I’m so angered to have to report this, although I shouldn’t be the least bit surprised: at some point today (we believe) the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will publically announce that they will continue to deny requests to change the legal classification of marijuana, thereby rejecting arguments that it has medical value.

Super.

This means that marijuana will remain a Schedule I controlled substance, subject to restrictions- in spite of the fact that four states have legalized cannabis for recreational use and 25 states, plus the District of Columbia, have medical marijuana laws.

For months the DEA had been considering a petition to reschedule marijuana and had they done that, more research on the drug could have been done. But, on Wednesday, the FDA decided (sleeping with Big Pharma much?) that marijuana has no accepted medical value. Sure it doesn’t. Tell that to everyone it has helped and conintues to help. I assume there is a special place in hell for people like this who would purposely keep treatments and cures from the sick and dying.

DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg told NPR, “This decision isn’t based on danger. This decision is based on whether marijuana, as determined by the FDA, is a safe and effective medicine, and it’s not.”

The only shinning part of this ridiculous announcement is that the DEA will be easing one one restriction on marijuana: “…the DEA plans to increase the supply of marijuana federally approved for research by allowing other universities to apply to grow cannabis”. Right now, the University of Mississippi alone has the authority to grow marijuana for research purposes.

From the article:

“In recent weeks, researcher Dr. Sue Sisley, who is leading the first placebo-controlled trial that uses raw marijuana for post-traumatic stress disorder research, said her team had yet to receive the study plant for the trial. NIDA also failed to achieve the phenotype and potency requested, she said.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who has backed marijuana-related efforts, including allowing Veterans Affairs doctors to discuss cannabis with patients, lauded the potential to remove “the National Institute on Drug Abuse monopoly.”

“It’s outrageous that federal policy has blocked science for so long,” Blumenauer said in a statement. “However, this decision doesn’t go far enough and is further evidence that the DEA doesn’t get it. Keeping marijuana at Schedule I continues an outdated, failed approach — leaving patients and marijuana businesses trapped between state and federal laws.”

Marijuana, listed as a Schedule I drug, is defined as “most dangerous” with a high potential for abuse (and- obviously- zero medical use), just like LSD, ecstasy and HEROIN. Shoot, even cocaine and oxy are listed as Schedule II drugs! What else is a Schedule II drug? Well, there’s methamphetamine (meth), fentanyl, Adderall, Vicodin, and Ritalin. And some of those we give to our kids.

If the classification were to be changed, and it’s not over until it’s over, it could lift barriers to research. Physisians could also prescribe it. Until the announcement comes out, there are a lot of unknowns.

So, in a last ditch effort, yesterday, the National Conference of State Legislators filed a resolution asking Congress and federal regulators to remove marijuana from the current Schedule I classification.

We will keep you updated as soon as a concrete announcement is made.

 

Source: The Cannabist