DEA Rejects Judge’s Ruling, Quashes Medical Marijuana Research Project
January 12, 2009
(Washington, D.C.) In a major setback to medical marijuana research, the Drug Enforcement Administration has rejected the decision of Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner and blocked a medical marijuana research project at the University of Massachusetts Amherst — a project considered vital if marijuana is ever to be an FDA-approved medicine. The DEA’s ruling, dated Jan. 7, was only released today.
“It’s no surprise that an administration that has rejected science again and again has, as one of its final acts, blocked a critical research project,” said Aaron Houston, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. “With the new administration publicly committed to respecting scientific research and valuing data over dogma, this final act of desperation isn’t surprising, but the true victims are the millions of patients who might benefit.”
Professor Lyle Craker had applied for permission to cultivate marijuana for use in medical research. At present, marijuana for research can only be obtained through the National Institute on Drug Abuse — a government monopoly that does not exist for any other Schedule I drug. Because NIDA’s marijuana is of notoriously poor quality and has only been inconsistently available to researchers, scientists and advocates consider Dr. Craker’s project essential to the advancement of medical marijuana research.
The long and difficult process of seeking approval culminated on Feb. 12, 2007, in a ruling by Judge Bittner that Craker should be allowed to proceed. But such administrative law judge rulings are not binding on the DEA. In the nearly two years since the ruling, several small, pilot studies have shown marijuana to safely and effectively relieve nerve pain that afflicts millions suffering from HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other conditions, making more advanced research — including strains custom-tailored for various conditions, which was one of the goals of Craker and his colleagues — vital.
“Once again, science has taken a back seat to ideology in the Bush administration, with research that could benefit millions needlessly stalled,” Houston said. “They can delay progress, but they cannot stop it.”
With more than 26,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.
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Bruce Mirken
Marijuana Policy Project
PO Box 77492 Capitol Hill
Washington, D.C. 20013 United States
202-215-4205 or 415-668-6403
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Politics
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5 Responses to “DEA Rejects Judge’s Ruling, Quashes Medical Marijuana Research Project”
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LEGALIZE it already!! The DEA needs to mind there own business. I’m sure there is something that they can be doing. No one has ever died from pot ever!
- Posted by: John Cain
Who does the DEAth answer to??? They are 100% out of line with this ruling!!
Talk about a “Catch 22″!! The DEAth keeps marijuana in Schedule I, and because it’s in Schedule I the DEAth enforce the prohibition against possessing and selling it.
WHAT A JOKE!!!!!!!
This ruling is NOTHING but a job creation scheme for new DEAth agents!
What a vile, obnoxious, repugnant, organization! You are the most hated organization in all of America, and that’s by the people you’re supposed to be protecting!
- Posted by: End the Prohibition
DEA: Go F@%k Yourself!
- Posted by: eluu
Two words: Jury Nullification. Send a message to the government that laws against marijuana are wrong.
Take a proactive approach. You don’t have to wait until the next election to change laws that you disagree with. By exercising your rights as a jurist and refuse to convict while on jury duty. It is called jury nullification and is perfectly legal.
- Posted by: muggles
DEA is dysfunctional agency. Pot is their Cash Cow.
- Posted by: Flenzoro