Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Trump-appointed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced this week that he will deny all requests to license pesticides specifically created for cannabis, creating yet another hurdle for the nation’s legally grey cannabis industry. Last month, California, Washington, Nevada, and Vermont applied to register four new pesticides created for cannabis crops by General Hydroponics, a subsidiary of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.
In a letter to the four states attempting to register these new pesticides, Pruitt said that he denied these requests because marijuana is still a federally prohibited drug. This signifies a major change in direction from the Obama administration, when former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy allowed states to take the lead in regulating cannabis pesticides.
Still, the EPA’s recent pot denial should come as no surprise given Pruitt’s history of opposing cannabis reform. While serving as the attorney general of Oklahoma, Pruitt challenged the authority of Colorado’s legalization of cannabis, arguing that the state was similar to a Mexican drug cartel that would smuggle drugs into his state. Pruitt also unsuccessfully attempted to interfere with an upcoming ballot…
