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:::::::USA Set to Reschedule Cannabis::::::: HHS Releases Recommendation Documents:::::::
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Despite all this, Health and Human Services (HHS) of the federal government and Food And Drug Administration (FDA) sent a memo to DEA requesting cannabis be reformed to be moved to a less restrictive category Schedule 3 based on their review of scientific research. Lawmakers in have neglected to act on these findings of HHS and FDA about the medical use and safety of cannabis.
DEA has delayed for over 2 years and 4 months now, and is being investigated for their bias during the recheduling process.
DEA has delayed for over 2 years and 4 months now, and is being investigated for their bias during the recheduling process.
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Sweatloaf
Well-known member
Power and Control.
You know as well as I do most of these lawmakers are friendly minions. Who knows what goes on behind the scenes. The words they choose and their actions speak to where their heart is.
From what I can see there are a few people higher in authority with evil intentions who are manipulating for social engineering goals.
We fight not against flesh and blood, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6: 12-16 NKJV
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
From what I can see there are a few people higher in authority with evil intentions who are manipulating for social engineering goals.
We fight not against flesh and blood, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6: 12-16 NKJV
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Wish we still had Sam the Skunk Man. @acespicoli
Hey do we have any recent and well conducted research about the benefits and potential harms of cannabis we could send to these lawmakers?
Going to do some digging, and get the lawmakers the information they need if possible.
Hey do we have any recent and well conducted research about the benefits and potential harms of cannabis we could send to these lawmakers?
Going to do some digging, and get the lawmakers the information they need if possible.
RFK Jr. Says Marijuana Can Have ‘Catastrophic Impacts’ On Consumers, But State-Level Legalization Can Spur Research On Its Harms And Benefits
Fresh off his Senate confirmation vote to become the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday that he is “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on...
www.marijuanamoment.net
RFK Jr. Says Marijuana Can Have ‘Catastrophic Impacts’ On Consumers, But State-Level Legalization Can Spur Research On Its Harms And Benefits
Published
on
February 13, 2025
Fresh off his Senate confirmation vote to become the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday that he is “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on people, but that state-level legalization can facilitate research into its harms and benefits.
Kennedy, who was vocal about his support for marijuana legalization when he was running for president—as well as during his time on the Trump transition team—has been notably silent on cannabis policy issues over recent months as he worked to win over senators to secure confirmation for the country’s top health role.
Now, during his first major media interview since receiving that final vote to secure the cabinet position earlier in the day, Kennedy told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham that he believes cannabis does hold serious harm potential.
The HHS secretary, who personally struggled with drug addiction during his youth, was asked about his cannabis policy position and noted that he’s been in recovery for over 40 years and attends daily 12-step meetings.
“I hear stories all the time of the impacts of marijuana on people—and the really catastrophic impacts on them,” he said.
However, Kennedy said “that worry also has to be balanced [with] the impacts that we’ve had before” as it relates to criminalization.
“Twenty-five states [have] now legalized marijuana, but we had about a third of our prison population that was in jail because of marijuana offenses,” he said. “That’s something we don’t want either.”
“Because of the legalization of recreational marijuana in 25 states, we have now a capacity to really study it and to compare it to states,” he said. “We need to do studies. We need to figure it out, and then we need to we need to implement policies to address” any health concerns.
Of course, HHS has already completed a comprehensive scientific study into cannabis that led the agency under the Biden administration to recommend moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
The new comments come on the same day that Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) said he received a commitment from Kennedy to “follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”
Ricketts had already disclosed last week that he spoke to Kennedy about the the “importance” of “preventing the expansion of marijuana.” Now he says “RFK committed to me that he would follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”
The senator separately filed a bill last week alongside Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) that seeks to prevent the marijuana industry from taking federal tax deductions even if it’s rescheduling.
Despite Kennedy’s history of advocating for cannabis legalization, he said last month that he will defer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on marijuana rescheduling in his new role.
That could complicate rescheduling. On Monday, Trump officially named his pick to lead DEA—selecting a decades-long agency veteran and top Virginia official who’s voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
Separately, anti-marijuana Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) told Marijuana Moment last week that it’s “definitely” time to have a talk with Kennedy to convince him that “marijuana is harmful” and that the way to make Americans healthy is by “limiting” its use.
