JUST IN: Matt Gaetz Asks DEA Chief Point Blank Why Marijuana Is Still Classified A Schedule 1 Drug

At today's House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asked DEA Administrator Anne Milgram about marijuana policy.
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[@brentlanyon4654]

"We need more research" says the head of the branch of government that has *prohibited* scientific research of cannabis.

[@bartolomeothesatyr]

This comment needs *_all_* the thumbs up.

[@mfgary5094]

The funny thing is marijuana has had just as much if not more research than their Covid vaccine

[@stentor9640]

Research has been ongoing for thousands of years

[@brentlanyon4654]

@@stentor9640 Not with the tools of the 20th and 21st centuries; it was halted because apparently the devil's lettuce makes our white women want to have relations with jazz musicians or some such nonsense. Here's an example: when you get a filling, do you get an injection of lidocaine, or do you stick a bunch of coca leaves in between your cheek and gum? After surgery do you get an injection of demerol or do you smoke opium? We are at the chewing coca leaves and smoking opium phase of using cannabis medicinally and that is a damn shame. There are so many compounds that could be better understood and used. Even in the case of just smoking marijuana, wouldn't it be good to understand the long term effects it has on the mind and body? Same goes for eating it! No moral judgement, just evidence from which individuals can consider when making personal decisions about their own life.

[@MlnscBoo]

@@stentor9640 Not in a scientific setting sanctioned by the FDA and the DEA in the US

[@HHH-ye1ro]

A schedule 1 drug…that is free to buy in over 1/3 of the country. What a joke. Should be NO schedule.

[@nwttp]

No man or group of men should be able to tell you what you can and cant put in your body. It's pretty pathetic.

[@unbreakable7633]

@@nwttp The two attributes necessary for liberty are control of one's mind and control of one's body.

[@nasticanasta]

I got a schedule...it's time to light up right now

[@mikewurlitzer5217]

@@nwttp Seems women were also in that group but your hatred of men is noted.

[@nwttp]

@@mikewurlitzer5217 lol. I hope that was a joke.

[@NeoN-PeoN]

"Marijuana is a schedule 1 drug because it's over half the drug busts that we use as excuse-er, justification for our gigantic budgets. Sir."

[@Del_116]

And it literally the life blood of the probation system . A lot of peoples get the felony weed charge .. get probation . The probation is long as hell . The person get some police contact or a dirty urine . They go right to prison . That’s how it’s been working for 40 years now .

[@bobbybergdoll4377]

DEA needs to keep getting those FUND$$$

[@user-hf3bp2gy6d]

Facts useless corrupt systems are the only ones we can generate really says something about us

[@dolphinride5157]

Thank you for that FACT! Seriously, keeping cannabis as a schedule one drug has never made any sense beyond greed and power.

[@nikushim6665]

Pretty much, law enforcement lobbyist and private prisons want it to stay that way. But alot of it just originally started as a way of demonizing people such as nixon using it as a excuse to lock up protestors. Schedule 1 is a BS classification to start with, its claim is a substance has no medical use. While almost all of them have known medical uses. Hell Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is a schedule 1 and its molcule is the foundation of just about every prescription pain killer on the market.

[@Localtuff]

A Republican advocating for cannabis & Democrats stopping it. What world are we in?

[@MrFeeny911]

They play good cop bad cop and switch after a decade or 2. It’s blues turn now

[@iviaverick52]

clown world. Nothing makes sense anymore

[@slvrchr]

I can’t say that I heard any opposition to deregister marijuana - I could be wrong tho, I try not to pay attention to politics.

[@FunkyCigarette]

They're both useless dare I say harmful

[@AceM3281]

They both are just wasting our time and money. If they legalize in my lifetime il be surprised

[@BassedInVegas]

Marijuana should have been federally legalized years ago if not decades ago.

[@ysagas]

Decades

[@user-sp4gy7ko5l]

Never should have been outlawed to begin with.

[@TieDyeDude]

You can thank Soros & Rothschilds for that!

[@BenWillyums]

@@TieDyeDude and Rockefeller

[@ysagas]

@@TieDyeDude and the Koch brothers the Murdoch family and so forth don’t just stop at the Jewish families say all of their names

[@matthewatwood8641]

I love how she just snuck in "illegal" prescriptions, as if it wasn't mostly legal prescriptions that caused the epidemic

[@LarsLarsen77]

The DEA is not a law enforcement organization it's a propaganda organization.

[@jeffheyer7783]

Seriously I noticed that

[@bfrandsen1]

Can't upset the Sackler Family and all their many financial contributions

[@jeremeyswillis]

Well to be fair once the where sold or abused they would then become illegal. The main point about the prescription medication was once they (super) restricted it is when fentanyl and others moved in. Crazy thing is it take a lot of (actual) pills to die (all) the fake ones can kill with one it seems their “solutions” only compound the matter 🤔

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

Because illegal... Which we labeled it that.

[@nemtstartup]

I have seen the benefits of medical marijuanna first hand in a C3-C4 incomplete spinal injury patient. The reduction in spasms and seizure activity was absolutely incredible.

[@natesmalley1272]

About 5 years ago now I was active duty in the United States Navy and unfortunately somehow got stage 3 esophageal cancer at the age of 27. I had done two different types of chemo throughout a year as well as radiation daily. The chemo and radiation obviously gave me immense nausea and sickness. The Mayo Clinic had tried everything from opioids and other drugs to combat the affects of the treatments. I also had a tube in my stomach. After all medications failed to help, they prescribed me a medically made synthetic marijuana pill. That was the one and only thing that truly helped me with pain, nausea, sadness, and gave me my appetite too. I can’t tell you how beneficial this was for me. To hold this back from everyone is truly wrong.

[@Admiral-mi1bf]

Was the cancer caused by all the sea men you had?

[@natesmalley1272]

@@Admiral-mi1bf obviously

[@sterlthepearl1000]

"It's not a war on drugs, it's a war on personal Freedom." Bill Hicks

[@pbsfix269]

War on drugs, drugs won.

[@jonathanryan2915]

If they win the "war" they're out of business and the grant money stops

[@barneyts]

...keep that in mind at all times, thank you."

[@matthewgibbs6886]

govt doesnt like competition @@pbsfix269

[@simpleking1]

This is necessary. Life feeds on life feeds on this…

[@JMag1]

Basically, the answer as to why marijuana hasn't been decriminalized is bureaucracy.

[@joserendon6199]

Because the weed looses the flavor and the effect when is legal

[@robertraab]

You mean money?

[@gdaddy870]

It's because the pharmaceutical companies are shitting their pants.

[@Joxn041690]

The answer has more to do with slave labor in privatized prisons probably

[@Joxn041690]

@@JerelLorenzo the only thing free about being imprisoned is the room and board. If you think being stripped of every other freedom and forced to work for mere cents per hour for a non-violent drug charge is a luxury over paying taxes then be my guest. I’m sure you could find your way into a cell if you tried.

[@stevebeutelspacher1157]

Thank you Matt Gaetz for your efforts to get Marijuana removed from schedule 1. The fact that marijuana is still schedule 1 is just horrific.

[@richmcclain5926]

They are trying to figure out a way to exploit it.

