The DEA Will Soon Decide Whether it Will Reschedule Marijuana

[Moloch]

Basically, they are being forced to reschedule it based on the rules of the schedules... If there is any accepted medicinal value, marijuana cannot be a schedule 1 drug...

I believe they will bump it down to at least 3, but more likely schedule 4 or 5...

They could drop it from the schedule completely, making it legal federally (Bernie Sanders proposed a bill to do this in congress)


http://fortune.com/2016/04/06/dea-decision-marijuana-reschedule/

The Drug Enforcement Administration says it will make a decision in the coming months that could prove to be a watershed moment for the burgeoning legal marijuana industry.

In a memo to lawmakers this week, the DEA announced plans to decide “in the first half of 2016” whether or not it will reschedule marijuana, according to The Washington Post. Cannabis is now listed under the Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule 1 drug, a categorization it shares with other drugs, such as heroin and LSD, which the U.S. government defines as “the most dangerous drugs” that have “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

Advocates for marijuana legalization have long argued that the drug should be rescheduled, considering marijuana’s relative safety when compared to a drug like heroin, which caused roughly 11,000 overdose deaths in 2014, according to the National Institutes of Health. The argument for rescheduling marijuana also revolves largely around the drug’s potential for medical use, as 23 states have already legalized medical pot to treat a variety of maladies—from cancer to chronic pain—and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy even admitted last year that “marijuana can be helpful” for certain medical conditions.

Should the DEA decide to reschedule marijuana, bumping it down with supposedly less dangerous drugs such as cocaine (Schedule 2) or ketamine (Schedule 3), the move would likely open the door for expanded research of cannabis’ potential for medical applications. As it stands, the government has an exclusive contract with a University of Mississippi research lab to grow marijuana for the purpose of medical research, and the DEA notes in its letter that the government supplied an average of just nine researchers with marijuana for research purposes per year between 2010 and 2015.

Rescheduling could also have a major financial effect on the legal marijuana industry, which some estimates suggest will hit $6.7 billion in sales this year while expanding to nearly $22 billion by 2020. While more and more states have voted to legalize marijuana in some form over the past several years, the drug remains very much illegal on the federal level—an inconvenient fact for a rapidly expanding industry that has led to a range of issues for marijuana-related businesses, from a lack of banking options to federal tax issues.

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[Jordan23]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=splL5YfG5fM

Any questions?

[Slowturtleinc]

To early for this most likely the big boys have not got all their companies in place to corner the market.
Once that is ready we will see rapid change that will squeeze out small players.
Can see this happening in Canada with all the pot depots. Allowed to flourish but now government wants to shift to drugstores or liquor stores. More control and easier to tax.
Crazy to think people go to jail over seeds.

[onlinedragon]

The government currently places marijuana in the same category as heroin and LSD.

Did not know they places this in the same category. Think also reschedule is right don't think you can call Marijuana the same as Heroin and LSD. In Netherlands they are more easy about marijuana.

[Moloch]

For those unfamiliar with the federal drug schedule, I'll try to summarize from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act

It basically boils down to the medicinal benefits vs potential for addiction/abuse



Schedule I substances are those that have the following findings:
        The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
        The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
        There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Drugs in this schedule include:
DMT, GHB, LSD, Mescaline, Peyote, Psilocybin, Heroin, MDMA, Marijuana and its cannabinoids

------------------------------

Schedule II substances are those that have the following findings:

        The drug or other substances have a high potential for abuse
        The drug or other substances have currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, or currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions
        Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Drugs in this schedule include:
Cocaine, Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Opium, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine

------------------------------

Schedule III substances are those that have the following findings:

    The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II.
    The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
    Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

Drugs in this schedule include:
Steroids, Ketamine, Intermediate-acting barbiturates, such as talbutal or butalbital, Fast-acting barbiturates such as secobarbital and pentobarbital

------------------------------

"Placement on schedules; findings required Schedule IV substances are those that have the following findings:

        The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III
        The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States
        Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III

Drugs in this schedule include:
Benzodiazepines (xanax, valium), Long-acting barbiturates such as phenobarbital (truth serum)

------------------------------

Schedule V substances are those that have the following findings:

        The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV
        The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States
        Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV.

