“DEA’s decision flies in the face of objective science and overwhelming public opinion”, National Cannabis Industry Association executive director Aaron Smith said.
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Marijuana will remain a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substances Act. As more research is done, more voters and politicians will realize the need to legalize medical marijuana across the nation, and eventually, end cannabis prohibition altogether. Failure to do so continues the federal government’s “Flat Earth” position on pot, willfully ignoring the well-established therapeutic properties associated with cannabis and the laws in 26 states recognizing marijuana’s therapeutic efficacy.
“These goals can only be accomplished by federally descheduling cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco, thus providing states the power to establish their own marijuana policies free from federal intrusion”, Armentano wrote. Other states will consider measures to legalize recreational marijuana this November.
More than 100 families like the Figis have moved to Colorado, where medical and recreational marijuana are legal, in search of treatment for their children’s severe health problems.
The Libertarian Party’s National Committee Chair Nicholas Sarawak spoke out against the DEA’s decision on Thursday – saying that the American people overwhelmingly support reclassification of this substance.
That means there is no accepted medical use, and a high potential for abuse.
Researchers at CU have applied for a DEA permit to grow the plant on campus, but their efforts have been fruitless, said Daniela Vergara, a postdoctoral researcher working on the Cannabis Genomic Research Initiative. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, said in a statement, “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 Keeping marijuana at schedule I continues an outdated, failed approach – leaving patients and marijuana businesses trapped between state and federal laws”.
The DEA said on Thursday that it concluded there was “no substantial evidence” that marijuana should be removed from its classification.
Legal status of marijuana in the United States.
“It’s our responsibility to show people how it works and when the government stands in the way of good research, it’s deliberately standing in the way of medical breakthroughs”, he said.
Although several states, including IL, have medical marijuana policies in place, the DEA asserts that “there is no evidence that there is a consensus among qualified experts that marijuana is safe and effective for use in treating a specific, recognized disorder”.
“We see it case after case”, Garnett said.
Marijuana research has been extremely limited because the University of MS was the sole institution allowed to produce the plant.
A study that elaborated four trials of Cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive compound found in marijuana that can help treat seizures, did not yield significant conclusions. Doblin said he believes licenses will remain tightly restricted, meaning that existing marijuana producers growing legally in California and other states won’t be able to suddenly cash in on new markets for pot research.
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“As part of the DEA announcement, they said they wouldn’t look very favorably on licenses that are already breaking federal law”, Doblin said.