[@CineGisticMedia]

The DEA should not have the power to add these. They are creating self sustaining rackets.

[@andrub23]

This...

[@gopplergoppler8827]

The dea shouldnt exist, they only control and subjugate those who use druhhgs for personal use.... some dealers, narcs literally work for government ... so they are playing god and its ...ok..?

[@BillyraycyrusIII]

Bingo!!

[@zazasnruntz7505]

It was literally made to incarcerate non whites

[@AlastorTheNPDemon]

Yep, that's the point!

[@josephstewart324]

When I was younger, a couple of my friends father was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. They prescribed him every opioid imaginable. And we watched him die. Sit there, day after day confined to a recliner, withering away. One day, their mom showed up at my work and asked if I could get them some Marijuana for him to try. So I did, and he tried it. That day he got out of that chair, ordered us all pizza, hooked his boat to his truck and took us all out on the lake. He lived the rest of his life in a much better way than he had on the opioids. You can't tell me Marijuana isn't a much better option

[@perp8863]

thats awesome thanks for sharing your story man.

[@asmith7812]

Thanks for sharing this. 💛

[@greywolf2809]

If my dad chose weed over heroine he would still be here.

[@braxton414]

​​@@greywolf2809 had so may SGTs Ik get hooked to opioids. Luckily we were in CO and our chain of command kinda swept usage under the rug. We're having a repeat of the prohibition Era. DEA is scared of losing their cash cow. It'll be a lot less as Civil assets forfeiture if they do pass it

[@Chris-dt8ru]

You shouldn't drive under the influence of marijuana

[@alexjenkins3645]

Give that man 45 more seconds! This is the first time in my lifetime an official has come up and presented an idea that actually sounds like he means to benefit the public. Top notch work, Mr. Senator

[@nickm.f.roller8962]

Thank you 👍 I love when people speak truth and hold people in position accountable for both actions and lack of actions taken!

[@CoachAlexGentry]

Cannabis doesn't need RESCHEDULING it must be DESCHEDULED! it must be REMOVED from the Drug Schedule altogether!

[@PlasmaOne]

Whats most likely going to happen is the rescheduling to schedule 3 will go though, which will open it up for more research and development. Once those papers get pushed, DEA won't really have anything to say against de-scheduling it. Same thing should happen for not only cannabis, but all entheogens, maybe with the exception of powerful deleriants. Although, one of the worst delerients, Diphenhydramine, is OTC. As always, with any of these drugs, time and time again, the dose is the poison.

[@HotChronicles]

​@PlasmaOne very well said. Glad to see a few educated folk on here from time to time.

[@supme7558]

All drugs should be leagle, invest the war on drug money in education teach what dependency is and withdrawl ...

[@supme7558]

​@@PlasmaOneyes

[@frankmeyers7304]

Deschedule mushrooms too

[@johnmorgan4405]

The DEA will oppose it largely because it will affect how they do their jobs and the funding they get for cannabis enforcement. There is a good chance that this could negatively impact how the DEA does their job and possibly lose funding. This is a perfect example of a self perpetuating organization. SO sick of this shit, and I literally fought on the front lines of the "drug war." It is like waging a war on envy.

[@dragonf1092]

DEA shouldn't even legally lawfully constitutionally exist just as the ATF shouldn't legally lawfully constitutionally exist.

[@mpjstuff]

I would like to say that the DEA agents got killed A LOT in Latin America when they got in the way of the big drug trafficking that the CIA was helping manage. Meaning; the CIA was actively telling the drug lords who was undercover -- and they would then die in horrible ways. So now the DEA probably "knows where the dotted lines are." I also know a former drug dealer and he was well aware that judges and certain LEOs in vice are paid to look the other way. You don't see drug busts that will actually affect the flow of drugs. The money is laundered by major banks. It is PART of the infrastructure of the USA and baked into the prison industrial complex. Nobody but the upstarts who might upset the status quo need to worry about law enforcement. So drugs aren't going to be decriminalized based on health issues, or that the fact is more damage is done by enforcement, and the fact that the "bad guys" aren't regulated. The SYSTEM needs reasons to break in doors and disenfranchise a large segment of the population. To keep us busy. And it finds unsavory parts of our "security network" that have long ago morphed from providing security to existing for their own power. If we ever get people serious about decriminalization --- they'd better be pure as the drive snow and be ready to destroyed in the media. The system is corrupt and it doesn't like change.

[@jessj.j.french7482]

You mean it would affect their monetary ability to do Black Ops because of lack of funding

[@middleclassthrash]

That's pretty eye opening. I wonder how many other liberties are being denied based on these "self perpetuating organizations"? Looks like we need a bipartisan constitutional amendment to fix that.

[@terranovarain6570]

How does stone tablets and a guilded box kill millions How does radios in rawanda lead to people being burnt in churches Fingers of saints and books of flesh are my favorite things Jesus wrap his bloody face Flooding your border tantrums we take Burn the Sahara to the ground Love the life with the clowns Tritium vial in my hand keeping you in the streets No Colbalt in our shelter but the way you glow is neat

[@colemarie9262]

She was at least polite explaining the process, I didn’t expect her to be as open as she was.

[@williamangeles9761]

These people in Congress really think they are in control.😂

[@iameternalsunshine]

😅

[@techtoniclive]

the real problem they have with descheduling marijuana is that it will cut into their conviction numbers

[@davestephens8033]

And the alcohol industry prefers to destroy Human bodies with addiction. Pot doesn't do that. I have to laugh that the cannabis industry is doing great business and helping millions of people get off the booze.

[@jerrynovak5644]

😮

[@MrHamlet]

Considering all the efforts to reduce convictions, to the point of allowing criminals to commit crimes unabated, proves your statement inaccurate. Most DAs aren't even bothering with drug related cases.

[@VisonsofFalseTruths]

@@MrHamlet these days drug cases are bad optics. Remember, these people are low-level politicians. You can still tack drug charges onto other cases to amp up the punishment for something else. Same as they do for firearms charges. Company running the local jail threatens to sue cuz cells are vacant (something that actually happens)? Start adding drug and gun charges to unrelated shit. Oh, hit and run? Well, he also had an unloaded pistol in a locked case and a half a gram of pot in a baggy so that’s another 50 or so years he’s gonna keep that bed warm.

[@MomJeans2]

I've seen the same thing. I live in a legal state and since recreation legalization, a lot of my friends don't really drink anymore. It's rare we go out and someone gets hammered. I know my drinking habits change drastically when stoned. @@davestephens8033

[@alexarobinson2850]

I’m not a Gaetz fan, and yet, here I am cheering him on… I feel confused 😂 But kudos to him for pushing this

[@Nyghtwolf2008]

You too?

[@mitchell4217]

I feel the same way.

[@DancinRic]

This is the same guy who came together with AOC and said politicians shouldn't own stock when they are influencing policy that they can profit from. Right leaning people started recognizing what politicians have their interests in mind and who is feeding the pharmaceutical industry, military industrial complex, violations of rights and invasions of privacy.

[@FuckThe1]

The fact a known pedophile is the one pushing for something like this shows our politics in general, he's trying to obtain nothing but a get out free and Scott free. No excuses! You can like smoking weed, but you can always say. Matt Gaetz didn't legalize weed, America finally caught on.

