"Yet it now seems that the biggest change to US federal drug policy for more than 50 years will happen through a Republican president. On Monday, Donald Trump confirmed the rumours that he is very strongly considering rescheduling cannabis (or marijuana, as it is still called in US state documents, due to an early-20th-century drive to emphasise the plant's foreignness) from Schedule I in the Controlled Substances Act where its currently sits alongside heroin to Schedule III, next to drugs such as codeine."
"This change has been a long time coming. The Department of Health and Human Services recommended rescheduling back in 2023, and speculation that action was imminent had been building since August, when Trump said he was looking into this issue. But it is still a bold move, and one that could help Trump's floundering popularity ahead of the midterms. Despite the controversy that still surrounds this drug, cannabis rescheduling is well-supported by the US population. When public comment was invited on the proposed rescheduling, nearly 43,000 people submitted comments, with almost 70% calling for rescheduling a record."
Conservative resistance framed cannabis reform as unrealistic for decades, with Republican presidents central to the war on drugs. Donald Trump has confirmed strong consideration of rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, moving it from alongside heroin to a classification next to drugs such as codeine. The Department of Health and Human Services recommended rescheduling in 2023, and speculation built after Trump indicated interest in August. The potential change could be the most significant US federal drug policy shift in over 50 years and may influence political dynamics ahead of the midterms. Public input showed nearly 43,000 comments, with almost 70% favoring rescheduling.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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