The Trump administration appointed Derek S. Maltz as the acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A 28-year veteran of the agency, Maltz is known for his hardline stance on cannabis and drug policy. Maltz has criticized cannabis legalization, citing its alleged links to public safety concerns, and accused the Department of Justice of politicizing the cannabis rescheduling process.
“President Trump is off to a fast start as the 47th POTUS with border security and the horrible implications of cartels and drug trafficking in America as an area of major importance, so we are not surprised by the recent appointment of Derek Maltz as the Acting Administrator of the US DEA,” said Morgan Paxhia, co-founder and Managing Partner of Poseidon, a burgeoning cannabis investment fund. “President Trump has been getting smart on legal cannabis, sees the economic benefits and is pro MAGA and DOGE. We think it is better to focus less on any appointee’s dated/biased views on cannabis and more so on POTUS as the primary input for potential legislative reform and as it pertains to the scheduling of cannabis.”
This leadership change occurs amid significant delays in the DEA’s hearings on rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Critics fear the Trump administration may abandon the process entirely, which could set back cannabis reform efforts.
H/T: www.benzinga.com
