Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called on the federal government to move “as quickly as possible” to change the way it officially classifies marijuana, saying that “nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.”

“I cannot emphasize enough that they need to get to it as quickly as possible,” Harris said. “We need to have a resolution based on their findings and their assessment. This issue is stark when one considers the fact that on the schedule currently, marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin ― as dangerous as heroin ― and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair.”

Marijuana is currently listed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration. That classification designates it one of the most dangerous drugs possible, with no medicinal uses. Other substances in the same category include heroin, ecstasy and LSD. Marijuana advocates have been pushing for years for the federal government to either reschedule marijuana to a different category or deschedule it entirely.

  • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Your boat is leaking.

    Do you either bail out the water, or try to get into port so you can fix it.

    Or maybe, you do both. Biden can reschedule…. Today. He could have done it 3.5 years ago.

    He hasn’t. He probably won’t.

    You’re right that legislation is a more permanent fix. No question there. Doesn’t mean you don’t work the other, faster, solution to get something good enough for the time being done.

    • zigmus64@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I’m not convinced they’d even try passing the legislation once some executive order was issued. It would be touted as a victory for the Biden Administration, and then forgotten about until 2028…

      God damnit, when did I become so cynical?

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        You’ve seen the world we live in.

        Cynicism is just a prudent reaction to reality.

        • june@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Following tue legal framework to get this done is slow footing it? Are you aware it’s in the final stage before getting rescheduled?

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Claiming that slow walking it is following some fictional legal framework is just an excuse for slow walking it.

            I’m not buying any bullshit about it being the final anything.

            If you want me to treat it as anything more than a filthy lie, democrats should have been taking their campaign promises more seriously.

            Let me guess. We’re in the final stage of passing the public option, the minimum wage increase, codifying roe, and closing gitmo as well. I’m sure we’re in the final stage of passing BBB and reforming our out of control police too.

            After decades of lies, you expect me to buy that Democrats are telling the truth about wanting to do the right thing?

            What unmitigated hogwash.

            • june@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Fictional legal framework? Lmao

              Go read up on the CSA hon.

              The decision is resting with the DEA now, who are the decision makers.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                So quote it. Quote the law that is preventing Biden from descheduling cannabis.

                Not a press release, not an op-ed, the actual law.

                Chuck Schumer was saying Biden should deschedule back in January. He knows more about the process than you do.

                EDIT: and just like that, the condescension and the excuses for prolonging the racist drug war stop.