President Trump is reportedly about to announce his support for moving marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III drug. Downgrading pot will reward the Big Marijuana industry with tax breaks while causing incalculable risks to public health and safety. After decades of disastrous effects from legalized pot that have led Americans to reconsider their support for the drug, families across the nation are devastated by this action.
For years, Eagle Forum has advocated against rescheduling marijuana. Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III controlled substance will:
- Eliminate mandatory safety drug testing for federal workers: Currently, the Department of Transportation tests federal employees in ‘safety-sensitive’ jobs such as airline pilots and commercial drivers for cannabis, under HHS guidelines. As a Schedule III, HHS will no longer have to mandate testing for it, and DOT would have to stop requiring it immediately. In addition, because Schedule III drugs are deemed to have a recognized medical use, employees will now have protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It will be more difficult for employers to fire workers who test positive for pot, adding even more problems for DOT.
- Give Tax breaks for Big Marijuana: State-licensed cannabis businesses will now be able to get tax credits for things like ‘energy efficient facilities’ and be able to deduct business expenses for rent, salaries, and even advertising to our kids. The marijuana industry is estimated to receive over $2 billion in annual federal tax breaks from this change.
- Allow Chinese Drug Cartels to get Tax Breaks, too! Chinese transnational organizations own many marijuana farms in the United States, and they will soon be eligible for tax breaks as well. Rescheduling will allow these CCP-owned cartels to expand their operations and influence.
- Downplay the risks to human health. Rescheduling pot sends the wrong message that the drug is not a danger to health when recent studies prove the opposite. From increased emergency room visits by children who mistakenly ingest edibles to an exponential rise in young adults with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), the costs and health consequences are dire.
Kris Ullman, president of Eagle Forum, released the following statement: “Parents across the nation are dumbfounded as to why the President is making such a bewildering decision to throw our children under the cannabis! There is no good reason to reclassify marijuana — we know it’s dangerous to mental and physical health. Research abounds that links marijuana use to lower IQ, increased risk of psychosis, severe mental health outcomes, and increased likelihood of addiction. Over 74,000 Massachusetts voters have signed a petition to put the repeal of recreational marijuana on the ballot next year, and a similar effort is underway in Maine. The Ohio legislature just passed a bill to add restrictions to that state’s marijuana law, which has been sent to the Governor for his signature. As the tide is finally turning against this dangerous drug, now is the worst time to reschedule pot and give it the government’s seal of approval. We urge the President to reconsider this decision in order to protect our children’s futures.”
Eagle Forum was founded by Phyllis Schlafly, a dynamic and charismatic leader who inspired countless women and men to participate in the process of self-government and public policy-making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise. For nearly fifty years, Eagle Forum’s network of state organizations has led the charge to mobilize the grassroots to defend the founding principles of the United States.
