The Biden administration has expressed its opposition to a proposal that would prevent military branches from testing for cannabis use as part of the commissioning or enlistment process, noting concerns about how it could impact military readiness and safety. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a statement on June 11, 2024, outlining its policy concerns regarding various elements of the 2025 NDAA. The bill is currently under consideration by the Rules Committee for upcoming House action.
One specific provision that the administration opposes is Section 532. This section would prohibit military branches from requiring cannabis tests for individuals as a condition of their enlistment or commissioning as officers in the Armed Forces. The OMB highlighted that while it has an appreciation for Congress’s intent to expand the pool of potential military recruits, the office opposes Section 532 because it would stop the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) from testing applicants for delta-8 and delta-9 THC, the active components in cannabis.
Last year, the DoD told legislators that delta-9 THC is the most frequently detected substance in drug tests among active-duty service members. A few military branches have already begun to relax marijuana-related restrictions, including providing waivers for recruits who test positive initially.
In parallel, Republican legislators have introduced a change to the NDAA, which will be reviewed by the Rules Committee. The amendment aims to remove the cannabis-related language from the measure, which had previously been approved by the Armed Services Committee. The Rules Committee will also deliberate on a separate bipartisan amendment to the defense measure. Under the provision, the defense secretary would have to report to Congress on how the agency plans to create, distribute and apply a precise definition for the reenlistment waiver procedure.
This is not the first instance of the Biden administration clashing with congressional cannabis-reform advocates. For instance, the president has routinely included a rider in his budget plans that prohibits the District of Columbia from utilizing local tax revenues to fund the implementation of a recreational cannabis sales system. Interestingly, even with current Republican control, this year’s spending bill has excluded that rider.
Biden has been praised for his other marijuana-related initiatives, even despite these points of dispute. Notably, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recommended reclassifying marijuana as a result of his directive to reassess the drug’s federal classification. He has also granted two rounds of mass cannabis pardons.
This position of the White House is unlikely to be surprising to marijuana companies such as Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) given that such a policy change for the military can only happen once significant reforms have been enacted at the federal level.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/SFWJ
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