Democratic Platform Touts Marijuana Reforms but Doesn't Mention Legalization, More... (8/19/24)

The Biden administration opposes eliminating marijuana testing for military recruits, the Philippines' leading family political dynasties are fighting like two scorpions in a bottle over drug war accountability, and more.

The Democratic National Convention is in Chicago this week. The party platform touts marijuana reforms but doesn't mention legalization. (Creative Commons)

Marijuana Policy

Biden Administration Comes Out Against Eliminating Marijuana Testing for Military Recruits. The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a statement addressing various provisions of the 2024 defense spending bill, the National Defense Authorization Act. In that statement, it opposes an amendment that would eliminate marijuana testing for military recruits.

"The Administration appreciates Congress' desire to increase the available military accessions pool," the statement reads." However, the Administration opposes Section 532, which would prevent DoD from testing applicants for Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC contained in marijuana (cannabis). The use of marijuana by Service members is a military readiness and safety concern."

The amendment was approved last month by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel and was initially a move spearheaded by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who said that eliminating marijuana testing of recruits could help the military meet its recruitment goals.

Democratic Platform Will Tout Marijuana Reforms but Does Not Mention Legalization. Delegates to the Democratic National Convention will vote on a party platform today that touts President Biden's marijuana rescheduling moves and marijuana pardons and calls for broader reform to expunge past records of marijuana offenses. But even though Vice President Kamala Harris has embraced marijuana legalization, the platform contains no language on decriminalization or legalization, a step back from the 2020 platform.

This year's platform says that the Biden administration took "historic action" on marijuana and criminal justice policy, citing the pardons.

"No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana," the platform says. "Sending people to prison for possession has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit. Those criminal records impose needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities, disproportionately affecting Black and brown people. President Biden took historic action to end this failed approach by pardoning people convicted federally for using or possessing marijuana. He has called on governors to use their pardon power to do the same for state-level offenses. And his Administration is taking a major step to reschedule marijuana so it’s no longer classified as more dangerous than fentanyl or methamphetamine."

Although Biden is no longer the nominee-to-be, the platform language referencing him remains unchanged. It also says that Democrats "will take action to expunge federal marijuana-only convictions."

But there is no mention of decriminalization or legalization, an omission cheered by Kevin Sabet, president of the prohibitionist group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), who commended those who "helped so much behind the scenes."

Still, the platform goes after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, which it pointedly notes "threatened federal prosecution for marijuana cases in states where marijuana was legal" by rescinding Obama-era guidance that generally urged discretion in enforcing prohibition for cannabis-related activity that was legal under state law.

"Trump's approach to criminal justice could not be more different," it says. "His Administration threatened federal prosecution for marijuana cases in states where marijuana was legal."

The GOP platform does not mention marijuana but instead enunciates a tough anti-drug agenda. For instance, the Republicans said they would "crack down hard on" and "demolish" drug cartels.

International

Philippines Political Dynasties Squabble Over Supporting ICC Investigation into Former President Duterte's Drug War. The Duterte and Marcos political dynasties are at odds over how much support to give the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it investigates the role of former President Rodrigo Duterte and several high-ranking police officers in the bloody war on drugs that marked his term in office.

The squabbling comes amidst reports that President Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. and his administration had given assurances to ICC personnel that they would not interfere with the group's work in the country.

"We cannot stop the ICC prosecutor from investigating. That's his mandate. He can interview anyone by phone, by email, through local organizations, even face-to-face if the subject consents to be interviewed," said Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla also weighed in, even adding that the government cannot stop Interpol if it seeks to carry out a lawful arrest in the country. "We are not in the business of blocking any movement of the Interpol unless a policy is laid out, which of course will go against our international commitments," he said.

That sparked former police chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa to address the Senate and demand that it back him and the Dutertes. "I would like to ask the members of this august body," he said. "Where do you stand in protecting our citizens?"

Dela Rosa complained that those statements contradicted earlier statements from President Marcos, who has repeatedly said that the country would not cooperate in the probe because of concerns over sovereignty and jurisdiction. Dela Rosa also warned that if anyone makes an arrest based on an ICC arrest, they could be liable for the crime of unlawful detention.

The squabbling reflects a growing gap between the Dutertes and the Marcoses, with both sides accusing the other of being on drugs. Duterte has called Marcos a drug addict, while Marcos retorted that Duterte is on fentanyl. Duterte's son last week filed a bill requiring all officials to undergo drug testing. And allies of the Marcoses have begun congressional hearings on the proliferation of drugs and extra-judicial killings in Duterte's drug war. Lawmakers allied with Marcos said the hearings will "help in the prosecution and conviction of the perpetrators, conspirators, and masterminds of the whole criminal network." They added that the probe is part of "the journey of ferreting the truth, seeking justice, and healing of our people."

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)