Senator James Lankford (R-OK) has led a bipartisan effort to call out the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposed rule to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Joined by several of his Senate colleagues, Lankford has expressed concerns over the Biden administration’s apparent disregard for scientific evidence in pursuing this policy change.
The proposed rule, which would transfer marijuana from the highest level of federal control to a less restrictive schedule, has raised alarm bells among lawmakers who believe the decision lacks adequate scientific justification.
Read: Chinese-Owned EV Company Showered Dems With Campaign Contributions
Lankford and his co-signatories have urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to withdraw the proposal, arguing that it fails to provide the necessary data and analysis to support such a significant rescheduling.
“We write to express our concerns with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Proposed Rule ‘Schedules of Controlled Substances: Rescheduling of Marijuana.’ The Proposed Rule would transfer marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to Schedule III of the CSA. The rule fails to provide adequate science and data to support moving marijuana to schedule III and should not have been signed or published,” wrote the Members.
“It is clear that this Proposed Rule was not properly researched, circumvented DEA, and is merely responding to the popularity of marijuana and not the actual science. We urge you to withdraw this proposal and maintain marijuana as a Schedule I drug,” the Members continued.
The battle over the DEA’s proposed rescheduling of marijuana has broader implications for the future of cannabis policy in the United States.
As more states legalize the drug for medical and recreational use, the tension between federal and state-level approaches to regulation continues to intensify.
Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our free newsletter.