Prior to Kennedy’s written responses to members of the Senate Finance Committee that gave him initial approval, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pressed him to reiterate his position on marijuana legalization amid the ongoing effort to federally reschedule cannabis.
A political action committee founded by former Vice President Mike Pence had attempted to undermine the confirmation Kennedy as HHS secretary—in part by drawing attention to his support for marijuana and psychedelics reform, as well as his personal history with substance misuse.
Kennedy followed a dizzying path to the Trump administration, entering the 2024 presidential election as a Democratic candidate before switching to independent as he lagged in the polls and then eventually endorsing the GOP nominee.
In October, Kennedy specifically criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the agency’s “suppression of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said amounted to a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, a top U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official recently said it’s “very encouraging” that Kennedy supports psychedelics reform—and he hopes to work with him on the issue if he stays on for the next administration.
Not everyone shares VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal’s enthusiasm for Kennedy as the potential HHS secretary, however. Author Michael Pollan, for example, said that Trump’s pick could prove “very dangerous” to the psychedelics movement—even though he is a supporter of reform.
He said the prospective nominee might pursue federal reform in a way that delegitimizes the science behind substances such as psilocybin.
By contrast, Rick Perry—a former governor of Texas who also served in the first Trump administration—recently said the president-elect’s choices for key health policy positions, including Kennedy, are a “great gift” for the psychedelics reform movement, particularly as it concerns access to ibogaine as a treatment option for serious mental health conditions.
I am certain by strain development and consumer education, people can make wise choices to minimize any potential harms associated with cannabis use.
Prohibition promotes higher potency, forces people to use higher doses to avoid conflict during social situations, and inhibits development of more consumer-friendly strains that allow people to get the type of cannabis they need for different uses.
Cannabis has a uniquely profound range of types of effects, and they are not all based off the concentration of THC and related isomers. The profile of other cannabinoids as well as the terpene content has a significant influence on the effects. The mode of action of cannabis is largely unknown because its a synergistic entourage type of effect and is being left out of the debate for law reform.
Prohibition promotes higher potency, forces people to use higher doses to avoid conflict during social situations, and inhibits development of more consumer-friendly strains that allow people to get the type of cannabis they need for different uses.
Cannabis has a uniquely profound range of types of effects, and they are not all based off the concentration of THC and related isomers. The profile of other cannabinoids as well as the terpene content has a significant influence on the effects. The mode of action of cannabis is largely unknown because its a synergistic entourage type of effect and is being left out of the debate for law reform.
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Indiana State Police seize over 7,000 hemp plants in Hamilton County
Indiana State Police seized over 7,000 hemp plants from an unlicensed grower in Hamilton County.
www.wishtv.com
ISP: Indiana troopers seize 7,000 hemp plants from unlicensed grower
Indiana State Troopers seized thousands of hemp plants after serving a search warrant in Hamilton County, Indiana.
www.wlwt.com
Weed is in a gray legal area in Indiana. Where does that leave local smoke shops?
Delta-8 is currently legal in Indiana despite opposing opinions from the attorney general and governor.
www.idsnews.com
tstick
Active member
Ironic that RFKJR is worried about the impact of marijuana use, but alcohol and tobacco have become pretty much a non-issue in our country and the devastation that those two drugs have caused is tremendous. It sure is nice to have an alternative to those well-known social poisons. I hope he can understand and appreciate that.
Indiana has a bill to expand alcohol production. Does alcohol cause mental or physical issues? Yeah its amazing the lack of debate going on. They minimize debate because they know freedom of personal choice should be allowed for cannabis, especially since there is no lethal dose.
Sen. Ron Alting, Sen. Kyle Walker.
Co-Authored by:
Sen. Justin Busch, Sen. David Niezgodski.
Senate Bill 109
Artisan distillers.
Senate Bill (S)
Authored by:Sen. Ron Alting, Sen. Kyle Walker.
Co-Authored by:
Sen. Justin Busch, Sen. David Niezgodski.
