U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Open to Rescheduling Cannabis, But Will Soon Resign

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Open to Rescheduling Cannabis, But Will Soon Resign

Attorney General Eric Holder is open to rescheduling cannabis, removing it as a Schedule 1 controlled substance which finds it alongside dangerous drugs such as heroin.

“I think it’s certainly a question that we need to ask ourselves — whether or not marijuana is as serious a drug as is heroin,” Holder said in a Yahoo interview with Katie Kouric. “The question of whether or not they should be in the same category is something that I think we need to ask ourselves, and use science as the basis for making that determination.”

Holder’s announcement that he’s open to rescheduling cannabis comes at the same time as reports that he will resign as soon as a replacement is found; Eric Holder is one of the original members of President Obama’s Cabinet.

Holder was also asked whether or not he thinks cannabis should be decriminalized, saying that it’s “something for Congress to decide”. Holder then referenced the recent legalization of cannabis in Colorado and Washington, saying “we’re going to see what happens there and I think that’ll help inform us as to what we want to do on the federal level.”

In April, Holder stated that the Obama Administration is willing to work with Congress on rescheduling cannabis if they decide to take up the issue.

There’s no word yet on who might replace Holder as head of the Justice Department.

– TheJointBlog