As you might have seen, New York Senator Chuck Schumer introduced a bill on Wednesday that would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act… essentially legalizing it at the federal level.
This bill would make it legal to manufacture and sell 99% pure THC extracts, candies, gummies, and other edibles. What’s worse, because the U.S. Department of Transportation derives its drug testing regulations from the Controlled Substance Act, the bill would essentially end the ability to perform random drug tests for marijuana for DOT licensees, including pilots and truck drivers.
Another shocking takeaway from this bill: it removes the ability of the National Forest system to police highly dangerous illegal grows, which have been devastating to the ecology of National Forests with pesticides and illegal water diversion and are also connected to foreign cartels.
By all accounts, Senator Schumer and his staff were so excited to start getting checks from the marijuana industry, they slapped together a half-baked proposal without giving a single thought to the potential damages.
It is one thing when junior level senators and representatives introduce bills, but it is an entirely different scenario when the Senate Minority Leader introduces a bill that is such a blatant giveaway to Big Marijuana.
Friend, this is what we are up against.
The pot industry is showering lawmakers with money and gaining influence, but this fight is far from over. As evidenced by the many victories our supporters have been able to accomplish at both the state and federal level this year, we know we can stop this train.
If we are going to win the struggle for public health, it is going to take small sacrifices from advocates who believe in the cause, and I am thankful to be in the trenches everyday with all of you.
Thank you for all that you do.
