Rescheduling Cannabis in the USA

Rescheduling cannabis in the USA shouldn’t take more than a day. All it takes is a literal stroke of the pen. Or, perhaps, a few clicks on the computer.

The Biden administration says it will happen “this year,” they are working “as quickly as we can.” But what is taking so long? Why does rescheduling cannabis require a comprehensive administrative review?

Why is there no specific timeline? How hard is it to reschedule cannabis? It took no effort to lump the nontoxic herb alongside heroin and LSD.

Of course, critics will say that “the wheels of justice turn slowly,” and that “haste makes waste.” But this is nonsense.

The U.S. government had no constitutional right to schedule cannabis in the first place.

It’s not that the wheels of justice are turning slowly. The wheels of justice have long been abandoned. In their place are brand-new wheels brought to you by Microsoft, Pfizer, BlackRock and other crony-capitalist organizations.

Rescheduling cannabis in the USA is a time-consuming process for the same reason it took Canada three years to legalize.

Fascism requires planning. Reschedule cannabis without a plan, and, heaven forbid, small market players may rise to the top. And big market players may lose their share.

The Biden Administration knows who butters their bread. And it isn’t the average American.

Passing the Buck to the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is engaging in an eight-step “scientific review” to determine whether they should even reschedule cannabis at all. 

While many anticipate a descheduling (or, realistically, a rescheduling), we could end up with the status quo by year’s end.

Of course, this talk of “descheduling” or “rescheduling” is unconstitutional. The phrase originates from the Controlled Substances Act. This unlawful statute organized substances into five categories or “schedules.”

Schedule I is supposed to consist of substances with high abuse rates and little-to-no medicinal qualities. Somehow, cannabis ended up in this category.

The FDA told Marijuana Moment they are working alongside the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to “see if we can give the president an answer that’s based on the science and the evidence. Stay tuned. We hope to be able to get there pretty soon—hopefully this year.”

Is there anything more insulting to American liberties than federal bureaucrats making these kinds of statements?

Cannabis prohibition is unconstitutional. Full stop. Having bureaucrats advise the president based on their interpretations of “science and the evidence” is asinine.

And so is the president unilaterally deciding what 340 Americans can do with their bodies and mind. It is antithetical to the American tradition.

States have been correct in flat-out rejecting cannabis prohibition. All Biden needed to do was reschedule cannabis to allow for interstate trade and banking.

But crony capitalism doesn’t occur naturally. A free market tends to equalize in the long run. Therefore, special privileges and new rules that insulate the corporate elite are needed before any rescheduling of cannabis can occur.

(If it occurs at all).

Rescheduling Cannabis in the USA: God Save the Queen

According to current U.S. laws, cannabis is more dangerous than cocaine and fentanyl. The latter is Schedule II.

Obviously, these categories are not reflective of any underlying reality.

Rescheduling cannabis in the USA means turning over enforcement from the DEA to the FDA. While useful idiots may welcome the FDA, it’s not evident this is a better option.

The pharmaceutical industry owns the FDA. It’s a revolving door of crony capitalists. This quip that the FDA will have an answer “this year,” is likely posturing for the 2024 election.

We know the Biden Administration isn’t above this kind of politic. (And I use the term “Biden Administration” because this is the concerted effort of many cronies. Joe Biden himself is senile and incapable of making important decisions).

Rescheduling cannabis is a political act. Consider, before the midterms, the Democrats:

• Sat on the myocarditis study
• Sat on the FTX money laundering scandal
• They lied about student loan forgiveness.

If Americans knew about these issues before the midterms, then maybe that “Red wave” many were projecting would have happened.

But rescheduling cannabis… that’s about “science and the evidence.” Surely, they’re not dangling that carrot to keep people from voting for the other team.

But if you believe what the Biden Administration says, there’s probably no persuading you anyway. As Mark Twain said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”