President Donald Trump’s first pick for attorney general in the current administration is reiterating his support for rescheduling cannabis—suggesting in an interview with a Florida Republican lawmaker that the GOP could win more of the youth vote by embracing marijuana reform.
Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL), former U.S. Rep., asked Florida Rep. Alex Andrade to answer a question on his One America News Show. He wanted to know if Andrade thought “cannabis legislation” was a means for Republicans (and the GOP) of gaining more support from younger voters.
Yes, I think so. Andrade said, “It’s mainly about being authentic and keeping up with the trend.” The vast majority of Americans do not have Reefer Madness concerns or worries. “They view it as having some sort of medical benefit. I believe that the best way to treat it, is by treating it like what it really is. Instead of constantly fear mongering, we should be treating it the product it truly represents.”
Gaetz is a long-time advocate for marijuana reform. He has done so both in state and federal legislatures, as a Republican who backed a Democratic led bill to legalize the drug.
Trump had initially chosen him for the Justice Department but the former representative eventually withdrew.
While campaigning for the marijuana reformulation, President Obama did support the policy. He has not spoken out publicly about the matter since he took office. Gaetz stated last month that Trump’s support for a Schedule III Reclassification of Cannabis was more of an effort to gain the backing of young voters than it was of a genuine reflection of Trump’s personal views on cannabis.
Gaetz said that while Trump’s position has changed over time, and he has made several comments in the past supporting medical marijuana, he is “totally intolerable” of any reform if it “increases drug usage”.
According to a survey released by an affiliated GOP pollster in April, the majority of Republicans are supportive of a range of cannabis reforms. This includes rescheduling. They’re also more in favor of states being able to legalize cannabis without interference from the federal government than average voters.
Meanwhile, in April, Gaetz said there’s a “winning coalition” of libertarian-leaning Republicans and Democrats to federally legalize marijuana—but only if Democrats drop their push for social equity and “reparations.”
The prior month, he separately said that “meaningful” marijuana reform is “on the horizon” under the Trump administration, praising the president’s “leadership” in supporting rescheduling.
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Even though the choice was controversial, advocates and other stakeholders were encouraged by Trump’s selection of Gaetz as the head of the Justice Department after his election. Many felt that having an attorney general actively championing reforms would have been a significant shift and would have helped to see through the scheduling process.
Trump has since chosen former Florida Attorney-General Pam Bondi to lead the DOJ. The Senate also confirmed this choice. During her confirmation hearings, Bondi declined to say how she planned to navigate key marijuana policy issues. As attorney general of Florida, Bondi opposed the legalization of medical marijuana.
Adding to the uncertainty around the fate of the rescheduling proposal, Trump’s nominee to lead DEA, Terrance Cole, has previously voiced concerns about the dangers of marijuana and linked its use to higher suicide risk among youth.
During an in-person hearing before the Judiciary Committee in April, Cole said examining the rescheduling proposal will be “one of my first priorities” if he was confirmed for the role, saying it’s “time to move forward” on the stalled process—but again without clarifying what end result he would like to see.
DEA recently notified an agency judge that the proceedings are still on hold—with no future actions currently scheduled. The matter sat without action before an acting administrator, Derek Maltz, who has called cannabis a “gateway drug” and linked its use to psychosis. Maltz left his position in the past.
In the face of the ongoing rescheduling issue for marijuana that has been carried over since the previous administration, researchers from the House have recently stated that Congress could pass the legislation themselves, with more speed and greater flexibility, if it so desired, which would avoid any judicial challenges.
He is not concerned about potential Senate opposition.
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