[@lewt187]

Well when you frame it as Biden being the only one that could start it sure it seems suspect, but if TRUMP had started it then it would be legal years ago at this point. See anyone can make sense if you frame it right.

[@specialspartan4130]

This is the best stance Matt will take in his entire career, let's just hope that when this comes up for a vote there are no provisions for the prevention of human trafficking.

[@chrisgatton621]

Yeah but.... he's just using it as a political stunt to try to score points blaming Biden for it.

[@mikereichartz5996]

Thank you matt for working so hard for us,keep up the good work

[@timgwallis]

Rare that I applaud Matt Gaetz but I’m 100% with him on this

[@skinnybricks]

Rare Matt Gaetz W

[@JohneeBlaize]

Like extremely rare W for Matt. This moment itself needs to be studied. Even the way he maintained composure was commendable 😂

[@kendallsmith1458]

Why didn't Trump make the change?

[@danielangelvega9067]

Gaetz is easing into “why isn’t kiddy LUVIN legalized” sorry but Matt looks as tho he has an extra chromosome you know DOWNS!!!!

[@WraithlingRavenchild]

I feel dirty as well.

[@demon117]

And yet I was in the gas station this morning and I was literally laughing out loud because behind the register, in front of the cigarettes, was a giant sign that said “Federal court has ruled that we must inform you that 1200 people die EACH DAY from smoking cigarettes!” And yet you can still buy them!?!? Our laws in this country are a joke.

[@drink15]

That last line is so true on many levels

[@Dubmaster3]

This is one of many reasons why I don't respect law enforcement and a lot of laws. Cops can choose which laws to enforce or which to ignore. If all cops ignored weed laws, the law wouldn't matter because no one would enforce them. A rule isn't a rule if it isn't enforced.

[@circletrigon4691]

and alcohol is the worst drug out there and it is advertised to us endlessly.

[@demon117]

@@circletrigon4691 they let people drive home after they’ve been drinking at the bar, that’s always seemed a bit odd too me.

[@drink15]

@@circletrigon4691 Its only worst because of how easy it is to get and make yourself.

[@taylernicks8751]

Wow.. that was beautifully said 🙌

[@thatssokwekwe]

This was a pretty healthy exchange by both parties involved, given how measured the witness usually has to be in their responses and how sensational congresspeople usually are during hearings

[@romanfoster3820]

I humbly disagree. He may have been right... but he constantly interrupted her. Her patience is pretty incredible with his constant interruptions was astounding.

[@y.bowcat7782]

@@romanfoster3820 he interrupted her twice towards the end when she was trying her hardest to not say "yes, the DEA's Schedule I status on cannabis makes everything hard and is stupid" even though he'd essentially walked her to the edge of the plank. it's not wrong to interrupt someone's non-answer, just because someone's talking doesn't mean they're saying anything.

[@blueleadgoldproductions133]

Never thought I would say this, but "Way to go Matt Gaetz."

[@picturesintheair]

No, not way to go. He’s only saying it because he can gripe and moan that BIDEN’s administration hasn’t done it yet. He didn’t say a word about it when Trump was in power.

[@chrissilvestri3642]

I'm not sure if you realize, but he has a financial interest in this. Getting legalized, hes really good friends with Kim rivers, husband.

[@blueleadgoldproductions133]

Even a broken clock is right twice every day@@chrissilvestri3642

[@TheVaged]

@@chrissilvestri3642 Florida has dispensaries, so it is in line with his constituency. He is also VERY good on UAP and there's literally no backer for that other than citizens.

[@EpochUnlocked]

@@chrissilvestri3642 As do millions of potheads.

[@joeldriver-sp2rg]

The prohibition of alcohol was a complete and total disaster and it's been the same thing with pot yet here we are almost in the year 2024 and it's still illegal at the federal level. It's almost unfathomable.

[@Relbo]

The prohibition of ANYTHING is a complete disaster. Quit sacrificing your freedom isn't that what USA is about?

[@Tomfoolery8869]

Ask yourself who would benefit from not removing it f from schedule 1. Big pharma? Prisons? Ding ding ding

[@dustin3213]

Yep, i'd also like to add that alcohol is the most marketed drug (caffeine is probably up there) yet is also the drug that destroys the most lives/relationships/homes. Here we are with Mj as Schedule 1 with loads of potential to help. it's wild isn't it?

[@PhilMoskowitz]

And even with all the violence associated with them people still consumed and even glorified their use.

[@gimpyrules6714]

Thank the Republicans for that

[@muffin_gamers]

Fuck yeah, Matt! Good to see a red voice fighting for marijuana advocacy!

[@cristianespinal9917]

I don't even smoke weed, but the fact that a plant that makes people a little giggly and lazy is a schedule 1 drug, while some man-made narcotics with absolutely brutal side-effects are not, is ridiculous.

[@fyrbyrd71]

The history of the criminalization of weed might make one realize why it is still schedule 1.

[@doresearchstopwhining]

Thank republicans for these insane laws. Look at all the states where it is not legal and then look at who controls them....

[@cristianespinal9917]

@@doresearchstopwhining yea because the Democrats aren't in control of the legislature and executive. Wake up. They all know its wrong. The only reason Dem areas legalized it is to squeeze more tax revenue. If they couldn't make money off it, you'd bet your ass it would still be just another tool to feed the prison system

[@KtonV]

20+% of Americans smoke and that number is only rising. Oversimplifying weed as the stereotypical make ppl giggle and lazy drug does damage to its reputation too. Not as much obviously as the govt has done to it but still. The amount of people in the working force who use weed to treat a multitude of physical and mental ailments is incredible. Some of the laziest ppl I’ve met never touched weed once in their lives. So just remember next time correlation doesn’t mean causation (smoking weed doesn’t cause laziness).

[@doresearchstopwhining]

@@KtonV Ignorant people like simple solutions regardless of how little sense they make. You are 100% right though

[@FirstLast-vr7es]

The 'Prison Industrial Complex' stands to lose a heck of a lot of business if Marijuana is rescheduled. I'm sure they're fighting this tooth and nail behind the scenes.

[@nickmeyer238]

Private prisons = slavery with extra steps

[@casuallevelexpert3112]

Don’t forget about the Medical Industrial Complex, they stand to lose a lot more. Which is the real reason for this nonsense.

[@nickmeyer238]

@@casuallevelexpert3112 good point. Crooks. The whole lot.

[@casuallevelexpert3112]

@@nickmeyer238 exactly

[@Randylayhe001]

@@casuallevelexpert3112 Trulieve has a $1.2 BILLON dollar trade cap..they’ve spent millions to get recreational on the FL ballot but with the condition we can’t grow any for ourselves. Hell of a racket.

[@sasquatch5577]

Marijuana is schedule 1, while other drugs like fentanyl are schedule 2. These laws make no sense.

[@ryant.4555]

also, her response: "Well we are working to make another drug more criminal, thats something right?"

[@UberDAHnooB]

Aside from prison systems losing money, our biggest enemy is the pharmaceutical companies that seem to have their hand in everyone's pockets.

