The Justice Department announced Wednesday a “first-of-its-kind” indictment against 22 Chinese nationals and three Americans for allegedly engaging in an international drug trafficking scheme targeting the United States. 
An indictment handed down Wednesday from a federal grand jury in Ohio takes aim at dozens of defendants and four Chinese companies for a plot to ship drug-cutting agents, used to dilute the product and increase its volume to boost profits, from China into America. All the defendants are charged with conspiring with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a fentanyl mixture and conspiring to launder money internationally.
“Today’s announcement marks a first-of-its-kind international operation for the FBI targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans and indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursor chemicals fueling the destruction of our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. 
Prosecutors say that the companies used a number of Chinese nationals “located overseas” to negotiate for payments for illegal cutting agents to drug traffickers in Ohio. Cutting agents are often added to illicit drugs like cocaine, heroin, and meth. 
The Chinese companies targeted include Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Company, Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Company, and Hebei Feilaimi Technology Company. 
The Americans charged in the operation include 39-year-old Eric Michael Payne of Ohio and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Auriyon Tresan Rayford. Ciandrea Bryne Davis of Atlanta was also charged for her alleged role in using cryptocurrency to pay Chinese nationals associated with companies for the drug-cutting agents. 
Payne is accused of purchasing several kilogram shipments of cutting agents from Chinese companies posing as legitimate pharmacies. He and the other Americans allegedly purchased at least 10 kilograms of fentanyl agents since 2022 that could be used in up to 150 kilograms of fentanyl mixture sold on the streets. 
“Our indictment alleges that Chinese companies and affiliated foreign nationals intentionally and openly marketed, delivered, and exported to the United States controlled substances and other compounds that they knew would be used by domestic drug dealers to increase the yield and potency of fentanyl distributed in this country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace II. “As explained in court documents, these deadly drug mixtures were then sold directly into our communities here in southern Ohio.”
The Chinese defendants were listed as Lihui Zhao, [name unknown], Shanhong Jiang, Yan Yang, Fengdi Zhang, Dehui Xia, Xing Wu Chen, Qing Lin Wang, Xiaojun Huang, Meixiang Yao, Zhanpeng Huang, Yuqing Feng, Dongjing Sun, Chengqi Nong, Tiduo Wei, Zhisong Nie, Jichao Zhu, Zhengzhe Yin, Changgen Du, Hongfei Wang, Huatao Yao, and Xuening Gao.

Press conference at White House

22 Chinese Nationals Charged In International Drug Trafficking Scheme

China

Department of Justice

Drugs

Fentanyl

kash patel

Ohio

Chicago&#8217;s mayor leads protests against President Trump&#8217;s potential crime crackdown as judges block the deportation of illegal immigrants. India cozies up to China and Russia at a summit in Beijing, a major foreign policy challenge for the Trump administration as a federal court strikes down his tariffs. The FDA moves to ban a potent, opioid-like substance called 7-OH that is being sold in gas stations and marketed to kids.
It’s Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>Chicago Mayor Fights Trump Crime Crackdown</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-967537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is leading protests against President Trump&#8217;s potential federal crime crackdown in his city, while Democrat-appointed judges are blocking the administration&#8217;s efforts to deport illegal immigrants.
After President Trump signaled that Chicago would be the next target of a federal crime crackdown similar to the one in Washington, D.C., Mayor Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have threatened non-cooperation and legal action. Pritzker called a potential deployment of the National Guard an &#8220;invasion,&#8221; and Johnson has preemptively ordered Chicago police not to cooperate with any federal law enforcement. The moves have drawn criticism from some local Democrats who argue the city should be coordinating with the federal government to reduce crime.
Meanwhile, the administration&#8217;s deportation efforts are being stalled in the courts. On Sunday, a Biden-appointed judge blocked the deportation of 76 Guatemalan children. Last week, an Obama-appointed judge halted the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 gang member. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted a clip of a recent CBS News interview, noting that the network edited out the serious allegations against Abrego Garcia, including that he is a &#8220;known human smuggler&#8221; and a &#8220;wife beater&#8221; who &#8220;solicited nude photos from minors.&#8221;
<h2>India Tilts Toward China, Russia as Court Strikes Down Trump Tariffs</h2>
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Topline: In a major foreign policy challenge for the Trump administration, India’s Prime Minister joined the leaders of China and Russia for a summit in Beijing, signaling a potential realignment as a U.S. federal court struck down many of President Trump’s global tariffs.
This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting a summit with leaders from across Asia and the Middle East. A rare public display of unity between Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is setting off &#8220;alarm bells in Washington.&#8221; The move is seen as a direct response to Trump&#8217;s 50% tariffs on Indian goods and signals that India is willing to work with U.S. adversaries if its relationship with Washington deteriorates.
The summit comes as a federal appeals court dealt a major blow to Trump&#8217;s signature trade policy. On Friday, the court ruled that the president was not justified in using emergency powers to unilaterally impose his global tariffs. Trump responded over the weekend, warning, &#8220;More than 15 Trillion Dollars will be invested in the USA&#8230; If a Radical Left Court is allowed to terminate these Tariffs, almost all of this investment&#8230; will be immediately cancelled!” The ruling allows the tariffs to remain in effect until at least October, giving the Supreme Court time to potentially hear the case.
<h2>FDA Moves to Ban Opioid-Like ‘Kratom’ Product</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-967539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MRN-9.2.25-Tue-SH3.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The FDA is taking emergency action to ban 7-OH, a potent, opioid-like substance derived from the kratom plant that is being sold in gas stations and vape shops and aggressively marketed to children.
The FDA has recommended that 7-OH be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, which would make it illegal to sell or possess. The agency says the compound is an opioid, up to 13 times more potent than morphine, and carries significant health risks, including addiction and overdose. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary issued a stark warning that the substance &#8220;may be the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic.&#8221;
The products are sold in forms that are appealing to kids, such as fruit-flavored gummies, vapes, and even ice cream cones, often without clear or accurate labeling. There is currently no federal age restriction on the products. The move to ban the substance comes after a number of anecdotal reports of addiction and death, including a Georgia two-year-old who had to be revived with Narcan after accidentally ingesting a 7-OH product marketed as an &#8220;energy pill.&#8221; Several states, led by Florida and Ohio, are also moving to ban or restrict the substance.

