly High thread.

[dcbc 14644]

Looks like Schedule III is a go.  It's not the goal line, but it's progress.

 

Link-Link-Pass

Edited March 22 by dcbc

[Voldemort86 2259]

On 3/22/2024 at 7:24 AM, dcbc said:

Looks like Schedule III is a go.  It's not the goal line, but it's progress.

 

Link-Link-Pass

I’m expecting something major to be announced before the election.  Schedule 3 or otherwise.  Biden would have to be a fool to not capitalize on the popularity of weed.

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

5 hours ago, Voldemort86 said:

I’m expecting something major to be announced before the election.  Schedule 3 or otherwise.  Biden would have to be a fool to not capitalize on the popularity of weed.

well, he's had four fucking years to do it. come on, Joe!

[dcbc 14644]

5 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

well, he's had four fucking years to do it. come on, Joe!

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

here's a poll you can actually believe in:
https://norml.org/blog/2024/03/27/pew-poll-adults-overwhelmingly-oppose-marijuana-criminalization/?link_id=12&can_id=41553c27793d01a5b92bcafb94505943&source=email-norml-news-of-the-week-3282024-2&email_referrer=email_2260519&email_subject=norml-news-of-the-week-3282024

Quote

Eighty-eight percent of Americans say that marijuana ought to be legal for either medical or adult use, according to nationwide polling compiled by the Pew Research Center.

The results are consistent with those of prior Pew polls finding that only about ten percent of US adults support a blanket policy of cannabis criminalization

 

[DigglerontheHoof 21548]

16 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

here's a poll you can actually believe in:
https://norml.org/blog/2024/03/27/pew-poll-adults-overwhelmingly-oppose-marijuana-criminalization/?link_id=12&can_id=41553c27793d01a5b92bcafb94505943&source=email-norml-news-of-the-week-3282024-2&email_referrer=email_2260519&email_subject=norml-news-of-the-week-3282024

 

If the dems would pull their heads out of their asses, they'd put legalization in their platform.  But their asses will stay firmly planted in their asses. 

[Blotto 24011]

Interesting article on the weed shitshow in Oklahoma. Cant trust Okies to do anything without fucking it up

https://www.businessinsider.com/oklahoma-legal-marijuana-cannabis-laws-industry-kingfisher-county-mass-murder-2024-3

Quote

After a steak dinner at Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City in February, Barb considered whether she would have done things differently.

"Yeah, I'll tell you what I wish I did differently," she said, taking a drag off a Virginia Slim. "I wish I'd never fucking stepped foot in Oklahoma."

well no shit, barb. no f'n shit. 

Edited March 31 by Blotto

[Horn Under a Bad Sign 20906]

5 minutes ago, Blotto said:

Interesting article on the weed shitshow in Oklahoma. Cant trust Okies to do anything without fucking it up

https://www.businessinsider.com/oklahoma-legal-marijuana-cannabis-laws-industry-kingfisher-county-mass-murder-2024-3

well no shit, barb. no f'n shit. 

"The remnants of face-high marijuana plants lie flat on the unswept concrete."

Wait a minute, we can go get some weed in Oklahoma? Who's up for a road trip?

[Matuka 1320]

It’s only for OK residents with a Rx

[mchookem 16765]

[Voldemort86 2259]

15 hours ago, Matuka said:

It’s only for OK residents with a Rx

They need to fix that shit.  They could make so much money if people could go to Oklahoma and buy it.

[RPM 26614]

[StassneyHorn 6766]

1 minute ago, StassneyHorn said:

The future some of you wanted, today

 

https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=d3ae8027ea8ffd2c&from=serp&prevUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com%2Fm%2Fjobs%3Fq%3Dblunt%2Broller%26l%3Dcalifornia%26from%3DsearchOnSerp%26sameQ%3D1&xpse=SoBL67I3CSmfGYQdpJ0LbzkdCdPP&xkcb=SoBD67M3CSmA6MW5cB0KbzkdCdPP

Cross posting from Joe Biden is God thread. Like all good things I will jinx it. Been some pretty big movement in cannabis industry. Seeing the gains in the stock market

[dcbc 14644]

Just now, StassneyHorn said:

Cross posting from Joe Biden is God thread. Like all good things I will jinx it. Been some pretty big movement in cannabis industry. Seeing the gains in the stock market

Cross-repsonding.  Is this a remote position?  Asking for a fiend.

