American Bar Association Wants Cannabis Removed from Schedule 1

One of America’s biggest legal organizations wants cannabis removed from Schedule 1.
 
On August 12, 2019, the American Bar Association (ABA) passed a resolution at its annual meeting in San Francisco that urges Congress to end funeral cannabis prohibition. Legalization advocates hope the prominent resolution resonates with lawmakers, who are often lawyers themselves.
 
The resolution also urged Congress to enact legislation that would exempt people in states with legal cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), a 1970 stature that established the U.S.’ federal drug policy.
 
Schedule 1 of the CSA, which cannabis falls under, states that the drug has no medical value and a high potential for abuse. Even further the resolution called for legislation encouraging scientific research into cannabis.
 
“The reason I think this is significant is because the ABA is traditionally so conservative,” attorney and NORML Founder Keith Stroup told Leafly. “I’m thrilled to see it. It seems to be they did a pretty thorough job. I thought all three recommendations were right on.”
 
It’s unclear whether the resolution will actually affect cannabis policy, but Stroup said he thinks it’ll send a message to lawmakers in the U.S.
 
“When the Bar Association gets behind something, for a lot of elected officials, many of whom are lawyers themselves, it gives that position credibility that it wouldn’t otherwise have,” he said. “That’s certainly true with marijuana policy.”