MRN 9.02.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Chicago Crime, Beijing Summit, FDA Moves To Ban ‘Kratom’

Brandon Johnson

Chicago

Communist China

Global Politics

Illegal Immigration

Illinois

India

JB Pritzker

Russia

U.S.

NASHVILLE — Banana Taffy, Dragon Drink, Hawaiian Fruit Punch. Those aren’t smoothies or soft drinks. Those are a sampling of the variety of vapes that continue to enter the United States illegally from China in 2025.
Cases of the brightly-colored devices lined the booths at this year’s Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. Some vape devices featured LED screens. Some were stackable, allowing up to three flavors, enabling the user to concoct their own mixture of candy-like vape flavors. Other vapes were stylized as designer purses. One wholesaler employee pitched a pastel vape device that doubled as a fidget toy.
And as of 2020, all of them were illegal.
<div id="attachment_966933" style="width: 453px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966933" class="wp-image-966933 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg 443w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-231x300.jpg 231w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-768x999.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-1181x1536.jpg 1181w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6.jpg 1516w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 443px) 100vw, 443px" />A promotional flyer for the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee.</div>
While American manufacturers like JUUL only sell vapes in menthol and tobacco flavors — the only legal flavors in the United States — wholesalers skirt Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations by importing vape products from China. These unregulated Chinese vapes are flooding the United States, despite warning letters and threats of seizure by the FDA. At the Alternative Products Expo, wholesalers promoted their illegal, Chinese vape products completely out in the open.
The Chinese company <a href="https://www.kangvapecig.com/">Kangvape</a> prominently displayed its TC8000 vape. The booth stocked the flavors Cool Mint, Miami Mint, Pineapple Coconut, Vintage, Virginia Tobacco, and Watermelon Ice. A flyer advertised an additional 23 flavors, including Rainbow Paradise.
Kangvape also sold its Speedy Beast vape in 20 flavors — none of which included tobacco or menthol. Instead, the Speedy Beast boasted the exotic-sounding Blue Laffi Taffi, Ruby Delight, and Tropical Starburst.
These are being openly hawked with no concern for past threats of action. The FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nfv-llc-dba-nfdvapes-and-nic-fix-doctor-673307-12122023">cited</a> the Rainbow Paradise flavor of the TC8000 in a warning letter from December 2023. Another FDA warning letter from April 2024 <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/highfi-vape-682420-04302024">noted</a> the illegal Kangvape Onee Stick. 
<div id="attachment_966947" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966947" class="wp-image-966947 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg" alt="" width="419" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg 419w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-218x300.jpg 218w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-768x1055.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1118x1536.jpg 1118w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1490x2048.jpg 1490w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4.jpg 1496w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" />ZColors by ZLAB is another Chinese vape company that sells its products in the United States.</div>
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said cracking down on illegal vapes is a “top priority” for the agency, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-priority-fda-to-crack-down-on-illegal-chinese-vapes">reported</a>.
“Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA’s list,” Makary said. “We don’t even know what’s in some of these vaping products.”
There are only 39 vape products that have been authorized by the FDA.
An FDA spokesman says a federal task force is facilitating actions against illegal products.
“FDA has taken numerous actions against unauthorized new tobacco products from international firms, including e-cigarettes that are most popular with youth,” the spokesman told The Daily Wire.
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The FDA reports that it has seized millions of dollars’ worth of illegal products. In January, the agency seized $7 million worth of vape products, including the brand Geek Bar, which an FDA press release <a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/more-7-million-worth-illegal-e-cigarettes-seized-federal-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> “may appeal to youth.”
The seizures haven’t scared Kangvape. The company sold dozens of boxes of Geek Bar vapes at the Expo, featuring flavors ranging from Banana Taffy Freeze to Blue Razz Ice.
Federal action appears to have had little impact on Chinese vapes in general. The Expo featured wholesalers that have received FDA warning letters and seemingly ignored them.
One such wholesaler, Safa Goods, was a sponsor of the Expo. Its name appeared on Expo nametags, as did advertisements for two other illegal vape brands, Beri Crush and Raz LTX.