[@jessj.j.french7482]

Well, if prison systems would allow people like hunter, Biden and other crack cocaine users do goodo go to prison. I see no problem, I mean, creepy. Uncle Joe created the 1994 crime bill specifically targeting crack cocaine users, but. His son son should be a good start to the reduction of the crack cocaine addiction that started in the 80s?

[@raphaelsname]

You think the prison systems lose money? are you high?

[@gabewhite6943]

It’s the insurance companies, trigger happy doctors, and manufacturers not big pharma. Pharmacies have almost no say on anything past “your doctor said you can have this? Sure”. When this all goes through the weight will be on our pharmacies to keep up with the change and with no doubt insurance companies will push this back in everyone for the loss they make on opioids. It’s crazy they are the cheapest to make cheapest to get and pharmacies make almost no money off of them but the insurance companies? They make so much more in write offs than anyone else involved. The insurance companies have final say over pricing and they can even demand a charge for dispensing, something they don’t do.

[@JelloFluoride]

​​​@@raphaelsnameI don't think you actually understand the point. Less Marijuana arrests mean that prisons would lose money. And judges, and cops. It's corrupt down to the street level. But this ALL stems from the pharmaceutical industry.

[@GaryIKILLYOU]

Well thankfully we only gave them a blank check signed from a planets worth of taxpayers a few years ago so they should definitely not be powerful enough to do what they want without consulting us now.

[@zestylem0n]

Unbelievable that they have no timeline in place. I've never worked any job where one team can say to another, "we have no deadline on getting you that deliverable". Completely unprofessional.

[@energyscholar]

It's because they have no intention of complying but don't want to say so. The Director of HHS is utterly corrupt & a servant of pharma. Someone will block the change.

[@robertsunderman9534]

The deadline is either immediately before or immediately after the upcoming presidential election.

[@allsaltdownhere]

​@@robertsunderman9534and then it will be pushed back to the next election

[@WhoAteAllTheEggs]

Completely unprofessional - that sums up the federal government to a T.

[@prsplayer210]

Well they are cops, so professionalism and intelligence is not a requirement of the job

[@borissukoi564]

Change the federal law on it too!

[@ifeelsohigh]

I do not normally go with Gaetz, but it seems like this time I agree with the guy.

[@nywherebuthere]

DEA:We have come here to answer questions DEA: no comment

[@ericschmidt242]

Hard truths.

[@Gee-xb7rt]

When I tell people that Congress is theater -- here you go. Imagine being made a fool of by Matt Gaetz.

[@FusionDeveloper]

DEA: "We won't, just because arresting and busting people with cannabis, is the easiest part of our job! Why would we care about citizens, when that would means less drug busts for us?"

[@Butterfly_Girl_3]

Yeh. This is like taking candy from a baby. We don't want to have to actually work and do anything for for our country like protect the children and borders

[@joshuadoughty]

Exactly!

[@mr.hoppelelefant2350]

Like the people won't get their paycheck for less work they had to do

[@BusterDuglas]

USA has private prisons that are run 'for profit'. They know a good slavery racket when they have one....and they have one. Thats why the foot-dragging. Too many eligible slaves...i mean convicts

[@CowboyConan]

It was originally banned because a lot of black people smoked pot, so making it illegal meant you could arrest more black people.

[@jwalkerC21]

Since the Federal agencies can't seem to do their job promptly, Congress should just pass the law to change it. My dad had cancer and would not do Medical Marijuana even though it is legal in this state, because it was still not federally. So instead, he took very harmful prescripted drugs so BIG Pharma could make more EXCESSIVE money.

[@GordonMcElvany]

Yes whether you realized it or not you opened a can of worms. Big pharma does not want it legalized lest they lose billions. You think they don't have the financial power to affect Congress?

[@MrCmon113]

That's complete bullshit. "Big pharma" has nothing to do with most psychoactive drugs being illegal. "Big pharma" could have made gigantic amounts of money during the last century selling psychoactive substances. It's the general plublic and the media that got paranoid about drugs being generally bad.

[@culo9999]

@@GordonMcElvany Also the moment it's legal, big pharma is all over it. I'm honestly assuming that there are already subsidiaries. If not, they will buy and build.

[@joshuakaeble7810]

We need more folks like this in office who ask questions

[@MrPAnon636]

DEA needs to be defunded. What a waste of money. They don’t want to end prohibition! Prohibition is job security for them! Conflict of interest 101

[@Paul-vf2wl]

DEA doesn't make laws.

[@jamesynfg2136]

No, they just have alarming levels of back and forth influence between the Federal Gov. and the DEA. You’s a fool if you don’t think they’re all on the same team

[@philsmith2444]

DEA has the “experts” who help formulate gov’t policy, and who benefit from that policy being “prohibit.”

[@helljumpr5150]

Doesn’t stop them from trying though! Like how back in 1985 when they were considering making MDMA (ecstasy) a schedule 1 substance. The official process of classifying drugs requires that substances be given a review by the Department of Health and Surgeon General first before being left to DEA approval. Turned out that ecstasy had some psychiatric uses and HHS recommended that be classified as schedule 3 where it could Ben used medically or even decriminalized, but the DEA went around them and classified it as schedule 1 anyway. With the amount of power it is given over policy and the lives of people, the DEA is no better than the Gestapo and needs to be reformed if not abolished altogether

[@trentulloa]

@@Paul-vf2wlthey literally can say no to making weed less illegal

[@kylenmaple4668]

Never would I have thought that a Republican from Florida would be flaming the head of the DEA about weed legalization… insane

[@stephenmullenax4522]

That’s because you bought in to the false left-eight paradigm. There is no such thing a republican- they are all just politicians. Trump couldn’t heed the people’s perspective Obama Clinton smoked weed but “didn’t inhale”

[@tankerd1847]

I think it's only a matter of time. Younger politicians on both sides are sick of this dog and pony show.

[@ghostface477]

He knows how much money he can make off it...

[@CherryCokeNixon]

Gaetz is a party animal who regularly comes to the defense or politicians from both parties on matters of scandalous but legal personal conduct.

[@Allpurple_reign]

@@ghostface477i hope so

[@lispendens]

Great cross examination by Matt! That's my senators baby!! Keep it coming

[@kfkgjgkvkgkggknfnfndb2039]

Good shit Matt

[@RobertSmith-oc5nf]

What matters to the DEA is how much money will they make off of this deal!!!

[@gen4k20a2]

How does the DEA make money off criminal matters?

[@alimctaven7417]

@@gen4k20a2😂😂😂 You cant be that dull.

[@SeniorBillzy]

@@gen4k20a2Let’s start with the most basic one. Civil forfeiture, if you don’t get the picture then you need to get your head out the sand… or wherever else you put it.

[@billchildress9756]

Right!

[@richiedockery]

There’s no goddamn reason Marijuana should be a schedule I drug while alcohol, tobacco are perfectly legal.

[@natanielh.7538]

Why hasn’t ANY administration taken care of this???

[@matthewrussell4679]

Matt, any administration in the past 20 years should’ve done something

[@Boundlesslylit]

Considering the DEA and CIA are still smuggling drugs into the USA, legalization would be a huge hit to their market and their bottom line. Drug dealers don’t like legalization because it’s less money for them.

[@joebust779]

Riiiiiiight. Maybe the CIA only. They are known for that.

