Huntsville Area Congressman Pete Session Condemns Rescheduling of Marijuana

By Lance Lowry

07-12-2024

WASHINGTON- in a press release this week Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17) and Senator James Lankford (OK) released a bicameral public comment letter with 23 other Members of Congress strongly opposing the Biden administration’s recent decision directing the Department of Health & Human Services to move marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule III substance.

The Schedule I status placed the drug in the same category as crack cocaine, PCP, LSD, heroin, and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine. The U.S. DEA states “Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse”.

The schedule I status is considered the worst of the worst and possession of these drugs requires more punitive sentencing. Even drugs such as fentanyl are classified as a Schedule II Drug.

Sessions press release stated “The rescheduling ignores the increasing danger of high-potency marijuana, creating a high risk for public health threats such as youth overdoses, schizophrenia, and psychosis. The letter notes that THC is addictive at rates over 30% with long-term and permanent consequences on brain development.”

Sessions stated, “the decision to disregard public safety and medical concerns to reclassify marijuana is strictly political. This egregious proposed rule fails to provide sufficient science and data in support. Senator Lankford and I are leading the charge in raising the alarm from Congress.”

The rescheduling of marijuana to a Schedule III Drug would place the drug in a penalty class with drugs such as Tylenol with codeine (Less than 90 mg) , ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone.