The DPA’s Descheduling Push Faces Scientific Reality

The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is urging President Trump to remove marijuana entirely from the Controlled Substances Act. But critics say the DPA descheduling push ignores science and threatens public safety.

The DPA claims that descheduling would end federal criminalisation, yet it fails to recognise how different modern marijuana is. Today’s strains contain up to 30% THC, compared with less than 4% in the 1990s. DEA data show that THC levels have skyrocketed from 3.96% in 1995 to 16.14% in 2022. Scientists link this spike to addiction, psychosis, and cognitive decline, especially in young people.

If marijuana were fully descheduled, hyper-potent products could flood the market without safeguards. The DPA descheduling push also overlooks existing law. In Gonzales v. Raich (2005), the Supreme Court confirmed that federal authorities can regulate cannabis under the Commerce Clause. Descheduling would open the door to interstate trafficking and undermine states that still prohibit sales.

Ignoring Evidence, Empowering Industry

The DPA’s marijuana policy campaign claims to promote social justice, but data from legalised states tell a different story. In Colorado and California, racial disparities in marijuana arrests still exist. Corporate growers dominate the market while disadvantaged communities remain on the sidelines.

State data from Colorado reveal that just 9% of users—those with cannabis use disorder—generate nearly a quarter of marijuana revenue. That shows how addiction fuels profit. Yet the DPA refuses to call for THC potency caps or recognise the growing link between high-THC use and mental health crises.

By repeating talking points about “freedom” and “consumer choice,” the DPA echoes industry rhetoric. Instead of protecting vulnerable communities, it strengthens corporate control.

Science, Not Lobbying, Must Lead Policy

The DPA descheduling push ignores basic scientific and legal realities. Effective drug policy should rely on research, not lobbying. Until the DPA acknowledges the risks of today’s high-THC products and the influence of Big Marijuana, its campaign remains misleading.

Policymakers must choose science over spin. The future of drug regulation depends on protecting public health, not corporate profit.

Source: The Drug Report