{"id":4001,"date":"2024-06-11T09:44:10","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T23:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/trucking-industry-group-opposes-federal-effort-to-reclassify-marijuana-2\/"},"modified":"2024-06-11T09:44:10","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T23:44:10","slug":"trucking-industry-group-opposes-federal-effort-to-reclassify-marijuana-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/trucking-industry-group-opposes-federal-effort-to-reclassify-marijuana-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Trucking industry group opposes federal effort to reclassify marijuana"},"content":{"rendered":"

June 3, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n

\"CannabisTruckDriving\"Washington \u2014 Federal action aimed at easing restrictions on marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act<\/a> \u201cmay have considerable negative consequences for highway safety and safety-sensitive industries,\u201d the American Trucking Associations claims.<\/p>\n

Dan Horvath, senior vice president of regulatory affairs and safety policy at ATA, sent a letter<\/a> on May 15 to the departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Transportation.<\/p>\n

The correspondence preceded a May 21 notice of proposed rulemaking<\/a> from DOJ and the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking comment on rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III controlled substance from Schedule I. Although such a move wouldn\u2019t legalize marijuana at the federal level, it would change its classification<\/a> to a drug with \u201clower degree of abuse potential\u201d and \u201ca moderate to low level of physical dependence,\u201d the notice states.<\/p>\n

Because the federal government tests safety-sensitive workers for only Schedule I or II controlled substances, ATA is concerned that \u201cwithout additional action, deregulation or rescheduling of marijuana would have the likely consequence of precluding testing for all professional drivers and transportation workers as part of the DOT testing program,\u201d Horvath writes.<\/p>\n

He adds: \u201cIf the trucking and broader transportation industries\u2019 ability to conduct drug testing is restricted, the risk of impaired drivers operating on our nation\u2019s roadways undetected would increase, endangering all who share the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

As of March, marijuana represented nearly 60% of positive employer drug tests of regulated truck drivers reported to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration\u2019s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse<\/a>, the letter notes.<\/p>\n

DOJ and DEA say that \u201cif marijuana is transferred into Schedule III, the manufacture, distribution, dispensing and possession of marijuana would remain subject to the applicable criminal prohibitions of the CSA.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny drugs containing a substance within the CSA\u2019s definition of \u2018marijuana\u2019 would also remain subject to the applicable prohibitions in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike alcoholics, daily pot users often use pot all day long; wake and bake, before breakfast, after breakfast, before lunch, after lunch, before dinner, after dinner, etc. This likely makes them impaired anytime they drive and they often drive when traffic is heavy. <\/em>-Scott Chipman VP of AALM<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Source: Safety & Health Magazine  – June 2024<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Also see<\/strong><\/p>\n