The warning letter to Safa, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/safa-goods-llc-665079-10052023">sent</a> in October 2023, cited the illegal vape product EB Design BC5000 Blue Razz Ice. Safa’s booth didn’t advertise the EB vapes. But it did sell the illegal vape Raz LTX 25K, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/vapejuicecom-709722-05302025">cited</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
The Raz LTX 25K is a <a href="https://mipod.com/blogs/mipodblog/what-happened-to-raz-dc25000-vapes?srsltid=AfmBOor8Y9qvgdp0D6RivbJ6vGd7lvXcRpp2AeXAOV_R7DvF28cbEUfl">rebrand</a> of the Raz DC25000, which has also been cited in multiple FDA warning letters. Safa’s Expo booth sold the flavor Mango Loco, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/thesmokeplugcom-709720-05302025">named</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
<div id="attachment_967009" style="width: 452px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-967009" class="wp-image-967009 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg" alt="" width="442" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-230x300.jpg 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-768x1000.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1179x1536.jpg 1179w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1572x2048.jpg 1572w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7.jpg 1612w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px" />Safa Goods, a U.S. company that distributes Chinese vape products, was a sponsor of the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville.</div>
Safa also sold dozens of flavors aside from menthol and tobacco in additional brands.
The company is the subject of a New York lawsuit <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-sues-nations-largest-vape-distributors-fueling-youth">suing</a> multiple vape distributors “for illegally distributing, marketing, and selling flavored disposable vapes.”
A primary concern with these vapes, with flavors more fit for a candy store than a tobacco shop, is that they appeal to children. Illegal e-cigarettes often attract children and teens through bright colors and fruit- and candy-based flavors, according to Makary.
The FDA spokesman said the agency works with “federal partners to combat these attempted illegal imports and enhance enforcement activities,” especially against vape products “that may be appealing to youth.”
An FDA seizure in 2023 included the illegal brand Lost Mary. Expo wholesaler Strictly E-Cig’s 2025 product catalog advertised 30 flavors of Lost Mary vapes, with names such as Dragon Drink, Rocket Popsicle, and Scary Berry. The Lost Mary products are available for purchase online.
Another wholesaler, Sol Trading, leaned into pastel colors and “cutie, fruity flavors” to market its UT Bar vape, which one employee pitched as both a vape and a fidget toy.
The UT Bar combines two flavors into one vape. The flavor combinations included B-Pop and Watermelon, Citrus Ice and Sour Fab, Cool Mint and Icy Mint, and Raspberry and White Peach.
Multiple sellers advertised flavor combinations at the Expo. Chinese-based company Ziip Lab sold its Z-Land vape, which allows the user to stack up to three vape pods for more than 125,000 flavor combinations, according to a handout from the booth.
The flyer advertised stacking flavors such as Berry Mix and Guava, as well as Blueberry, Green Apple, and Orange. Z-Land comes in a total of 51 flavors, including Milk, Rainbow Rain, and Skittle Ice Fruits.
Another wholesaler, Unishow, sold GeakNexx vapes at the Expo. Unishow <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/128992/download?attachment">received</a> an FDA warning letter in 2019 for selling illegal products. The GeakNexx vapes came in about a dozen illicit flavors, including Blue Oat Donut, Frozen Fcuking Fab, and Strawberry Banana.
The Alternative Products Expo, Kangvape, Safa Goods, Strictly E-Cig, Unishow, and Ziip Lab did not respond to requests for comment.
The illegal vapes didn’t stop with the wholesalers. The Alternative Products Expo itself advertised a giveaway of $50,000 worth of illegal vape products, including the disposable Geek Bar Pulse and the Raz DC25000, and the Raz TN9000. The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/denverelectroniccigarettescom-708988-05162025">Geek Bar Pulse</a>, Raz DC25000, and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nepa-wholesale-inc-710957-06262025">Raz TN9000</a> have been cited in FDA warning letters.
The Expo promoted the illegal vapes giveaway with a large sign and a locked case of vapes just inside the entrance to the convention center. It also marketed the giveaway online and in the official show book.
The advertised flavors included Blue Razz Ice, Fire and Ice, and Miami Mint. An additional flavor, Strawberry Burst, did not contain nicotine.
The Expo was not only for vapes, but also “the full spectrum of alternative products,” including CBD-based products, mushrooms, and Kratom, another drug that’s become dangerously popular with America’s teenagers.
Many of these vapes are smuggled into the United States. A previous Daily Wire investigation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-flooding-america-with-illegal-vapes-and-more-than-90-fly-under-the-radar">found</a> that over 90% of imported Chinese vape products in 2024 were not included in U.S. import data. The companies often disguise their products by labeling them as battery chargers and flashlights.
“[What] we have been doing is laughable,” Makary said. “We’re going to start confiscating and seizing. We’re going to take this seriously.”

