RFK Jr. Says Marijuana Can Have ‘Catastrophic Impacts’ On Consumers, But State-Level Legalization Can Spur Research On Its Harms And Benefits

Fresh off his Senate affirmation vote to grow to be the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated on Thursday that he’s “worried about” the normalization of high-potency marijuana and that he feels its use can have “really catastrophic impacts” on individuals, however that state-level legalization can facilitate analysis into its harms and advantages.

Kennedy, who was vocal about his help for marijuana legalization when he was working for president—in addition to throughout his time on the Trump transition workforce—has been notably silent on hashish coverage points over latest months as he labored to win over senators to safe affirmation for the nation’s high well being position.

Now, throughout his first main media interview since receiving that remaining vote to safe the cupboard place earlier within the day, Kennedy instructed Fox News’s Laura Ingraham that he believes hashish does maintain severe hurt potential.

The HHS secretary, who personally struggled with drug habit throughout his youth, was requested about his hashish coverage place and famous that he’s been in restoration for over 40 years and attends every day 12-step conferences.

“I hear stories all the time of the impacts of marijuana on people—and the really catastrophic impacts on them,” he stated.

However, Kennedy stated “that worry also has to be balanced [with] the impacts that we’ve had before” because it pertains to criminalization.

“Twenty-five states [have] now legalized marijuana, but we had about a third of our prison population that was in jail because of marijuana offenses,” he stated. “That’s something we don’t want either.”

“Because of the legalization of recreational marijuana in 25 states, we have now a capacity to really study it and to compare it to states,” he said. “We need to do studies. We need to figure it out, and then we need to we need to implement policies to address” any well being issues.

Of course, HHS has already accomplished a complete scientific examine into hashish that led the company below the Biden administration to advocate shifting marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The new feedback come on the identical day that Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) stated he obtained a dedication from Kennedy to “follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”

Ricketts had already disclosed final week that he spoke to Kennedy concerning the the “importance” of “preventing the expansion of marijuana.” Now he says “RFK committed to me that he would follow the science on the harms of marijuana.”

The senator individually filed a invoice final week alongside Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) that seeks to prevent the marijuana industry from taking federal tax deductions even when it’s rescheduling.

Despite Kennedy’s historical past of advocating for hashish legalization, he stated final month that he’ll defer to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on marijuana rescheduling in his new position.

That might complicate rescheduling. On Monday, Trump officially named his pick to lead DEA—choosing a decades-long company veteran and high Virginia official who’s voiced issues concerning the risks of marijuana and linked its use to increased suicide danger amongst youth.

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

Prior to Kennedy’s written responses to members of the Senate Finance Committee that gave him preliminary approval, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) pressed him to reiterate his position on marijuana legalization amid the continued effort to federally reschedule hashish.

A political motion committee based by former Vice President Mike Pence had tried 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, getting into the 2024 presidential election as a Democratic candidate earlier than switching to impartial 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 stated amounted to a “war on public health” that might finish below the Trump administration.

Meanwhile, a high U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official not too long ago stated it’s “very encouraging” that Kennedy supports psychedelics reform—and he hopes to work with him on the difficulty 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, stated that Trump’s decide might prove “very dangerous” to the psychedelics movement—though he’s a supporter of reform.

He stated the possible nominee may pursue federal reform in a manner that delegitimizes the science behind substances akin to psilocybin.

By distinction, Rick Perry—a former governor of Texas who additionally served within the first Trump administration—not too long ago stated the president-elect’s decisions 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 therapy possibility for severe psychological well being circumstances.

Hawaii Senate Committees Approve Marijuana Legalization Bill Despite Similar Plan Stalling In House

Image ingredient courtesy of Gage Skidmore.