{"id":75828,"date":"2024-05-31T03:57:14","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T11:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/05\/31\/white-house-drug-czar-condemns-failed-policies-of-marijuana-prohibition-and-says-rescheduling-will-speed-up-legal-drug-development\/"},"modified":"2024-05-31T12:46:01","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T20:46:01","slug":"white-house-drug-czar-condemns-failed-policies-of-marijuana-prohibition-and-says-rescheduling-will-speed-up-legal-drug-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2024\/05\/31\/white-house-drug-czar-condemns-failed-policies-of-marijuana-prohibition-and-says-rescheduling-will-speed-up-legal-drug-development\/","title":{"rendered":"White House Drug Czar Condemns \u2018Failed Policies\u2019 Of Marijuana Prohibition And Says Rescheduling Will Speed Up Legal Drug Development"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The White House drug czar is continuing to tout the Biden administration\u2019s move to reschedule marijuana, criticizing the \u201cfailed policies\u201d of prohibition that have \u201cdestroyed lives,\u201d while touting the research potential of the reform to develop cannabis-based medications.<\/p>\n

Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), discussed the rescheduling efforts during an interview with the Mo News Podcast that was posted on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had, when it comes to marijuana, failed policies for more than half a century, because of which way too many lives have been upended,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have had a failed approach where we have so many people incarcerated because of it and so many people, their lives have been basically destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gupta aligned himself with President Joe Biden\u2019s position that nobody should be jailed over marijuana possession or use, pointing out that such a conviction can impact housing and job opportunities.<\/p>\n

Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), as the administration is proposing, would not legalize cannabis, however. So people could still face those collateral consequences, even for simple possession, if it is merely reclassified. However, as Gupta pointed out, the reform will remove certain research barriers that could potentially streamline drug development.<\/p>\n

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\"🎙\" \u201cA New Approach on Marijuana & The Fight Against Fentanyl \u2013 A Conversation With the US Drug Czar\u201d<\/p>\n

Listen to @DrGupta46<\/a> discuss the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s latest efforts to address the nation\u2019s overdose epidemic and save lives \"⤵\" https:\/\/t.co\/NMi9xA2TnN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ONDCP (@ONDCP) May 28, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ve got to make sure that we are following science and analyzing substances for potential benefit, especially with the data that exists,\u201d he said, adding that with a Schedule III designation, \u201cthere will be drugs that will be developed that will have to go through [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] approval process and all of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it does allow the recognition of the medical uses,\u201d he said. \u201cMore importantly, it also allows the opening of research. It\u2019s critical because the research for over half a century has been lacking significantly in this field to see the current and more benefits in the future\u2014more product developments. We may have new products that may be able to help with or cure diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also will help people with chronic conditions like cancer or chronic pain or others as well,\u201d he said, adding that under Schedule I, it\u2019s a \u201ccatch-22 situation\u201d where people are seeking more research to demonstrate the medical utility of cannabis but face obstacles to conducting such research.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThere will be systems in the future that will be developed that will probably be less expensive and more legal, you can say, in that sense, because it will be through a Schedule III regime that will be there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Of course, the idea that companies will prioritize cannabis-derived drug development with a Schedule III reclassification is only a theoretical possibility. FDA has already approved synthetic THC and CBD-based medications for certain conditions, and it\u2019s possible that the reduced research barriers could lead to additional approvals down the line. But it is unlikely that FDA would approve marijuana in botanical form as a prescription drug, so the products available in commercial markets would continue to be illegal and unapproved for interstate commerce.<\/p>\n

A report published by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) earlier this month also clarified that\u00a0further action from FDA would be needed\u00a0before marijuana products become available<\/a>\u00a0by prescription.<\/p>\n

