It is a funny old world we live in. American songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor Enimem said, ‘the truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, and nothing is guaranteed.’ On May 19th 2016, we quoted acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency Chuck Rosenberg saying, ‘We can have an intellectually honest debate about whether we should legalize something that is bad and dangerous, but don’t call it (marijuana) medicine – that is a joke.’
We are delighted to confirm our thinking that you were very wrong sir. At the time of writing, we wrote you ought to know persistence pays off especially when the other party drops their guard. The proof is in the marijuana cookie. One of your own people dropped their guard. They tipped the Santa Monica Observer off that marijuana will be a Schedule Two drug effective 1 August 2016.
This is not to say the fight is over yet. We have a presidential election brewing. Some say this is a political move Hilary Clinton will support. Others suggest Los Angeles cannabis clinic owners will side with Donald Trump to shut down the idea of CVS Pharmacy, Rite-Aid and Walgreens selling THC edibles across the counter with a prescription soon. They will likely not stock raw cannabis though, because smoking is a health risk.
Organized industry may not succeed in reversing the decision. Lawyers will tie the courts up in knots arguing this would take away the individual’s newly-won right to be different. Therefore, for a time at least, it is going to be open season for growers, processors, and analytical laboratories (and presumably, researchers who will now have freer access for testing too).
Rescheduling the plant, and its derivatives from Schedule One to Schedule Two moves it from ‘illegal’ to the same status as Aderall, Hydrocodon, Oxycontin, and Percocet medicines. This will legalize the substance in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories too. State and city law enforcement will no longer be able to prosecute as they have done in the past.
That said, consumers in states where recreational marijuana is legal are now going to need a prescription before they buy it, because their favourite smoke just became a medicine. As the man said, the truth is you do not know what is going to happen tomorrow, and nothing is guaranteed. A funny old world it is indeed!