IMG_6982

From Banana Taffy To Dragon Drink: The Illegal Chinese Vapes Flooding The U.S. Market

Investigation

Nashville

News

Vape

A week ago, President Donald Trump <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/dariosabaghi/2025/08/11/trump-says-marijuana-rescheduling-will-be-decided-within-weeks/">said</a> that he would soon decide whether to move cannabis from Schedule I to III for purposes of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA), which would take marijuana out of the category of drugs that cannot be used for any purpose. Doing so would be a huge mistake. Huge.
Congress placed cannabis in Schedule I — the category for drugs that have no legitimate medical use, that are potentially addictive, and have no safe use even under a physician’s supervision — when it passed the CSA 55 years ago. While Congress empowered the U.S. Attorney General, after consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to reschedule cannabis, in the ensuing half-century, no Republican or Democratic attorney general has done so, and no court has ruled that they must do so.
In 2023, however, cannabis advocates finally found a friend. Admiral Rachel L. Levine, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health under President Biden, <a href="http://www.jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2834954">recommended</a> that Attorney General Merrick Garland transfer cannabis into Schedule III. To justify that conclusion, Levine invented a newfangled test that relied heavily on the fact that multiple states have adopted medical cannabis programs. As a matter of law, that rationale is wrong for multiple reasons.
First, Congress could not have been clearer that it is the exclusive responsibility of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not the states, to decide whether a drug is safe, effective, and uniform. Levine’s rationale effectively and unlawfully transfers decision-making authority from the FDA to the states.
Second, the FDA has never approved the botanical form of cannabis as a safe, effective, and uniformly made drug. The FDA has approved the synthesis of compounds found in the plant by legitimate pharmaceutical companies, but has not approved the interstate distribution of the cannabis plant enjoyed by Cheech and Chong and Harold and Kumar fans.
Third, the FDA could not find that the cannabis plant is safe, effective, and uniformly made.
Start with its safety. The cannabis sold today is <a href="https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110381/witnesses/HHRG-116-IF14-Wstate-VolkowN-20200115.pdf">far more powerful</a> than the version smoked at Woodstock. At that time, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content — the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis — was 3-6%. Now, some concentrated cannabis products can have a 90% THC content. That difference is like comparing near beer to grain alcohol.
Growing evidence also links cannabis use to a host of <a href="https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110381/witnesses/HHRG-116-IF14-Wstate-VolkowN-20200115.pdf">adverse physical outcomes</a>, such as oral, head, and neck cancers; cardiovascular disorders; pulmonary disease; and numerous adverse psychological effects, such earlier onset of psychosis; reduced IQ; childhood poisonings; amotivational syndrome; increased school absenteeism; and a reduced likelihood of graduating high school, enrolling in a university, or completing higher degree requirements. Heavy cannabis users and people who begin its use as minors and continue into adulthood are particularly <a href="https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110381/witnesses/HHRG-116-IF14-Wstate-VolkowN-20200115.pdf">susceptible</a> to these harms.
Plus, botanical cannabis can be adulterated with a host of dangerous, unhealthy, or downright disgusting contaminants. Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told Congress in 2020 that “individuals across the country are using cannabis strains and extracts that have not undergone the rigorous clinical trials required to show that they are safe and effective for medical use, and are not regulated for consistency or quality.”
As I explained in an <a href="https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">earlier article</a>, among the “hodgepodge” of dangerous contaminants found in the cannabis sold today are E. coli, fungi, mold, toxins, hazardous chemical solvents such as butane and propane, pesticides, heavy metals (such as arsenic, lead, and mercury), and other harmful and disgusting substances such as formaldehyde and insects. The FDA would never allow such contaminants to be present in any drug sold to the public.
Cannabis can also lead to physical dependence in users. Heavy or long-term use can lead a person to develop a tolerance to THC, requiring ever greater quantities of the chemical to experience the same euphoria. As drug policy experts Wayne Hall and Rosalie Pacula have explained, there is a 10% risk of addiction for people who have ever used cannabis, a 20-33% for people who use it more frequently, and a 50% risk — &#8220;<a href="https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">a coin flip</a>” — for people who use it daily. Driving while stoned can, of course, lead to motor vehicle accidents that maim or kill pedestrians or other drivers and their passengers.
Keep in mind that the FDA has <a href="http://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">never</a> given approval for a drug to be smoked. Why? There is no uniform depth or length of any one inhalation, and no uniform number of inhalations that users follow. Moreover, the nation concluded over 60 years ago that smoking burnt carbon products damages a smoker’s health, which explains why major medical institutions such as the American Medical Association, the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the Royal College of Physicians have <a href="http://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">not</a> recommended smoking as a legitimate drug delivery system.
The raw cannabis plant also is not “effective” for purposes of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Only a handful of controlled studies have examined whether pot can be used as a legitimate treatment for disease or injury; the results are <a href="https://www.law.georgetown.edu/public-policy-journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2019/09/17-2-Larkin-Madras.pdf">inadequate</a> to draw any scientific conclusion.
The most common justification offered is that its psychoactive calming effect makes it a legitimate analgesic alternative for pain. But that argument is medically <a href="https://www.law.georgetown.edu/public-policy-journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2019/09/17-2-Larkin-Madras.pdf">unsound</a>. Cannabis is too weak to substitute for opioids as a treatment for severe pain — indeed, it hinders cessation of opioid use by anyone trying to kick an opioid <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4127123/pdf/nihms609765.pdf">dependency</a> — and scientific proof that THC is a valid treatment for lower levels of pain is also lacking.
To be sure, smoking a joint can get you “high,” but that is not the test for a medicine’s effectiveness. As Dr. Peter Bach, Director of the Center for Health Policy and Outcomes at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-weed-is-medicine-so-is-budweiser-11547770981?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAh7LaDEYv_vcqs-izvRtTLHvE4_TMMU_qu3NyDxy9OXughPlX3zaBL-&amp;gaa_ts=689c8e99&amp;gaa_sig=tzI2Ti78lH5zRhqIjd3w0ZVcT308pAa8r1GA3Re1URauoN8dYXnoBs5EqZYAmoitDwKaFsuYPpeZooGzKZ9AwA%3D%3D">explained</a>, “[E]very intoxicant would pass that sort of test because you don’t experience pain as acutely when you are high. If weed is a pain reliever, so is Budweiser.”
Finally, the cannabis plant is not a <a href="http://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">uniformly made product</a>. As Brian Thomas and Mahmoud ElSohly <a href="http://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">explained</a> in their book The Analytical Chemistry of Cannabis, “The number of parameters on which cannabis can vary is enormous,” and differs according to “strain, growing conditions, harvesting methods and handling,” to “storage and processing of the raw material to combining them with a wide variety of foods and other excipients in manufacturing, and to “methods of administration (eating, smoking, ‘vaping,’ applying to mucous membranes)” and so forth.
Botanical cannabis also varies according to potency and the presence of cannabinoids (i.e., biochemically active compounds), which tends to <a href="http://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2023-08/SR275.pdf">offset or moderate</a> the potential adverse effects of high THC consumption, such as anxiety, cognitive impairment, amotivational syndrome, dependence or addiction, and psychosis.
In sum, the Levine recommendation from 2023 is wrong as a matter of law and medically unsound, indeed dangerous. If the President truly wants to Make America Healthy Again, he should reject that recommendation.
* * *
Paul J. Larkin is the John, Barbara &amp; Victoria Rumpel Senior Legal Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Trump Administration Considers Reclassifying Marijuana As A Less Dangerous Drug

Dude, Rescheduling Cannabis Downwards Would Be A Huge Mistake. Huge.

