Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee Considers Resolution Urging Federal Descheduling of Cannabis

LOS ANGELES — The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee is currently examining a resolution that urges the federal government to remove cannabis from the list of controlled substances. The resolution highlights that 38 U.S. states and four territories have implemented regulations for medical cannabis, while 21 states, two territories, and Washington, D.C. have legalized cannabis for adult use.

Furthermore, the resolution highlights the recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The WHO has called for the removal of cannabis from the most restrictive category of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs has voted in favor of reclassifying cannabis under the convention.

The resolution also addresses the issue of federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws, which often result in nonviolent cannabis offenders serving disproportionately long sentences. The resolution criticizes these laws and calls for a review process to reconsider the classification of controlled substances.

Sponsored by 17 state lawmakers, the resolution calls for the U.S. Attorney General to initiate a review process considering available evidence for changing the schedule classification of controlled substances. Additionally, it urges the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a review process to reschedule controlled substances.

It is important to note that while Pennsylvania has a medical cannabis program in place, the state has not yet legalized cannabis for adult use. However, the proposed resolution demonstrates a growing recognition among state lawmakers of the need for federal reform and aligns with the evolving national landscape surrounding cannabis regulation.