Congressmember Nancy Mace (R-SC) says she believes the Biden administration will finalize its marijuana rescheduling plan “right before the election”.
Congressmember Nancy Mace (R-SC).
Mace, who is the sponsor of the States Reform Act to protect state marijuana laws, discussed the political implications of cannabis and the likelihood of rescheduling during an interview with The Dales Report. Mace’s remarks are consistent with those of a DEA official who said that a final rescheduling order is likely to be issued before October.
When asked if she believes Trump will endorse marijuana reform following his recent comments that he’s beginning to “agree a lot more” that marijuana should be legalized, Mace expressed uncertainty. However, she pointed out his prior support for medical cannabis and emphasized her desire to hear him back rescheduling, noting the “statistically significant number of Republicans” who favor such policies.
Mace also highlighted the need for Republicans to align with public opinion, which she believes strongly supports responsible cannabis regulation.
“The GOP is largely afraid of it,” Mace remarked, attributing this fear to concerns over being challenged in primaries. She suggested that more Republicans would support cannabis reform if they realized the level of public backing it has.
She also emphasized that supporting cannabis reform is not only the “right moral thing to do,” but it also presents a “winning electoral issue,” making it a beneficial move for the party.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, and Republicans need to get on board, because the vast majority of Americans are with me, with you guys, on how to move forward in a very responsible manner”, says Mace. “I would allow states to decide how they want to regulate cannabis. That should be a thing that states are involved at their level, whether it’s medical, recreational, how they want to implement it. Different states have done it different ways, with some successes and some failures.”
Mace criticized her colleagues in Congress for being “clueless” on the complexities of marijuana policy, particularly in the context of the ongoing rescheduling debate.
Mace says “Right now, a good effort would be, between now and the end of the year, is I want to educate members about States Reform Act and then ask them to cosponsor it, showing that we can have a growing level of support”.
