Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, said that his office is suing in an effort to protect children from the dangers “posed by expanded access to marijuana.”
A coalition of Republican attorneys general from Nebraska, Indiana, and Louisiana have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the Trump administration from reclassifying marijuana as a less-harmful drug.
According to The Indiana Capital Chronicle, the proposed change would move state-approved medical marijuana from Schedule I—a status generally reserved for drugs with no acceptable or recognized medical use—to Schedule III, a less-restrictive category that permits more opportunities for research and experimentation.
In their May 22 filing, the states claimed that the Trump administration—with named defendants including the U.S. Department of Justice, Acting U.S. Attorney Generals Todd Blanche, and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration—failed to follow proper procedure in changing existing rules. More specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Blanche’s decision to skip the typical public notice and comments period invalidates the new guidance and could, potentially, risk violating a 1967 international treaty on the handling of narcotics.
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers declined to explain his decision when pressed by the media on Wednesday, but said that many members of his state’s law enforcement community disagree with the administration’s decision to reschedule marijuana. Hilgers has previously said that loosening scheduling restrictions on marijuana could make it easier for the cannabis industry to push for the legalization of recreational sales nationwide.
The Chronicle notes that, on Wednesday, the lawsuit was consolidated with a separate claim filed earlier this month by Smart Approaches to Marijuana and the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association, both of which also oppose rescheduling.
“We welcome these legal challenges brought by the attorneys general, who are taking bold action to stop this illegal order,” Smart Approaches to Marijuana CEO Kevin Sabet said in a press release. “Our coalition is growing as leaders around the country recognize that this unprecedented order will cause significant harm to public health and safety. We won’t rest until this dangerous action is reversed.”
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, said that his office is suing in an effort to protect children from the dangers “posed by expanded access to marijuana.”
“This is not a harmless substance. It carries well-documented risks, including addiction, permanent damage to adolescent brain development, increased rates of psychosis and depression, and significantly higher instances of impaired driving,” Rokita said. “We have consistently opposed both the reclassification and any softening of marijuana’s status under federal or state law. This lawsuit is simply the latest example of that firm commitment.”
Sources
Nebraska, Indiana, Louisiana AGs sue to stop Trump admin marijuana reclassification
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