President Donald Trump is considering reclassifying marijuana, changing it from a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD, to a less dangerous Schedule III substance, which includes such things as ketamine and some anabolic steroids.
Luke Niforatos of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), which aims to "prevent another big tobacco," says rescheduling marijuana would not legalize it, but it would change the way it is regulated and allow the entire industry to write off their business expenses from their taxes.
"They stand to make billions of dollars … off of this decision, if it's made," he warns. "That would turbocharge all the consequences of marijuana legalization that we have seen at the state level. It would allow these industries to advertise these products, hurt more kids, get more people addicted."
Proponents maintain that marijuana is not dangerous, that softening up its regulation would not necessarily lead to an increase in overall crime rates. They cite studies that indicate legalization can be associated with reductions in certain types of crime.
According to meta-analysis, however, the risk of perpetrating violence is more than twice as high for young adults who use marijuana.
Meanwhile, this reclassification faces resistance from law enforcement groups like the National Sheriffs' Association, which has submitted written opposition highlighting prior determinations that marijuana has a "high abuse potential" and pointing to cases of "extreme intoxication" and fatal vehicle crashes.
Niforatos adds there is also a "ton of Chinese cartel activity" to consider.
"Chinese cartels have taken over marijuana businesses that are state licensed, so the Chinese cartels would get access to this financial incentive as well, as crazy as that is," Niforatos tells AFN.
The discussion about marijuana comes more than a year after former President Joe Biden's administration formally proposed reclassifying marijuana.
No decision was made before Biden left office.
Most states allow medical or recreational consumption of marijuana, but at the federal level, possessing marijuana remains a federal crime punishable by fines and prison time. Selling or cultivating marijuana is a more serious offense, punishable by prison sentences of five years to life, depending on the quantity of the drug.
As Trump weighs the pros and cons of what he calls a "very complicated subject," SAM is petititioning him against rescheduling marijuana.