[@jefclark]

So actually ironically I know the CIA was involved in drug trafficking in the past. Still Im curious, you state this as a bald, open fact. What evidence do you have; to just blase state that the DEA/CIA are 'still smuggling drugs into the USA'. Or is it source : trust me bro

[@ho11owbone]

Yes

[@PowuhToSeven]

The money is in the recurring spending there's no money in a cure. That's why America hates stem cells.

[@orangeblood307]

I agree they smuggle drugs for their puppet cartels but cartels barely export any weed these days cuz their product is inferior to American grown. The feds are doing this to protect big pharma profits, they dont want people to medicate themselves at home

[@jacoblynch9862]

The bigger question and all of this why is it so freaking difficult to get a drug class schedule changed when we now have decades of proof it should have never been a class one drug to begin with. This should not be that darn difficult to get changed, nor should it be that difficult to make it legal federally.

[@Tryst1982]

1. A lot of old school LEO's previously brainwashed to think pot=bad are now lawmakers and holders of Directors seats. Removing them is unbelievably difficult. 2. Just like we see on with certain other party thinking, facts don't always trump feelings. 3. Exactly what Matt was getting at here and what the DEA was quietly alluding to. The judiciary in the US is nothing if not labyrinthine and a big change like that requires a mountain of hoops to jump through.

[@lilmike2710]

Two words.. "big pharma".

[@realLetsGoBrandon45]

Moldy cannabis and poor growing conditions, like bad water and bad things in soil, should be the only stuff that is illegal

[@lilmike2710]

@@realLetsGoBrandon45 Certainly can't use tap water. 🤮

[@lisarct1012]

It was first racial, then political, then it was about profit and Civil Asset Forfeiture. Now, the Profit motive has turned the tables, so why can't the Feds see that?

[@donbaird3826]

Matt is actually making sense 👏 HOW?

[@fullyawakened]

This reminds me of the time Hilter painted a painting that not everyone hated.

[@cbwartzart]

Medical Marijuana saved my life...I had a 20 year Heroin addiction, then Fentanyl came in and I had 2 overdoses, then I switched to Med Marijuana.....3 years with no other drugs

[@max3eey]

LSD saved me

[@trump45and2zig-zags]

Any particular strain you thought was best? Always seemed to make detox worse for me

[@cbwartzart]

@@trump45and2zig-zags Not really, just highest THC possible and Indica

[@max3eey]

@@trump45and2zig-zags it's called kratom

[@trump45and2zig-zags]

@@cbwartzart thanks

[@danmcdonald8736]

The current marijuana scheduling situation is insane. I cant even think of another issue, even in other second & third rate countries in which something is officially allowed (and taxed!) by one arm of the govt, while another arm can arrest you for it. It be like entering a checkpoint, having to pay for a permit to enter the area, then getting arrested for trespassing.

[@jamesc8722]

Greed and corruption, the people making the most off of this are the ones making donations to our lawmakers. Ask yourself how people who make 6 figures in a government job end up with 10-20-60 million?

[@aphil4581]

All our protections have been crushed by this abuse of authority.@@jamesc8722

[@mikepalmer2219]

The federal government is way too powerful. Our nation is suppose to be a constitutional republic. The federal government,not was meant to have very little power.

[@mkd1964]

And didn't that very thing once exist in the past that resulted in a court case going all the way to the supreme court? Something to the effect: In the early 20th century as the move to making hemp illegal was underway, hemp growers who were still allowed to operate for military/government sanctioned purposes were suddenly required to have (actually, purchase) some type of certificate that allowed them to operate; but in the mean time, the government decided that anyone in possession of these certificates was breaking the law. This resulted in the government being told it was unconstitutional to enact a law that forced people to incriminate themselves by upholding it. Insane.

[@NotParticularlyAmused]

The US government is the most corrupt government on the planet, it's not even a close competition.

[@bosundave121]

Muh Matt!!!! From a proud Florida resident. (not to be confused with FLORIDA MAN. LOL)

[@bungalowfeuhler1541]

Why would they change the scheduling if they don’t get money for every single leaf of marijuana sold?

[@codmobilevets7208]

Republicans should get behind removing cannabis as scheduled 1

[@cbr274]

Trump had that opportunity and wasted it

[@BearPawSwipe]

@@cbr274 Yep! He sure did. He missed a lot of things but he is freed in his second term to do the stuff that he wants. I expect big stuff if he is elected.

[@shoktroop]

They are.. Stop listening to liberals they just want some rules as opposed to just opening the door to it.

[@johnshelton22]

An obvious win for The right

[@phobicismist5858]

@@BearPawSwipe People forget that Trump only had 4 years.

[@unbreakable7633]

The DEA is a criminal organization. I was once walking down the hall of a federal court with a US Marshall and saw a rough looking guy coming down the hall and I asked the Marshall how he got out of lockup unescorted. The Marshall laughed and said, "He's a DEA agent." He hesitated and then said, "He deserves to be in lockup because I wouldn't trust him in a dark ally." That was a US Marshall's opinion of the DEA. Law enforcement agents are the worst people to ask why something is illegal; it's in their interests to keep things illegal because it allows them to exercise power.

[@RollerCoasterLineProductions]

They gotta justify their own existence

[@unbreakable7633]

@@ChalkdustOfTheEarth DEA and ATF are the worst of them but the FBI, CIA, and IRS are close behind.

[@darby5987]

I'm going to call BS on the story. Had the Marshall actually unmasked an undercover DEA agent he'd lose his job.

[@darby5987]

I'll add: "[snip for brevity] I saw a rough looking guy coming down the hall...I asked the Marshall how he got out of lockup unescorted." Apparently in your world all rough looking guys are criminals and in need of being escorted by the very law enforcement people you obviously (based on your posts) hate. This further begs the question of why you were walking with a US Marshall. It's unlikely the Marshall was your friend. So a hated law enforcer, for no known logical reason, opined to a stranger in such manner that could cost him his/her job. See why I'm calling BS? Your ill conceived post goes one step farther. In your telling of the story the Marshall makes a specific statement about a single undercover DEA agent. You then illogically and without a shred of evidence expand the Marshall's opinion to include the entire DEA. If you're going to tell a BS story write it down in MS Word first. Look it over. Make sure it is logically constructed and self-consistent. Avoid silly contradictions that blow the story out of the water. Then copy and paste into a post.

[@cbr274]

Then everybody clapped and Trump came up and shook your hand

[@K94Life]

More guys like this man please 🙏 Thank this man.

[@Will6753]

I think this was a very civil discussion for a hearing like this. Even Anne Milgram's replies were very direct and cooperative even.

[@biggusdickus8452]

I read this as "lawmaker asks why law isn't changed".

[@wendybutler1681]

I have had severe fibromyalgia for 40 yrs. Cannabis was like a switch being flipped. Bowel and bladder issues eased so that I could leave the house without fasting (to avoid IBS accidents). My abdominal muscles relaxed enough to allow me to eat. I could move without going into immediate spasm somewhere in my body. Cannabis gave me my life back. I had been bedridden for 10 yrs. In agony. Life is better. Cannabis gave it back to me. Best muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory I've ever used.

[@ShamelessFNGRL]

This comment is mine from the future ✌️💜🌿🔥

[@christianhoffman7407]

just imagine there are people who actually think you belong in prison for that.