Drugs in this schedule include:
Cough suppressants containing small amounts of codeine, Preparations containing small amounts of opium or diphenoxylate, Some anticonvulsants, Some centrally-acting antidiarrheals, such as diphenoxylate

[vero]

Reschedule Marijuana for what? no one person died because overdosed on Marijuana? Don't worry about it!

[Slowturtleinc]

Reschedule Marijuana for what? no one person died because overdosed on Marijuana? Don't worry about it!

Rescheduling means people will not get locked up for a long sentence if caught in possession of a little bit of pot.
When you look into the background on why pot is illegal you will most likely realize its best to change it up. Racist and driven by the cotton industry at the time.

[gentlemand]

I've spent a lot of time in America but still don't get the state vs federal thing. Can anyone spell out how you can be selling it openly yet it's still classified by the DEA as a Bad Thing?

[Moloch]

I've spent a lot of time in America but still don't get the state vs federal thing. Can anyone spell out how you can be selling it openly yet it's still classified by the DEA as a Bad Thing?

People have a difficult time admitting they were wrong...

People have a hard time letting go... They will fight until the end...

It's always about the money (everything in life is always about the money)

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/11/police-seizing-more-money-than-ever.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/28/how-for-profit-prisons-have-become-the-biggest-lobby-no-one-is-talking-about/

C'est la vie

[TECSHARE]

I've spent a lot of time in America but still don't get the state vs federal thing. Can anyone spell out how you can be selling it openly yet it's still classified by the DEA as a Bad Thing?

The way the USA is set up might seem kind of backwards to people from other countries but it serves a very specific function, and I will explain. Originally before there was The United States of America, there were just individual states IN America, each basically its own sovereign nation with different laws and standards, but with very strong alliances with other states here. Eventually these alliances were solidified and in 1776 The Declaration of Independence was signed formally creating The United States of America.

After some debate and conflict among the states, in 1780 The United States Constitution was formed, which formalized the restrictions and responsibilities of the federal government, and enumerated God given rights of men that the state and federal governments could not infringe upon. This was further formalized with the first 10 amendments to the constitution, also known as The Bill of Rights. Under the 10th amendment, the states are given supremacy over any law not specifically granted to the federal government under the constitution. It states:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

In effect this formalized the superiority of local governments over that of the federal government in any authority not specifically granted to it. On its face this may seem kind of backward, but if you think about it it makes sense. Politicians in D.C. should not be dictating all of the laws on a local level, and it puts control of the individual states more firmly in the hands of the people by making those representatives elected at a local level responsible for most of the laws.

Over time the 10th amendment has been eroded as the federal government has consolidated power. The civil war was fought over this concept of state supremacy, not slavery as popular media tries to frame it. Lincoln basically violated the law by denying the south the right to succeed from the USA as it was entitled to under The Constitution. Since then the federal government has been attempting, often successfully, to strip the rights of the states and consolidate power for itself. A common example today of this conflict is in the debate over gun rights as individual states have various different gun laws, some of which arguably also violate The Constitution.

In summary The Constitution was set up to enshrine the sovereignty of the individual states over the federal government, as they are in fact independent entities. This creates multiple levels of law. So to give you an example, if some one in the USA is charged with a crime, they could be charged on a federal, state, county, and even municipal level, as each of these are independent organizations with their own set of laws designed around the basis of local supremacy of law.

[Moloch]

Since the civil war, federal law overrides state law...

In California, the state let them run dispensaries... the Feds (DEA) would shut them down

In Colorado, the state police set up a barricade at the border... they told the DEA if they tried that shit in Colorado they would shoot them... they did not call the bluff, so we don't know if they really would have started a new civil war over it or not

[TECSHARE]

Since the civil war, federal law overrides state law...

In California, the state let them run dispensaries... the Feds (DEA) would shut them down

In Colorado, the state police set up a barricade at the border... they told the DEA if they tried that shit in Colorado they would shoot them... they did not call the bluff, so we don't know if they really would have started a new civil war over it or not

Legally speaking this is not entirely true. The dispute between state and federal authority is still ongoing, but Lincoln did set states rights back quite a ways via the use of force over the power of law. You did however boil down the problem though. Who has the largest ability to back up their argument with use of force? Usually the federal government. This more of a case of might makes right than of law.

[Spendulus]

I've spent a lot of time in America but still don't get the state vs federal thing. Can anyone spell out how you can be selling it openly yet it's still classified by the DEA as a Bad Thing?

