Rescheduling marijuana without an explicit drug testing carveout for safety-sensitive workers could ultimately lead to more devastating tragedies and add to the ever-increasing death toll on our nation’s roadways.https://t.co/SMrH2bax0d
— American Trucking (@TRUCKINGdotORG) May 17, 2024
ATA Is Sounding The Alarm For Trucking Over Feds Reclassifying Marijuana
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is raising concerns about an upcoming federal proposal to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
On Thursday, federal authorities proposed changing marijuana's classification from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.
While this proposal would not legalize marijuana at the federal level, it would shift its classification from a substance with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” to one with “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
In response to the proposal, the ATA sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, highlighting the highway safety risks associated with reclassifying marijuana.
The ATA noted that current federal drug testing guidelines for safety-sensitive workers, determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, only permit testing for Schedule I or II drugs.
If marijuana is reclassified as a Schedule III drug, it would likely prevent testing for it among professional drivers and transportation workers under the DOT testing program.