Digest
Amends the permitting for craft manufacturers to participate in a trade show or exposition from a maximum of 45 days per year to a maximum of 60 events per year. Increases the number of gallons of liquor an artisan distiller may produce in a calendar year from 20,000 gallons to 30,000 gallons. Allows the holder of an artisan distiller's permit to manufacture liquor for another holder of an artisan distiller's permit if certain conditions are met.
Swiss Lawmakers Approve Plan To Legalize And Regulate Marijuana
A legislative committee in Switzerland has given preliminary approval to a plan that would legalize and regulate adult access to marijuana in the country. The proposal would bar for-profit sales, however, and impose a tax on cannabis products. The draft legislation was approved on a 14–9 vote on...
www.marijuanamoment.net
Recreational Marijuana in States
Recreational marijuana legalization measures remove all
state-imposed penalties for specified activities involving
marijuana. As of May 2, 2024, 24 states, DC, Guam, and
the Northern Mariana Islands have enacted laws allowing
for the recreational use of marijuana. State recreational
marijuana initiatives have legalized the possession of
specific quantities of marijuana by individuals aged 21 and
over, and (with the exception of DC and the states that only
recently enacted these measures) established state-
administered regulatory schemes for the sale of marijuana.
Activities related to recreational marijuana are illegal under
the CSA and would remain so if marijuana moves to
Schedule III.
The Federal Status of Marijuana and the Policy Gap with States
Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that generally consists of
leaves and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. Marijuana is
a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal
Controlled Substances Act (CSA; 21 U.S.C. §801 et seq.),
and thus is strictly regulated by federal authorities. In
contrast, over the last several decades, most states and
territories have deviated from a comprehensive prohibition
of marijuana and have laws and policies allowing for some
cultivation, sale, distribution, and possession of marijuana.
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the
United States. According to data from the National Survey
on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2022 an estimated
61.9 million individuals aged 12 or older used marijuana in
the past year, and 42.3 million reported using it in the past
month (NSDUH defines current use as past month use).
The percentage of individuals 12 or older who reported
past-month marijuana use gradually increased from 6.1% in
2008 to 15.0% in 2022—a time frame during which a
majority of states repealed state criminal prohibitions on
marijuana and allowed for its recreational and/or medical
use. The rate of past-month marijuana use among youth
(ages 12-17) has fluctuated during this time—it was 7.0%
in 2008 and 6.4% in 2022, while adult (ages 18+) use
steadily increased—from 6.3% in 2008 to 15.9% in 2022.
Marijuana Control Under Federal Law
Due to its status as a Schedule I controlled substance, the
CSA currently prohibits the manufacture, distribution,
dispensation, and possession of marijuana except in federal
government-approved research studies. The CSA definition
of marijuana was revised in 2018, with the removal of hemp
(cannabis containing no more than a 0.3% concentration of
the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
[delta-9-THC]) from the definition. Cannabidiol (CBD) is
derived from hemp or manufactured in a laboratory and is
not considered a controlled substance. In April 2024, the
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposed to
move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the
CSA. For a discussion of the legal consequences of
rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III, see CRS Legal
Sidebar LSB11105, Legal Consequences of Rescheduling
Marijuana.
Marijuana use may subject an individual to a number of
consequences under federal law in addition to the penalties
for a conviction of a marijuana-related offense.
Consequences for marijuana use can include, but are not
limited to, the inability to purchase and possess a firearm
and being ineligible for federal housing, certain visas, and
federal employment and military service.
State Cannabis Law and Policy Trends
It is increasingly common for states to have laws and
policies allowing for medical or recreational use of
marijuana—activities that violate the CSA. Evolving state-
level policies on marijuana also include decriminalization
measures.
Medical Marijuana in States
In 1996, California became the first state to amend its drug
laws to allow for the medicinal use of marijuana. As of May
2, 2024, 38 states, the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto
Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have
comprehensive laws and policies allowing for the medicinal
use of marijuana. Nine additional states allow for “limited-
access medical cannabis,” which refers to low-THC
cannabis or CBD oil. Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, and
American Samoa do not allow for the use of medical
marijuana or low-THC cannabis.
