Marijuana backers eye proposed federal regulatory change as an aid to legalizing pot in more states

As the U.S. authorities moves toward reclassifying marijuana arsenic a little unsafe drug, determination whitethorn beryllium small contiguous interaction successful the twelve states that person not already legalized cannabis for wide aesculapian oregon recreational usage by adults.

But advocates for marijuana legalization anticipation a national regulatory displacement could yet alteration the minds — and votes — of immoderate authorities policymakers who person been reluctant to clasp weed.

“It is precise communal for a authorities legislator to archer me, ‘Well, I mightiness beryllium capable to enactment this, but ... I’m not going to ballot for thing that’s amerciable nether national law,’” said Matthew Schweich, enforcement manager of the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for cannabis legalization.

Although a connection to reclassify marijuana would not marque it legal, “it is simply a historical and meaningful alteration astatine the national level that I deliberation is going to springiness galore authorities lawmakers a small little hesitation to enactment a bill,” Schweich added.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has projected to displacement marijuana from a “Schedule I” drug, which includes heroin and LSD, to a little tightly regulated “Schedule III” drug, which includes ketamine and immoderate anabolic steroids. Federal rules let for immoderate aesculapian uses of Schedule III drugs. But the projected alteration faces a lengthy regulatory process, which whitethorn not beryllium implicit until aft the statesmanlike election.

In the meantime, the projected national alteration could adhd caller arguments for supporters of ballot measures seeking to legalize marijuana. Florida voters volition determine connected a law amendment allowing recreational cannabis this November. Public votes could besides beryllium held successful respective different states, including South Dakota, wherever supporters program to taxable signatures Tuesday for a 3rd effort astatine legalizing recreational marijuana.

Following 2 erstwhile failed attempts, a Nebraska radical is gathering signatures to get 2 measures onto this year’s ballot: 1 to legalize aesculapian marijuana and different to let backstage companies to turn and merchantability it.

In North Dakota, transgression defence lawyer Mark Friese is simply a erstwhile constabulary serviceman who is backing a marijuana legalization ballot initiative. He said the projected national reclassification could immensely assistance this year's inaugural campaign. North Dakota voters rejected legalization measures successful 2018 and 2022 but approved aesculapian marijuana successful 2016.

“The bottommost enactment is the determination is going to let intelligent, informed treatment astir cannabis authorities alternatively of succumbing to the humanities objection that marijuana is simply a unsafe cause similar LSD oregon achromatic tar heroin,” Friese said.

Others aren't truthful definite the reclassification volition marque a difference.

Jackee Winters, chairperson of an Idaho radical backing a ballot inaugural to legalize aesculapian marijuana, said it's pugnacious to get would-be supporters to motion their petition.

“People are virtually acrophobic to motion thing successful Idaho that has to bash with marijuana,” she said. “They’re acrophobic the cops volition beryllium coming to their house."

The projected national alteration whitethorn person small impact successful 24 states that already legalized recreational marijuana for adults, oregon successful an further 14 states that let aesculapian marijuana. But advocates anticipation it could sway opinions successful a twelve different states that either outlaw cannabis wholly oregon person constricted entree to products with debased levels of THC, the chemic that makes radical high.

Georgia has allowed patients with definite illnesses and doc support to devour low-THC cannabis products since 2015. But until past year, determination was nary ineligible mode to bargain them. Eight dispensaries are present selling the products.

The Georgia Board of Pharmacy past twelvemonth besides issued licenses for low-THC products to 23 autarkic pharmacies, but the national DEA successful November warned pharmacies that dispensing aesculapian marijuana violated national law.

Dawn Randolph, enforcement manager of the Georgia Pharmacy Association, said a national reclassification of marijuana could unfastened the mode for pharmacists to dainty marijuana products “like each different medicine medication.”

In different states, specified arsenic Tennessee, elected leaders stay hesitant to backmost either aesculapian oregon recreational marijuana. Tennessee Senate Speaker Randy McNally, a Republican, antecedently said helium wouldn’t enactment changing authorities instrumentality until the national authorities reclassifies marijuana.

But aft reports astir the DEA’s recommended reclassification, McNally inactive held disconnected connected supporting immoderate propulsion to legalize aesculapian marijuana.

Removing marijuana arsenic a Schedule I cause “would lone commencement the speech successful my mind. It would not extremity it. There would inactive beryllium galore issues to resoluteness if the downgrade to Schedule III happens arsenic proposed,” helium said Thursday.

A connection to legalize aesculapian marijuana died successful a Kansas Senate committee without a ballot this year, and an effort to unit statement successful the afloat Senate failed by a wide margin. The strongest and astir influential absorption came from instrumentality enforcement officials, who raised concerns that immoderate legalization could invitation organized transgression and marque it hard to measure whether radical are driving nether the influence.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi considers the DEA effort to reschedule marijuana “misguided and politicized,” KBI spokesperson Melissa Underwood said.

The caput of the South Carolina authorities constabulary unit besides has opposed efforts to legalize aesculapian marijuana, saying it opens the doorway to different cause use. A legalization measure backed by Republican authorities Sen. Tom Davis passed the Senate this twelvemonth but has stalled successful a House committee.

“It’s hard to rewire a batch of radical who person been conditioned to deliberation of marijuana successful a definite way,” said Davis, who vowed to propulsion a aesculapian marijuana measure again adjacent twelvemonth if reelected.

Although not afloat embracing aesculapian marijuana, Iowa and Texas some person laws allowing constricted entree to immoderate cannabis products with debased levels of THC. Some Texas cities person passed ordinances allowing tiny amounts of marijuana. But a akin effort successful Lubbock, location to Texas Tech University, was derided successful a Facebook station by Republican authorities Rep. Dustin Burrows arsenic portion of “nationwide effort by the near to undermine nationalist safety.”

In Wyoming, a decennary of pro-marijuana efforts done ballot initiatives and authorities has gotten nowhere. Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, has been ambivalent astir legalizing aesculapian marijuana and opposes ineligible recreational pot. The GOP-led Legislature didn’t adjacent statement the latest measure to decriminalize marijuana and legalize aesculapian marijuana.

Yet 1 organizer, who helped unsuccessful petition efforts successful 2022 and 2023, hopes national reclassification of marijuana nudges much lawmakers to enactment legalization.

“Resistance volition beryllium a batch little palpable,” legalization advocator Apollo Pazell said.

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Associated Press writers Jeff Amy successful Atlanta, Margery Beck successful Omaha, Nebraska, Rebecca Boone successful Boise, Idaho; Acacia Coronado successful Austin, Texas; Jeffrey Collins successful Columbia, South Carolina, Jack Dura successful Bismarck, North Dakota, Hannah Fingerhut successful Des Moines, Iowa, Mead Gruver successful Cheyenne, Wyoming, John Hanna successful Topeka, Kansas, and Kimberlee Kruesi successful Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.