Yo, family. So check it, the DEA just dropped some news that got the whole cannabis community on edge. They say they holdin’ a public hearing on December 2nd in Arlington, Virginia, and it’s gonna be all about switchin’ up the schedule for that green magic we all know and love. You feel me?
Why They Even Doin’ This?
Aight, so the DEA’s holdin’ this shindig on December 2nd at 9 AM ET ’cause they gotta hear from the people. Back in May, the Department of Justice said they wanna bump cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III on the Controlled Substances Act. For real, that’s a big deal! But they opened it up for comments and folks came through like never before.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group that’s tryin’ to keep things in check, requested this hearing. They feel some type of way ’bout the whole cannabis situation, just like many others do. The hearing’s for anyone who feels affected by this, as long as they let the DEA know they wanna speak up by the end of September 30th. It’s not just a free-for-all; you gotta tell ’em who you are and what you tryna say.
Is This Normal? How Long It Gonna Take?
Real talk, this ain’t surprising at all. Folks was hopin’ for quick changes, especially businesses tryna cash in on that tax money. But the process can be a long one, somethin’ like up to nine years. Vince Sliwoski, an attorney, called this delay way back in March. He pointed out that the DEA has mad control over how fast or slow this whole thing can go.
From the administration’s view, slowin’ it down means they can avoid some heat, especially with all this attention on cannabis. And let’s keep it a hundred, lawsuits could pop up at any time, makin’ the whole thing take even longer. So yeah, this typical back-and-forth only adds to the frustration, and we might not see any real changes before the new president rolls through.
What the People Say?
Now about those 42,000 comments, yo. That’s a record number! Usually, these proposals get only a couple thousand at most. Headset, a data analysis company, even broke it down and said that only 7.6% of those comments opposed changin’ the schedule of cannabis. A whopping 57% wanted cannabis completely descheduled, while a little over a third were down for the move to Schedule III as is.
People out here speakin’ on social justice, economic opportunities, and personal freedom when they call for descheduling. On the flip side, those who ain’t feelin’ the change got concerns ’bout safety and wantin’ to protect the youth. It’s clear that the convo is heated, especially after some anti-cannabis groups rallied for their people to comment against the changes. Smart Approaches to Marijuana shot out a call to action right before the deadline, and that led to a spike in negative comments.
So, What’s Next?
Come December 2nd, expect to see groups like Smart Approaches to Marijuana sittin’ right next to those pro-cannabis advocates, both fightin’ for their points just like they did in the comments. But let’s be real, how much is a bunch of people talkin’ gonna change the game? Are we waitin’ for some groundbreaking studies that’ll flip the whole narrative?
Dr. Carrie Cuttler, an Associate Professor over at Washington University, shared her thoughts, sayin’ that the research already proves cannabis don’t fit the criteria for a Schedule I drug. We been knowin’ for ages that cannabis has mad medical benefits and a low risk of abuse. The DEA might not be too comfy with this big move, but as Vince Sliwoski pointed out, this hearing is just a way for them to play it safe and drag the process out.
At the end of the day, changes are definitely comin’, but it looks like it’s gon’ take a lot longer than we want it to. So stay tuned, fam. We gon’ keep watchin’ and hopin’ for some positive moves in this cannabis game.
