by Wyoming Liberty Group
It ain't over 'til it's over—or so the old saying goes. And thank goodness for that. Because if it was up to President Joe Biden, marijuana would already be reclassified as a less dangerous drug, opening the door to all kinds of mayhem.
In recent months, Biden's administration has taken major steps, pandering primarily to young voters in his reelection bid, reckoning they will like his liberal stance on marijuana.
But Wyoming has stood up to say, in effect, hold on a sec.
Our attorney general, along with those from 17 other states, recently asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to hold a public hearing on the president's push to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. That would be a historic—and dangerous—shift, the biggest policy change in more than half a century.
Schedule I means that marijuana has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical treatment in the United States. Schedule III drugs, by contrast, are defined as those with moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. And that change would create tax breaks for marijuana businesses, not to mention the huge misperception that marijuana is safe.
It should be noted that Wyoming was joined by the attorneys general of South Carolina, Iowa, Alabama, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Idaho, Mississippi, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Utah.
All Republicans, by the way.
And a huge swath of our nation.
What's more, Wyoming and the 17 other attorneys general were recently joined by a group of former Drug Enforcement Administration leaders who made the same request—to hold a public hearing on Biden's push to make marijuana more acceptable as a Schedule III drug.
The rescheduling of marijuana follows a specific rulemaking procedure that requires public notice and a period for comment and an administrative hearing. The DEA will then supposedly consider all of those views and make a determination about rescheduling.
But a word about the federal bureaucracy. The DEA is a part of the U.S. Justice Department, which is overseen by the U.S. attorney general, who reports to the president of the United States.
You get the drift.
That's why Wyoming and the attorneys general of so many other states are pushing back.
It's now or never. Listen, if you will, to their own words, in their recent letter to the DEA:
"First, rescheduling marijuana as a Schedule III drug is likely the most consequential rulemaking DEA has ever undertaken. The Proposed Rule carries both national and international ramifications. It would change the definition of currently accepted medical use …"
The attorneys general added that "The Proposed Rule also represents the most significant relaxation of narcotics restrictions in the history of the" Controlled Substances Act. "Such sweeping changes cannot properly be made in the absence of a robust administrative record."
There is, of course, a lot at stake—the health and welfare of the people in Wyoming and throughout the rest of the country. Indeed, as the attorneys general said, "A hearing is needed to sort through competing claims about marijuana's pharmacological effects, potential for abuse, and impacts on public safety."
What wasn't said in the attorneys general letter is that there is a significant amount of research already showing the devastating effects of marijuana—on the development of teenagers' brains, on pregnant women, on drugged-driving accidents, ER visits, psychotic breaks, respiratory illnesses and much more. That's why Wyoming, among other states, has fought for several years against repeated attempts by pro-pot forces to legalize the mind-altering drug.
For what it's worth, there have been apparent divisions within the DEA itself; it's been reported that some DEA officials have been "at odds" with the Biden administration over the move to reschedule marijuana. And for good reason, given the known dangers of marijuana.
Apart from the request for the hearing, there is another opportunity for the public to push back against the potential rescheduling of marijuana. The public should make its voice heard. So, let's take the lead from the Wyoming attorney general and those of the 17 other states whom we applaud for their resistance. Let your voice be heard. Marijuana is a hazard. The federal government shouldn't suggest otherwise; it's not what we want for the Cowboy state—and it's not what we want for our brethren in any other state.