[Mother mopar 3383]

Cross-repsonding.  Is this a remote position?  Asking for a fiend.

Hybrid

[dcbc 14644]

On 4/3/2024 at 8:29 PM, Mother mopar said:

On 4/3/2024 at 2:37 PM, dcbc said:

Cross-repsonding.  Is this a remote position?  Asking for a fiend.

Hybrid

 

Far out.

[SimonBolivar 11062]

Biden Administration Plans to Recommend Easing Marijuana Restrictions - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

 

 

Spoiler

The Justice Department plans to recommend easing restrictions on marijuana in what could amount to a major change in federal policy, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Even though the move, which kicks off a lengthy rule-making process, does not end the criminalization of the drug, it would be a significant shift in how the government views the safety and use of marijuana for medical purposes. It also reflects the Biden administration’s effort to liberalize marijuana policy in a way that puts it more in line with the public as increasingly more Americans favor legalizing the drug.

The decision comes at an opportune time for President Biden, who is trailing the presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald J. Trump, as they approach the November election, according to a recent CNN poll.

It could also lead to the softening of other laws and regulations that account for the use or possession of cannabis, including sentencing guidelines, banking and access to public housing.

People familiar with the recommendation, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland would tell the White House Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday that the government should change the drug’s classification. After the office assesses the recommendation, it would still face a long road before taking effect, including being subject to public comment.

The Associated Press earlier reported the Justice Department decision.

For more than half a century, marijuana has been considered a Schedule I drug, classified on the same level as highly addictive substances like heroin that the Drug Enforcement Administration describes as having no currently accepted medical use. Moving marijuana to Schedule III, as the Department of Health and Human Services recommended in August, would put it alongside less addictive substances like Tylenol with codeine, ketamine and testosterone, meaning that it would be subject to fewer restrictions on production and research, and that it could be prescribed by a doctor.

The decision to recommend changing the status of marijuana came despite concerns from Anne Milgram, the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which has long relied on federal research and data to support these decisions, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter.

More on Cannabis

With recreational marijuana becoming legal in several states, cannabis products are becoming more easily available and increasingly varied.

A Rare Mention: Biden briefly referenced a topic that he has often been reluctant to embrace: marijuana. His words could signal a move toward promoting the efforts he has made to liberalize cannabis policy.

Risk of Heart Attack: People who frequently smoke marijuana have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a study that has researchers and experts concerned.

CBD Stalls Out: CBD, which is derived from cannabis or hemp, was poised to be the next big “it” ingredient. But a lack of federal regulation and a mishmash of state laws got in the way.

Curing Animals With Cannabis: While many people and their doctors have embraced medical marijuana, treating pets and zoo animals with CBD and THC is just beginning.

White House officials have privately acknowledged the political benefit of easing marijuana restrictions: It could energize younger voters dissatisfied with the White House and please criminal justice advocates who have pressed Mr. Biden to overhaul the nation’s drug policy.

While Mr. Biden has been slow to embrace such a change, he has for years said that designating marijuana on the same level as heroin or LSD made little sense. He hinted that change could soon be coming during his State of the Union address in March; about a week later, Vice President Kamala Harris said that the D.E.A. must reassess marijuana “as quickly as possible.”

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Support for easing marijuana restrictions has grown over the years, shifting from a point of focus among the left flank of the Democratic Party to becoming a more bipartisan issue. A Gallup poll from November found that 70 percent of Americans believed marijuana use should be legal, an increase from 50 percent in 2013.

Still, the change will do little to alter the current landscape, with the most immediate impact on the cannabis industry itself.

“A lot of people are going to be disappointed and probably a bit surprised about how very little changes,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the advocacy group NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Already, 38 states, the District of Columbia and three territories have approved its use for medical reasons. Many of those places have also approved it for recreational use.

