Cannabis Profiles :US Senate Leader Thune (R)
With Thune’s long-standing opposition to cannabis reform and his recent elevation to a key leadership role, the path forward for federal cannabis legalization could become increasingly difficult. This potential roadblock comes despite President-elect Donald Trump’s earlier remarks, which seemed to signal support for federal legalization. The interplay between Thune’s influence and Trump’s comments underscores the complex dynamics that may shape the future of cannabis policy at the national level.
Senate Republicans elected a new majority leader who opposes cannabis legalization and is for reversing the Biden administration’s plan to reschedule cannabis. Thune even questioned whether cannabis has any medical value. Thune, who defeated Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Rick Scott (R-FL) in an election for the leadership slot.
Political Career
2005-Present: U.S. Senator from South Dakota
2019-Present: Senate Republican Whip
1997-2003: Member of the United States House of Representatives
1993-1996: Served as director, South Dakota State Municipal League
1991-1993: Served as director, South Dakota State Railroad Division
1989-1991: Served as director, South Dakota State Republican Party
1985-1986: Worked on the staff of United States Senator James Abdnor of South Dakota
Consistent Opposition To Cannabis Reform
In July 2024, alongside other GOP lawmakers, Thune co-signed a letter opposing the current administration’s efforts to reschedule cannabis, strongly urging that the policy proposal be withdrawn entirely. The letter said in part “Medical marijuana dispensaries sell edibles and vapes that come in flavors like passion raspberry, blueberry calm, wild cherry, and sour apple, pretending that these products are medicine that can treat health conditions is doing a disservice to Americans.”
June 27 2021 “Medical’s getting big — the recreational not as big yet, but it’s growing — and there’ll be more initiatives on the ballot. It’s an area that’s still evolving, and our country’s views on it are evolving… How we deal with it nationally I think is still an open question.”
March 6 2015: “We laugh about it and make jokes about where those brownies come from, but I think it’s a dangerous path,” said Thune on the legalization of marijuana. “They’re going to pay a price for it in Colorado, and in fact, I think they already are.“
June 13th 2014 “While I understand that people have strong opinions on both sides of this debate, I do not support legalizing the use of marijuana. Currently, the medical benefits from the use of marijuana are still inconclusive, and I believe that we must be careful not to increase the availability of marijuana and the use of marijuana for nonmedical reasons. However, I support the development of alternative medications that will provide relief to patients without opening the door to substance abuse.
Official Information
John honored his 1996 campaign pledge to serve only three terms in the House. After a narrow loss in a U.S. Senate race in 2002, he won his current Senate seat in 2004, when he made history by defeating a sitting Senate party leader for the first time in 52 years.
In 2010, John was elected to serve a second term in the Senate in a rare unopposed race. He was only the third Republican and the only South Dakotan to run unopposed for the Senate since direct elections were created in 1913. John was elected to a third term in 2016. In 2022, John became the second South Dakotan in history to be elected to a fourth term in the U.S. Senate.
Contact John Thune Email: john@johnthune.com
Web: https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/
Phone: 202-224-2321
Address: United States Senate SD-511 Washington, DC 20510
The Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation’s agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition, home economics, and rural development.
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is primarily responsible for drafting the federal farm bill. Senator John Thune currently sits on this committee and has sat on that committee from a long time.
Federal Farm Bill
The “Miller Amendment” to the federal farm bill has emerged as a contentious provision set to be debated in the U.S. Senate, raising significant concerns among advocates for the hemp and cannabinoid industries. Passed through committee with minimal transparency, the amendment was bundled into a procedural package of changes, bypassing individual debate and scrutiny. This approach has sparked criticism, as the amendment’s language poses an existential threat to the burgeoning cannabinoid industry and the broader agricultural sector it supports.
At its core, the Miller Amendment introduces language that could dramatically reshape the regulatory landscape for cannabinoids, potentially stifling innovation and growth in a sector that has provided economic opportunities in rural communities and beyond. Critics argue that its provisions could effectively criminalize certain cannabinoids derived from hemp, thereby creating legal and logistical barriers that many small businesses and farmers would struggle to overcome. If enacted, the amendment could lead to widespread industry shutdowns, resulting in lost jobs, diminished investment, and the collapse of a sector that has otherwise thrived under the current framework.
The procedural maneuver used to pass the amendment in committee has further compounded frustrations, as stakeholders believe such sweeping changes warrant a robust and transparent debate. The lack of individual votes on the amendment has raised concerns about the democratic process, with industry representatives and policymakers calling for greater accountability as the farm bill progresses.
The debate surrounding the Miller Amendment underscores the high stakes for the future of the hemp and cannabinoid industries. As the Senate takes up the farm bill, advocates will be watching closely to see whether lawmakers will address the amendment’s far-reaching implications or allow it to proceed unchallenged. The outcome could set a critical precedent, not only for the hemp sector but for broader debates about regulatory overreach and economic opportunity in emerging industries.
