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Senator Blocks Confirmation Of Trump’s ‘Unqualified’ White House Drug Czar Pick Who Has Voiced Medical Marijuana Support

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4 weeks ago

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A Democratic senator is holding back nearly 90 of President Donald Trump’s administration nominees, including the president’s pick for White House drug czar He says he is among many “unqualified” candidates who threaten to “undermine the rule of law and our national security.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee in October advanced the nomination of Sara Carter Bailey to join the administration as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). But when he was included in an en bloc confirmation package of 88 nominees, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) raised a procedural question that led Republicans to stall the vote.

“I’ve just blocked 88 of Trump’s nominees for confirmation, including Sara Carter Bailey, the former Fox News contributor nominated to be our country’s drug czar,” Bennet said Thursday. “Bailey was nominated by Trump, who recently pardoned the former president of Honduras, who served 45 years in prison for conspiring to distribute more than 400 tons of cocaine.”

“I will not allow those without a candidate, this White House or the president to undermine the rule of law and our national security,” he said. he said.




The procedural complaint raised by Bennet relates to the ONDCP director being a “Tier I” executive officer.

Therefore, unlike the other candidates in the package, Bailey could not be included in the group vote – the body that was chaired by the Republican senator on Thursday. recognize.

Bailey, for his part, yes expressed his support for medical cannabis, while stating that he has “no problem” with legalizationeven if you may not personally agree with the policy.

A former journalist known for his coverage of drug cartels, Bailey also recently informed senators that the administration. keeping “all options” on the table as it continues to consider a proposal to reorganize marijuanawhile describing cannabis reform as a “bipartisan issue.”

Bennet isn’t the only senator questioning the nominee’s abilities. Before the committee’s vote in October, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the panel’s ranking member, called Bailey a Trump “loyalist” who was “appointed to a position that he is completely, utterly unqualified for.”

“He’s not a doctor or an addiction specialist,” she said. “He’s never been a prosecutor or a law enforcement officer.”

Given the ONDCP director’s role in setting and carrying out the administration’s agenda on drug policy issues, Bailey’s enthusiastic endorsement of medical cannabis in the past is welcome to advocates.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised the issue of cannabis rescheduling one-on-one with the candidate in September, stating that the proposal to move marijuana from Schedule I to III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would be a “step in the right direction.”

“It would open the door to more scientific research, so if you were to be confirmed, how would you advise the American president on the reprogramming process going on?” he asked.

Bailey said she shares Booker’s passion for the issue, which she described as “bipartisan.”

“If confirmed as director, I will comply with all federal laws and meet all legal responsibilities of ONDCP,” he said. “However, we will continue to work in depth with research and data. We will continue to do so and explore all options.”

Trump endorsed the redistricting on the campaign trail before his second term — as well as bank access to the marijuana industry and a ballot initiative to legalize Florida. But his latest comments in late August about the timing of the reorganization decision gave a more ambiguous impression of his stance on the matter.

While Bailey has spoken often on a variety of marijuana policy issues (focusing on illegal trafficking and illegal growing operations on US soil, for example), his public comments have been limited on how he personally feels about the issue. Last year, she said in an episode of her podcast, The Sara Carter Show, that she makes a distinction between legally regulated and illegally supplied marijuana.

“I don’t have a problem if it’s legalized and controlled,” he said. “I mean, maybe I have my own issues with how I feel about it, but I think it’s a wonderful way to handle cannabis for medicine and medical reasons — especially for people with cancer and other diseases, you know — to manage the disease and the side effects of those drugs and diseases. So I’m not saying we should make it illegal.”

If Bailey is ultimately confirmed by the Senate, he will be the second drug czar to come out in favor of medical marijuana. Former President Joe Biden’s ONDCP Director Rahul Guptaworked as a consultant to cannabis businesses and oversaw the implementation of West Virginia’s medical marijuana program.

On his social media, Bailey has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.

the federal statute The drug czar is prohibited from agreeing to the legalization of Schedule I drugs in the CSA, including marijuana.

“The Director . . . shall ensure that federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall not be expended for any study or contract related to the legalization (for medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in section I of section 812 of this title and shall take such measures as may be necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use (in any form) of a substance not listed in subparagraph (I)(B) of section 8 of section (I). The purpose of the Food and Drug Administration approved for medical use.

In April, on the other hand, the democratic members of Congress announced the introduction of a bill that would remove this restriction. It has yet to advance in the GOP-controlled Congress.

Bailey has separately sounded the alarm about the risk of pesticides and other contaminants in marijuana grown and sold by Chinese cartels…recently a House committee took up the matter.

