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If confirmed as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doesn’t plan to use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advance any marijuana policy reforms, including rescheduling.
Instead, the controversial attorney and vaccine skeptic would defer to the federal Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration, Kennedy said in response to questions from senators who will vote Tuesday on his nomination to lead the HHS.
Kennedy declined to answer when asked whether he agreed with the HHS’ 2023 assessment that marijuana has medical value.
“If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the reasoning behind the FDA’s conclusion and following the law,” he said in a written statement provided to the Senate Finance Committee.
The noncommittal and evasive responses are a blow to hopes that Kennedy, a past supporter of marijuana legalization, would push the Trump administration on MJ reform.
Kennedy also dashed hopes that he’d help resume the Biden administration’s push to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous drug under federal law.
That process, launched in October 2022, is currently on hiatus indefinitely and is “a prerogative of the DEA, and I defer to that agency in the exercise of its authorities,” Kennedy said.
Resuming hearings before an administrative law judge is up to new DEA Administrator Derek Maltz, a career agent who’s been skeptical of or hostile toward marijuana reform.
Last year, the DEA proposed moving marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act.
That followed an HHS review that concluded in August 2023 that marijuana has a “currently accepted medical use” in the United States.
However, any future action is up to the DEA, Kennedy said in written responses to questions from senators.
Kennedy also declined to say whether he’d use federal health authorities’ power in any way to advance reform.
Asked whether he’d work with “DOJ and DEA to swiftly resume” the rescheduling process, Kennedy punted.
“I defer to the DOJ and DEA on the allocation of their resources and the development of their priorities,” he answered.
Sponsored cannabis industry news from MJbizdaily.com
Health chief nominee declines to endorse marijuana rescheduling, to ‘defer’ to DEA
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