Current federal law does not recognize the distinction some
states make between the medical and recreational uses of
marijuana. Marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I
controlled substance reflects a finding that marijuana has a
high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical
use in the United States. Moving marijuana from Schedule I
to Schedule III, without other legal changes, would not
bring the state-legal recreational marijuana industry into
compliance with the CSA. If marijuana were moved to
Schedule III, it could theoretically be used for medical
purposes consistent with federal law. However, Schedule
III controlled substances may only legally be dispensed
pursuant to a valid prescription and, as discussed below,
marijuana is not currently a prescription drug approved by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Recreational Marijuana in States
Recreational marijuana legalization measures remove all
state-imposed penalties for specified activities involving
marijuana. As of May 2, 2024, 24 states, DC, Guam, and
the Northern Mariana Islands have enacted laws allowing
for the recreational use of marijuana. State recreational
marijuana initiatives have legalized the possession of
specific quantities of marijuana by individuals aged 21 and
over, and (with the exception of DC and the states that only
recently enacted these measures) established state-
administered regulatory schemes for the sale of marijuana.
Activities related to recreational marijuana are illegal under
the CSA and would remain so if marijuana moves to
Schedule III.
Decriminalization
Over the last 50 years, many states and municipalities have
decriminalized marijuana. Marijuana decriminalization
differs markedly from legalization. A state or municipality
The Federal Status of Marijuana and the Policy Gap with States
decriminalizes conduct by removing the accompanying
criminal penalties or by lowering them (e.g., making
covered conduct a low-level misdemeanor with no
possibility of jail time). Civil penalties may remain (e.g.,
someone possessing marijuana may receive a ticket with a
fine).
Marijuana as Medicine and Federal
Involvement
Under federal law, a drug must be approved by FDA before
it may be marketed or prescribed in the United States. To
date, FDA has not approved a marketing application for
marijuana for the treatment of any condition (as it remains a
Schedule I substance); however, FDA has approved one
cannabis-derived drug and three marijuana-related drugs
that are available by prescription. Epidiolex, which contains
CBD as its active ingredient, is approved for the treatment
of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of
epilepsy.
FDA has also approved two drugs containing synthetic
THC (Marinol [and its generic versions] and Syndros) and
one drug containing a synthetic substance that is
structurally similar to THC but not present in marijuana
(Cesamet). These products are used to treat nausea and
vomiting caused by chemotherapy as well as loss of
appetite for individuals with human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). Additional drugs containing marijuana-derived
THC and CBD are reportedly being developed.
Federal Regulation of Marijuana Research
The process for getting approval to conduct research with
marijuana involves both DEA and FDA. Before conducting
research with marijuana, an investigator must obtain a DEA
registration, FDA review of an investigational new drug
application (IND) or research protocol, and marijuana from
a DEA-registered source.
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research
Expansion Act (P.L. 117-215), among other things,
imposed new requirements on DEA to expedite registration
for marijuana researchers and requires the Department of
Health and Human Services to report on the therapeutic
potential of marijuana for various conditions such as
epilepsy, as well as on marijuana’s effects on adolescent
brains and on users’ ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Federal Response to State Divergence
Although state laws do not affect the status of marijuana
under federal law or the ability of the federal government to
enforce it, state legalization initiatives have spurred a
number of questions regarding potential implications for
federal laws and policies, including federal drug regulation,
and access to banking and other services for marijuana
businesses. Thus far, the federal response to states’
legalizing marijuana largely has been to allow states to
implement their own laws. The Department of Justice
(DOJ) has nonetheless reaffirmed that marijuana growth,
possession, and trafficking remain crimes under federal law
irrespective of states’ marijuana laws. Federal law
enforcement has generally focused its efforts on criminal
networks involved in the illicit marijuana trade.
Federal banking regulators have yet to issue any formal
guidance in response to state and local marijuana
legalization efforts; however, in February 2014 the
Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement
Network issued guidance on financial institutions’
suspicious activity report requirements when serving
marijuana businesses. For broader discussion of this issue,
see CRS Legal Sidebar LSB11076, Marijuana Banking:
Legal Issues and the SAFE(R) Banking Acts.
