Ex-Rep. Kinzinger on GOP’s internal war over drug policy, cannabis, psychedelics – ‘Quite likely legal in 5-10 years’
Adam Kinzinger has never been one to toe the party line. As a former Republican congressman, he has seen his party shift over the years, growing more divided on key issues – including drug policy.
“There is a group within this kind of new whatever-we-want-to-call-it Republican Party, I guess, that is very hardcore anti-drug,” Kinzinger says. “It’s kind of like from the ’80s.” The old-guard mentality, deeply rooted in the Reagan-era War on Drugs, still holds significant sway. But another force is emerging. “You also have a group of more libertarians, which are more open to things like cannabis and psychedelics and things like that,” he adds. “So I don’t know who’s going to win that fight.” Trump’s recent appointment of Terrance Cole as DEA chief has further clouded the outlook. A veteran of the agency with a long history of enforcing strict drug policies, Cole has been vocal in his support of the “Just Say No” approach to cannabis – an ideology that helped fuel the War on Drugs in the 1980s. His selection signals that the DEA is unlikely to prioritize rescheduling efforts and some advocates now worry that the process could stall or even be reversed under Trump’s leadership. Beyond the DEA, Trump’s broader personnel choices also suggest a return to hardline drug policies. His new Attorney General, Pam Bondi, previously opposed medical cannabis efforts in Florida, while OMB Director Russ Vought has supported federal crackdowns on cannabis businesses. With key figures in place who have historically resisted drug policy reform, the path forward for cannabis legalization is increasingly uncertain. Psychedelic reform faces similar challenges. While states like Oregon and Colorado have moved ahead, the federal government’s stance remains unclear. The FDA’s rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy last year already slowed progress, and with a DEA chief openly opposed to drug reform, the chances of federal approval in the near future have diminished.
Original Article (Benzinga):
EXCLUSIVE Ex-Rep. Kinzinger on GOP’s internal war over drug policy, cannabis, psychedelics – ‘Quite likely legal in 5-10 years’
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