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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently wrote to Anne Milgram, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator, to voice his backing of the Department of Health and Human Services’ proposal to relax cannabis restrictions. The proposal advocates for moving marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Governor Beshear highlighted that this reclassification would offer patients a safer alternative to harmful opioids, ensuring continued access to reliable products. He also noted that such a move would aid communities in reducing illegal drug use and crime. Additionally, it would level the economic playing field for marijuana businesses and open doors for substantial research opportunities on medical cannabis.
“As a governor, my priority is advancing our state,” Beshear remarked. “Reclassifying cannabis to Schedule 3 is a sensible and crucial step forward for all Kentucky residents, particularly those suffering from serious medical conditions.”
Currently, cannabis is classified as a Schedule 1 substance, which includes substances such as LSD and heroin that are considered to have no recognized medical value. This classification deems marijuana more hazardous than Schedule 2 substances such as Vicodin, fentanyl, methadone, oxycodone and methamphetamine.
“However, the evidence is clear: cannabis has medical benefits and is already being used for medical treatments,” Beshear noted in his letter. “This is a widely acknowledged fact, supported by both parties. For instance, I signed a medical cannabis measure into law, which passed with bipartisan support from a Democratic governor and GOP legislative supermajorities.”
The medical cannabis legislation — State Bill 47 — is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Currently, the state is processing grower, producer and dispensary licensing applications in preparation for this change. Previously, only residents who met certain requirements could use small quantities of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
In addition, Beshear highlighted his initiatives to address the opioid issue, which he spearheaded while serving as the state’s attorney general. Compared to previous attorneys general, he filed the most individual opioid claims, which helped the state obtain nearly $900 million from businesses that took advantage of Kentucky communities.
The letter further pointed out that in 2022, opioid use resulted in 80,000 deaths across the United States, while marijuana use caused none. This striking disparity, according to Beshear, is the reason Kentucky’s Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Office of Drug Control Policy all support the reclassification of cannabis.
This endorsement of federal marijuana policy reform by Beshear is likely to be welcomed by the broader cannabis industry and its leading actors, such as Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), since it is a step in the right direction of ending prohibition.
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