addiction

Congress

Federal Government

Marijuana

Nearly 50 organizations signed a letter sent to President Donald Trump on Monday, urging Trump to keep Marijuana labeled as a Schedule I drug after the administration sparked fierce debate when it announced it was considering downgrading weed&#8217;s classification.
The groups — which include faith-based, law enforcement, public policy, and health care organizations — argue that downgrading marijuana&#8217;s classification would &#8220;result in serious harm to public health and safety,&#8221; according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Daily Wire. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sparks-debate-with-comments-on-reclassifying-weed">raised eyebrows</a> earlier this month when he said during a White House press briefing that his administration would “make a determination over the next few weeks” on whether to reclassify marijuana.
During his comments on the drug, Trump acknowledged that marijuana can have negative effects on people, especially children. The organizations behind Monday&#8217;s letter to Trump hope that the president will continue to consider the health of American children when his administration reviews weed&#8217;s classification.
&#8220;You have an opportunity to make a stand for the safety of children across America by opposing the flawed proposal to reschedule marijuana,&#8221; the letter states.
&#8220;Arguments like &#8216;marijuana should not be in the same category as heroin&#8217; are politically salient and easy to understand, but they fundamentally misunderstand how drug scheduling works,&#8221; the letter continues. &#8220;Contrary to popular belief, drug scheduling is not a harm index. Rather, it balances the accepted medical use of a substance with its potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs have no accepted, safe medical use and a high potential for abuse. Marijuana fits squarely within this definition, a fact acknowledged in every scheduling review prior to 2023 (the Obama Administration recommended against rescheduling in 2016).&#8221;
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Discussions within the Trump administration have focused on classifying the drug as Schedule III, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-marijuana-federal-drug-classification-01a73b8c?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAgpZ8UL7Mw6HKwBVKPjsmn_wP6A2h8SNZiG41aF9hPed4QVwq2_gG6R&amp;gaa_ts=6897fc20&amp;gaa_sig=Nm9TnTCPjVnNlMv_P1PaH_NVhN3Nn8RbA8H9lDEnLY0FBfl1b_Sd78D-SH_icaL7fTnMQ1iwaisKOLJA0cNS5g%3D%3D">reported</a>. Reclassifying marijuana as <a href="https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling">Schedule III</a> would put the drug in the same category as drugs that have “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.”
The issue has divided Americans, including those who are among Trump&#8217;s base. The president told reporters on August 11 that marijuana is &#8220;a very complicated subject.&#8221;
&#8220;I’ve heard great things having to do with medical [marijuana], and I’ve [heard] bad things having to do with just about everything else,&#8221; he said.
Among the groups pushing Trump to keep marijuana drug classification the same are the National Narcotic Officers&#8217; Associations&#8217; Coalition and the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents (DEAFNA). Conservative groups such as CatholicVote and the Family Research Council also signed the letter.
The letter points out that findings from the Centers for Disease Control <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects/cannabis-use-disorder.html">show</a> that 30% of cannabis users meet the clinical definition of having cannabis use disorder, and cannabis users have a 30% chance of getting addicted. Marijuana is also getting stronger.
&#8220;The amount of THC in cannabis has increased over the past few decades. Products with high concentrations of THC can have greater intoxicating effects and increase the risk of overconsumption,&#8221; the CDC stated. The government agency added that there is some evidence &#8220;that high THC concentration cannabis use by adolescents and young adults is associated with continued use and development of future mental health symptoms and disorders.&#8221;
Eric Brown, president of the National Narcotic Officers&#8217; Association Coalition said that narcotics officers witness the &#8220;far-reaching consequences&#8221; of marijuana abuse &#8220;every day.&#8221;
&#8220;Efforts to reschedule marijuana risk sending the wrong message — that the substance is safe — while ignoring the science and significant dangers associated with its use,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Rescheduling would only accelerate marijuana consumption, driving higher rates of substance abuse and increasing demands on already strained public safety resources and budgets. We strongly urge the Administration to reject any effort to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III.&#8221;
The groups also argued that &#8220;Marijuana has not been approved for any medical use by the FDA, and it likely never will.&#8221; While it&#8217;s true that the FDA has not approved marijuana itself to be prescribed for any medical condition, the agency has <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process#:~:text=To%20date%2C%20the%20FDA%20has,currently%20available%20on%20the%20market.">approved</a> purified forms of the drug, such as Epidiolex, which treats seizures.
&#8220;The agency also has approved Marinol and Syndros for therapeutic uses in the United States, including for nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy and for the treatment of anorexia associated with weight loss in AIDS patients,&#8221; the FDA stated.
Proponents of downgrading marijuana&#8217;s classification point out that moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III wouldn&#8217;t legalize the drug at the federal level, but would only reduce the scale of marijuana-related offenses. Some states have passed laws legalizing recreational and medical marijuana use, and legalization has become a hot topic in recent years, as pro-cannabis groups have pushed politicians, including Trump, to join their side on the issue.
The pro-weed coalition is moving the needle in their direction on public opinion — and not just on reclassifying weed, but also legalizing it at the federal level. A Pew Research <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/03/26/most-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana-for-medical-recreational-use/">poll</a> conducted last year showed that a majority of Americans (57%) believe that both medical and recreational marijuana should be legal, and 32% said it should be legal for medical use only. Just 11% of respondents said marijuana should be illegal.
Trump addressed the issue at the White House earlier this month after he floated the idea of reclassifying marijuana during a fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club earlier this month, according to the WSJ. Among the guests at the golf club when Trump hinted at the move was Kim Rivers, the CEO of Trulieve, one of the largest marijuana companies in the United States.
Trump also sided with the pro-marijuana crowd last year in Florida, when he voted to legalize recreational use of the drug in his home state. The marijuana amendment push in Florida received 56%, falling just short of the 60% needed to pass it into law. Legalization efforts also failed in North Dakota and South Dakota last year.
A White House official told the WSJ earlier this month that Trump wants to take on issues like marijuana that are viewed as “80-20 cultural issues.” If the president were to take the side of weed proponents, it could also help him and Republicans among independent and young voters in the 2026 midterms.
But according to the group of organizations pushing Trump to say no to downgrading the drug, the risks of reclassifying marijuana far outweigh any potential electoral advantage such a move would give Republicans. The letter highlights how a reclassification of marijuana to Schedule III would end marijuana test requirements for people with numerous important jobs.
In 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/Documents/DEA-Schedules-of-Controlled-Substances-Rescheduling-of-Marijuana.pdf">said</a> that &#8220;HHS-certified laboratories used for such testing are not authorized to test for Schedule III controlled substances. This would mean that airline pilots, airline maintenance workers, bus and truck drivers, locomotive engineers, subway train operators, ship captains, pipeline operators, personnel transporting hazardous materials, and other safety-sensitive transportation employees would be prevented from being tested for marijuana use.&#8221;
Downgrading marijuana to Schedule III would also give dispensaries massive tax breaks, the group points out, arguing that &#8220;street dealers and dispensaries alike would be able to receive reductions for promoting or marketing the sale of addictive drugs.&#8221; In the letter, the group also states that international drug cartels and Chinese money launderers that <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/marijuana-mexican-cartels-stunning-rise-chinese-money-launderers-rcna158030">operate</a> marijuana farms in the United States could also benefit from a major tax break if weed is rescheduled.
According to the group urging Trump to keep marijuana a Schedule III drug, America&#8217;s drug problem would only get worse if the federal government takes a more lenient stance on weed. Travis Weber, the vice president for Policy and Government Affairs at the Family Research Council, said, “The deep pain and crisis of meaning that many in our nation are facing will not be made better by encouraging even more drug use, which is what rescheduling would do. Taking substances to temporarily “treat” our mind and body alone can never solve what is really a spiritual problem. Drugs won’t fill the void inside and heal our pain. Only Jesus can do that.”
Read the full letter below:
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-964653 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_1-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_1-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_1-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_1-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_1.jpg 791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></div>
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<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-964657 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_3-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_3-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_3-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_3-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_3.jpg 791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-964659 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_4-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_4-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_4-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_4-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_4.jpg 791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-964661 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_5-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_5-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_5-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_5-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_5.jpg 791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-964663 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_6-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_6-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_6-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_6-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/1756121115680-f2c6c7ba-fd70-437b-97f3-e95c1e1fe8b9_6.jpg 791w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></div>

Marijuana, Donald Trump

Doobie Debate Blazes: Groups Urge Trump To Reject ‘Flawed’ Weed Reclassification Push