Limiting Federal Enforcement in States: Directives
Through Federal Appropriations
In each fiscal year since FY2015, Congress has included
provisions in appropriations acts that prohibit DOJ from
using appropriated funds to prevent certain states,
territories, and DC from “implementing their own laws that
authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of
medical marijuana” (for the most recent provision, see the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, P.L. 118-42). On
its face, the appropriations rider bars DOJ from taking legal
action against the states directly in order to prevent them
from promulgating or enforcing medical marijuana laws
(however, it poses no bar to federal prosecution of activities
involving recreational marijuana.) In addition, federal
courts have interpreted the rider to prohibit certain federal
prosecutions of private individuals or organizations that
produce, distribute, or possess marijuana in accordance
with state medical marijuana laws.
Selected Issues for Congress
Given the current marijuana law and policy gap between
the federal government and most states, there are a number
of issues that Congress may address. These topics include,
but are not limited to, marijuana’s designation under the
CSA, financial services for marijuana businesses, federal
tax issues for these businesses, oversight of federal law
enforcement and its role in enforcing federal marijuana
laws, and states’ implementation of marijuana laws.
Congress has raised these issues in hearings, through
appropriations, and in bills introduced over the last decade.
In addressing state-level legalization efforts, Congress
could take several routes. It could take no action, in which
case it appears likely DEA will move marijuana from
Schedule I to Schedule III. Congress could also enact
marijuana legislation before or after DEA acts on
rescheduling. Such legislation might take the form of more
or less stringent marijuana control, ranging from pushing
for federal law enforcement to dismantle state medical and
recreational marijuana programs to limiting federal
marijuana regulation through means such as appropriations
provisions, to rescheduling or de-controlling marijuana
under the CSA. This last option would largely eliminate the
gap with states that have authorized recreational and
comprehensive medical marijuana. As Congress considers
these questions, states may continue to act on marijuana
legalization. No state has reversed its legalization of either
medical or recreational marijuana at this time.
Lisa N. Sacco, Analyst in Illicit Drugs and Crime Policy
Joanna R. Lampe, Legislative Attorney
Hassan Z. Sheikh, Analyst in Health Policy
The Federal Status of Marijuana and the Policy Gap with States
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12270 · VERSION 8 · UPDATED
IF12270
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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dogzter
Drapetomaniac
Great,another dude on the juice telling me weeds bad mmmmkay.RFK Jr. Says Marijuana Can Have ‘Catastrophic Impacts’ On Consumers, But State-Level Legalization Can Spur Research On Its Harms And Benefits
Fresh off his Senate confirmation vote to become the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday that he is “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on...www.marijuanamoment.net
RFK Jr. Says Marijuana Can Have ‘Catastrophic Impacts’ On Consumers, But State-Level Legalization Can Spur Research On Its Harms And Benefits
Published
on
February 13, 2025
Fresh off his Senate confirmation vote to become the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday that he is “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on people, but that state-level legalization can facilitate research into its harms and benefits.
Kennedy, who was vocal about his support for marijuana legalization when he was running for president—as well as during his time on the Trump transition team—has been notably silent on cannabis policy issues over recent months as he worked to win over senators to secure confirmation for the country’s top health role.
Now, during his first major media interview since receiving that final vote to secure the cabinet position earlier in the day, Kennedy told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham that he believes cannabis does hold serious harm potential.
The HHS secretary, who personally struggled with drug addiction during his youth, was asked about his cannabis policy position and noted that he’s been in recovery for over 40 years and attends daily 12-step meetings.
“I hear stories all the time of the impacts of marijuana on people—and the really catastrophic impacts on them,” he said.
However, Kennedy said “that worry also has to be balanced [with] the impacts that we’ve had before” as it relates to criminalization.
“Twenty-five states [have] now legalized marijuana, but we had about a third of our prison population that was in jail because of marijuana offenses,” he said. “That’s something we don’t want either.”
“Because of the legalization of recreational marijuana in 25 states, we have now a capacity to really study it and to compare it to states,” he said. “We need to do studies. We need to figure it out, and then we need to we need to implement policies to address” any health concerns.