Let me make it Crystal Clear.

It's not crystal clear.

[TECSHARE]

I've spent a lot of time in America but still don't get the state vs federal thing. Can anyone spell out how you can be selling it openly yet it's still classified by the DEA as a Bad Thing?

Let me make it Crystal Clear.

It's not crystal clear.

Good synopsis.

[designerusa]

The government currently places marijuana in the same category as heroin and LSD.

Did not know they places this in the same category. Think also reschedule is right don't think you can call Marijuana the same as Heroin and LSD. In Netherlands they are more easy about marijuana.

some countiries place marijuana to the same category as heroin and lsd.. this isnt unusual but for me chemical drugs are worse than herbal drugs for sure ...

[vero]

Reschedule Marijuana for what? no one person died because overdosed on Marijuana? Don't worry about it!

Rescheduling means people will not get locked up for a long sentence if caught in possession of a little bit of pot.
When you look into the background on why pot is illegal you will most likely realize its best to change it up. Racist and driven by the cotton industry at the time.

oh that's good news because weed can give a good effect when used appropriately, in my opinion weed are always more fun than anything. "legalizing marijuana now"

[Psi]

part of the problem is u.n. agreements signed by federal gov'ts prohibiting it being legal, except under "controlled substances acts" , they have no choice now but to lower its classification, and foot drag, the biggest dr's group  in California will no longer testify as experts for federal govt eliminating the propaganda that's been peddled by big pharma over the years and the reefer madness crowd,   since Terry parker vs Regina in Canada (grand mal seizures stopped/for long periods of time to almost never) backed by 3 experts who testified they had no treatment that came close to being as effective) governments are forced to recognize legit uses for pot, now in mexico over last year or two a few cases have been won (at least 2) by non-pot smokers as having the human right to possess, grow and use pot, a few more cases (need 5) won and it really will allow that case to be made everywhere. Best way around all this is to appeal to U.N. to abolish all related prohibitions under human rights cases

[Moloch]

part of the problem is u.n. agreements signed by federal gov'ts prohibiting it being legal, except under "controlled substances acts" , they have no choice now but to lower its classification, and foot drag, the biggest dr's group  in California will no longer testify as experts for federal govt eliminating the propaganda that's been peddled by big pharma over the years and the reefer madness crowd,   since Terry parker vs Regina in Canada (grand mal seizures stopped/for long periods of time to almost never) backed by 3 experts who testified they had no treatment that came close to being as effective) governments are forced to recognize legit uses for pot, now in mexico over last year or two a few cases have been won (at least 2) by non-pot smokers as having the human right to possess, grow and use pot, a few more cases (need 5) won and it really will allow that case to be made everywhere. Best way around all this is to appeal to U.N. to abolish all related prohibitions under human rights cases

Don't worry about the UN... they are fighting the same battle this year...

I hear there is a list of dozens of countries who plan to speak out against marijuana prohibition at the next UN meeting

http://www.ibtimes.com/marijuana-legalization-un-prepares-tackle-world-drug-problem-again-will-cannabis-laws-2334526

[bryant.coleman]

Accept it. The legalization of Marijuana is not going to happen anytime soon. If Marijuana is legalized, it will negatively affect the pharma cartels (by lowering the sales of toxic synthetic painkillers), Mexican drug cartels (by losing revenue from illegal sales) and the banking cartels (by losing commissions from the Mexican drug cartels, for laundering the drug money). Too many influential politicians are among their payrolls (McCain for example), and they will lobby hard to disrupt the legalization efforts.

[eyeknock]

Accept it. The legalization of Marijuana is not going to happen anytime soon. If Marijuana is legalized, it will negatively affect the pharma cartels (by lowering the sales of toxic synthetic painkillers), Mexican drug cartels (by losing revenue from illegal sales) and the banking cartels (by losing commissions from the Mexican drug cartels, for laundering the drug money). Too many influential politicians are among their payrolls (McCain for example), and they will lobby hard to disrupt the legalization efforts.

thats the main problem, at least from my point of view too, the money that this generate...(like mostly of things in this life based on our current stupid "money" system), now with that system ALL of them are winning more money than if they legalized it and this cant be stopped, sorry, i mean that they will never want to change it...