Descheduling Marijuana : The MORE Act
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, also known as the MORE Act, is a proposed piece of U.S. federal legislation that would deschedule cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and enact various criminal and social justice reforms related to cannabis, including the expungement of prior convictions. Introduced in 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill on December 4, 2020, marking the first time a chamber of Congress approved legislation to end federal marijuana prohibition.
Legalization vs Decriminalization
The Legalization of cannabis is the process of removing all legal prohibitions against it. Cannabis would then be available to the adult general population for purchase and use at will, similar to tobacco and alcohol. Decriminalization on the other hand is the act of removing criminal sanctions against an act, article, or behavior. Decriminalization of cannabis means that the substance would remain illegal, but the legal system would not prosecute a person for possession under a specified amount. Instead, the penalties would range from no penalties at all, civil fines, drug education, or drug treatment.
Vets and Scientists Challenge DEA’s Absurd Classification of Cannabis
Anyone who knows anything about cannabis law in the U.S. understands the details of the DEA’s absurd classification. Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals that are used to make drugs are classified into five distinct categories or schedules depending upon the acceptable medical use of the drug and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential. The abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug. The fact that plant medicine is a schedule one is ridiculous and actually borderline criminal. Schedule 1 drugs are defined as having no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. A drug that does belong there is heroin, but one that doesn’t belong there is cannabis. According to a report from Marijuana Moment, this classification is up against a challenge once again. This time, it’s in the form of a lawsuit by scientists and military veterans. The petitioners are challenging the DEA’s denials to reschedule cannabis – which seems to now be just about a yearly occurrence. The Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) heads up this particular challenge.
DEA’s Absurd Classification of Cannabis Hurts Veterans
We report here about how the VA refuses to give military vets access to medical cannabis. The reason for this is large, if not entirely, due to the fact that cannabis is still a schedule 1 drug. If the DEA reclassifies cannabis medicine, this almost certainly changes. Mental health is a topic that doesn’t get enough discussion, period. There are signs there that point to the fact that weed can help with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Regardless of where you stand politically, veterans who serve deserve to be able to medicate with cannabis medicine.
DEA’s Scheduling Standards are Arbitrary
Specific details of the lawsuit from military veterans and scientists say that the DEA’s scheduling and classification standards are arbitrary. Additionally, the lawsuit says that strict control of cannabis federally is unconstitutional. The petitioners cite both anecdotal and peer-reviewed studies of the effectiveness of cannabis medicine for treating a myriad of ailments and conditions.
DEA’s Absurd Classification – Not the First Time It Faces a Challenge
Many organizations have questioned the DEA’s scheduling laws over the years. In 2016, the DEA denied rescheduling efforts from two petitions. In September of this year, the agency requested 3.2 million grams of legally grown cannabis for testing in 2020. Maybe they’re smoking it themselves? What more evidence do they need?
In April of this year, following yet another dismissal, Sean Hannity reports that a lawsuit would be appealed to the Supreme Court. Yes, that Sean Hannity. The main reason they constantly give is that they think cannabis has a high potential for abuse, and can’t be properly regulated or tested. Will it be different this time? You decide!
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