Editorial: Federal moves on cannabis encouraging, if incomplete
By The Herald Editorial Board
Recent action by the Biden administration and in the U.S. Senate seeks some overdue changes in how marijuana is addressed by the federal government, especially in how that regulation is applied to Washington state’s own laws that legalized cannabis for retail sale and recreational use a decade ago.
Both moves have been viewed by some as election-year political overtures to “the youth vote,” but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some sensible justifications for many of the proposed changes.
The Biden administration announced last month that it would move to “reschedule” marijuana, reducing its classification from a narcotic on par with heroin and LSD — with no medical or research value — to one comparable to prescription drugs that include ketamine, Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids. This wouldn’t legalize marijuana under federal law but would reduce its classification and treatment from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug and would loosen federal rules, including restrictions that have complicated and limited medical and scientific research of cannabis, its uses and its effects on mental and physical health.
-snip-
But the seriousness of the proposal was backed up last week by Attorney General Merrick Garland, who’s about as no-nonsense on the subject of drugs as Sgt. Joe Friday of “Dragnet” fame. Garland announced the Department of Justice would seek the rule change, the process for which will include a public comment period and review by a federal judge before taking effect.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-federal-moves-on-cannabis-encouraging-if-incomplete/
