Cannabis rescheduling

TL;DR: US citizens have under two weeks left to comment(ends July 22nd) on the DEA's decision to reschedule cannabis. Opinions are divided: some support the Schedule 3 decision, others prefer to maintain the current classification, and many advocate for complete descheduling. So far, there are only 27,000 comments.

Important Links:

• DEA Comment Page
• Contact US Congress Senators
• Find Your State Representatives

The DEA is accepting public comments for two more weeks. It is estimated that atleast 70% of American voters support marijuana legalization for 21 and older use(recreational), yet the DEA has only received 27,000 comments so far. This is far from a representative sample of public opinion.

Why Your Voice Matters:

• Cannabis Legalization/Rescheduling: This is a crucial time to support cannabis legalization and rescheduling. We need more public voices to reflect true public interest.
• Economic Impacts: Legalizing and regulating cannabis can create jobs, generate tax revenue, and stimulate economic growth.
• Criminal Justice Reform: Legalization can reduce incarceration rates for non-violent drug offenses and help expunge records for past marijuana-related convictions. This will not only save government time and money but will also allow for attention to be solely on the real problems like dealers. While simultaneously returning human freedoms.
• Medical Benefits: Many patients rely on cannabis for medical treatments. Rescheduling can improve research and accessibility. Cannabis has a vast array of natural cannabinoids that have medical potential besides THC and CBD some aren’t even psychoactive.
• Public Health and Safety: Regulation ensures product safety and quality, protecting consumers from harmful substances and impurities. This will inevitably lead to a better understanding of pros and cons of long term use.
• Preventing Harmful Practices: Advocate for safer production practices. While we have some safety measures in place, such as child locks and test results on packaging, there is no framework to prevent harmful practices similar to those seen in the tobacco and alcohol industries.
  • Tobacco: Cigarette manufacturers add upwards of 600 chemicals to tobacco to "improve the experience," making cigarettes more destructive and addictive. This can and will happen to cannabis if we don't set preventative measures.
  • Alcohol: Alcohol products typically lack nutrition labels and fail to disclose or try to hide adverse health effects. This could also become an issue for cannabis(flower and sugary edibles).

Additional Advocacy Opportunities:

• Psychedelics: Use this opportunity to advocate for the legalization and decriminalization of other substances, such as psychedelics, that have been wrongly demonized and criminalized. Some are light enough to be recreationally legal, like shrooms, and some are strong enough to have genuine medicinal value, like LSD, MDMA, mescaline, ibogaine, and more.
• Tobacco and Alcohol Regulations: Advocate for stricter regulations on cigarettes, such as child safety packaging, lab test results, and additive limitations. Similarly, push for alcohol products to improve transparency and safety measures. -consistency between substances Advocate for consistent regulations across all substances. flavored cannabis and tobacco products are often attacked for appealing to children, similar marketing tactics are prevalent in alcohol products. Keeping consistent standards can help address these inconsistencies. We currently have sunny d vodka and voltron beer on shelves but clove cigarettes and flavored vapes and more are full on banned.

Take part in the DEA's public comment period, message your representatives and congresspeople, and encourage others to do the same. Act now to ensure your voice is heard before the deadline!