On January 20, the Biden administration announced Regina LaBelle as acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. LaBelle, who previously served as the ONDCP’s chief of staff during the Obama administration, appears to be more aligned with harm reduction than a typical candidate for the role.
The 53 Member States of the CND, the UN’s central drug policy-making body, voted to remove cannabis from that Schedule – where it had been placed for 59 years – and to which the strictest control measures apply, that generally discouraged its use for medical purposes.
The reclassification by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) opens the door to greater recognition of the medicinal and therapeutic potential of cannabis. However, the plant’s use for purposes other than medical and scientific will remain illegal.
After years of fits and starts, the legalization of marijuana in New York is most likely in the cards for 2021, given the financial woes spurred by the pandemic.
From reactivating stalled cannabis reform laws, such as the MORE Act, which decriminalizes marijuana, to making federal legalization a reality, there is hope that the new Biden/Harris administration coupled with a Democrat-controlled Congress, could perhaps herald an era of promise and progression for the sector.
NIHC meets w/ @USDA Acting Secretary. “..we felt it was important to update Acting Secretary Kevin Shea on a number of issues including consumer safety and climate smart agriculture.”