NEW DELHI: Theadvocatesofmarijuana legalizationin the dozen states of are hoping for an eventual shift in policymakers’ stance after the federal government is considering to move towards reclassifyingcannabisas a less dangerous drug.”It is very common for a state legislator to tell me, Well, I might be able to support this, but … I’m not going to vote for something that’s illegal under federal law,'” said Matthew Schweich, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for cannabis legalization.Although a proposal to reclassify marijuana would not make it legal, “it is a historic and meaningful change at the federal level that I think is going to give manystate lawmakersa little less hesitation to support a bill,” Schweich added.The US Drug Enforcement Administration has proposed to shift marijuana from a Schedule I” drug, which includes heroin and LSD, to a less tightly regulated “Schedule III” drug, which includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids.Supporters are claiming it to be a revolutionary change as federal rules allow for some medical uses of Schedule III drugs. However, the proposed change faces a lengthy regulatory process, which may not be complete until after the presidential election.Meanwhile, the proposedfederal changecould potentially add fresh arguments for supporters of ballots measures seeking to legalise marijuana. Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing recreational cannabis this November. Public votes could also be held in several other states, including South Dakota, where supporters plan to submit signatures Tuesday for a third attempt at legalizing recreational marijuana.In North Dakota, criminal defense attorney Mark Friese is a former police officer who is backing a marijuana legalization ballot initiative. He said the proposed federalreclassificationcould immensely help this year’s initiative campaign. North Dakota voters rejected legalization measures in 2018 and 2022 but approved medical marijuana in 2016.”The bottom line is the move is going to allow intelligent, informed discussion about cannabis legislation instead of succumbing to the historical objection that marijuana is a dangerous drug like LSD or black tar heroin,” Friese said.Jackee Winters, chairperson of an Idaho group backing a ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, said it’s tough to get would-be supporters to sign their petition.”People are literally afraid to sign anything in Idaho that has to do with marijuana,” she said. “They’re afraid the cops will be coming to their house.”The proposed federal change may have little affect in 24 states that already legalized recreational marijuana for adults, or in an additional 14 states that allow medical marijuana. But advocates hope it could sway opinions in a dozen other states that either outlaw cannabis entirely or have limited access to products with low levels of THC, the chemical that makes people high.Georgia has allowed patients with certain illnesses and physician approval to consume low-THC cannabis products since 2015. But until last year, there was no legal way to buy them. Eight dispensaries are now selling the products.Notably, a proposal to legalize medical marijuana died in a Kansas Senate committee without a vote this year, and an attempt to force debate in the full Senate failed by a wide margin. The strongest and most influential opposition came from law enforcement officials, who raised concerns that any legalization could invite organized crime and make it difficult to assess whether people are driving under the influence. US News: US considers reclassifying cannabis, impacting state legalization efforts. Advocates hope for federal policy change. DEA role in drug scheduling. Regu Read More
