Biden’s Health Department calls for reclassifying marijuana as lower-risk drug



The United States Department of Health and Human Services recently recommended in a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration that the agency reclassify marijuana as a lower-risk drug.

CNBC confirmed with the DEA on Wednesday that the Health Department suggested moving marijuana from a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act to a Schedule III.

There are five distinct drug categories, which are determined by the substance’s acceptable medical use and dependency potential.

According to the DEA, Schedule I substances are drugs with no accepted medical use and “a high potential for abuse.”

“Some examples of Schedule I drugs are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote,” the DEA stated.

Schedule II substances have “a high potential for abuse,” including some prescription drugs.

Schedule III drugs have “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” Substances in this category include ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone, the DEA reported.

A spokesperson for the agency told CNBC that it will begin a review of the drug to determine whether to reclassify it. If the DEA accepts the request to reclassify marijuana to a lower drug category, it could reduce criminal penalties.

Marijuana is currently legal for medical use in 38 states, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported.

The Biden administration previously requested that the Health Department and U.S. attorney general assess the drug’s Schedule I classification. In 2020, Biden ran on the promise to “decriminalize” the substance.

The Minority Cannabis Business Association urged Biden “to make good on his promise to end arrests for marijuana and fully remove marijuana from the CSA.”

“This is the only way to ensure equity, social justice, and economic opportunities in the cannabis industry,” the MCBA added.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “I can now share that, following the data and science, @HHSGov has responded to @POTUS’ directive to me for the Department to provide a scheduling recommendation for marijuana to the DEA. We’ve worked to ensure that a scientific evaluation be completed and shared expeditiously.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) applauded the Health Department for doing “the right thing.”

“DEA should now follow through on this important step to greatly reduce the harm caused by draconian marijuana laws,” Schumer wrote on X. “There is still much more that needs to be done legislatively to end the federal prohibition on cannabis and roll back the War on Drugs.”

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Biden admin backs down after threatening Catholic hospital over display of 1 chapel candle



The Biden administration caved on Friday after trying to force a Catholic hospital in Oklahoma to snuff out a chapel candle.

Religious liberty attorney Lori Windham announced the decision to Glenn Beck on his radio program.

“The government has seen the light and has abandoned its attempt to force an Oklahoma hospital to blow out a small candle or stop serving elderly, disabled, and low-income patients,” said Windham on Twitter.

\u201c#BREAKING: The government has seen the light and has abandoned its attempt to force an Oklahoma hospital to blow out a small candle or stop serving elderly, disabled, and low-income patients. @HHSGov has told Saint Francis that it can keep its living flame\u2014a sacred candle housed\u2026\u201d
— LoriWindham (@LoriWindham) 1683297362

"[HHS] has told Saint Francis that it can keep its living flame — a sacred candle housed in the hospital chapels," she added.

The government had notified Saint Francis Health System that it would have to snuff out the candle over safety concerns. If it refused, its ability to accept Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) would be revoked.

Windham, who is the vice president and senior counsel of the Becket Fund, criticized the government for what appeared to be a capricious and unreasonable infringement on religious liberty.

"The government’s demand is absurd and unlawful — it is targeting Saint Francis’s sincere beliefs without any good reason," said Windham in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "The government has a simple choice: either stop this attack on Saint Francis’s faith or expect a legal firestorm."

Windham pointed out that the hospital provided care for about 400,000 patients every year and employs more than 11,000 workers at its Tulsa hospital.

"The flame is far from medical equipment and shielded by glass holders and a brass top. It has never caused a problem, the fire marshal has never complained, and the feds were fine with it until last month," she added.

Experts opined that if the federal government continued its demands that it would have likely led to an ugly legal battle over religious rights.

Saint Francis Health System is the 12th largest hospital in the U.S.

Here's the video of Windham with Glenn Beck:

\u201cBREAKING: The CMS and HHS have reversed course and will ALLOW Saint Francis Health System in Oklahoma to keep its chapel candle lit, @LoriWindham1, who's representing the Catholic hospital, tells me. This is a HUGE WIN for religious freedom.\u201d
— Glenn Beck (@Glenn Beck) 1683299900

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FDA and Florida clash over federal restriction of monoclonal antibody treatments



On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration removed two monoclonal antibody therapies from the list of approved COVID-19 treatments, subsequently forcing treatment sites to close despite these locations being pivotol to Florida's COVID-19 response.