Of course, HHS has already completed a comprehensive scientific study into cannabis that led the agency under the Biden administration to recommend moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
The new comments come on the same day that Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) said he received a commitment from Kennedy to “follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”
Ricketts had already disclosed last week that he spoke to Kennedy about the the “importance” of “preventing the expansion of marijuana.” Now he says “RFK committed to me that he would follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”
The senator separately filed a bill last week alongside Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) that seeks to prevent the marijuana industry from taking federal tax deductions even if it’s rescheduling.
Despite Kennedy’s history of advocating for cannabis legalization, he said last month that he will defer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on marijuana rescheduling in his new role.
That could complicate rescheduling. On Monday, Trump officially named his pick to lead DEA—selecting a decades-long agency veteran and top Virginia official who’s voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
Separately, anti-marijuana Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) told Marijuana Moment last week that it’s “definitely” time to have a talk with Kennedy to convince him that “marijuana is harmful” and that the way to make Americans healthy is by “limiting” its use.
Prior to Kennedy’s written responses to members of the Senate Finance Committee that gave him initial approval, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pressed him to reiterate his position on marijuana legalization amid the ongoing effort to federally reschedule cannabis.
A political action committee founded by former Vice President Mike Pence had attempted to undermine the confirmation Kennedy as HHS secretary—in part by drawing attention to his support for marijuana and psychedelics reform, as well as his personal history with substance misuse.
Kennedy followed a dizzying path to the Trump administration, entering the 2024 presidential election as a Democratic candidate before switching to independent as he lagged in the polls and then eventually endorsing the GOP nominee.
In October, Kennedy specifically criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the agency’s “suppression of psychedelics” and a laundry list of other issues that he said amounted to a “war on public health” that would end under the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, a top U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official recently said it’s “very encouraging” that Kennedy supports psychedelics reform—and he hopes to work with him on the issue if he stays on for the next administration.
Not everyone shares VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal’s enthusiasm for Kennedy as the potential HHS secretary, however. Author Michael Pollan, for example, said that Trump’s pick could prove “very dangerous” to the psychedelics movement—even though he is a supporter of reform.
He said the prospective nominee might pursue federal reform in a way that delegitimizes the science behind substances such as psilocybin.
By contrast, Rick Perry—a former governor of Texas who also served in the first Trump administration—recently said the president-elect’s choices for key health policy positions, including Kennedy, are a “great gift” for the psychedelics reform movement, particularly as it concerns access to ibogaine as a treatment option for serious mental health conditions.
I spent decades powerlifting and never juiced once.
I sure do see the signs in a LOT of people these days.
I would say the vast majority of "physical fitness influencers"
I see on youtube are obviously jacked.
Not good for your long term health and a lazy shortcut.
Marijuana use may subject an individual to a number of
consequences under federal law in addition to the penalties
for a conviction of a marijuana-related offense.
Penalties for cannabis possession over 30 grams is considered distribution under federal law and is a felony which revokes a criminal's right to vote in elections. Distribution of cannabis conviction can also result in confiscation of property through asset forfeiture as well as loss of parental custody of children by Child Protective Services (CPS). Prison time, probation, community service, and fines are also penalties which apply to a conviction under current federal law.
Does federal law currently apply to all the adult-use cannabis users in legal states? Yes
The annually-renewed federal budget rider prohibiting the justice department from using funds to prosecute cannabis activity in legal states only applies to MEDICAL use.
Does anyone see THE PROBLEM with that?
consequences under federal law in addition to the penalties
for a conviction of a marijuana-related offense.
Penalties for cannabis possession over 30 grams is considered distribution under federal law and is a felony which revokes a criminal's right to vote in elections. Distribution of cannabis conviction can also result in confiscation of property through asset forfeiture as well as loss of parental custody of children by Child Protective Services (CPS). Prison time, probation, community service, and fines are also penalties which apply to a conviction under current federal law.
Does federal law currently apply to all the adult-use cannabis users in legal states? Yes
The annually-renewed federal budget rider prohibiting the justice department from using funds to prosecute cannabis activity in legal states only applies to MEDICAL use.
Does anyone see THE PROBLEM with that?
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