Drug Czar Lauds Decline in ODs, Texas Pot Bills Prefiled, More... (11/14/24)

President-Elect Trump has nominated MAGA bomb thrower but marijuana-friendly Matt Gaetz to head the Justice Department, and more. 

Former US Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Is this the next US attorney general?

Marijuana Policy

Trump's Attorney General Pick is Good on Pot Policy, But… Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who President-Elect Trump has nominated to be the next US attorney general, is the rare Republican who has a history of supporting marijuana law reform. He voted for a Democratic marijuana legalization bill in 2022 and has twice voted for marijuana banking access bills. He joined Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in opposing this year's failed marijuana legalization initiative, but argued that it was because he thought legalization should come through the legislature. 

His nomination led Marijuana Moment to write that it "stands out as one of the most positive signals that the state-level cannabis marketplace will not be impeded under his administration. And it also bodes well for the ongoing Biden administration-led marijuana rescheduling effort that Trump has endorsed."

The publication also cited David Culver, senior vice president for public affairs, at the US Cannabis Council (USCC) as saying that Gaetz "is one of the most pro-cannabis Republicans on Capitol Hill."

"By tapping him to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement officer, President-elect Trump is signaling his commitment to make good on his campaign promises around cannabis reform," Culver said. "We’ve said from the outset that the cannabis community has good reason to be optimistic about a second Trump Administration. Today’s Attorney General announcement, along with other recent staffing moves, give us hope for the next phase of federal cannabis reform, including passing the SAFE Banking Act and finalizing the reclassification of cannabis to Schedule III."

But while Gaetz might, if confirmed, be good for the marijuana industry, there is grave concern even in Republican circles about the damage he could do the Justice Department and the rule of law as a MAGA attorney general. That concern is even deeper outside Republican circles.

Texas Lawmakers Prefile Marijuana Legalization, Medical Marijuana Expansion Bills. The next legislative session doesn’t begin until January, but lawmakers have already prefiled bills to legalize marijuana, impose new restrictions on hemp, and expand the state's low-THC medical marijuana program. And more are likely to come

The House has passed marijuana decriminalization bills in the last three sessions, only to see them die in the Senate. 

Next year, lawmakers will ponder a legalization bill from Rep. Jessica González (D), House Bill 1208. It would legalize the possession of up to 2.5 ounces by people 21 and over and up to 10 ounces at home. It contains no explicit provision for home growing but does envision a legal marijuana market.

They will also consider House Bill 1146 from Rep. Penny Morales Shaw (D). It would expand eligibility for the medical marijuana program by including  as a qualifying condition "a condition that causes chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid."

And there is House Bill 1113 from Rep. Briscoe Cain (R), which would tighten regulations on research and production in the state. It would create a criminal offense of growing hemp without a license and establish a permit that would be required of hemp growers. 

There are also a pair of Senate bills. Senate Bill 170 from Sen. José Menéndez (D) would make the low-THC medical marijuana program a full-blown one, while

Senate Bill 259 from Sen. Carol Alvarado (D), would "expand the use of medical marijuana by allowing doctors & science to dictate what conditions & symptoms are eligible for a prescription."

 of the law."

Drug Policy 

Drug Czar Lauds Decline in Overdose Deaths. With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that drug overdose deaths declined by 14.5 percent year-over-year (in the 12-months ending June 2024), marking the seventh straight month of declines in predicted overdose deaths, Dr. Rahul Gupta, head of the White House Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP—the drug czar's office), is pronouncing himself and the administration pleased. 

"When President Biden and Vice President Harris first took office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing 31% year-over-year," Gupta said in a statement. "That’s why this Administration took immediate action – to make beating the opioid crisis a top priority and a key pillar of the President’s Unity Agenda for the Nation. Over the past four years, we have removed decades-long barriers to treatment for millions of Americans, we have made life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications like naloxone more accessible and affordable across the country, and we have invested historic levels of funding to crack down on the supply of illicit fentanyl at the border," he added.

"The latest data show that our efforts are working, and as a result, there were 16,000 fewer overdose deaths over the last year. Every life saved means one less grieving family and community. The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to continue delivering meaningful progress to reduce drug overdose deaths and save even more lives."