Donald Trump

Law Enforcement

Police

Trump Administration

A South Carolina Democrat is facing calls to withdraw from the governor’s race after a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY5fKGke_W8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> surfaced showing him screaming obscenities at police officers during a narcotics episode.
Dashcam footage shows William McLeod swearing and yelling at officers for nearly 20 minutes in the back of the cop car, calling himself “god” and “superman,” and using the n-word twice.
The video circulated online after it was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/14/us-news/wild-video-shows-dems-pick-for-sc-gov-race-being-arrested-in-his-underwear-while-calling-himself-god-and-superman/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
McLeod is currently the only Democratic runner for the 2026 South Carolina gubernatorial race. The prominent Charleston lawyer ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010 and has served two terms as the Charleston County Democratic Party Chairman.
His party has requested that he withdraw from the race.
“After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor,” the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party, Christale Spain, said in a statement Wednesday.
“We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs.”
But McLeod has shown no intent of backing down. His campaign team labeled the arrest “unlawful.” McLeod himself has touted the incident as a reason why he should be elected.
“When they learn what happened around my unlawful arrest, it will be a reason why I absolutely need to be our state’s governor,” he said.
He did not elaborate as to why.
McLeod was arrested on May 15 after he was found “yelling at the top of his lungs” while walking near the Battery in Charleston in only his underwear and shoes.
McLeod’s eyes were “extremely bloodshot and highly dilated … typical of an individual under the influence of a stimulant narcotic,” a preliminary incident <a href="https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/south-carolina-democratic-party-calls-for-mullins-mcleod-to-exit-governors-race-following-release-of-arrest-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> obtained by WCBD said.
When an officer asked for his name, McLeod replied, “It doesn’t matter, my friend, trust me. I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk this soil.”
“Superman works,” he added.
He also launched a tirade against one of his Republican opponents, Alan Wilson, the current Attorney General of South Carolina. “I will kick your teeth in … I’m going to kick every one of them in. If I do kick them in, you don’t know any dentist.”
He also seemingly threatened to kidnap Wilson’s German Shepherd: “When I’m governor, Snoop is coming with me,” he said.
It is unclear where the name Snoop came from. Wilson has a German Shepherd named <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AGAlanWilson/photos/a.512888925463554/2003104073108691/?type=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucy</a>.
McLeod refused to get out of the car when they arrived at the police station, saying he would sleep in the backseat. “No, I’m not doing it, no. I’m not getting out of this car. It’s time to go to bed.” He was forcibly removed and booked into jail around 1 a.m.
He currently faces misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct.
He claimed that he had been exercising his “God-given, constitutional right to be in a public place” when he was arrested.
“The only thing I’d ask the voters is to please give me a little bit of grace and know that long before we go to Election Day, they’ll know exactly what happened,” he <a href="https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/south-carolina-mullins-mcleod-governor-2026/article_2cd1ea51-360d-4153-9497-e3428c7c37f3.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Post and Courier</a>.
Wilson <a href="https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/south-carolina-democratic-party-calls-for-mullins-mcleod-to-exit-governors-race-following-release-of-arrest-video/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to McLeod’s threats in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he means in a general election, not a street fight,” Wilson said.
He preferred to focus on his campaign rather than on McLeod’s remarks: “My plan for bold, conservative leadership is spreading, and my record of defending President Trump, parental rights, and the rule of law has put a target on my back. But we’re not slowing down, and I’m not done fighting for South Carolina families.”

South Carolina Democrat Says Video Of Narcotic-Induced Tirade Shows Why He Should Be Governor

Arrested

governor

South Carolina

President Donald Trump took questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, and when the topic turned to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the president quickly went off script.
The question that prompted Trump&#8217;s outburst — during which he suggested, among other things, that someone ought to give Warren a drug test — came from a LindellTV reporter who asked about the Massachusetts Senator&#8217;s repeated insistence that the Trump administration would cut Social Security.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &#8220;Elizabeth Warren said she was an Indian. We call her Pocahontas—she&#8217;s a liar&#8230; I watched her the other night, she&#8217;s all hopped up endorsing a communist in New York City, and she was all excited and jumping up and down. She&#8217;s gotta take a drug test, she really does.&#8221;🤣 <a href="https://t.co/cqpz5pkNse">pic.twitter.com/cqpz5pkNse</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956051966531920190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren continue to peddle the lie and the claim that you’re trying to cut Social Security despite your repeated promises to protect it. Why do you think they keep pushing this misinformation, and literally terrorizing the elderly in America that sadly keep watching the very misleading mainstream media?&#8221; the reporter asked.
Trump first paused to praise the reporter for asking a question he liked, saying, &#8220;I love your question, I should have called you almost first.&#8221;
Pivoting to address Warren and Sanders, he added, &#8220;It’s so vicious what they do. Elizabeth Warren said she was an Indian. We call her Pocahontas. She’s a liar. She lied her whole career. Based on the fact that she was Indian, she was able to get into certain colleges, get certain jobs, get into certain universities to work there. She’s a liar and a mean person. She’s a nut job.&#8221;
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&#8220;I watched her the other night. She was all hopped up, endorsing a communist in New York City. And she was all excited and jumping up and down,&#8221; Trump continued, referencing Warren&#8217;s appearance alongside Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist poised to become the next Mayor of New York City. &#8220;She’s gotta take a drug test! She really does, she’s gotta take a drug test. There’s no way somebody can act that way and be normal.&#8221;
Trump went on to criticize Warren&#8217;s actions with regard to banks in the midwest, claiming that she had &#8220;put ’em out of business&#8221; and adding, &#8220;She’s a mean, horrible human being.&#8221;
&#8220;Bernie Sanders is Bernie Sanders. I don’t mind him so much,&#8221; Trump turned to comment on Sanders then. &#8220;He’s just a liberal guy, very liberal guy, wacky guy. He’s still sharp. I got to tell you, you know, he’s 86, or 87, or something. He’s still sharp. You compare that to Joe Biden &#8230; So I don’t mind Bernie Sanders. With him, you know what you’re getting.&#8221;

