President Donald Trump’s Surgeon General “Mostly Good” on Cannabis Legalization

Jerome Adams, the current surgeon general, has recognized that there is an ongoing opiate crisis that is impacting the nation and that it is one of the foremost challenges that the country is facing. Interestingly enough, his time as the surgeon general is marked by a transition to another type of substance – medical marijuana. The big question that arises is whether drug policy reform may continue and whether it can displace the current epidemic.

A few months ago, Adams stated to an audience in Boston that their marijuana, which is classified as highly dangerous, addictive, and that has no known medical benefits, should be reexamined. There is no research to support the assertions concerning marijuana and it may be time to move forward. However, he then clarified and stated that he does not favor legalization or rescheduling, but he is looking for “evidence-based findings.”

January 2019 featured “National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week.” During the pertinent week, Adams tweeted about marijuana and other medical professionals had called him out on it. In this tweet, he stated,

“No child should ever use #marijuana. It is not safe for the developing brain and it affects learning and memory.”

He then changed the tweet to

“No child should use #marijuana/products non medically.”

This seems to be in-tune with the FDA’s most recent move on marijuana, which was releasing a marijuana-derived pharmaceutical drug for a very specific purpose – which is to treat a certain type of epilepsy in children.

It will be interesting to see what happens going forward and how Adam’s stance may change and evolve with the administration. Of course, because his office is a political one, there may be limits to what can be said and done.