As the U.S. Justice Department and other federal agencies continue to coordinate toward a reclassification of marijuana in the United States from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act, eleven states, including Alabama, have formed a coalition to fight the possible change.
Attorneys general from those eleven states levied a fundamental and legal case against the proposed rescheduling of marijuana in a recent public comment letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who has signed off on the proposed shift in drug policy and enforcement.
Garland’s boss, President Joe Biden, views the reclassification as a step toward correcting “inequities.” However, the state attorneys general strongly disagree, citing a wide-reaching negative impacts on generations of Americans.
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“The Biden-Harris administration’s rush to legalize marijuana is outside the bounds of the DOJ’s authority and will lead to disastrous consequences,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said. “This is not the first time this administration has failed to ‘follow the science’ in favor of a cheap ploy to desperately score some points with voters before November.”
The officials cited the particularly harmful effects that the substance has on child and adolescent development, including its links to mental health conditions like psychosis and schizophrenia.
The letter also noted physical ailments such as heart disease and several forms of cancer that have been shown to be related to marijuana consumption. Additionally, the group emphasized the increase in the number and severity of motor vehicle accidents and the problems that could be created for police when trying to enforce laws that prohibit driving while intoxicated.
Furthermore, Marshall believes that, from a financial standpoint, the reclassification would result in large tax breaks for marijuana retailers across the country.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Shipley Austen