Elizabeth Warren

‘She’s All Hopped Up’: Trump Says Elizabeth Warren Needs To Be Drug-Tested

'She's All Hopped Up': Trump Says Elizabeth Warren Needs To Be Drug-Tested

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Politics

New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed a new law on Thursday that would make it easier to get drug addicts safely off the streets and into treatment.
The “Compassionate Interventions Act” <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/633-25/mayor-adams-new-proposal-further-support-new-yorkers-struggling-substance-use">would</a> allow doctors to involuntarily commit drug addicts in New York City.
If the law passes, a doctor would be able to bring someone &#8220;who appears to pose a danger to themselves or others due to substance use&#8221; to a hospital and allow a judge to mandate treatment if the person is unwilling to enter treatment voluntarily.
Public drug use on city streets &#8220;degrades quality of life and leaves a feeling of disorder among many city residents,&#8221; Adams&#8217; office said in a press release.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Today, we&#8217;re launching our &#8216;End Culture of Anything Goes&#8217; campaign to improve quality of life and support all those struggling on our streets.
We&#8217;ve made great strides to change the culture and laws preventing people with severe mental illness from getting the help they needed. <a href="https://t.co/bnuPywvBzd">pic.twitter.com/bnuPywvBzd</a>
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1954875741851537823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A total of 37 other states <a href="https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/research-studies/addiction-research/involuntary-commitment?utm_source=chatgpt.com">allow</a> drug addicts to be involuntarily committed.
&#8220;While we have made our system work better to address severe mental illness and homelessness, we often hear from New Yorkers that there are still too many people in need of help,&#8221; Adams said in a statement.
This week, Adams launched his &#8220;End Culture of Anything Goes&#8221; campaign aimed at cracking down on drugs and homelessness in the Big Apple.
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&#8220;Our administration refuses to turn our backs on New Yorkers in need, and with today’s announcement, we’re laying out a vision that will help get everyone the support they need. In the name of public safety, public health, and the public interest, we must rally to help those in crisis because ‘anything goes’ is worse than nothing at all,&#8221; the mayor said.
Also on Thursday, Adams announced he would invest another $27 million in substance abuse treatment, including more teams on the ground that engage with drug addicts and new programs to help people finish treatment once they start.
New York City struggles with pockets of drug addiction, such as &#8220;The Hub&#8221; in the Bronx.
The South Bronx area around Roberto Clemente Plaza is home to harrowing scenes of dozens of drug addicts shooting up in public, sometimes spilling blood onto the sidewalk, then tweaking and standing doubled over while drug dealers sell their wares brazenly in broad daylight nearby, all while trash and needles pile up.
A total of 366 &#8220;active substance users&#8221; were <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/24/us-news/bronxs-the-hub-is-drug-riddled-business-as-usual-after-post-exposes-junkie-wasteland/">recorded</a> last fall when the NYPD, sanitation workers, and health department workers teamed up to try to clean up &#8220;The Hub.&#8221;
The city teams arrested 35 people and put 47 people in homeless shelters, but the area remains a hot spot for public drug use to this day.

Homelessness On The Rise In New York

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Proposes Law To Involuntarily Commit Drug Addicts

Eric Adams Proposes Law To Involuntarily Commit Drug Addicts

Eric Adams

Homelessness

New York

New York City

President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration will &#8220;make a determination over the next few weeks&#8221; on whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
During a press conference in the White House Briefing Room, Trump was asked about a Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-marijuana-federal-drug-classification-01a73b8c?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAgpZ8UL7Mw6HKwBVKPjsmn_wP6A2h8SNZiG41aF9hPed4QVwq2_gG6R&amp;gaa_ts=6897fc20&amp;gaa_sig=Nm9TnTCPjVnNlMv_P1PaH_NVhN3Nn8RbA8H9lDEnLY0FBfl1b_Sd78D-SH_icaL7fTnMQ1iwaisKOLJA0cNS5g%3D%3D">report</a> stating that he was considering a possible marijuana reclassification, an issue that has caused some division among Trump&#8217;s base. The president acknowledged that marijuana reclassification is a &#8220;very complicated subject.&#8221;
&#8220;Some people hate the whole concept of marijuana because if it does bad for the children, it does bad for people older than children,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a very complicated subject, the subject of marijuana,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I&#8217;ve heard great things having to do with medical [marijuana], and I&#8217;ve [heard] bad things having to do with just about everything else.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump on marijuana: &#8220;We&#8217;re looking at reclassification and we&#8217;ll make a determination over the next few weeks.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/GTiYKogmuA">pic.twitter.com/GTiYKogmuA</a>
— CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1954928772991291413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump reportedly floated the idea of reclassifying marijuana during a fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club earlier this month in front of guests that included Kim Rivers, the CEO of Trulieve, one of the largest marijuana companies in the United States. The discussions within the Trump administration focus on whether weed should be reclassified as a Schedule III drug, which would drop certain restrictions on marijuana without completely legalizing it, according to the WSJ.
While some states have passed laws legalizing recreational and medical marijuana use, it is still <a href="https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/orangebook/c_cs_alpha.pdf">listed</a> as a Schedule I drug under federal law. Schedule I <a href="https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling">means</a> a drug has &#8220;no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.&#8221; Reclassifying marijuana as Schedule III would put the drug in the same category as drugs that have &#8220;a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.&#8221;
Marijuana reclassification was pursued by the Biden administration, but it wasn&#8217;t achieved before President Joe Biden left office in January. Trump signaled his support for recreational marijuana last year when he voted to legalize the drug in Florida last year, pitting himself against conservatives such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The marijuana amendment push in Florida received 56%, falling just short of the 60% needed to pass it into law.
A senior White House official told the WSJ that Trump wants to take on issues like marijuana that are viewed as “80-20 cultural issues.” Trump&#8217;s inroads among independent and younger voters could also make the reclassification push more attractive to the Trump administration as Republicans seek to hold onto the momentum gained in the 2024 election as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
The campaign to downgrade marijuana&#8217;s drug classification also receives a lot of money. Marijuana companies have donated millions of dollars to the American Rights and Reform PAC, which <a href="https://www.americanrightsreform.com/">pushes</a> to &#8220;end the war on medical cannabis.&#8221; Consultants working for Trulieve have presented Trump&#8217;s team with polling that shows that more than 80% of independent voters support reclassifying marijuana, the WSJ reported.
“This is not calling for decriminalization or legalization but simply knocking it down a few notches on the criminal scale,” Trump campaign adviser Alex Bruesewitz told the WSJ. “It’s probably targeted more to a younger demographic, where the president has made great headway.” Bruesewitz was paid $300,000 by the American Rights and Reform PAC to work on social media and advertisements.
Some independents and conservatives, however, strongly oppose the effort to reclassify marijuana and want the federal government to ramp up enforcement of existing laws on marijuana.
&#8220;Our society thrived when everyone was smoking cigarettes and drinking whiskey. We became the most powerful nation in the world with liquor and nicotine. No country of potheads has ever thrived, or ever achieved anything at all,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1954264828626780162">wrote</a> Daily Wire host Matt Walsh. &#8220;Every city that legalized it became an even bigger s***hole basically overnight. The entire history of western civilization tells us that marijuana is far, far worse for society.&#8221;
Walsh <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1954225938113126716">added</a> that the federal government should be doing &#8220;exactly the opposite&#8221; of what the Trump administration is considering.
Other independents and conservatives also chimed in, expressing their disapproval of reclassifying marijuana.
&#8220;Marijuana mass normalization has been a disaster for the United States,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/esaagar/status/1954633873486495964">said</a> Breaking Points host Saagar Enjeti. &#8220;Our cities stink, our kids are literally being poisoned and made stupid, DWIs are skyrocketing and the promised revenue doesn&#8217;t even come close to making up the mass social chaos.&#8221;
&#8220;Weed is a scourge, rewarding some of the worst elements of society while sapping the will and productivity of far too many citizens, especially young men,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/CortesSteve/status/1954513837668925493">added</a> conservative commentator Steve Cortes. &#8220;MAGA must focus on quality of life issues &#8212; we can do so much better than cities that reek of disgusting smoke.&#8221;