[@paulgavian90]

okay agent Wendy Butler 😅

[@christianhoffman7407]

@@paulgavian90 huh? I'm not even sure what was even remotely humorous about her comment. Chronic conditions like that be they pain, where you can't be far from a bathroom or something that significantly limits your stamina like a heart condition or COPD - they *rob* you of a pleasant existence, especially chronic pain

[@ZADDY44]

All the 3 letter depts in our country are a joke. Marijuana never should've been illegal in the first place. Alcohol is WAY more dangerous to public health.

[@plaguepug2091]

Exactly, the classic is: “name someone who smoked a blunt and then beat their wife and kids”

[@duanelondon6152]

This!! I agree 1000%

[@dustinlockwood3685]

Alcohol is more ingrained in all cultures than marijuana is so the outlaw of alcohol would create much more crime associated with alcohol than the outlaw of basically any other mind altering substance, the prohibition is a perfect example for that. This is not me saying or making excuses that Marijuana should remain illegal, it's just that alcohol has such a different type of impact on all cultures thus it's not exactly the best comparison to make.

[@plaguepug2091]

@@dustinlockwood3685 it is a really good comparison to make because of what you just said. The only reason alcohol can be legal in the same world weed is illegal is because of how ingrained it is in the culture. This however, is a completely bullshit reason as when evaluating whether a substance should be legal or not it’s better to evaluate the potential damages of the substance in question rather than how much fun our culture has had with it. Also there is already a ton of crime linked to marijuana, probably comparable to the crime rate that would result from an alcohol ban. This is why prison overcrowding is an issue.

[@l0r3nz0isSaf3]

Maybe marijuana doesn't work for people like me anymore. I used to smoke it as a teenager well in to my adult life (I still do but if I smoke or eat even a fraction too much it makes me paranoid and gives me crippling anxiety and self esteem issues). You know what helps me relax? Exercise as often as I can get it, and alcohol in moderation. There are stigmas around both marijuana and alcohol, among other drugs, that should be dropped. I know people who don't leave their homes anymore because all they do is smoke weed. I know alcoholics who have ruined relationships and friendships. We as a species are complex. We enjoy things that are bad for us, things that inherently make us feel good. I know severely obese people that shun alcohol as poison and yet drink 15 sodas a day and eat garbage. As ingrained as alcohol is in our culture, I don't know anything else that, when drunk in moderation, can ease my anxiety and my stress. Marijuana does that for other people, and other drugs for yet another subset of people. Stigmatizing alcohol is a path this country already took, and it led to the rise of pretty much every organized crime sect in the country. There will always be something that makes us feel good that another group wants to ban. People who have exhausted all options (depression meds, anxiety meds, therapy) and need a way to relax will be going a step further in drug use if alcohol were not readily available. Buying it illegally (moonshine) or finding harder drugs like opioids which are just as addictive if not more addictive than alcohol. Until we have better options available to us, banning alcohol would cause more problems than it would solve. @@plaguepug2091

[@hyderhydra3269]

how long does it take to "look" or "review" something?

[@christianhoffman7407]

If there was ever an absolutely USELESS WASTE of taxpayer dollars as the DEA and the drug war.

[@nickmyrvold1343]

Marijuana can take the edge off addiction withdrawal and therefore hurts the bottom line of both the pharma and black markets which I believe many politicians are connected to.

[@travisleeabq]

My sister found that cannabis could reduce necessary opiates by about 20%. MAXIMUM. But here in Texas, cannabis in the blood gets you dumped from opiates for pain management. Several years ago DEA pressured pain management MDs to reduce opiates to about 20% of previous Levels. Under medication of pain is one of the leading causes of suicide. I hear about “medical cannabis” advocates touting cannabis as replacement for opiates. I wish it were.

[@Yahweh42069]

I used cannabis to quit opioids. Then I just stopped smoking cannabis because it doesn’t have bad withdrawals

[@DAClarkism]

The holdup issue is that they're trying to move from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, when they should really be removing it from the schedule entirely. Seriously, the government needs to butt out on this.

[@emptyshirt]

Full legalization would create too much competition. The established players in the weed industry want regulations that prevent independant growers from outcompeting a centralized weed industry. Thats why weed was illegal in the first place, because big business couldn't control it.

[@pawnzrtasty]

@@emptyshirt Ive been growing my own for years now. I’ll never buy commercially available weed. It’s so easy and cheap to grow. It literally costs me $75 to grow a full pound. Corporate greed won’t receive any money from me in the weed game.

[@ThePinkerton1776]

The reason that marijuana is illegal is that even though hemp makes better paper than paper, there was a politician or something that had big investments in paper and did not want hemp to take away any of his profits waaaaay back in the day.

[@CrazyRFGuy]

@@emptyshirt No, it was because of fear of immigrants and their drugs, at least in the USA. Look up the history of it. People thought it caused 'blood lust' and 'super human strength'. The weed we have today aint my grandpappys weed.

[@emptyshirt]

@@CrazyRFGuy People believed the propoganda. The propoganda wasn't the root cause. People mostly didn't know about canabis until they were told to fear it.

[@TahoeUsedSkiAndSnowboard]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day,.

[@dsargent724]

"A broken watch is still right two times a day"

[@johnharris7756]

If they don’t decriminalize marijuana entirely, and take it off the schedule completely that I have lost for faith in the DEA. The fact that we have alcohol and other substances that are poison that you can buy over the counter, yet you cannot possess a plant that grows out of the ground, not only baffles me, but makes me question the legitimacy of our laws

[@sarajuanaict]

DEA is a clown show

[@thomasphj8766]

That trust should never have been placed in them in the first place. And you're right, it should baffle you that weed is illegal. The only reason it was placed on the class 1 schedule list in the first place was to criminalize black people. The law is inherently racist. You can look up the history of how weed became illegal, it's well known and interesting.

[@stevechadwick85]

Lets not even get started on the people who have spent life in prison since the 60's-80's who are still in jail, for what is now completely legal in states they were arrested in it for a felony.l

[@jerichostevens2711]

you shouldn't have faith in them to begin with. Think of them more like criminal organizations backed by the state, and their actions make more sense. They exist mainly to seize the money from the drug trade. They're glorified jack boys.

[@adrischannelw203]

And the fact that some states its legal and others its not. If you stay on one side of some imaginary line then you are ok but on the other side you are in trouble. Total BS.

[@ho11owbone]

I love how she deflected all the most probing questions. And she said "illegal" prescription spured the opiod epidemic as if legal prescriptions had nothing to do with it. Opiods are opiods it doesnt matter how they are obtained they are still toxic and addictive.

[@ibberman]

Yet they should be available for people that are devastated by pain.

[@user-us3xi7se5b]

Did they arrest all the people that gave out these "illegal" prescriptions or are they still scapegoating one company that's trying to get out of paying the settlement (which is so little compared to the harm they caused) by declaring bankruptcy?🤔

[@williameldridge9382]

​@@user-us3xi7se5bfirst, nobody is responsible for what you do to your body. Opioids do not harm your body when taken as directed. Addiction is an individual thing. I have taken opioids, even long term, and suffered zero ill effects or addiction. Addiction happens because you as a person, your biology, are susceptible to addiction. Nobody is responsible for what you do to yourself. Nobody. Ever.

