DEA Set to Rule on Crucial Rescheduling of Marijuana

If the DEA reschedules marijuana, the industry could be welcomed into the mainstream economy.

BY WILL YAKOWICZ

Staff writer, Inc.@WillYakowicz

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is about to make a decision that could have wide-ranging implications on the state-sanctioned marijuana industry: to reschedule or not to reschedule marijuana's position as an illegal substance.

Since 1970, marijuana has been on the list of Schedule I drugs, which defines chemicals under the Controlled Substances Act as a drug with high potential for abuse and no medical benefits. Marijuana, heroin, and LSD are Schedule I drugs, while cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone are Schedule II. Drugs are rescheduled often, but marijuana has been deemed a Schedule I substance for 46 years, which makes it illegal to grow, possess, use, or distribute under federal law.

The DEA has already received the Food and Drug Administration's recommendation on the rescheduling, which is a key part of the rescheduling process stipulated by the Controlled Substance Act, says Russell Baer, a special agent at the DEA's office of public affairs. Baer won't reveal what the recommendation was. The DEA will now conduct its own eight-factor analysis to study the drug's potential for abuse, the current state of medical and scientific knowledge, the history and pattern of abuse, and other considerations. Once that is complete, the DEA's administrator, Chuck Rosenberg, makes the final call.

Baer says the decision will be in line with the current scientific and medical findings surrounding marijuana's status as a beneficial drug.

"We are bound by the FDA's scheduling recommendations," says Baer.

If the DEA recommends rescheduling marijuana to II, III, IV, or V, or removing it from the list of controlled substances, any change in designation will have big implications for the legal industry across 23 states and Washington, D.C., says Aeron Sullivan, the co-founder of Tradiv, an online wholesale marketplace for legal marijuana businesses to buy and sell marijuana. If pot is rescheduled, it could also open up the industry to import-export and help increase the potential for a nationwide, regulated market. In short, it could welcome marijuana into the mainstream economy.

But if the DEA decides marijuana is still a Schedule I drug, Baer says the agency will not be dropping down into Colorado, Washington, and Oregon from black helicopters and arresting everyone.

"Even if it remains a Schedule I substance, the DEA will continue to allocate its resources and time to the biggest and most violent drug traffickers," he says, explaining most of the agency's resources are being used to deal with the current opioid epidemic, which kills more people each year than auto accidents.

While the states are technically breaking federal law, the DEA is not going to waste its resources on regulated marijuana industries that have been approved by local voters, Baer says.

Baer wouldn't give a specific date for the decision, but he said the process is nearly complete and the agency is waiting to hear Rosenberg's decision whether marijuana is considered a medicine or if it's still a dangerous substance. 

While the DEA continues to deliberate the rescheduling of cannabis, the agency will continue to support increased medical and scientific studies on weed, says Baer.

According to the DEA, the total number of Schedule I researchers registered to study marijuana and its extracts, concentrates, and active compounds has increased from 161 in April 2014 to 344 in March 2016, an increase of more than 113 percent.

Baer said the DEA is also working to build an on-line application system for researchers to apply for a Schedule I researcher registration to make the application and review process easier and to promote more scientific and medical research on the plant.

CANNABIS SCIENCE IS VERY EXCITED AS THE DEA CONSIDERS TO RESCHEDULE MARIJUANA/CANNABIS WITH A LANDMARK DECISION AS EARLY AS MID-YEAR, 2016

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--(Marketwired - Apr 6, 2016) - Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabis-based medicines, today acknowledges and is very excited about the Landmark move with the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) decision to review marijuana's federal drug classification as early as mid-2016. Rescheduling marijuana would ease restrictions on research across the country, while at the same time reducing penalties for marijuana offenses. Increased research capabilities could spur innovation and growth in the cannabis industry.

To review the Huffington Post article please click here to read the article in its entirety.

In a letter to the Senators; http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/dearesponse.pdf the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is looking to decide on the reclassification of Marijuana by mid-year.