Donald Trump/Marijuana

Trump Sparks Debate With Comments On Reclassifying Weed

Conservatives

The FBI busted a multi-million dollar marijuana trafficking scheme run by Chinese nationals, the Justice Department said Tuesday. 
Seven Chinese nationals were charged over an alleged marijuana conspiracy operating out of Massachusetts and Maine. Investigators said that the operation, which began in January 2020, generated millions of dollars by distributing kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk.
“This case pulls back the curtain on a sprawling criminal enterprise that exploited our immigration system and our communities for personal gain,” <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/seven-chinese-nationals-charged-alleged-roles-multi-million-dollar-money-laundering">said</a> U.S. Attorney Leah Foley. “These defendants allegedly turned quiet homes across the Northeast into hubs for a criminal enterprise – building a multi-million-dollar black-market operation off the backs of an illegal workforce and using our neighborhoods as cover. That ends today.”
Those charged are 39-year-old Jianxiong Chen, 36-year-old Yuxiong Wu, 38-year-old Dinghui Li, 35-year-old Dechao Ma, 35-year-old Peng Lian Zhu, 35-year-old Hongbin Wu, and 47-year-old Yanrong Zhu. Yanrong Zhu &#8220;remains a fugitive,&#8221; while the others were all taken into federal custody, according to the DOJ. 
They are all charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and many face money laundering charges as well. Chen, who investigators say was the mastermind behind the operation, is also charged with smuggling aliens into the United States. 
<div id="attachment_944505" style="width: 994px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-944505" class="size-full wp-image-944505" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.45.27%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" width="984" height="667" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.45.27%E2%80%AFAM.png 984w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.45.27%E2%80%AFAM-300x203.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.45.27%E2%80%AFAM-850x576.png 850w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.45.27%E2%80%AFAM-768x521.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 984px) 100vw, 984px" />Illegal marijuana seized: DOJ</div>
FBI agent Ted Docks said that Chen, who lived in Braintree, Massachusetts, a city about 12 miles south of Boston, smuggled Chinese nationals over the Mexican border and forced them to work at marijuana grow houses to pay off the smuggling fees and get their passports back. 
In addition to Braintree, there were grow houses in the Massachusetts cities of Melrose and Greenfield. 
In October 2024, investigators recovered more than $270,000 in cash, a Porsche, and multiple Chinese passports and other identification documents inside a safe at Chen’s house in Braintree. Investigators also seized more than 109 kilograms of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash, and a $65,000 Rolex watch at the homes of other alleged conspirators. 
<div id="attachment_944509" style="width: 990px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-944509" class="size-full wp-image-944509" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.16.11%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" width="980" height="609" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.16.11%E2%80%AFAM.png 980w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.16.11%E2%80%AFAM-300x186.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.16.11%E2%80%AFAM-927x576.png 927w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-09-at-9.16.11%E2%80%AFAM-768x477.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 980px) 100vw, 980px" />Massachusetts home at center of Chinese marijuana ring: DOJ.</div>
In the last several years, Chinese-backed marijuana operations have cropped up across the United States, and there have been major drug busts in states like New Mexico and <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2023/11/triad-weed-illegal-chinese-marijuana-grows-are-all-over-maine/">Maine</a>. In Maine alone, Border Patrol has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-chinese-marijuana-grow-operations-worth-billions-cropping-up-in-maine-border-patrol-memo">reportedly</a> identified at least 270 illegal marijuana grow operations that are worth billions of dollars.
Congressional lawmakers have also launched inquiries into the issue, saying that the operations pose significant national security risks.

Beautiful green leaves of marijuana close up

FBI Busts Chinese Nationals For Multi-Million Dollar Drug Ring, Exploiting Immigration System

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NEW YORK (Reuters) — Sean &#8216;Diddy&#8217; Combs&#8217; former personal assistant testified on Friday at the hip-hop mogul&#8217;s sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as &#8220;wild king nights.&#8221;
Prosecutors hope the testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs.
Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses&#8217; resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defense witnesses expected to testify next week.
Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $4,200 of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment.
Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs&#8217; security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases.
They also saw a February 14, 2024, text message in which Combs wrote &#8220;You get me zans,&#8221; which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription.
Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence.
Under cross-examination by defense lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs&#8217; personal use.
&#8220;You were not some drug mule?&#8221; Steel asked.
&#8220;Absolutely not,&#8221; Paul said.
Paul also said that before three or four &#8220;wild king nights,&#8221; he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor, and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs.
When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage.
Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers.
He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs&#8217; room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from.
Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, &#8220;Loyalty.&#8221; Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)

Sean “Diddy” Combs attends trial in New York federal court

Ex-Assistant To Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Says Job Included Buying Drugs, Setting Up Sex Parties

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