Ranking Member McBath Statement on Reclassification Executive Order

Atlanta, GA — After President Trump signed an executive order starting the drug reclassification process for marijuana, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, issued the following statement: "Today, President Trump signed an executive order to reschedule marijuana, enabling researchers to study its medical benefits more effectively. This order should serve as a critical first step toward meaningful criminal justice reform for marijuana-related offenses, as envisioned in the Clean Slate Act, which I lead. "While the order will benefit the legal cannabis industry and medical research, reform cannot stop here. This order does not change the criminal penalties or considerations for marijuana-related offenses. Tens of thousands of individuals remain incarcerated for these offenses, and we cannot, in good faith, advance an industry while denying impacted individuals a clear path home to their families, an opportunity to return to their lives, and a chance to contribute in their communities. I stand ready to put people over profits and advance comprehensive criminal justice reform."