Power to Decriminalize Cannabis -- Who Will Wield it?
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a new report to specifically address the long-asked question, “Does the President Have the Power to Legalize Cannabis?”
Turns out, he does; but there are caveats.
Marijuana Moment reports that ‘CRS found that the president cannot in fact de-schedule cannabis unilaterally with an executive order, “he might order executive agencies to consider either altering the scheduling of marijuana or changing their enforcement approach.” That includes having federal officials start a process to completely remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) without requiring any additional action from Congress.
Further, the president could also use his pardon powers to either individually, or on a mass scale, grant clemency to people facing charges over federal marijuana offenses, CRS concluded. That blanket amnesty could apply even to people who have committed, but have not yet been charged with, a federal cannabis crime.’
Is this yet another wait and see moment? Patients are beyond restless. C’mon Joe, let’s do better.