Todd Rokita Challenges Federal Marijuana Reclassification as Indiana Remains One of Nation’s Strictest States

There was an interesting article in the Capital Chronicle about Todd Rokita coming. Look, he's very angry. The attorney general, Todd Rokita. He's very angry that adults might be making consensual, informed decisions with their doctors about their health and pain management. He cannot stand that. And so, Attorney General Todd Rokita has joined in a lawsuit with Louisiana and Nebraska, challenging the federal government's move to reclassify marijuana's legal status. Now, for those of you who don't know, Indiana is one of only ten states that don't allow either medical or recreational marijuana sales. We prefer here that you get hooked on dangerous opioids. Look, this should be a no brainer conversation, especially on medical marijuana. The idea that we license people to practice medicine and then we say, no, no, no, you can't do that. We know better than you. I mean, I get that you're the doctor and I get that, you know, medicine and we license you to practice medicine because we say, you know, medicine, but we're not going to allow you to do that. I mean, it's ridiculous.

Rokita Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Opposing Federal Medical Marijuana Changes

And then we force people through pain management to use these dangerous opioids, which are addictive. They're dangerous. And that's the only real recourse people have for pain management. It's disgusting. It's gross. And by the way, public polling overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly, and it has been this way for years has supported medical marijuana in the state of Indiana. Like 80% plus of people. This shows you how strong the big pharma lobby is. 80% of people aren't for anything. It's a home run for the politicians and they won't do it. And then when the federal government tries to remove barriers to allow you to do it, because we've heard that from the. We've heard it from Indiana for years, especially under Holcomb. Well, we're just waiting for the feds to act. Oh, you know, we don't want to do anything that might run afoul of federal law. Yeah, but the feds are ignoring it. Yeah, but the technical letter of the law says. Yeah, but the feds have basically said, do whatever you want. No. Well, the feds. And so now the feds have said, okay, sure. We'll eliminate the barrier. And now Todd Rokita goes, no, no, no, no, no, no, not good enough. The proposed federal change would move state approved medical marijuana from a schedule one drug reserved for drugs, with no acceptable medical use to schedule three, a less restrictive category that recognizes some medical uses. So for years, Indiana said, well, it's just these pesky feds that are standing in our way. And then the feds said, okay, we won't stand in your way as much. And then Indiana said, no, no, no, we're going to sue you because you're trying to not stand in our way. What? How do you come to any conclusion other than this is the big pharma lobby at work? They don't want competition. According to the Capital Chronicle, Rokita, as we said, is partnering with attorney generals in Nebraska and Louisiana. I'm calling these guys the Triangle of Terror. That's my name for them, the Triangle of Terror. Because what they're doing, they're partnering up to try to stop people from making informed medical choices. Here's what the Triangle of Terror has written about the federal government, adhering to the wishes of what we were told was the state of Indiana, that the feds need to make it easier for medical marijuana to be used. Quote. And ultimately, that this agency action is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not in accordance with law. Petitioners thus asked that this court declare unlawful and vacate the final agency action. Translation, we don't want you to have options. We don't want you to be able to work with your doctor. We want you to suffer. I did an opioid one time. It was after I had my hair transplant done. I took one. It was awful. And I said, nope. And my wife's like, but you're gonna be in so much pain. Don't care. I said, I cannot imagine getting hooked on these things. I'll take the Tylenol.

Indiana Leaders Continue Resisting Medical Marijuana Despite Strong Public Support

Here's what Rokita said. Well, Todd was very busy at the track and doing other things. He didn't have time to respond. But here's what Rokita's office said on his behalf. Here's the quote. This is why I guess Todd Rokita would rather you get hooked on dangerous drugs that make an informed decision with your doctor. One of our office's top priorities is protecting Hoosier families, especially our children and young people. You gotta be freaking kidding me. We're talking about medical marijuana. Todd. And you can put whatever restrictions around it you want. If you want to say doctors can't prescribe it to children, then okay. We're protecting our children and our young people from the serious dangers posed by expanded access to marijuana under the supervision of a doctor. Dummies. These guys, they're pathetic. Like they're pathetic people. People like Todd Rokita are pathetic people. They have zero shame. He wants you to believe, by the way, the legislature hasn't even acted yet. They haven't done anything with it. This is just the federal government, the Trump administration, which I find it ironic that Rokita is suing. The Trump administration. Trump's the greatest guy in the world, the smartest guy who ever lived, the greatest president. Let's put him on Mount Rushmore. Oh, Rokita suing him. That's how strong the pharma lobby is in this country and the state, apparently. I mean, unless there's another explanation, nobody believes you're doing it for kids. Todd, we're talking about medical marijuana. This isn't even about recreational marijuana. It's about the federal government recognizing there are medical benefits to marijuana and doing what Holcomb begged for years, claimed he was begging. When Holcomb really wasn't begging. But that was the excuse, right? Well, those feds. This is not a harmless substance. How about opioids, Todd? Are they harmless? People ask, why are you so mean to the Republican Party? Because of this. People are dying. People are hurting. People are suffering. People are suffering and then dying because their only choice is for pain management. Well, these dangerous opioids. Yeah. No thanks.

Debate Shifts to Opioids, Pain Management, and Patient Medical Choices

It carries well-documented risks, including addiction. Oh, how about opioids, Todd? Do they carry a risk of addiction? Don't see you coming down on them. Don't see you telling the federal government to ban opioids. If I missed that, let me know. Direct me to that. Permanent damage to adolescent brain power. We're not talking about kids. Todd. See, he's deliberately trying to confuse everyone. This is very clearly about the federal government recognizing that there is medical benefit to marijuana in certain cases. That's it. And then the legislature has to act on it. The federal government can reclassify tomorrow. The legislature still has to act, which, by the way, how much irony is it that Mike Bohacek is the guy that's going to carry the marijuana bill next year? The state senator who drove drunk was so drunk the Panda Express people called him in. Food all over him. That's the face of the marijuana bill next year. Don't tell me they're doing everything in there. They're not doing everything in their power to make this thing fail. Remember, Bohacek refused the breathalizer and they did the blood test and he was basically like three times the legal limit. It carries well documented risks, including addiction, permanent damage to adolescent brain power, increased rates of psychosis and depression, and significantly higher incidences of impaired driving. Then don't let people drive. My God, this guy is disgusting. Yeah. Great point Todd. Several of your buddies in the General Assembly have had a problem driving with alcohol. Should we name them?

Medical Marijuana Fight Highlights Growing Divide Between State Officials and Voters

Like, it's just gross. And you know what pisses me off about this? And again, I'm not a person who has ever done marijuana. I have no intention of ever doing recreational marijuana. But this isn't about me. It's about when I see people that are suffering, when I see people that need pain management, when I see people who are forced into just deal with it or take dangerous opioids. I get pissed off about it. It's wrong. And Todd Rokita is a really rotten human being. Did you like how I said rotten human being instead of the word I wanted to say? Because we have vowed to return to our family friendly programming. We have consistently opposed both the reclassification and any softening of marijuana's status under federal or state law. This lawsuit is simply the latest example of that firm commitment. Man, my heart hurts for the people who have cancer or ALS or any other number of things that are just looking for a little bit of relief. And then the Trump administration, to their credit, offers some hope, some.