But the D.E.A.’s move does not make state laws on using medical marijuana compliant with the federal law.

And for states that have not approved the use of marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes, downgrading the drug would not automatically change state and local criminal statutes.

The bigger shift, many say, is cultural.

“It is a strong signal that the war on drugs and the crimes that are associated with the war on drugs should continue to be re-evaluated and should continue to be reformed and change,” said Ed Chung, the vice president of initiatives at the nonprofit Vera Institute of Justice, which focuses on criminal justice reform. “There is a huge messaging aspect to that.”

The cannabis industry stands to benefit the most from the recommended change, which would ensure that state-licensed businesses are eligible for a steep tax cut, possibly leading to lower prices for consumers.

This tax relief is estimated to free up millions of dollars for companies to put toward things like hiring, expansion and product development, all of which could be a boon to local economies.

Under tax law, businesses related to controlled substances that are classified in the top two tiers are deemed ineligible for most credits or reductions.

Categorizing marijuana as a Schedule III drug removes such restrictions, allowing plant-touching businesses like cultivators, processors and retailers to claim common deductions for expenses like rent, payroll and marketing.

It is not yet clear how rescheduling would affect businesses’ access to financial services, or the lack thereof. Currently, many cannabis businesses are forced to operate in cash only, because most banks do not want to risk handling cash made from selling an illegal substance under federal law. Doing so is considered money laundering.

Kevin Sabet, who served as a drug policy adviser during the Obama, Bush and Clinton administrations, said the data did not exist to support rescheduling marijuana.

“Politics and industry influence have loomed over this decision from the very beginning,” said Mr. Sabet, now the president of the group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which focuses on aligning marijuana policy with scientific research.

The federal government last considered rescheduling marijuana at the end of the Obama administration. Ultimately, the D.E.A. declined to do so, based on a recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services. At the time, officials cited federal health experts’ assessments that “marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision.”

But in the past decade, more states have moved to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana and make it available for medical use, and the industry has pressured the federal government to revisit that 2016 decision.

During his 2020 campaign, Mr. Biden vowed to decriminalize cannabis and erase convictions over its use, and as president he has moved toward that, issuing pardons and commutations over nonviolent drug offenses. It is a shift for a president who has not supported legalizing marijuana and who as a senator championed aggressive drug laws, including the 1994 crime bill that led to mass incarceration.

In October 2022, Mr. Biden pressed his administration to quickly review the classification of the drug. Less than a year later, the Department of Health and Human Services recommended that marijuana be reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III.

The decision was leaked, giving the public an unusual look into the agency’s findings. Health officials found that while regular use of marijuana did create a dependence on the drug, “the likelihood of serious outcomes is low.”

 

[Anastasis 23716]

It needs to be descheduled completely both federally and at state level. The major upside I see with moving it to CIII is that it will make medical research much easier to execute. There are still major penalties at federal level for unlawful possession. 

[bolverk 30313]

Quick overview of the rescheduling implications from the NYTimes Business page's "Deal Book":

The Cannabis Industry Hopes for New Highs
The Justice Department’s recommendation that restrictions on marijuana be lifted has revived expectations for a business that has waited years for such a change.

A flicker of hope for the weed business
For years, the dreams of the cannabis industry looked like they might go up in smoke, with the U.S. government classifying marijuana as a drug as dangerous as heroin. But the multibillion-dollar industry now has some hope that could change.

Shares in cannabis-related companies are soaring, as the Biden administration weighs easing federal restrictions on marijuana, though not completely decriminalizing it. The bet is that this will give the industry a new lease on life — though it shouldn’t expect big changes immediately.

What’s happening: The Justice Department said on Tuesday that it had recommended changing marijuana’s classification from a Schedule I drug (highly addictive with no medicinal use) to a Schedule III one (more like Tylenol with codeine). While the department can still prosecute offenders, it has already said doing so isn’t a high priority.

The news bolstered cannabis stocks. Shares in Tilray, a giant in the industry, jumped 39 percent on Tuesday, while those in Canopy Growth leaped nearly 79 percent. That’s welcome news for investors in both companies: Canopy Growth’s stock is down 97 percent over the past five years, while those in Tilray are down 95 percent.

