DENVER, CO–As the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) concludes its administrative hearing on the proposed rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, One Chance to Grow Up is urging federal policymakers to ensure that science, public health, and the well-being of America’s children guide any final decision.
While much of the national debate has centered on corporate tax benefits, expanded market opportunities, and financial implications for the commercial marijuana industry, One Chance–a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, focused on protecting kids from THC products and other emerging drugs–believes the priority must be public safety and the health and futures of young people.
“The question isn’t whether CBD or low-THC cannabis has medical value or not,” said Diane Carlson, Co-Founder and National Policy Director of One Chance to Grow Up. “The question is whether every product currently marketed and sold as marijuana today deserves the same federal classification despite enormous differences in total THC content, potency, formulation, marketing, intended use, clinical evidence, and abuse potential.”
One Chance to Grow Up believes federal drug policy should follow the same scientific principles applied to other controlled substances. Drawing on Colorado’s 14 years of experience regulating commercial marijuana, the organization urges federal policymakers to carefully consider the implications of rescheduling before acting.
“Federal drug policy should classify THC products just as it classifies every other controlled substance,” said Carlson. “The total amount of the active ingredient in the finished product, the scientific evidence supporting its medical use, and its potential for abuse should guide classification—not broad plant labels that no longer reflect the radically different products in today’s THC commercial marketplace.”
“We believe every federal drug policy decision should begin with one question,” Carlson continued. “Will this better protect the health, well-being, and future of America’s children and young people, who only have one chance to grow up? If the answer is no or is uncertain, policymakers should either not proceed at all or proceed with extreme caution, not speed.
Colorado and other states’ retail THC experiences have resulted in tragic and preventable harms stemming from protective considerations only coming after commercial expansion. Requirements for product definitions and restrictions, total THC limits and caps, responsible marketing, and other public health protections must come first. The federal government can’t afford to make long-lasting high-impact preventable mistakes that could cause harm for generations.”
One Chance to Grow Up applauds the physicians, researchers, parents, organizations, and states that have helped ensure that children’s health and public safety remain part of the federal record during the DEA hearing.
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