00:00The President's Pilots.
00:01They're pretty amazing.
00:02Hello, everybody.
00:03Yeah, that's okay.
00:07That's okay.
00:09The President's Pilots.
00:10They're pretty amazing.
00:12Hello, everybody.
00:13Yeah, that's okay.
00:14That's okay.
00:15The President's Pilots.
00:16Thank you very much.
00:21Well, it's a big day, and many reasons — and really, for many reasons.
00:28I have a very distinguished group of people behind me,
00:32mostly medical people and brilliant people,
00:35and they really know what they're doing.
00:37And I just want to thank them.
00:39They gave — truly gave their lives in terms of the time
00:43and all of the incredible work they've done over the years
00:47in arriving at the position they have now.
00:50Most respected people in the country.
00:52Today, I'm pleased to announce that I will be signing an executive order
00:56to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III control substance
01:01with legitimate medical uses.
01:03We have people begging for me to do this — people that are in great pain.
01:11For decades, this action has been requested by American patients
01:15suffering from extreme pain, incurable diseases, aggressive cancers,
01:20seizures disorders, neurological problems, and more,
01:24including numerous veterans with service-related injuries
01:28and older Americans who live with chronic medical problems
01:31that severely degrade their quality of life.
01:34And it's so — really, I mean, just — I can't tell you.
01:39I think I probably have received more phone calls on this — on doing what we're doing.
01:47I don't think I received any calls on the other side of it.
01:51But hopefully, this reclassification — which, by the way, polls at 82 percent —
01:56will help many of those patients live a far better life.
02:01We're joined today by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
02:04is doing a fantastic job. Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,
02:11Dr. Mehmet Oz.
02:13The FDA Commissioner, Dr. Marty McCary,
02:16Director of the National Institutes of Health,
02:19Dr. Jay Bhattacharya,
02:22and the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
02:26Dr. Nora Valkow,
02:29as well as Dr. Ilana Braun from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
02:34Duke University's Dr. David Cassaret,
02:38the National Commander of the American Legion, Dan Wiley,
02:41and my friend Howard Kessler.
02:42Howard, how are you feeling?
02:44I'm doing great. Thank you.
02:45I'm telling you, he looks better than he did 20 years ago.
02:49But I don't want to go through what you went through to get there.
02:52Okay. All right? But it looks like you're doing great.
02:54I'm proud of you.
02:55I want to emphasize that the order I am about to sign is not the legalization
03:03or it doesn't legalize marijuana in any way, shape or form,
03:08and in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug.
03:12It has nothing to do with it.
03:13Just as the prescription painkillers may have legitimate uses,
03:18but can also do irreversible damage and never, you know,
03:23you know, if you if you look at some of the damage that can be caused,
03:27wreck lives and if it's abused,
03:30it's never safe to use powerful control substances and recreational matters.
03:34And especially in this case, if you take a look,
03:38illegal and unregulated drugs, very, very bad thing.
03:42So I've always told my children, don't take drugs, no drinking, no smoking,
03:47and just stay away from drugs.
03:50I have been they would look at me and they said,
03:53Dad, would you stop saying that?
03:55I would say every time I looked at it practically.
03:57Young Americans are especially at risk.
04:00So unless a drug is recommended by a doctor for medical reasons,
04:05just don't do it.
04:06At the same time, the facts compel the federal government
04:10to recognize that marijuana can be legitimate in terms of medical applications
04:16when carefully administered in some cases.
04:19This may include the use as a substitute for addictive
04:22and potentially lethal opioid painkillers.
04:25And they cause tremendous problems.
04:27This can do it in a much lesser way,
04:30can make people feel much better
04:34that are living through tremendous pain and problems.
04:37Forty states and multiple U.S. territories
04:40have already recognized the use of medical marijuana.
04:44This reclassification order will make it far easier
04:48to conduct marijuana-related medical research,
04:50allowing us to study benefits, potential dangers,
04:54and future treatments.
04:56It's going to have a tremendously positive impact, I believe.
05:00We're also asking Congress to reconsider its classification
05:04of hemp-derived CBD to ensure seniors can access CBD products
05:10they have found beneficial for pain.
05:13And are the reasons some people are literally dying
05:16and they're dying with tremendous pain.
05:19And this can, in many cases, literally stop it.
05:23And they have their senses about them,
05:25as opposed to painkillers, which don't allow that.
05:29Don't allow them to die with dignity, frankly.
05:32I promise to be the President of Common Sense,
05:36and that is exactly what we're doing.
05:38This is really something having to do with common sense.
05:40And it's something having to do with the fact
05:42that so many people that I respect ask me to do it.
05:46People that are having problems, big problems.
05:48They are having big problems with illness,
05:50with cancer in particular.
05:52I now want to ask Dr. Oz to say a few words,
05:56followed by Dr. Braun, Dr. Cassaret, Dan Wiley,
06:00and Dr. Valkow.
06:02And we'll sign the order as soon as...
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