AARP
DEA Delivers Gut Punch To Marijuana Industry
The DEA has worked hard to keep marijuana illegal – despite almost 90% believing it shouldn’t be.
The delay until post-election is do to the DEA’s inability to coordinate the next steps so they pushed the in-person testimony for the upcoming marijuana rescheduling until early next year. DEA director Anne Milligan is seen as anti-marijuana and more inline with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). When the current administration announced the move to reschedule, Director Milligan had a meeting with key DEA Leaders with “no note taking” and off the record. The DEA not rescheduling would go against the norm as they have always followed HHS and the FDA recommendations.
While both presidential candidates have expressed support for marijuana, a YOUGOV poll has indicated more people have faith in Harris to support the industry. The surprise is the fact is both Democrats (65%) and Republicans (31%) believe her administration would follow through. Pew Research, who has followed the mainstreaming of cannabis, has it at 88+% of the population is for some form of federal legalization. Even AARP has moved toward legalizing marijuana, a key voting block for both parties. But, it seems, the DEA, is against the move and is hoping there is a change of heart in policy making.
In another slap to the cannabis industry, Milligan and the DEA have tried to stack the deck against cannabis. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said that he was disappointed but hardly surprised by the DEA’s decision to disproportionately include groups opposed to marijuana policy reform as designated participants. “The fight to end our nation’s outdated and failed cannabis prohibition laws has never been fought on a level playing field,” he said.