[@thelastword4616]

@@user-us3xi7se5b They paid some fines and are free to continue. Then they went after the companies that dispensed the opioids, now forcing them to monitor what is being prescribed by who and how much and how often. So all the government does to the rich is fine them, then work their way down the ladder until they reach someone not rich enough to pay and put them in prison and pat themselves on the back while they pocket all of those fines they levied in the name of "public safety".

[@Mike-qi3hu]

You cant bite the big pharma hand that feeds the government , I mean what would you think would happen? law suits for addition like what happen to the Tabaco industry? Government politicians protect their donations.

[@CarlWeezer567]

Have HHS, DEA, and the 8 point scheduling decision done on Fentanyl and THEN tell me that it should be a lower schedule than marijuana.

[@Clark_R]

It may also be more of that it's not that they don't want to answer simple questions, it's that they're not allowed to.

[@starwarskid93]

Her avid avoidance of the individual question at hand is Impressive, it shows she has NO intent to deschedule, or pursue it.

[@ThePinkerton1776]

Not answering questions is the go to response for politicians and bureaucrats.

[@fscarp]

One might think that the DEA is as much a part of the pharmaceutical marketing mechanism as the legions of physicians that have been very much a part of the opioid crisis. Big pharmaceutical companies have bought and paid for swathes of bureaucracy to insure their profits.

[@justmyself1000]

I wasn't impressed. I think Mr. Gaetz let her slip away too much. I would have called her out on her garbage.

[@dougfromsoanierana]

I don’t think that’s the case. She just doesn’t want her personal beliefs to end up in headlines. Same for most heads of federal agencies.

[@justmyself1000]

@@dougfromsoanierana She was asked direct questions that did not involve personal beliefs. There was 1 or 2 questions that involved personal beliefs. But the others were not.

[@jasonzimmerman288]

I never heard of anyone overdosing on weed - although many bags of chips, hamburgers, and pints of ice cream have lost their lives. Thoughts and Prayers

[@testickles8834]

If you smoke weed you are a threat, to the snack drawer.

[@TimeSurfer206]

Smoking pot turned me into a Cereal Killer.

[@MrHamlet]

Is it because you were too high to go research it? Or are you only relying on anecdotal information?

[@jasonzimmerman288]

@@MrHamlet anecdotal

[@TimeSurfer206]

@@MrHamlet I have Clinical information. And I got it while I was high. I wasn't the patient, my neighbor was. He ate a half a pan of pot brownies, not knowing they had pot in them. And being as he knew I was a Stoner, he came to me for help. We went to the Urgent Care, where he was tested for allergies to pot. When that can back negative, he was given, for medication: A bag of Doritos and a 1 Liter Mountain Dew, and the staff put Fantasia on the Lobby TV for him. Guess what the LD50 (Lethal Dose for 50% of the population) is? Depending on the potency of the strain, between 1,000 and 1,400 pounds. Consumed in a 15 minute period. Ever seen a 3-string Bale of Hay? 100 pounds each,and about the same dimensions as an Army Footlocker, only a little longer. Here's 10 of them. Do you want a fork and some Ranch, or a pipe? You have 15 minutes to make a half-ton of vegetation disappear. INTO you. Good luck with that. The only person I ever heard of who died "From an overdose of pot" was my friend Juan, who had a bale fall off the truck and onto his head.

[@elvissaldias2741]

Marijuana is not chemically addictive like opioids. You also cannot overdose on weed. He is saying they are he same but they are not.

[@biggerman469]

Make it legal and make billions in taxes.

[@cleveland3357]

Because they are in cahoots with Cartels in open borders

[@multimulte]

Yes. It`s obviouslya totally corrupt system. Only criminals benefit from prohibition

[@gabe11441]

majority of border states have legalized recreational marihuana, meaning there is no point on me buying weed from some guy at a gas station when i can go to a dispensary and get high potency weed for cheap. Cartel doesnt make money off of weed anymore and all the imported drugs from them have been 90% opiates for the last 6 years. so the cartel doesnt make nearly that much money off of weed anymore. why would the cartel care about keeping weed illegal here? when they could start legally selling their weed to the us openly when its legal?

[@Xenoyer]

I'm a neck cancer survivor. When I was in chemo and radiation treatment, the doctor gave me a script for opioids. I forget which one because it has been a decade ago. The state I live in has a medicinal marijuana program for a long time. I think that fact kept me from opioids. As soon as I was off treatment and the script ran out, I was done with it. I believe marijuana should be totally legal for adults. If everyone is so worried about the government telling them what to do, start here. I don't want the government telling me I can't have pot!

[@REDMAN298]

THC significantly helped symptoms from radiation for me while in cancer treatment.

[@BeegDongLeFleur]

I've always ignored the government.

[@Xenoyer]

@@BeegDongLeFleur, I hope that works out for you even though I doubt it will.

[@sqooot]

@@Xenoyercringe

[@Xenoyer]

@@sqooot, extreme cringe! I went from 165 lbs down to 125 lbs while battling cancer. The chemotherapy killed my taste buds. Everything on the planet was tasteless and repulsive. I survived slugging down disgusting liquid nutrition drinks like Ensure. When the day came that I actually had the sensation of taste, I was so happy I fell to my knees and cried. I don't want any of you, my brothers and sisters to go through that hellish nightmare.

[@DaneSteffanni-wt9fw]

I'm watching this 5 months after it was posted and the paperwork to declassify marijuana is just sitting on a desk still.

[@seabrook1976]

I'm pretty liberal, but Matt Gaetz is my homeboy for how he asks the same questions I would if I were afforded the opportunity.

[@nicolavincenzo7927]

Believe what you see friend. I was ‘liberal’ for a while. Had to question everything I learned 4 years in college. I’m appalled, betrayed and angry at the left. Keep your eyes and ears open. Notice how the left rarely answers questions nowadays.

[@GoldenAgeDave]

RFK Jr is a true Democrat. I’m Republican but would vote for him in a heartbeat. This is encouraging to see people simply ask questions and use common sense.

[@wildchildcarvings8482]

​@@GoldenAgeDavewhat's a true Dem?

[@illuminerd3757]

Im pretty conservative/libertarian and he said what I would of said also

[@WildWombats]

This is definitely giving me a new level of respect for Gaetz, this is the kind of pushing of questions and action and bipartisanship that we need. Cannabis is a no brainer and a slam dunk - when will this get done? It's been far too long. He said exactly what I would have here. Deschedule it already.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Snails are like Cheetahs compared to the government...That crap should be handled with a phone call...smh...Jerks.

[@mikewurlitzer5217]

You made a very accurate assessment of the speed of government. 0.001 MPH.

[@hughbo52]

Ain't it so.

[@RetroTheatre420]

I have no love for Matt Gaetz, but this was a good and needed line of questioning.

[@nustada]

She should have said "Just watch Brazil, it can explain things better than I can."

