Several GOP Senate members tell MEDCAN24 if Donald Trump decides to reschedule marijuana it will be a game changer for federal cannabis reform.
Last week, Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Kevin Cramer(RND) gave a number of interviews at Capitol Hill. Dan Sullivan (R – AK), Lisa Murkowski R – AK and Kevin Cramer R – ND weighed in regarding the pending rescheduling plan, on which Trump stated in late August that a final decision will be taken soon after he endorsed this policy change during the campaign for his second-term.
Sullivan who previously sponsored legislation for research on medical cannabis to benefit military veterans said when Trump “gets in behind something, it makes a difference.” She implied that completing rescheduling the process would make a significant impact with Republican lawmakers hesitant about cannabis reform.
Murkowski said, on her behalf, that if marijuana is moved as proposed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III, it “would be a total game changer”.
“I’m interested. I’m curious that he’s weighing in on this because I don’t know—has he done that before?” The senator who previously stated his openness towards cannabis banking reform, and codifying the states’ right to enact marijuana laws added.
Cramer reiterated Murkowski’s argument, saying that rescheduling “would definitely be a game-changer for the Party, and I think it would easier to do some other things” in terms of marijuana reform. He was referring to proposals focused on incremental measures such as those focusing on access to industry banks.
“I think that legalization would be an issue, but I’d never put it past him.” “What would the implications be within our diverse base if he went all-out on this issue?” I have often wondered. He said. “The increments we’ve talked about before—whether it’s something on the banking side or something a little more than that on the medical side, he could make a change, no question about it.”
The man is all about this [rescheduling]. He’s said it. Cramer stated that if he changes his schedule, it is an important event. I’m receptive to some ideas. I’m looking for incremental changes. “I want to acknowledge that states have already changed the rules, so we need to pay attention.”
He said, “I don’t personally feel comfortable about the scheduling change but I think you have to be pragmatic.” “It changes the conversation for sure—no question about it—in both parties. “They all come back to this place, somewhere between the libertarian left and the extreme right.”
Meanwhile, one of Trump’s longtime advisors, Roger Stone, recently said that his administration has an opportunity to move forward with marijuana rescheduling—or, even broader legalization—in a way that Democrats who regularly tout the reform failed to achieve when they controlled the White House and Congress.
These comments were made in response to a social media posting by the President late last month, wherein he posted a video promoting the benefits of CBD derived from hemp for senior citizens.
According to the Republican Senate sponsor, a bipartisan cannabis bank bill that was recently introduced by him, Trump’s rescheduling of marijuana will be “an important domino” in advancing his legislation.
Trump’s final decision on rescheduling is still up in the air. Despite his endorsement of the policy change on the campaign trail ahead of his election for a second term, he declined to restate that support when asked about it during a briefing late last month—though he did say a decision would come within weeks.
The LCB contributed reporting from Washington, D.C.