WASHINGTON — The reclassification of marijuana remains a hot topic, and recently it boiled over in the House chamber.
During a House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure hearing, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed that his agency believes that the U.S. Department of Justice’s proposal to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug will not impact the transportation industry’s ability to screen for marijuana.
The issue has been ongoing with numerous industry groups and drivers weighing in on the issue.
Regulating the use of the substance and keeping the safety standards high became a hot topic in the hearing.
Buttigieg directed his comments to Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), who cited two letters that the American Trucking Associations has sent to federal agencies seeking clarity on this major policy shift that could have negative consequences for highway safety.
“We are grateful to Congressman Crawford for elevating this serious issue, and we appreciate Secretary Buttigieg’s focus on providing the transportation industry with the clarity it needs to continue screening for marijuana use among safety-sensitive transportation workers,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear. “If the trucking industry’s ability to conduct drug testing for marijuana use were to be restricted, a heightened risk of impaired drivers would threaten our nation’s roadways. DOT and ATA share the goals of achieving zero highway fatalities and ensuring the commercial driving workforce is qualified to safely operate, which is why we are committed to partnering with DOT to mitigate harmful impacts caused by the potential reclassification of marijuana.”
Marijuana and alcohol remain the most detected drugs in impaired driving crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries. Between 2000 and 2018, crash deaths involving marijuana more than doubled, from 9% to 21.5%. Immediately following Canada’s 2018 legalization of marijuana, the country’s emergency rooms saw a 94% increase in the rate of marijuana-involved traffic injuries.
In response to Congressman Crawford’s line of questioning, Buttigieg explicitly stated that USDOT anticipates that it will maintain the authority to conduct testing of marijuana use by commercial motor vehicle drivers and other safety-sensitive transportation workers.
“The American Trucking Associations has transmitted two letters to your agency highlighting [reclassification] concerns,” said Congressman Crawford. “Mr. Secretary, I think it’s safe to assume that the number of all impaired drivers on our roadways would increase. Can you speak to what your Department is doing to ensure that transportation workers in safety reliant positions can continue to be tested for marijuana use if this proposal goes forward and how your Department plans to address transportation safety in light of DOJ’s ruling?”
“Our understanding of the rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III is that it would not alter DOT’s marijuana testing requirements with respect to the regulated community,” Buttigieg said. “For private individuals who are performing safety-sensitive functions, subject to drug testing, marijuana is identified by name, not by reference to one of those classes. So even if it was in its classification, we do not believe that that would have a direct impact on that authority.”
According to a recent Associated Press report, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, The Associated Press has learned. This would be a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country.
Jack Riley, a former deputy administrator of the DEA, said he had concerns about the proposed change because he thinks marijuana remains a possible “gateway drug,” one that may lead to the use of other drugs.
“But in terms of us getting clear to use our resources to combat other major drugs, that’s a positive,” Riley said, noting that fentanyl alone accounts for more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. a year.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
