Sherrod Brown on Drugs Democratic Sr Senator; previously Representative (OH-13)

Supports banking access for those in the marijuana industry

NORML Politician Info: rated A
• SUMMARY: DECRIMINALIZE MEDICAL USE. Holds office U.S. Senate; Candidate in race for US Senate on Tuesday, November 5, 2024

• Biography: Senator Sherrod Brown is most outspoken about cannabis banking and supports banking access for those in the marijuana industry. Senator Sherrod Brown presided over the first committee vote on SAFER Banking in the Senate in September 2023, where the bill was approved, and was vocal about casting an early vote in favor of issue 1 (To legalize adult-use cannabis).

• Comments: "Cannabis banking is just one part of the necessary conversation about marijuana policy," said Brown, a Cleveland Democrat. "There is still much work to be done to acknowledge and mend the damage done by the war on drugs, work to make sure everyone – including our veterans – has access to the medicine they need and allow medical and scientific research on cannabis." (September 27, 2023).

FEND Off Fentanyl Act: stop flow from China & Mexico

Last year, we included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act in the annual defense authorization bill. But this hasn't become law yet, because of politicians in the House playing politics. The FEND Off Fentanyl Act was not the only Committee priority that the House blocked.

Supports medical legalization; opposes federal intervention

Sherrod Brown (D): Supports medical legalization. Wants to study how legalizing recreational works elsewhere before legalizing in Ohio. Opposes federal intervention.

Jim Renacci (R): Opposes recreational legalization. Watch how medical implementation goes. Voted against protecting states from federal intervention.

Rated Zero by NORML, indicating a mixed record on drug reform.

OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2006 NORML scores as follows:

• -30 to -10: `hard-on-drugs` stance (approx. 228 members)
• -9 to +9: mixed record on drug reform (approx. 37 members)
• +10 to +30: pro-drug-reform stance (approx. 109 members)

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law`s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime.

NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession & responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model is called `decriminalization.`

NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as `legalization.`

NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.

NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering.

Lastly, NORML supports the right of farmers to commercially cultivate hemp for industrial purposes, such as food and fiber production.

Rated D by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance.

OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2016 NORML scores as follows:

• C-/D/F: `hard-on-drugs` stance (approx. 243 members)
• C: mixed record on drug reform (approx. 45 members)
• A/B: pro-drug-reform stance (approx. 293 members)

National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law`s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime.

NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession & responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model is called `decriminalization.`

NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as `legalization.`

NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited.

NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering.

Lastly, NORML supports the right of farmers to commercially cultivate hemp for industrial purposes, such as food and fiber production.

Criminalize imports of opioid precursors.

Excerpts from Letter from 17 Senators to the President of the European Commission We write to request designating NPP and ANPP, which are precursor chemicals of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, as Table I substances under the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. NPP and ANPP are [legal under EU law but] already controlled in the U.S. under the Controlled Substances Act. However, without collective international action it will be difficult to control NPP and ANPP, and will frustrate efforts to curb manufacturing and trafficking of illicit fentanyl.

Opposing argument: (ACLU, `Against Drug Prohibition`): People in almost all cultures, in every era, have used psychoactive drugs. A `drug free America` is not a realistic goal, and by criminally banning psychoactive drugs the government has ceded control of potentially dangerous substances to criminals. Instead of trying to stamp out drug use, our government should focus on reducing drug abuse and prohibition-generated crime. This requires a fundamental change in public policy: repeal of criminal prohibition and the creation of a reasonable regulatory system.

Opposing argument: (Cato Institute, `Do Restrictions Reduce Opioid Poisonings?`, by Jeffrey Miron): Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), which record a patient`s opioid prescribing history, when required as `must access,` PDMPs significantly reduce misuse in Medicare Part D. But there is no statistically significant effect on opioid poisoning incidents. How is this possible? The simplest explanation is that, despite all the hype, prescription opioids are not that dangerous, even in heavy doses, when used under medical supervision. Instead, most poisonings reflect use of diverted prescription opioids, or black market opioids, which may be adulterated. Under this interpretation, restrictions on opioid prescribing might even increase opioid poisonings.