Biden surprised us recently when he made some headway with young voters and Progressives when it comes to gun reform and marijuana. Obviously, it’s not as far as Progressives would like, but definitely moving in the right direction. I’ll take it!
Gun reform
Biden did something gun safety activists have been pushing for since I can remember. You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard the phrase “the gun show loophole.” What is this exactly? Currently, anyone can purchase a gun from a private seller or at a gun show and skip a background check. I have to think that the recent shooting of a professor by a Chinese citizen pushed the needle on this one. How was he able to purchase a firearm? At a gun show, possibly?
We don’t know for sure that’s where it came from—at this point they’re still searching for it—but it does bring awareness to the loophole. While sourcing this article I came across the universal background check laws for my state of Pennsylvania. I’m happy to see that even (legal) private gun sales require a background check.
Pennsylvania Universal Background Check Law
In Pennsylvania, an unlicensed seller may only sell a handgun or short-barreled rifle or shotgun to an unlicensed purchaser at the place of business of a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer or county sheriff’s office.1 The licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer or sheriff must comply with all of the dealer regulations set forth in the Pennsylvania Dealer Regulations section, including a background check on prospective purchaser.2
Closing the gun show loophole may not be as far as we would’ve liked to see reform go, but it’s one thing activists have had near the top of their wishlist for some time now. I know there are people out their celebrating this move, while those on the right are in the fetal position murmuring something about “second amendment.”
Marijuana
Biden has given the HHS the duty of studying the science and the facts in order to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III drug on the DEA’s Schedule of Controlled Substances.
DEA SCHEDULE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
SCHEDULE I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently 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.
SCHEDULE II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are: combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin
SCHEDULE III drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are: products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone
SCHEDULE IV drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence. Some examples of Schedule IV drugs are: Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium, Ativan, Talwin, Ambien, Tramadol
SCHEDULE V drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. Schedule V drugs are generally used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes. Some examples of Schedule V drugs are: cough preparations with less than 200 milligrams of codeine or per 100 milliliters (Robitussin AC), Lomotil, Motofen, Lyrica, Parepectolin
dea.gov
This is a positive next step after last year when he pardoned thousands of people in prison for marijuana possession in D.C., then urged states to follow suit. (Red states said, “Nah, man. Drugs are bad.”)
Secretary Xavier Becerra, head of HHS, is ready to get to work and do some marijuana science. He tweeted: (or X’d . I’m never going to call it X. It’s Twitter, dammit!)
What does this mean?
Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III means we’re closer to legalization. It had to be moved down away from Schedule I before there could be any hope for that to happen. It wouldn’t be possible bureaucratically to go from Schedule I to “harmless.” There are rungs on the ladder to freedom. (I just made that up and it’s stupid, but true in this case!) Now it’s easier for researchers and scientists to do their studies to prove it’s medical uses and it’s safety profile. The science and the facts will bring about decriminalization and hopefully federal legalization of the plant.
Being a Schedule III substance also means less people in prison for possession. Not that it’s a lot of people being thrown in jail for that. The number of people sentenced to prison for simple possession of marijuana has declined every year. How many in 2022? ZERO. Let me go get some sources to back that up. Here you go.
Bonus move: Student debt relief
We can’t forget the 804,000 people who had their student loan debt go from $40,000 to $0 (in one case) recently. So Biden is definitely doing some stuff. Mostly because there’s an election coming up and also because it was the young voters who turned out for the Democrats in 2020 and 2022.
. I know from personal experience that a bunch of my 20-something friends registered and voted for the first time in 2021 just to get rid of Trump. It’s great to see more young people getting into politics and showing up to protest injustices and to advocate for the changes all Progressives want to see in this country. These moves on gun reform, marijuana, and student loan debt are moving us in the right direction.
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