The FDA made this announcement Monday in a press release stating that the bamlanivimab-etesevimab cocktail and the REGEN-COV treatments were to be removed from the list of emergency use authorizations.

It continued by saying that these treatments should only be used “when the patient is likely to have been infected with or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments” because “data show these treatments are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant.” The FDA did not elaborate or provide the data.

The FDA argued against the preventive treatments, stating that “treatments are not a substitute for vaccination in individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination and a booster dose are recommended.”

The Washington Post reported that Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and author of Monday’s press release, said that these monoclonal antibody treatments are “highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant” and that “these treatments are not authorized to be used at this time.”

The FDA press release states that “these [monoclonal antibody] treatments are not authorized for use in any U.S. states, territories, and jurisdictions at this time.”

However, the press release did not mention that the Omicron variant can circumvent COVID immunity gained through vaccination.

In an interview with the French outlet Le Monde, Ugur Sahin, the CEO of BioNTech, the co-developer of the Pfizer vaccine, confirmed this by saying, “We must be aware that even triple-vaccinated are likely to transmit the disease. ... It is obvious we are far from 95% effectiveness that we obtained against the initial virus.”

The FDA’s decision will force monoclonal antibody treatment facilities around the country to close their doors to those seeking treatment for COVID-19 other than the mRNA vaccine.

In Florida, monoclonal antibodies proved to be a vital lifeline in the state’s approach to combatting COVID-19. Officials from the state of Florida condemned the FDA’s decision, claiming it was made without any warning and determined through analyzing clinical data not made available to the public.

After @HHSGov avoided communication with @HealthyFla regarding statewide allocations, without any warning, @US_FDA suspended the use of multiple MABs treatments. Such decisions should be made based on clinical data - which the FDA has not provided.pic.twitter.com/zpWl7ZGODQ
— Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD (@Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD) 1643065270

The Florida Department of Health issued a statement countering the FDA. In it, the state’s Department of Health lamented being forced to shut down state-run monoclonal antibody treatment sites, stating, “Florida disagrees with the decision that blocks access to any available treatments in the absence of clinical data.”

As a result of the @US_FDA's abrupt decision to remove the EUAs for two monoclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibody treatment sites will be closed until further notice. Full press release is below.pic.twitter.com/RGeWTPwxCs
— Florida Dept. of Health (@Florida Dept. of Health) 1643080563

FDA reverses course, will not charge distilleries who made hand sanitizer massive fees



After public outrage erupted over the Food and Drug Administration's decision to charge distilleries who made hand sanitizer a massive $14,060 fee, the agency announced on Twitter that it will reverse its decision and not charge those fees.

As noted by TheBlaze Thursday and first reported by Reason, many of the approximately eight hundred United States distilleries who switched some of their production to hand sanitizer in the early stages of the pandemic were stunned to receive a letter from the FDA in late December informing them that they had been designated "over-the-counter drug monograph facilities" under the CARES Act, and would be required to pay a $14,060 fee by February 11th.

The alcoholic beverage industry has suffered during the pandemic due to the decimation of the tourism industry. Thus, the unexpected fees threatened to put many smaller distilleries out of business, leading many trade associations to hope that the FDA would reverse their decision. However, it was noted that the agency was not expected to act during the course of the holidays.

Surprisingly, however, the agency responded quickly, and tweeted Thursday afternoon that distilleries would not be required to pay the fee.


BREAKING: @HHSGov Acts Swiftly to Protect Small Businesses from Arbitrary Fees Statement from Brian Harrison, HHS… https://t.co/hWDkkLq1CR
— HHS Office of Public Affairs (@HHS Office of Public Affairs)1609456026.0

According to a statement released on Twitter, Health and Human Services Chief of Staff Brian Harrison stated, "Small businesses who stepped up to fight COVID-19 should be applauded by their government, not taxed for doing so. I'm pleased to announce we have directed FDA to cease enforcement of these arbitrary, surprise user fees. Happy New Year, distilleries, and cheers to you for helping keep us safe!"

In a statement provided to CNN, Harrison further elaborated that the fees were a "mistake" and said they had not been approved by senior leadership at HHS. "Many of these are rather small business, craft distilleries, and their business and livelihoods were damaged when restaurants closed down. But they jumped into the fray and joined the fight against Covid. It was nothing short of heroic. They are American heroes."