DEA CANNABIS RESCHEDULING

PUBLIC COMMENT VIEWER

Here is a random public comment on the rescheduling of cannabis to Schedule III from an anonymous commenter.
Thank you for your consideration of this comment. I support the proposed rule to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance. Ideally, it would be descheduled altogether but incremental progress is at least a move in a positive evidence-based direction. Here is my reasoning: 1. Science - The science is in favor of rescheduling as shown in the HHS report. Marijuana was put into Schedule I for political and ideological reasons. It should not be kept there for political and ideological reasons. 2. Risk profile - Yes, as with many substances, marijuana can have negative outcomes if used or abused in excessive ways. Alcohol and tobacco, which have also been used by human beings for thousands of years and have been proven to have risks, adverse outcomes and abuse potential even greater than marijuana, are not on the CSA at all. Nor are saturated fats and high fructose corn syrup which are slowly killing our population due to their abundance in our food supply. Risk is just that, risk. Also, as with alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is and will remain age-gated. The notion that rescheduling marijuana puts our youth at greater risk is a false argument as rescheduling does not change its availability or legality in any way. Marijuana is already legal and available to more than half of our country’s population through regulated dispensaries, and through the huge illicit market in this country easily available to the rest. 3. Research - Rescheduling marijuana to Schedule III will finally enable researchers to more easily advance our knowledge and understanding of this plant and its many uses which has benefitted many people and has the potential to benefit more as they move away from using more dangerous substances such as opioids. I anticipate that marijuana will remain a controlled substance unless and until the science and known risks demonstrate that it should be otherwise. Rescheduling just moves us further down the path of knowledge and exploring options in reasonable and responsible ways. It’s time to move on from our failed approach to marijuana. Rescheduling it from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substance is a good start.
Over 42,000 public comments were submitted. Public commenters, thank you for your courage!