Rahul Gupta: Biden’s drug czar nominee consulted for cannabis company last year, ethics disclosure shows
3 min read
A White House spokesman said the work of the future drug czar related to efforts to achieve medical marijuana compliance.
“Dr. Gupta’s work for Holistic Industries included advising on regulatory compliance matters for prescribing medical cannabis in West Virginia, where medical cannabis was already legalized. He oversaw the development of such a program in the state as required by state law, ”the spokesman said.
While Gupta was serving as the West Virginia state health officer, the state passed law allowing residents to use marijuana for certified medical use.
Gupta signed a federal ethics agreement stating that he will not become “personally and substantively involved” in any particular matter affecting Holistic Industries for one year after his last service.
According to a court document, Gupta submitted a court testimony in the case that “should cover guidelines for pain management, guidelines and standards of care for general practitioners in treating pain sufferers.”
The White House confirmed that Gupta “provided medical liability advice to Haytham Faraj, a law firm focused on personal injury, including alleged medical negligence.”
CNN approached Holistic Industries and the law firm Gupta hired as expert witnesses in the Wyoming case for comment.
Earlier this week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the country is facing a “collision” of rising overdose deaths and Covid-19 deaths.
If confirmed, Gupta would be the first doctor to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy. His work as a practicing physician, a former West Virginia public health officer, and the chief medical and health officer of the March of Dimes have all been touted by the White House. He served on the Biden-Harris President’s transition team and has taught at a number of major medical and pharmaceutical schools.
According to his ethical disclosure, Gupta has also worked with states and municipalities as an advisor or expert on a number of states or municipalities taking legal action against drug companies over the opioid crisis. According to the disclosure, he is not allowed to participate in this activity even one year after the last service provision.
However, the Biden administration has hinted that the president has not changed its stance on the issue, despite the recent Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer tabled a bill that would decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last week in response to the bill that “nothing has changed” in the president’s views on marijuana.
Biden has previously said that he supports the decriminalization of marijuana, but he didn’t go so far as to say that he supports its legalization.
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