GOP Senator Pushes RFK Jr. On ‘Preventing The Expansion Of Marijuana’ As Trump’s Health Secretary

A GOP senator says he and President Donald Trump’s decide to steer the nation’s prime well being company, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., just lately met and mentioned the “importance” of “preventing the expansion of marijuana.”

Ahead of a Senate affirmation vote for Kennedy’s nomination to move up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) shared photographs of the 2 assembly to speak about a number of of the senator’s priorities, together with lowering hashish entry.

While Kennedy was vocal about his assist for marijuana legalization when he was working for president himself, in addition to throughout his time on the Trump transition crew, he’s change into notably silent on the problem as he works to win over senators to safe affirmation to the HHS function. He’s already been cleared by the Senate Finance Committee.

Now Ricketts—who filed a invoice on Thursday alongside Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) that seeks to prevent the marijuana industry from taking federal tax deductions even when it’s rescheduling—is signaling that he’s placing strain on Kennedy to undertake an anti-cannabis place as HHS secretary.

“We discussed the importance of supporting Nebraska agriculture, protecting the right to life, and preventing the expansion of marijuana,” Ricketts mentioned on Friday.

However, he didn’t clearly point out whether or not Kennedy was receptive to these messages.

Met with @RobertKennedyJR, @POTUS’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. We mentioned the significance of supporting Nebraska agriculture, defending the best to life, and stopping the enlargement of marijuana. pic.twitter.com/S56nx251YO

— Senator Pete Ricketts (@SenatorRicketts) February 7, 2025

That mentioned, regardless of the nominee’s historical past of advocating for hashish legalization, he mentioned final month that he’ll defer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on marijuana rescheduling if confirmed.

That might complicate rescheduling given the truth that the present appearing administrator of DEA, Derek Maltz, has made multiple comments expressing hostility to cannabis reform.

Separately, anti-marijuana Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) instructed Marijuana Moment on Wednesday that it’s “definitely” time to have a chat with Kennedy to convince him that “marijuana is harmful” and that the way in which to make Americans wholesome is by “limiting” its use.

Prior to Kennedy’s written responses to the Finance Committee, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) just lately pressed Kennedy to reiterate his position on marijuana legalization amid the continued effort to federally reschedule hashish.

Meanwhile, a political motion committee based by former Vice President Mike Pence has been gunning to undermine the affirmation Kennedy as HHS secretary—partly by drawing attention to his support for marijuana and psychedelics reform, in addition to his private historical past with substance misuse.

Kennedy adopted a dizzying path to the Trump administration, coming into the 2024 presidential election as a Democratic candidate earlier than switching to unbiased as he lagged within the polls after which finally endorsing the GOP nominee.

In October, Kennedy particularly criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the company’s “suppression of psychedelics” and a laundry listing of different points that he mentioned amounted to a “war on public health” that may finish underneath the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, a prime U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official just lately mentioned it’s “very encouraging” that Kennedy supports psychedelics reform—and he hopes to work with him on the problem if he stays on for the subsequent administration.

Not everybody shares VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal’s enthusiasm for Kennedy because the potential HHS secretary, nonetheless. Author Michael Pollan, for instance, mentioned that Trump’s decide might prove “very dangerous” to the psychedelics movement—though he’s a supporter of reform.

He mentioned the possible nominee would possibly pursue federal reform in a method that delegitimizes the science behind substances comparable to psilocybin.

By distinction, Rick Perry—a former governor of Texas who additionally served within the first Trump administration—just lately mentioned the president-elect’s selections for key well being coverage positions, together with Kennedy, are a “great gift” for the psychedelics reform movement, notably because it issues entry to ibogaine as a remedy possibility for critical psychological well being circumstances.

Pennsylvania Governor Will Put Marijuana Legalization In His Budget, But Top GOP Senator Remains Skeptical

Photo through X/Senator Ricketts.