President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that would reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug and open new avenues for medical research, a major shift in federal drug policy that inches closer to what many states have done.
The switch would move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. Cannabis would instead be a Schedule III substance, like ketamine and some anabolic steroids.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation responded to the President's Executive Order and reminded the public, "rescheduling is not the same as legalization."
"The cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana-derived THC products remains illegal under state and federal law, and the KBI will continue to enforce existing laws. "
"The marijuana products sold today are highly potent and pose a direct threat to public health. Rescheduling will allow qualified scientists to conduct reliable research on the long-term impact on the human brain of the use of high-concentration THC products. We believe this will conclusively prove the connection between marijuana use and mental health disorders, especially in children and teens."
"Marijuana products remain just as illegal today as they were yesterday. The KBI will continue our efforts to protect Kansans, especially Kansas children, from those who sell these illegal and dangerous products."