CatholicVote launches petition urging Trump to halt cannabis rescheduling

CatholicVote on Dec. 16 launched a national petition urging President Donald Trump to halt any effort to reclassify marijuana, as his administration weighs loosening federal restrictions on the drug.

“Rescheduling cannabis now, before FDA approval, before long-term safety studies, before we understand the full public-health consequences, would repeat the catastrophic mistake America made with tobacco,” CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt said in a statement announcing the petition. “We cannot afford another generation paying the price.”

The petition argues, “Anything that waters down the grim, addictive nature of this gateway drug is dangerous.” CatholicVote points to outcomes in states that have legalized recreational marijuana, including higher addiction rates, increased emergency room visits, mental health harms, impaired driving, and broader social costs. ---More...