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

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Last year, the candidate discussed the issue with Derek Maltz, a now-retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official who is serving as the agency’s interim administrator before his confirmation. Trump’s perennial pick, Terrance Cole.

In an X post about the interview with Maltz, Bailey said how “Chinese marijuana growing operations are using dangerous chemicals as pesticides.”

In 2022, U.S. Representative Mike Garcia (R-CA) praised Bailey for working with his office to bring attention to illegal grow operations in his district, leading to an investigation by local law enforcement.

Bailey credited congress, saying, “The work you’ve done to get rid of illegal marijuana seeds has prevented the cartels from exploiting your community, the people forced to work in it, and (your money).”

In a 2021 interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, he also talked about his work with Garcia, including accompanying him on a helicopter, “a lot of sophisticated illegal farms worth billions of dollars.”

The posters “have become much bolder. They are not afraid to hide,” he said. “They don’t hide it because they don’t feel like they’ll ever be held accountable for it.”

In a sense, Bailey seems to be implicitly suggesting that he supports regulated access to cannabis as a means to promote public safety and health. Whether that implied position would influence federal policy and whether the role of ONDCP director is confirmed and assumed remains to be seen.

On his social media, he has previously shared links (without comment) to news on various marijuana-related topics. In addition to his increased focus on illegal billboards, he has also published on congressional and state legalization votes, Biden administration staffers fired for cannabis use, Democratic presidential candidates’ support for legalization, progress on cannabis banking legislation in Congress, and state policy developments such as the legalization of cannabis cafes in Alaska.

Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

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Happy Holidays!

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16 hours ago

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December 29, 2025

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Next publication on January 5, 2026






We are officially closing for the holidays. MMJDaily will be back on January 5, 2026, a little more rested.

Thank you for staying with us until 2025. Go enjoy your vacation, eat too much, sleep too little and try not to set anything on fire. See you next year!

© Mirthe Walpot | MMJDaily.com



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Bipartisan Majority Of American Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, New Poll Finds After Trump Orders Rescheduling

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16 hours ago

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December 29, 2025

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A two-fold majority of American voters across nearly every major demographic — age, race, gender and political affiliation — support legalizing marijuana, according to a new poll released just days ago. President Donald Trump issued an executive order to agencies to further reform cannabis rescheduling..

The poll, conducted by JL Partners and commissioned by The Daily Mail, showed that 53 percent of registered US voters support legalization. This includes 62% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans.

The poll simply asked, “Would you be for or against the legalization of marijuana?”

While there was majority support among all age demographics, 30-49 year olds had 61 percent support. But even 50 percent of the over-65s, historically the most conservative age group, favor policy change.

58% of men are in favor of legalization, and 50% of women are in favor of reform.

The survey Between December 20 and 21, there were interviews with 1,000 registered voters. This means that Trump has asked the attorney general to declare marijuana under Title III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The move would not have federally legalized cannabis, and administration officials stressed at the signing ceremony of the reorganization order that legalization was not their intention.

However, what the reorganization would do is symbolically recognize marijuana’s medical value, allow cannabis companies to take federal tax deductions, and loosen some research barriers related to Schedule I drugs.

A recent Daily Mail poll comes with growing bipartisanship over legalizing marijuana in general, but Another recent YouGov poll found Republicans evenly split on the issue41% in favor and 41% against the wider reform.

However, a bipartisan majority of Americans said in that poll that they support federally rescheduling marijuana.

Additionally, a majority (76%) of respondents to the YouGov survey also said marijuana either “definitely” (43%) or “probably” (33%) has “legitimate medical uses.” There was also a bilateral agreement on that question. Most Democrats said cannabis has medical value (84%), followed by independents (74%) and Republicans (73%).

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

The reorganization process started by the Biden administration, which Trump has now called for an end, is still pending. Congressional researchers also recently released a report indicating that there is a possibility The Justice Department may choose to restart the process, or even not complete it. But according to previous polls, reform across the corridor is politically popular.

The president said this month that cannabis can “make people feel a lot better.” It serves as a “substitute for addictive and potentially deadly opioid painkillers.” He clarified, however, that he personally has no interest in using marijuana himself.

So does Trump He dismissed the concerns of GOP lawmakers who oppose the reconsiderationstating that an overwhelming majority of Americans support reform and that cannabis can help people with serious health problems—including his personal friends.

Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

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Nighttime humidity is not a problem that needs to be vented away

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2 days ago

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December 28, 2025

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Night hours present a persistent and costly challenge for commercial greenhouse operators. When the thermal screens are closed and the ventilations are closed, the greenhouse is closed, trapping the moisture produced by the crop. This creates a high-stakes battle against condensation, disease and unnecessary energy loss. Amir Kandlik, B.Sc. Plant Science and Genetics in Agriculture and agronomist with Drygair explores the critical problem of nighttime humidity and explains the strategic shift from traditional ventilation-based control to a system built around active indoor dehumidification. “This ‘closed greenhouse’ approach improves energy efficiency and supports stronger crop health.”

© Drygair

Night challenge: Thermodynamic and pathological risk
“At night, plants continue to transpire even though photosynthesis has stopped. Without the drying effect of daytime conditions, the air mass in the greenhouse quickly approaches saturation,” says Amir. “Traditional methods rely on ventilation, but ventilation replaces warm, CO₂-rich air with cold outside air. This increases heating demand, destabilizes temperatures and can introduce more moisture, especially in humid weather.”

A variation of this, heating the air before it is vented, wastes energy because the air conditioner is blown out immediately. “In cold, rainy, or snowy conditions, ventilation becomes impossible and humidity increases unchecked. As relative humidity rises above 85 percent and temperatures drop, surface temperatures can drop below the dew point. Condensation then forms on leaves, fruit, and structural elements, creating conditions that promote Botrytis, powdery mildew, and powdery mildew.”

Solution: “Closed” paradigm with active dehumidification.
A more advanced strategy replaces night ventilation with active internal dehumidification, keeping the greenhouse closed. Amir explains that it starts when the unit pulls in moist air, cools it below its dew point and condenses the water vapor into liquid form. “The latent heat released by condensation is captured and recycled, heating the dry air before redistributing it throughout the cottage. Instead of losing heat to dryness, this method converts moisture into heat and creates a net positive energy cycle.”

© Drygair

Basic advantages of the closed night strategy
This approach improves disease prevention by maintaining a stable vapor pressure deficit and preventing dew formation. Keeping surfaces above the dew point significantly reduces disease pressure. Flower tests recorded a 98% reduction in Botrytis when relative humidity remained below 85%. Energy efficiency is also increased because the airfields remain closed and latent heat is recovered during dehumidification. Vegetable producers have reported energy savings of 50%.

“Climate uniformity is improved as constant air circulation removes microclimates, and sealed conditions store CO₂ for uptake at dawn,” says Amir. Crop quality and yield benefit from consistent transpiration and improved movement of nutrients and calcium. Basil had a 15 percent yield increase without downy mildew, and unheated tomato houses had a 25 percent higher yield per stem.

Practical settings for leaders
Adopting this strategy requires changing the operational logic, which is usually handled by a climate computer. “During the day, the vents are open and the natural ventilation manages the humidity, so the dehumidifiers are turned off. At night, when the outside temperature drops below the indoor set point, the vents and screens close, and the dehumidifier operates at an RH of about 75 to 80 percent. The priority is to maintain a dew point range of at least 2 degrees. While heating is used only for temperature stability, nighttime temperatures stay below 10 degrees Celsius. in regions with , an additional defrost coil is required for continuous operation.

Looking at the field results
Field studies show that flowers grown according to this strategy maintained lower relative humidity, achieved significant energy savings and did not require night ventilation. Basil trials showed a 15 percent increase in yield and zero downy mildew. Tomatoes and peppers have seen a 5 to 25 percent increase in yield and a 98 percent reduction in disease. Cannabis growers recorded 30 to 40 percent higher yields with about 50 percent energy savings.

Specific questions about geography and climate
In very cold climates, this view is especially good. Ventilating at minus 10 degrees Celsius creates an extreme heating load, and sealing the greenhouse and dehumidifying the interior retains heat, recovers latent heat and reduces boiler use. In hot and humid climates, night ventilation is unreliable during warm or rainy weather. Active dehumidification removes moisture in a controlled manner, and with additional Air-Water Heat Exchange, the system can heat or cool the air through an external water loop.

Supporting scientific and technical references
Research includes Elad and Shtienberg’s work on Botrytis cinerea, University of Massachusetts Extension greenhouse moisture reduction guidance, Stanghellini’s transpiration studies, and Ho and Adams’ work on water and nutrient uptake in tomatoes.

Without ventilation
“Nighttime humidity is not a problem to be banished, but an imbalance to be managed,” says Amir. “The closed greenhouse strategy treats moisture as an energy resource instead of a waste product. By keeping greenhouses closed at night and using active internal dehumidification, growers can reduce disease, improve energy efficiency, retain CO₂, stabilize the nighttime climate, and increase yield and crop quality. This is one of the most impactful changes in modern greenhouse climate management.”

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