I am submitting these comments as the CEO, President, and Founder of Village Farms International, a public company, employer, taxpayer, and leading producer of both fresh produce and cannabis. I strongly urge the DEA to support the effort to reschedule cannabis. This would enable the scientific community to generate the clinical data needed to guide the creation of a sound federal cannabis policy.
Prohibition and cannabis’ status as a Schedule I drug have created nearly insurmountable barriers to academic research, especially in clinical settings. Consequently, we lack well-controlled clinical data that could answer current questions about cannabis’ medical applications, efficacy, and potential risks such as abuse. Moving cannabis to a Schedule III classification would allow a measured process to gather data, better understand the science of cannabis, and use these insights to develop a well-regulated industry.
The paradox of cannabis’ Schedule I classification is evident when considering the legal status of alcohol and tobacco. Both are far more likely to be abused, cause dependence, and lead to terminal health conditions, yet they have no medical use as consumer goods. Alcohol and tobacco demonstrate that we can design a well-regulated cannabis industry, one that mitigates potential harms while allowing consumer access. Schedule III is the first step toward correcting these inconsistencies and establishing the groundwork for the U.S. to lead in both scientific and commercial aspects of cannabis.
While high-quality clinical data in humans is lacking, we have a decade of observational data from Canada and 38 U.S. states with medical or recreational cannabis programs. For example:
- States like Colorado report a decrease in use among high schoolers over the past 10 years, from 19.7% to 12.8%, likely due to legalization and normalization.
- Twin studies, which are among the most powerful in science, show no correlation between state legalization of cannabis and increased risk of cannabis use disorder, addiction, or use of other illicit drugs. Additionally, those in legal states showed a reduction in alcohol-related problems.
- The U.S. Health and Human Services Department found that marijuana is not typically among the substances producing the most frequent adverse outcomes or severe substance use disorders, compared to substances like heroin, oxycodone, and alcohol.
- In Canada, the shift from the black market to the regulated market has been dramatic, with only 3% of people reported purchasing from an illegal source, down from 28% in 2018.
- Fewer Canadians have operated a vehicle after using cannabis in the past 12 months, with a decrease from 27% in 2018 to 17%.
The U.S. has long been a leader in innovation and free-market capitalism, yet we have failed on the issue of cannabis due to half-measures and a lack of political leadership. Rescheduling or descheduling cannabis from a Schedule I controlled substance is a widely supported action that is long overdue. Without it, we risk falling behind in the global cannabis market.
As a former aviator, officer, and squadron leader in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a Captain after 26 years of service, I am often asked why we pivoted Village Farms into cannabis despite the regulatory challenges. We did so because we see the immense potential for the cannabis plant to benefit the human endocannabinoid system. I believe that with proper regulation and research-supported opportunities, we can unlock and understand the full potential of this plant within my lifetime. The people of this great country deserve nothing less.