[@Dude-vb4ul]

It's funny, I know she said she was committed to reviewing all of the research on marijuana… but all I heard was as the head of the DEA I will do everything in my power to find an excuse to not disschedule it... So weird

[@coreyanders5527]

Why do you think the DEA would be against rescheduling marijuana as a Type 3 equal to something like steroids? I think that takes away their focus from the drugs that are actually causing the downfall of societies like meth, heroin, fentanyl. cocaine, etc. I would think they would be all for leaving marijuana enforcement up to the local police by scheduling as a Type 3 or even better just making it legal.

[@HapticzRotMG]

You think that because you're right. Folks live in the past and want to believe she has been the head of the DEA for the last 3 decades. People also think leaders can flip switches and make things happen regardless of process. Almost never the case. @@coreyanders5527

[@Dude-vb4ul]

@@coreyanders5527 You would think so wouldn't you, and yet this has been put before them for more than a decade and they've stalled it as far as they can. the fact the matter is there's money in it somewhere Because if it truly were more profitable to the DEA to disschedule it they would have pushed it through already.

[@chauvinemmons]

The bottom line it's not up to these idiots the government has no place telling me what I can possess ingest or grow synthesize or make for my own use as I see fit. It's just war on the citizens. Same for all these bureaus and other unconstitutional agencies

[@haliaeetus8221]

EVERYTHING IS ABOUT MONEY. BIG PHARMA.

[@eshelly4205]

I’m a mountain biker and after a bad fall I broke my elbow. The emergency Doctor said she was writing me a prescription for pain killers. I asked her if they were addictive. She said they can be. I said I don’t want them. This annoyed her. She left and the nurse came in as she was helping me with my sling the Doctor came back and asked me again about pain killers and I said no. She angrily replied “Well you will be in pain and when you are don’t call us back whining about your pain” and she stormed out. The nurse said “I’m sorry for her behavior”

[@luvyatubers]

She was so close to winning that resort trip paid for by big pharma and you ruined it

[@bassmonster420]

@@luvyatubersexactly that is the reason. I do not trust doctors for this reason. They are always trying to sell you something from big pharma to get a kick back.

[@ap8riot931]

When I exploded my shoulder the doctor wanted to give me Motrin or Tylenol. I laughed and asked her why? You don't want to manage my pain effectively... I never got an answer from the Doc but the nurse told me all their pain Rxs are being scrutinized by the government (DEA) so it was easier to give Motrin instead of Vicodin or Tylenol #3s.

[@originalMP3com247]

pretty much the same reaction when I persistently refused steroid injections in a frozen shoulder. type A folks accustomed to being in control hate it.

[@mikei759]

Medical mafia. They all think they have this position of authority now too. Insanity.

[@johnlee6835]

Was this shown to the public at the date on the video?? Or was this kept private for a month?

[@nannonana]

Breaking News: the worst person in the room has said something actually reasonable

[@Dogbertforpresident]

A researcher in Israel who isolated the THC compound has been studying cannabis over 30 years. The U.S. government says there isn't enough research. They mean there hasn't been enough research that was sponsored by certain people and organizations.

[@emptyshirt]

There wasn't a corporation with a plan to form a cartel. You could grow weed in your closet and give it to your buddies without sending a penny to Washington or Wall Street. That hasn't really changed, but wealthy buisiness types can control 99% of the weed market today since online marketing is monopolized, and local communities are nonexistant.

[@ciwwebmaster]

The feds need to milk just a little more "revenue" out of the old reefer before they cut us loose on the best medicine ever.

[@BA-wd1oo]

Raphael Mechoulam. Brilliant.

[@Kasdaniel]

Can't tax it effectively. Simple. Facts.

[@1sinister80]

They are actively looking to start a Kratom ban even though its safe and works for pain and mental health. We need to put our foot down no more bans on harmless sunstances when driving and fast food are legal.

[@michellespinasse8455]

I find myself in complete agreement with Matt Gaetz over this and I really didn't expect that.

[@CrazyRFGuy]

Agreed. That man is trash but he has at least one half decent idea it seems.

[@6Sparx9]

@@CrazyRFGuy Ain't that just the truth with everyone. Life is messy and complex, people aren't just the one dimensional caricature media portrays them to be.

[@willowmunson1444]

@@CrazyRFGuya broken clock is right twice a day

[@rdowg]

Eh, it's more agreeing with whoever paid him to say that lol

[@haliaeetus8221]

If Big Pharma are convinced they can dominate the weed business then they will order the politicians to "legalize it".

[@dirigoelectric]

Imagine, that people my age went to prison for years for marijuana, and today in my small town we have 8 dispensaries where you can buy all you want. Someone deserves an apology, and to have their record expunged.

[@andypooley1]

Thanks to our corrupt government

[@modernalien6949]

“We gotta make sure we finish squeezing the water out of this particular rock prior to rescheduling”

[@loudboomboom]

Get. It. Done. Absolutely mind blowing that this overall harmless little plant is still considered illegal. Just sad.

[@billiondollardan]

She's wrong about unlawful prescribing. While it does happen, most people who become addicted through the prescription route have done so with legal prescriptions. It seems to me that these government administrations enjoy characterizing people as criminals in order to justify their existence and the silly rules they foist upon us

[@MarkMelchior-lb6vv]

Which vis makes these complicit corrupt officials guilty of much greater crimes. She is the head of a department that is committing a genocide here. Put her in Prison.

[@kgoblin5084]

could be a bit more insidious than that... if they change the narrative to the primary cause of the opioid crisis being illegal prescriptions, then they will potentially discourage legal & social action to address the actual problem, which was legitimate prescriptions created due to corporate pressuring of doctors who were negligent in researching the cogent substances. IMHO the means to correct/control illegal prescriptions are VERY different from those to correct/control bad legitimate prescriptions & corporate malfeasance. For the 1st would likely be increased regulation to verify prescriptions, making it harder for people with legitimate need to obtain their medicine. For the 2nd it would be increased regulation on corporate interests, potentially both doctors/hospitals but also drug companies.

[@billcosby9999]

Iatrogenic risk is 0.003%-The iatrogenic risk of an Opioid Use Disorder or Addiction is from 0.003-≤1% within the general population. This was true even when Perdue brought the original Oxycotin formulation to U.S market in 1995, and it is still true today. In Chronic Pain Management patients requiring high dose mu-type opioid therapy at ≥120 mgs daily dose morphine equivalent for 2-3 years the iatrogenic risk of OUD or Addiction is about 2.5% For polyaddicts, (those will multiple addiction already, an a history of substance use disorder & drug abuse) the iatrogenic risk is 3-5%.

[@lukebogacik2793]

Shouldn’t We the People decide ? How did we get to this point. ☹️

[@CodepageNet]

swiss here: direct democracy absolutely rocks!! i love my country for this. literally nothing is out of our hands, we can vote on and against everything. never understood why not more countries adopt it. our system is maybe a little slow because it's somewhat too easy to launch an initiative. other countries should simply up the hurdle to launch one.

[@billchildress9756]

Because we let them do it and back then people lied all the time just like they do now!

[@federalreservebrown2507]

the answer to that causes anti semitism

[@cliintbeastw00d]

@@CodepageNet we're so tied up we can't even see beyond our seas to represent the other free nations.

[@jamescarter3196]

Because people are bullshitting about it on the internet instead of DOING anything about it, and not bothering to vote in the midterms because democracy is 'too much trouble' for a nation placated by bullshit.