Bipartisan U.S. senators offered varying reactions to the Trump administration's decision to federally reschedule cannabis, with Democrats calling it insufficient and Republicans divided between skepticism and cautious openness.
Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) said he's "no fan" of the action, arguing that "if you want to make it medical it needs to have standard research alongside of it, and it seems to have bypassed some of that." He acknowledged that "in their defense, I would say we are owning up to the fact that it is not the same as heroin and cocaine," but added: "Nonetheless, it has many, many problems and I want them to be fully researched. I've just seen damage it's done to people."
The Department of Justice announced last week that marijuana products regulated by a state medical cannabis license, and any FDA-approved marijuana products, immediately moved from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. A broader administrative hearing is scheduled for this summer to address rescheduling of recreational cannabis as well.
Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) said the move doesn't go far enough: "I think we should be rescheduling and making it the equivalent of alcohol." He said some addictions exist but that cannabis doesn't drive people toward violence and may reduce domestic violence.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) questioned the practicality of the bifurcated approach distinguishing medical from recreational products: "You're telling me that you're going to have people really be honest as to whether or not this is recreational or medical? How's that working out?"
Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), who called cannabis reform "not my cup of tea," said her views are softening after friends with multiple sclerosis described therapeutic relief. "I have friends that have multiple sclerosis and they can get some relief from medical marijuana," she said, adding that the industry is becoming "more sophisticated." Wyoming prohibits both medical and recreational cannabis, and Lummis said she hopes that doesn't change.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said politicians have long treated cannabis as "a political football" and called the selective approach treating medical and recreational cannabis differently under federal law "bad for the country."
Separately, a House appropriations subcommittee voted last week to block federal officials from taking further steps on cannabis rescheduling. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said she supports the Trump administration's rescheduling move, even if it "doesn't quite make all the wrongs right" for people whose lives were disrupted by the war on drugs.
