No Tax Breaks for Drug Pushers

Today, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has ordered an expedited process to reclassify state-licensed marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.

Eagle Forum opposes the move, citing marijuana’s high potential for abuse and growing concerns about adolescent use and dependency as access expands. This major shift in federal drug policy should not bypass the required public comment period.

Communities across the country have already felt the negative impacts of increased marijuana access. The Administration should halt efforts to fast-track this decision and ensure full public input before moving forward.

Anne Schlafly, Chairman of Eagle Forum, recently addressed these concerns in her Daily Signal column, “America, You Have a Weed Problem.” She describes the little-known side effects of THC use, which include miscarriage caused by defective sperm, birth defects, suicidal ideation, schizophrenia, and cognitive decline.

While some claim pot use helps conditions like pain relief, anxiety, and insomnia, many scientific studies have shown that marijuana can actually make these problems worse.

She states: “America has a marijuana problem: 15% of Americans have used marijuana in the last month. There are now more daily pot smokers than daily drinkers. Unfortunately, the marketing campaign to legalize and sell marijuana convinced Americans that marijuana is a harmless medicine. Marijuana has been and should stay a Schedule 1 drug because it has no medical use, demonstrable side effects, and a high potential for abuse.”

President Trump is well-known for abstaining from alcohol altogether and prefers to drink Diet Coke. His Administration should be encouraging Americans to stay away from using serious mind-altering drug instead of condoning it.

Additional Concerns with Marijuana Rescheduling:

• Massive tax windfall for the marijuana industry – Reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III would allow cannabis businesses to deduct more than $2 billion annually in federal taxes. (LINK HERE)
• Potential benefits to bad actors – These tax advantages could extend to state-legal operations tied to foreign entities, including Chinese-backed grow operations, as well as criminal organizations exploiting legalization loopholes.
• Workplace safety risks in critical industries – Without clear safeguards, rescheduling could limit the ability of agencies like the Department of Transportation to test safety-sensitive workers, including pilots and truck drivers, for marijuana use. (LINK HERE)
• Expanded use of taxpayer-funded benefits – Moving marijuana to Schedule III could open the door for workers’ compensation programs to cover marijuana purchases, shifting costs onto employers and taxpayers.
• Break from longstanding regulatory precedent – The Biden Administration altered a 30-year FDA scheduling review framework, raising concerns that the process was changed to facilitate marijuana rescheduling rather than follow established scientific standards.