JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, has made a false claim about fentanyl being laced in marijuana, drawing criticism for his stance on drug policy and the border. While Vance emphasizes the dangers of fentanyl, experts refute his claim, pointing to the lack of evidence and the potential consequences of spreading misinformation.
The Olympia City Council in Washington state has voted to decriminalize the possession and use of plant-based psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms. This resolution directs law enforcement to prioritize public safety over pursuing arrests or prosecutions for personal use of these substances, reflecting a growing shift in drug policy approaches nationwide.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, has vetoed a bill that would have established a pilot overdose prevention center in Burlington, the state’s largest city. The center would have included a safe injection site where people could use narcotics under the supervision of trained staff and receive treatment if they overdose. The legislation, supported by the Democratic-controlled Legislature, aimed to allocate $1.1 million for the project. However, Governor Scott expressed concerns about diverting funds from proven prevention and recovery strategies.
In a historic shift, the US President’s administration has proposed reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. This would bring federal policy more in line with public opinion, where 88% of Americans support the legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational use. The reclassification from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug would reduce the potential for arrests at the federal level, facilitate research, and provide a significant boost to the legal industry.
The Biden administration has formally proposed reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift that would bring federal policy more in line with public opinion. Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act since 1970, meaning it is deemed to have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. The proposal would downgrade marijuana to a Schedule III drug, putting it alongside drugs like ketamine and painkillers containing codeine, considered to have a moderate to low likelihood of dependence.
In a historic shift in American drug policy, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) plans to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. This move, announced during an election year, comes as the Biden administration continues to prioritize marijuana sentencing reforms. The DEA’s proposal, if passed, would acknowledge the medical uses of cannabis and its lower potential for abuse compared to some other drugs. However, it would not legalize recreational marijuana use.
Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) is investigating the death of Harley Balic, a former Melbourne and Fremantle player, as part of its probe into the AFL’s illicit drug policy. Balic died in January 2022 at age 25, reportedly struggling with drug addiction and mental health issues. Dr. Zeeshan Arain, a former Melbourne doctor, implicated Balic’s case in a statement submitted to SIA by MP Andrew Wilkie. Arain alleged that clubs often use list management to remove players with substance abuse problems, neglecting their duty of care. SIA’s investigation follows accusations from Wilkie that club doctors conducted illicit drug tests on players who had previously failed tests to avoid anti-doping violations. Dr. Arain has clarified that his statements aimed to expose cultural issues within the AFL, not the illicit drug policy itself. Balic played four games for Fremantle in 2017 and spoke publicly about his mental health battles.
