William Brownfield was the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs until a few weeks ago, when he decided to resign from his position.

As more countries are legalizing cannabis, Brownfield believes the federal government should reclassify the plant.

“Let the experiment advance. Consider its positive and negative effects,” Brownfield said in a new interview.

Until a few weeks ago, Brownfield was the top international anti-drug official, in charge of representing the U.S. in the global drug war for more than six years. But, he is now acknowledging it is time the government removes cannabis from Schedule I, the most restrictive category that includes all substances with a high potential abuse and no medical value.

“Let’s see how many other states advance in this direction because we are a democracy and for the moment we do not have a consensus position,” he said.

Brownfield added California, the most populous state, voted for legalization, whereas Texas, the second most populous state, does not even want to consider it.

“When the conclusions are drawn, it is likely the substances may be reclassified,” Brownfield said.

However, Brownfield is not a fan of legalization: he believes legalization is an “experiment that allows us to observe and learn,” and he said the government should adjust policies to ensure they do the least possible harm.

In a new interview, Brownfield criticized comments from President Trump about Columbia’s role in the war of drugs. In response to Trump’s threat, who wanted to decertify the country as a partner in drug policy last month, Brownfield said the action would have been “a fundamental error, counterproductive, false, and very stupid,” adding it would be “non-sense, an insult, an insult to the hundreds of Columbians who have given their lives” in the drug war.