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The US department of Health and Human Services has completed the review called for by President Biden last year, and has sent a letter to the DEA officially recommending that cannabis be moved from the "schedule 1" classification (with dangerous and addictive drugs like heroin) to the much less strict "schedule 3".
While I feel cannabis should be descheduled and treated like alcohol (which I think is more dangerous and prone to abuse), this is a very positive step in the right direction.
Good to see some slow progress being made. Absolutely pathetic and abhorrent that it has taken so long though. Hopefully DEA acts on this quickly. That said, schedule three also seems far too harsh. Anyone with any familiarity with cannabis, either as a user or knowing those who use it, can tell you that it does not meet the risk guidelines of schedule 3 (Abusing the drug can cause severe mental addiction, or moderate physical addiction). For the record, it's companions on schedule 3 would include anabolic steroids and ketamine.
Don't worry, Biden said he'll "look into" decriminalization during the primary, I'm sure it'll happen any day now...
I mean, Biden requested that HHS conduct this review so that they can reschedule cannabis under the existing laws, which is about the best that the executive branch can do on its own. This is part of what decriminalization looks like when only one branch of the federal government is willing to pursue that goal.
If he tried to skip these reviews, the court would likely overturn his executive orders or his agencies' changes in policy (though the current Supreme Court would likely overturn these things regardless). And he obviously can't sign a law that Congress has not passed, so we're left with slow-moving bureaucracy.
reschedule cannabis
Which isn't decriminalization...
For the rest:
If you're right (which you're not) then absolutely best case scenario that makes this just one of multiple times he misrepresented what he could/would do in order to get votes.
No idea why you're talking about passing laws tho. No law would need to be passed to decriminalize on a federal level.
I think you're making more of this than is necessary. It seems to me that he's been pretty clear (well, for a guy who is famously not the best speaker...) on his intent to reassess how the federal government classifies cannabis based on the results of scientific studies and HHS recommendations like the one announced today. Here's an article from January 17th, 2020 which says basically that.
At the same time, PolitiFact's promise tracker argues that Biden is mostly on track for his promise to work towards decriminalization based on his mass federal pardons for simple possession of cannabis.
I'm pro cannabis and I would like to see it legalized or decriminalized world wide. It's good that you have high standards, but I think you're coming across like someone who is simply unwilling to give credit where credit is due when it comes to the fact that Biden has done more for cannabis decriminalization than any president in 50 years. This review simply would not have happened had the current administration not called for it, which is part of the reason why it has been wrongly scheduled as a "schedule 1" narcotic for half a century.
The war on cannabis isn't over, but federally rescheduling it down 2 levels is a significant victory for the cause and, in my opinion, deserves at least some credit or praise.
(well, for a guy who is famously not the best speaker…)
Actually, he used to be an amazing public speaker...
Biden was initially considered one of the potentially strongest candidates as campaigning began in 1987.[6] This was because of his image as a political moderate, his speaking ability on the stump (rated second only to that of Jesse Jackson),
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden_1988_presidential_campaign#Status_among_candidates
He had a stutter as a small child, but overcame it long before he entered politics.
Like lots of people who overcame childhood stutters, he got really good at public speaking as an adult.
But those people don't do it naturally, it takes a lot of thought and a quick mind. When they start to get old, normal every day mental degradation hits them harder than most
So if youve only experienced Biden after he was 60, sure, I guess you would think he's always been shitty at it. The truth is, he's 80 fucking years old and obviously that's having an effect on him. And maybe we shouldn't be putting geriatric people in charge of the entire country.
Unfortunately this country has a short memory, most people don't remember all the lies that torpedoed his first election and made him wait 40 some years before trying to be president again.
If you’re right (which you’re not)
No, @nelly_man is correct. They've laid out exactly what the executive is capable of doing under the current circumstances. Just because you don't like their educated answer, that doesn't give you the right to lie and be a jerk.
I'm sure it'll happen just after he gets re-elected but only if Dems get both houses of Congress.
At least that's what they say every election.
As a heavy smoker, the description or schedule 3 as you wrote it seems to fit.
Marijuana does cause minor physical withdrawal, as evident by the plethora of physical effects that occur when a heavy smoker stops. I would say the mental side of it is more prominent though and is what many struggle with when trying to quit smoking