Ex-NFL player sues Jeff Sessions to decriminalize marijuana

Ex-NFL player sues Jeff Sessions to decriminalize marijuana

Published on 7/30/17

A small group of people including former NFL player Marvin Washington are suing U.S. Attorney Genereal Jeff Session, the Department of Justice, and the DEA on grounds that it is unconstitutional to categorize cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug. To be classified as a Schedule 1 drug the substance must be considered to have no medical value and a high potential for abuse, and the government agencies in charge have kept cannabis in this category despite over half of the U.S. now having access to some forms of medical marijuana. What some people may not know is that cocaine and crystal meth remain in Schedule II and are considered less dangerous and addictive than marijuana, but does anyone truly believe that? Marvin Washington is currently held back by the Controlled Substances Act in his attempts to open a business that would allow football players the option to use medical marijuana over addictive and dangerous opioid pain killers. 

Attorneys for Washington, who was a defensive end in the National Football League from 1989-99 for the Jets, 49ers and Broncos, argue that "Classifying cannabis as a 'Schedule I drug' is so irrational that it violates the U.S. Constitution," according to the lawsuit.

"The record makes clear that the CSA doesn't make any rational sense, and the Federal Government knows it," said Michael Hiller, lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case. "If the Federal Government doesn't believe in the rationality of its own statute, it's unconstitutional to enforce it."

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