This Monday, Comment on The Federal Register Why Marijuana Should be Internationally Reclassified
The pot has been stirred and the massive effort to see the federal prohibition of cannabis ended is beginning to see some results. Starting on Monday we will all have until April 23rd to provide comments to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) as to why marijuana should be reclassified under international drug treaties.
The World Health Organization published late last year that it did not believe cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana and hemp that is believed to be the main medicinal compound found in cannabis, to be toxic or addictive. Their research has brought the validity of the Schedule 1 status of marijuana into questions and now all countries under international drug treaties have been asked to provide comments as to the “abuse potential, actual abuse, medical usefulness, trafficking and impact of scheduling changes on availability for medical use of” cannabis. A notice is set to be published on the Federal Register this Monday, April 9th, 2018 that should provide instructions on how to submit comments.
But now, the United Nations World Health Organization is set to launch a review of the current international classification of marijuana, THC, cannabidiol and other related compounds and preparations, and it wants input from member nations. In turn, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking “interested persons” to submit comments that can inform the country’s position on the issue before it weighs in with the UN.
WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence will meet in June to discuss marijuana’s classification and will then make pre-review recommendations to the UN secretary-general about conducting a more in-depth analysis. Following that process, depending on the findings, cannabis could be rescheduled internationally, which would provide momentum to efforts to change marijuana’s status under the laws of the U.S. and other countries.
This is a real opportunity for cannabis advocates around the country to make their voices heard in a way that could have a material impact on ending the federal prohibition of marijuana. If marijuana is rescheduled globally, that will have a large influence on the United States and could put marijuana legalization right around the corner.
read more at forbes.com
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fdaFederal RegisterInternational drug treatiesMarijuana NewsUnited nationsWHOWorld Health Organization