Gupta oversimplified the idea of marijuana\u2019s potential availability as a prescription drug<\/a> in another recent interview. And he\u2019s also mistakenly suggested that rescheduling would address the \u201cracial disparity\u201d in cannabis enforcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the more confusing parts of Gupta\u2019s latest interview came when he was asked whether Congress should follow the lead of states and federally legalize marijuana. The ONDCP director didn\u2019t directly answer the question but said part of Biden\u2019s reasoning for orchestrating the administrative scheduling review was because \u201che did wait on Congress, and movement did not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"🎧\" Tune in to hear my conversation with @Mosheh<\/a> on recent actions our Administration has taken to strengthen public health and crack down on illicit drug trafficking across the nation. https:\/\/t.co\/1RxzRkRJa7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rahul Gupta (@DrGupta46) May 28, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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As the White House has repeatedly clarified, Biden does not support federal marijuana legalization, even if he backs the right of states to set their own cannabis policies. He hasn\u2019t publicly said that the scheduling review directive was a response to congressional inaction; rather, he\u2019s characterized it as an example of fulfilling a campaign promise<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Congress has the ability to move forward in any way it wants to,\u201d Gupta said. \u201cBut at the same time, we just can\u2019t stay still because too many lives are at stake, both from the criminal justice system and also from the benefits of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that, as an administration, we\u2019re doing what can be possible from administration standpoint,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s both evidence-guided, as well as guided by law that currently exists to take this process on and ensure that we\u2019re doing everything possible when it comes to, again, this policy that has been in place for decades and decades and has not helped the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,500 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

A former drug czar who served under President Barack Obama recently took a sharply different position on marijuana rescheduling than Gupta. Former ONDCP Director\u00a0Gil Kerlikowske recently said that cannabis is \u201cnot medicine\u201d and that rescheduling was \u201call Big Cannabis.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t people my age that are just old hippies that want to open up a pot shop somewhere\u201d Kerlikowske said on the podcast of former U.S. Rep. Mary Bono (R). \u201cThis is a huge business like Big Tobacco. Absolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the proposed rule to federally reschedule marijuana was officially posted last week, kicking off a\u00a0public comment period that\u2019s expected to elicit a major response<\/a>\u00a0from supporters and opponents of cannabis reform.<\/p>\n

Marijuana reform advocates and stakeholders have made clear that they intend to leverage the opportunity, with some planning to support the reclassification while others intend to call for descheduling cannabis altogether. Prohibitionists are expected to oppose the incremental policy change and seek to keep marijuana in Schedule I, and there\u2019s also a looming threat of litigation.<\/p>\n

While DOJ will take all public comments submitted by July 22 into consideration as it weighs the reform, it said in the notice that one of the topics its especially interested in hearing about is\u00a0the \u201cunique economic impacts\u201d of the rescheduling proposal<\/a>\u00a0given that state-level legalization has created a \u201cmultibillion dollar industry\u201d that stands to benefit from possible federal tax relief under the reform.<\/p>\n

On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and colleagues have\u00a0reintroduced legislation to federally legalize cannabis<\/a>\u00a0and impose certain regulations. The bill\u2019s prospects are dubious in the current divided Congress, however.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the top Democrat in the U.S. House said that the Biden administration\u2019s move to reschedule marijuana is a \u201cstep in the right direction,\u201d but it should be\u00a0followed up with congressional action such as passing the legalization bill<\/a>\u00a0Schumer filed.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview with Fox News, former\u00a0DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson said it \u201cabsolutely looks like\u201d the agency will follow through<\/a>\u00a0with moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the CSA.<\/p>\n

Biden has separately issued two rounds of mass pardons for people who\u2019ve committed federal marijuana possession offenses. Again, a Schedule III reclassification would not legalize cannabis or free people still incarcerated over cannabis.<\/p>\n

During his run for the presidency,\u00a0Biden pledged to move cannabis to Schedule II<\/a>\u2014a stricter category compared to what\u2019s been proposed by his administration.<\/p>\n

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Biden Finally Acknowledges His Marijuana Pardons Did Not Expunge Records After Repeatedly Claiming They Did<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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The post White House Drug Czar Condemns \u2018Failed Policies\u2019 Of Marijuana Prohibition And Says Rescheduling Will Speed Up Legal Drug Development<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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The White House drug czar is continuing to tout the Biden administration\u2019s move to reschedule marijuana, criticizing the \u201cfailed policies\u201d of prohibition that have \u201cdestroyed lives,\u201d while touting the research potential of the reform to develop cannabis-based medications. Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP),Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":75829,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81,126],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75828"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75828"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75830,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75828\/revisions\/75830"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}