New rules could unleash tax breaks that are unavailable for businesses that deal in Schedule I or Schedule II substances, possibly leading to lower prices and more hiring. It could also bolster investment: “We anticipate a surge in liquidity as sidelined capital enters the market, drawn by the potential for legal businesses to thrive,” Morgan Paxhia of Poseidon Asset Management said.

A big change would be whether financial giants will start working with cannabis companies. Service providers including Mastercard and brokerages don’t want to be involved in transactions involving federally prohibited substances. The re-entry of traditional financial services would be a huge boon for such companies.

It’s a decision that has been years in the making. President Biden ran for office in 2020 pledging to decriminalize marijuana and ease convictions over its use. It’s also not without controversy: Anne Milgram, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s administrator, raised concerns about the move.

The cannabis industry has also pushed back against existing federal laws. A group of companies has sued the Justice Department, arguing that the federal government was overstepping its constitutional authority over interstate commerce by restricting companies that operate entirely within states.

David Boies, the famed litigator representing those companies, said the Biden administration’s move was overdue. “It recognizes, as we have alleged, that there is no legitimate national interest in criminalizing marijuana legalized by the states,” he told DealBook.

Don’t expect big changes overnight, however. The Justice Department’s recommendation sets off a lengthy rule-making process including a public comment period, meaning final changes are far-off.

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

Finally. Glad pardons are part of it. Maybe now banks will lend to weed farmers. Make that shit abundant and cheap!

 

Edited May 16 by Longhorn_Fan68

[Longhorn_Fan68 34102]

oh, and you know, the whole medicinal thing too. 🤣

[Smax 3800]

So hypothetically if weed is decriminalized or legalized at the federal level, can states like Texas still make it a crime to possess? How would that work

[HornOnTheBayou 9062]

5 minutes ago, Smax said:

So hypothetically if weed is decriminalized or legalized at the federal level, can states like Texas still make it a crime to possess? How would that work

Wouldn't it be like alcohol where states could still restrict it as much as they want?

[texasdago 7767]

7 minutes ago, Smax said:

So hypothetically if weed is decriminalized or legalized at the federal level, can states like Texas still make it a crime to possess? How would that work

Abbott will find a way

[Smax 3800]

3 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Wouldn't it be like alcohol where states could still restrict it as much as they want?

 

like dry counties? yeah you're probably right

[scottsins 2046]

So hypothetically if weed is decriminalized or legalized at the federal level, can states like Texas still make it a crime to possess? How would that work

100%. Texas will it change their marijuana statute at all, regardless of how federal statutes change.

[softlynow 1894]

Red county DAs will likely ramp up the plea offers again, just like they did in MoCo after Ogg announced her look the other way policy in Harris Co. As I recall the MCDA made a public statement about the evils of reefer (his word choice) and offers of dismissal with a clean test disappeared overnight. 

[scottsins 2046]

Red county DAs will likely ramp up the plea offers again, just like they did in MoCo after Ogg announced her look the other way policy in Harris Co. As I recall the MCDA made a public statement about the evils of reefer (his word choice) and offers of dismissal with a clean test disappeared overnight. 

I’ll see your example of trash weed policy and raise you this:

Last week a judge told my PTSD Vet that if he tested hot for THC, he would have his probation revoked, even if he could provide a valid prescription for an approved registered physician under the Compassionate Use Program.

Opioids? Benzos? No similar policy/stande.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10803]

On 5/16/2024 at 4:02 PM, Smax said:

So hypothetically if weed is decriminalized or legalized at the federal level, can states like Texas still make it a crime to possess? How would that work

Patrick looking to get Delta 8/9 loophole closed next session is one example. Stock up now.

[Sawbonz 28196]

2 hours ago, scottsins said:

I’ll see your example of trash weed policy and raise you this:

Last week a judge told my PTSD Vet that if he tested hot for THC, he would have his probation revoked, even if he could provide a valid prescription for an approved registered physician under the Compassionate Use Program.

Opioids? Benzos? No similar policy/stande.

Tell your client to look into ketamine therapy. Seriously.