U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick is at odds with President Donald Trump’s move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, arguing that it could adversely impact Americans’ health and safety, tax revenue and economic growth.
McCormick, a Republican from Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, was one of 22 GOP senators to co-sign a letter this week urging Trump to uphold marijuana’s status as a Schedule I drug — keeping it in the same class as substances like heroin, LSD, ecstasy and peyote.
“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age,” the Republican senators wrote in their letter, dated Wednesday.
On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order that would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug.
Reclassification by the Drug Enforcement Administration would not make it legal for recreational use by adults nationwide, but it could change how the drug is regulated and reduce a hefty tax burden on the cannabis industry. It also could open new avenues for medical research.
Other Schedule III drugs include Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone. They are considered to have moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence and less potential for abuse than Schedule I and II substances, according to the DEA.
The DEA considers Schedule I drugs to have a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical uses.
In the executive order, Trump said a 2023 review by the Food and Drug Administration “found scientific support for (marijuana’s) use to treat anorexia related to a medical condition, nausea and vomiting, and pain.”
“The federal government’s long delay in recognizing the medical use of marijuana does not serve the Americans who report health benefits from the medical use of marijuana to ease chronic pain and other various medically recognized ailments,” the executive order reads.
Many states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults or allow it for medical purposes. But U.S. laws have remained stricter, potentially leaving people subject to federal prosecution.
The senators’ letter, citing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said studies show marijuana is “linked to depression, anxiety, suicide planning and psychotic episodes” and can result in “permanent IQ loss” when a person starts using the drug at a young age.
The letter also drew a link between marijuana and school shootings, noting that the gunman in the deadly August shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school reportedly left behind writings blaming his actions on “gender and weed.”
The letter also argued that “we cannot reindustrialize America if we encourage marijuana use,” citing research showing “increases in industrial accidents, injuries and absenteeism among employees who tested positive for marijuana versus those who tested negative.”
Reclassifying marijuana also could reduce taxes on the cannabis industry.
“While supporters of rescheduling argue that extending tax benefits to marijuana businesses will create economic growth, the costs of workplace and vehicular accidents caused by increased marijuana usage far exceed any perceived benefits — not to mention the moral costs of marijuana advertising that could reach kids,” the senators’ letter said.
McCormick’s office did not respond to questions from TribLive.
Reclassifying a drug isn’t a simple process. In the case of marijuana, a public comment period held last year drew nearly 43,000 comments. The DEA was still in the review process when Trump took office in January.
Trump’s order is expected to speed the process along, though it was not immediately clear how long it might take.
The Associated Press contributed.