For years, marijuana has shared the "Schedule I" classification with heroin and LSD, drugs with much higher rates of death and hospitalization for users. This classification also specifies the drug has no "current accepted medical use". Cannabis Science, along with the masses, believe this has changed emphatically, based on the many ground-breaking university and private studies along with the ever growing long list of peer reviewed articles.

"We are very pleased to hear the DEA's decision to review marijuana's drug classification scheduling. It is clear to us and to so many others that the natural drug offers a host of health benefits and treatment properties. Cannabis Science will benefit extraordinarily as our research is already on the cutting edge, this Landmark move will open the industry in leaps and bounds," said Cannabis Science Inc. President, CEO & Co-Founder Raymond C. Dabney.

The DEA hopes to publish its decision in the first half of 2016. This decision is becoming increasingly important as more states decide to legalize cannabis for medicinal use. Nearly half of the U.S. states have already made such a decision, and a schedule change would have positive benefits for each of them.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc., takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on skin cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward- looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company are detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

DEA to Allow Huge Increase in Marijuana Production to Meet Research Demands

POSTED BY: CANNABISACTIVISTNETWORK JUNE 17, 2015

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has proposed a massive increase in the amount of marijuana it will allow to be produced this year in the hopes of meeting the demand of researchers studying new medicinal uses for the drug, it has announced.

In the US, the manufacture and production of marijuana is controlled by the DEA, whose authority to do so stems from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)—a law which categorizes drugs in accordance with their risk of abuse and medical benefit.

For example, drugs regulated by DEA under Schedule II of the CSA may have a recognized benefit, but also a substantial risk of misuse or abuse. A Schedule V drug, meanwhile, may have a recognized medical benefit and a very small risk of misuse or abuse.

And then there are Schedule I drugs like cocaine and marijuana—drugs which DEA claims have no recognized medicinal purpose as well as a high risk of misuse or abuse.

But while these drugs might not have the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or DEA, that doesn’t mean they are totally banned in the US. Under the CSA, DEA controls the production of schedule I and II drugs, including for research purposes.

As a result, even drugs like cocaine are allowed to be manufactured and distributed under DEA’s Aggregate Production Quotas (APQs). Such quotas determine the exact amount of each drug that is permitted to (legally) be produced in the US each year for research or other official purposes.

In September 2014, DEA released its Established Aggregate Production Quotas for Schedule I and II Controlled Substances in the Federal Register. The document details the exact amount of each schedule I and II drug that can be produced in the US during 2015.

Among the drug substances included in DEA’s initial 2015 APQ is marijuana—spelled marihuana in the document—which is set at a production quota of 125,000 grams.

Then, in April 2015, DEA proposed a further and substantial increase for the APQ for marijuana, which it said should be increased to 400,000 grams.

The increase, DEA said, was in response to an elevated demand for cannabidiol, an active ingredient in marijuana, for research purposes.

“Since the establishment of the initial 2015 aggregate production quotas, the DEA has received notification from DEA registered manufacturers that research and product development involving cannabidiol, is increasing beyond that previously anticipated for 2015,” DEA explained in its notice. “The associated product development activities are related to process validation and commercialization activities, including qualification activities related to potential FDA submission support.”

In plain terms, several companies have been trying to obtain supplies of cannabidiol to test its medicinal properties. For example, two companies, Insys Therapeutics and GW Pharma, are seeking FDA approval for drugs to treat different types of epilepsy. Dozens of other studies are hoping to determine if the ingredient is helpful in treating schizophrenia, graft versus host disease, Dravet syndrome and more.

The boost in demand is also due, in part, to increased interest from the government. DEA said the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has requested “Additional supplies of marijuana to be manufactured in 2015 to provide for ongoing and anticipated research efforts involving marijuana.”

But even a three-fold increase in the APQ is apparently not enough. DEA is now proposing to increase its production quota for marijuana even further.

In a Federal Register posting on 16 June 2015, the agency said upon further review of the quota, and inconsideration of comments received from the public, it will increase the production quota for marijuana to 658,000 grams—more than five times the amount permitted previously.

The new quota amount applies to all of fiscal year 2015, DEA said.

