Recent Wins
President Biden took symbolic steps with his federal pardons in 2022, they also initiated a review to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act.
Most recently on December 12, 2024; In the largest single-day act of clemency in U.S. history, President Biden granted clemency to approximately 1,500 nonviolent felons who had been released to home confinement. This act included individuals with various nonviolent offenses.
It remains to be seen why so much of this work had to happen last minute.
Cautious Optimism
It stands to reason the incoming administration would capitalize on the momentum generated by these important steps, but the trajectory of these initiatives under the new administration is uncertain, especially considering the appointment of Pam Bondi as Attorney General.
Pam Bondi, as a former Florida Attorney General, has a history of opposing cannabis legalization efforts. During her tenure, she fought against medical cannabis initiatives in Florida, expressing concerns that legalization could lead to broader societal issues, such as increased recreational use and challenges with law enforcement. She also argued that medical cannabis measures, as written, were too broad and could be exploited.
Her stance aligns with a more traditional, conservative perspective on drug policy, which often prioritizes strict enforcement and skepticism about the benefits of cannabis legalization. Given her previous positions, it’s reasonable to anticipate that she might resist federal cannabis reform efforts, especially those aimed at full legalization, even if the conversation is about rescheduling or medical use.
Campaign Promises
Looking at recent history, this administration never acted on the federal prohibition of cannabis, and Trump’s 2021 fiscal budget proposal included less protections for state medical marijuana laws. In 2018, Trump’s administration also rescinded the 2013 Cole Memorandum, an Obama-era Justice Department policy that generally directed federal prosecutors not to pursue cannabis prosecutions in states where the drug is legal as a matter of state law. On the other hand, Trump did sign the 2018 farm bill, which descheduled some cannabis products from the Controlled Substances Act for the very first time.
Not Just a Campaign Issue
At this point the issue of rescheduling and decriminilization is a bipartisan issue. I personally don’t know why it wasn’t a bigger campaign issue during the election cycle being such a low hanging fruit for voters.
We are seeing progress, but why so slow? A Pew Research poll from last spring found more than half of Republicans under 50 support legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana.
It is still to be determined whether President-elect Trump’s comments in support of legalization were merely campaign rhetoric or a genuine pledge to reconcile decades of harm with meaningful progress. Moving forward voters must make their candidates deliver on their promises, and highlight cannabis reform as a top issue for them.
METTLE
Thoughtfully Designed, Durably Made.
Reviews (Leafly)
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Leafly User
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