Alexandria
- Libertarian National Committee Chair Nicholas Sarwark today rebuked
the Obama Administration and the DEA for the decision not to reclassify
marijuana as a schedule 2 substance in spite of overwhelming pressure
and widespread requests to do so. Sarwark has issued this statement:
“The
American people overwhelmingly support a reclassification of this
substance that is actually proven effective in combating multiple
medical disorders as well as being safer than alcohol, tobacco, and most
prescription painkillers.
“DEA
Administrator Chuck Rosenberg is blaming science when he is the one
hamstringing the scientific process with a nonsensical classification.
“Look,
when even the American Academy of Pediatrics is asking the DEA to
reconsider this classification and they STILL continue to stonewall,
this is clearly not government of the people, by the people and for the
people. This is just another example of unelected bureaucrats acting
well outside the will of the American people and the two old political
parties allowing it to happen.
“Only
the Libertarian Party will stand up for making our communities safer by
both ensuring that children don't have access to marijuana, and that
patients do have access to a safe and effective medicine. And, once we
fix our broken policy regarding marijuana, our law enforcement resources
can be redirected to real crimes.”
The
Libertarian Party holds that individuals own their bodies and have
rights over them that other individuals, groups, and governments may not
violate. Individuals have the freedom and responsibility to decide what
they knowingly and voluntarily consume, and what risks they accept to
their own health, finances, safety, or life. The Libertarian Party has
firmly stood against the war on drugs for 45 years and supports any
measure, big or small, to dial it back until freedom is restored.