Source: Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society

DEA to Allow Huge Increase in Marijuana Production to Meet Research Demands

USA - La Dea ricicla i soldi dei narcos per infiltrarsi. Conferma

Un'inchiesta del New York Times ha rivelato che agenti della Dea americana (Drug Enforcement Administration) e forze dell'ordine messicane hanno aiutato i cartelli della droga messicani a riciclare denaro proveniente dal traffico di droga, nel tentativo di infiltrarsi nel cartello. Il quotidiano aveva pubblicato già lo scorso mese dichiarazioni di agenti federali che, mantenendo l'anonimato, hanno rivelato le operazioni di riciclaggio, e oggi ha fornito i dettagli di una vicenda risalente al 2007. Oltre agli agenti, a essere coinvolti sono il trafficante colombiano Harold Mauricio Poveda-Ortega, conosciuto come "Il coniglio", accusato di aver fatto arrivare in messico 150 tonnellate di cocaina, e il leader di uno dei cartelli messicani, Arturo Beltran Leyva, ucciso dagli agenti messicani nel corso di una sparatoria nel 2009.
Secondo quanto si evince dai documenti redatti dal governo messicano per l'ordine di estradizione per il fornitore colombiano, arrestato nel 2010, l'operazione di riciclaggio farebbe parte di un piano per consentire a Dea e forze dell'ordine messicane di infiltrarsi nelle organizzazioni criminali e colpirle dal loro interno, risalendo al patrimonio dei cartelli e individuandone i leader.
L'indagine del New York Times rivela le varie fasi dell'operazione che si perpetuata per diversi anni. In alcuni casi gli agenti messicani si sono finti contrabbandieri per ritirare il denaro in Messico, scortati dalla Dea. Gli agenti americani trasportavano quindi il contante negli Stati Uniti a bordo di aerei del governo, per depositarlo nei conti correnti indicati dai trafficanti. Da questi conti il denaro veniva trasferito a compagnie che offrivano beni e servizi al cartello di turno. In altri casi erano direttamente gli agenti della Dea a presentarsi come riciclatori: ritiravano il contante negli Stati Uniti, lo depositavano in banca e poi lo facevano arrivare ai trafficanti in Messico.
La procedura condotta dagli agenti federali, che prevede operazioni illegali per combattere la criminalità, ha sollevato non poche polemiche. Prima di incastrare i responsabili e arrivare agli arresti, la Dea ha permesso ai cartelli di continuare le loro attività per mesi o addirittura per anni.

USA - La Dea ricicla i soldi dei narcos per infiltrarsi. Conferma

Notizia 

10 gennaio 2012

Obama: Time for "conversation" on marijuana laws

President Obama said he does not support marijuana legalization but that it's time to have a "conversation" on the matter now that Washington state and Colorado have legalized the drug at the state level.
"This is a tough problem, because Congress has not yet changed the law," Mr. Obama said in an interview with ABC's Barbara Walters. "I head up the executive branch; we're supposed to be carrying out laws. And so what we're going to need to have is a conversation about, how do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it's legal?"
Though Colorado and Washington voters in November approved ballot initiatives that legalize recreational marijuana use, as well as its regulation and taxation, the drug is still banned under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The Obama administration has yet to say how it will respond, but it has a number of choices: Its options include taking a hands-off approach and letting the states proceed, enforcing the federal law itself and raiding state-sanctioned marijuana sellers once they're established next year, or suing the states.

As Mr. Obama alluded to, some members of Congress are supporting legislation to amend the Controlled Substances Act, to exempt its enforcement against marijuana in states that have legalized the drug. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy plans on holding a hearing early next year to consider the federal government's options.
Mr. Obama told Walters that while "the federal government has a lot to do when it comes to criminal prosecutions... it does not make sense from a prioritization point of view to for us to focus on recreational drug users in a state that has already said under state law that's legal."
Federal drug law enforcement, however, hardly ever targets individual drug users. Instead, if the administration chose to enforce federal law, it would likely target commercial distributors. Alison Holcomb, the drug policy director for the ACLU of Washington state and an author of the state's marijuana ballot initiative, told CBSNews.com that marijuana use shouldn't be particularly risky for individuals in the state.
"Federal law enforcement resources tend to be focused on major organized crime," she said. "It is very, very rare that marijuana use is subjected to federal enforcement," unless users are on federal lands like national parks. "By and large, the DEA has much better things to do than go after the marijuana users."

