Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called on the federal government to move “as quickly as possible” to change the way it officially classifies marijuana, saying that “nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.”
“I cannot emphasize enough that they need to get to it as quickly as possible,” Harris said. “We need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment. This issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently, marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin ― as dangerous as heroin ― and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair.”
Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration. That classification designates it one of the most dangerous drugs possible, with no medicinal uses. Other substances in the same category include heroin, ecstasy and LSD. Marijuana advocates have been pushing for years for the federal government to either reschedule marijuana to a different category or deschedule it entirely.
Does it require Congress, including Republicans, to do it?
Not in all cases. There are different types of legalization.
Rescheduling is probably the better way forward because it would allow for medical use within the healthcare system.
No, the relevant agencies (I think FDA?) control how drugs are scheduled, so essentially it’s just a case of that agency making the change. I don’t even think the President needs to be involved in that.
If it comes down to pretending it does versus letting up on the racist drug war, Democrats will need congress.
It’s not like it’s something they want to do, like supporting the genocide every last centrist has always wanted. Don’t need congress for that.