MONTGOMERY– On Monday, Attorney General Steve Marshall joined a coalition of 11 States in a public comment letter opposing the Biden Administration’s proposal to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act.
The comment letter was submitted in response to the Department of Justice’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding the proposed change. Moving marijuana to Schedule III would be a significant step toward fully legalizing marijuana at the federal level and represents, in practical effect, a significant tax break for marijuana retailers.
The 40-page comment letter outlines several reasons why the rescheduling of marijuana by the DOJ is unlawful and ill-advised.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s rush to legalize marijuana is outside the bounds of the DOJ’s authority and will lead to disastrous consequences,” 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.”
Like federal law, Alabama law has long recognized the drug’s high potential for abuse, leading to its Schedule I classification. It is particularly harmful to child and adolescent development and has links to both mental health conditions like psychosis and schizophrenia, as well as physical ailments such as heart disease and several forms of cancer.
Expanding access to marijuana also causes a host of secondary problems. It increases both the number and severity of motor vehicle accidents and creates problems in enforcing laws that prohibit driving while intoxicated. Marijuana is also linked to rising homelessness and welfare dependence, reduced workplace productivity, and increases in anxiety and suicidal ideation. And, despite suggestions to the contrary, it does not reduce the consumption of opioids or other “hard drugs” like cocaine and heroin.
Other states included in the coalition of attorneys general include: Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
Read the full letter here.
Media Release/Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls Office