Obama: Time for "conversation" on marijuana laws

US marijuana legalisation fuels Mexico drugs war debate

Will Mexico's drug cartels see a drop in profits as a result of changes in the US?

Earlier this month, two US states voted to legalise, regulate and tax marijuana. The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico City looks at what this shift in stance could mean for Mexico and its fight against the drug gangs.

On the day voters in Washington state chose to re-elect President Barack Obama, they also chose to legalise the recreational use of marijuana. Over the Rockies in Colorado, it was a similar story.

"What happened in Colorado and Washington was truly revolutionary," says Beau Kilmer, the co-director of the Rand Drug Policy Research Centre in California. "No modern country has ever removed the prohibition on the production and distribution of marijuana for non-medical purposes."

When the measure comes into effect in Colorado in early December, it will be legal to possess 1oz (28g) of marijuana if you are over 21; it will be legal to grow up to six marijuana plants in your house; and it will be legal to give away up to 1oz.
There are still complex questions about creating a regulatory framework for the production and distribution of the drug, which may take at least another year.
Needless to say, such a move puts the two states on a legal collision course with the federal government and its drug enforcement policies. But Dr Kilmer believes it is a mistake to view the Obama administration as a single entity in this regard.
"At this point no-one knows how the federal government is going to respond to these two states. But it's important that we don't think of it as a homogenous actor."

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the US Attorney-General's office and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) all have a degree of jurisdiction, and discretion, over these issues, Dr Kilmer points out.
Use of force Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres away, in a "smoke shop" in Mexico City, the news of Colorado and Washington's decision has been warmly welcomed. Surrounded by glass cabinets full of expensive-looking vaporiser, the proprietor tells me that many of his customers are hoping for a similar law in Mexico.
"People don't want to contribute to the drug cartels' profits any more and I've sold a lot of copies of this recently," he says, holding up a book called The Ecological Cultivation of Cannabis.

The man in Mexico currently leading the charge to change the law is left-wing politician Fernando Belauzaran. He has introduced a bill in Congress along similar lines to the one in Colorado, which would bring marijuana under the same regulation as alcohol.

"What has happened in the US has moved things forward, because this debate is crucial," Mr Belauzaran told the BBC on the day he formally presented the proposal.
"We need to ask if it makes sense to carry on with this full-frontal military campaign which has generated so much destruction and death in our country in order to impede the entrance into the United States of a substance which is now permitted and regulated."
Mr Belauzaran does not necessarily expect his measure to pass in this legislative session. But what is important, he says, is the new discourse on the issue.

In some parts of the US and Mexican media, the decision in Washington state and Colorado has been called a "game-changer" in the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States on the war on drugs.
Both the outgoing administration and the incoming one in Mexico have indicated that they expect things to develop with respect to marijuana during President Obama's second term.
Hosting several central American leaders recently, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the decision in the US was a "change in paradigm" on drug consumption. He called for the United Nations and the Organisation of American States to help clarify the situation.
The new government went even further.
"Obviously, we can't handle a product that is illegal in Mexico, trying to stop its transfer to the United States, when in the United States - at least in part of the United States - it now has a different status," Luis Videgaray, President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto's top adviser, told journalists.
But it is not just in Mexico that the debate on marijuana is shifting. Uruguay too, under left-wing President Jose Mujica, is moving to put the state in charge of regulating the cultivation and consumption of legal cannabis.
Continent-wide, there are obviously many discussions still to be had.
Advocates and opponents disagree about the extent to which legalisation of marijuana would hurt the drug cartels' profits - some quoting figures in the billions, others in the mere tens of millions. And there is still a long way to go before President Obama formulates a coherent response to the voters' decision in the two states.
But amid the smoke and mirrors, one thing seems clear: when it comes to marijuana in the Americas, the seeds of change have been sown.

US marijuana legalisation fuels Mexico drugs war debate