DEA to make long-awaited marijuana announcement Thursday

[Earth_First]

Source: MarketWatch

A long-awaited decision that could determine the future of the U.S. marijuana industry is expected Thursday.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said late Wednesday that it would publish its response to a congressional petition to reschedule marijuana in the Federal Register on Thursday morning.

The announcement could have far-reaching implications for the industry, particularly if the agency chooses to change the way it regulates marijuana. Marijuana is currently filed under Schedule I, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and has no accepted medical value.

The DEA’s response could move the drug to a less-restrictive schedule, which would allow more research under continued regulation. It could also deschedule it, which would completely remove it from the agency’s regulation, or take no action. The DEA’s email didn't indicate which course the agency might select.


Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dea-to-make-long-awaited-marijuana-announcement-thursday-2016-08-10

[TeamPooka]

1. Prohibition is a failed public policy, again.

[AngryAmish]

8. Melken hated Prohibition, and the people who pushed it.

[jberryhill]

2. I'll bet they kick it back to Congress

...and say something to the effect of its not their job to set policy.

[RAFisher]

16. That's literally one of the DEA's job.

The Control Substance Act gives the DEA the power to schedule drugs. The huge problem with the DEA is how it's a one way street. They never seem to lower a drug's schedule or completely unschedule it.

[jberryhill]

23. I realize that

But I'll bet they come up with an excuse

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. Crossing my eyes, and holding my fingers. Wait, no.

Crossing my fingers and holding my eyes.

No, that's not it.

Holding my breath and . . . . . Crossing my fingers. YEAH, that's the ticker. Tacker. Tucker. Thicket. Ticket.

[In_The_Wind]

7. ... + 1

[Bob Buttons]

17. LOL

literally. cheers!

[Warpy]

4. They won't give up on their main moneymaker

until and unless Congress and the courts force them to.

My guess is that the announcement will keep it schedule I because never mind those sick people over there getting relief on it, it's dangerous to the work habits of the American lower classes.

I will be extremely surprised by a move to schedule II, where morphine resides.

[Earth_First]

5. I'm with you, cautiously optimistic.

I mean after all, the the head of the Denver DEA Bureau says that grow operations in Colorado "are the new Meth houses."

Following this one...

[Bob Buttons]

19. That'd take a lot of fertilizer...

Never heard of a grow house exploding before. They must've been doing something *very* wrong... oh, unless he was being hyperbolic. Maybe he's comparing them because both super-stoners and meth addicts have bad dental hygiene. Yup, that must be it. Gingivitis kills!

[lordsummerisle]

6. Well, I won't be holding my breath

[WheelWalker]

9. I'll give it a shot

It's only till tomorrow.

[christx30]

10. "We're going to go ahead and say 'no' to the petition.

While there is no actual reason to have marijuana as a schedule I drug, there is too much money to be lost by the law enforcement community if it were lower. If there was a way to ban soil and reap trillions in fines, we would do that. Money is our priority, not helping the American people."

[TransitJohn]

11. They won't reschedule.

It's their cash cow. They'll force Congress and/or Executive Order. Is an Executive Order to reschedule possible? Any wonks out there?

[Major Nikon]

13. I don't believe it's possible by Executive Order

The process is specified by the Controlled Substances Act.

[kestrel91316]

12. DESCHEDULE it!!!!!!

[ripcord]

14. Denied

The Obama administration has denied a bid by two Democratic governors to reconsider how it treats marijuana under federal drug control laws, keeping the drug for now, at least, in the most restrictive category for U.S. law enforcement purposes.

Drug Enforcement Administration chief Chuck Rosenberg says the decision is rooted in science. Rosenberg gave "enormous weight" to conclusions by the Food and Drug Administration that marijuana has "no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States" and by some measures, it remains highly vulnerable to abuse as the most commonly used illicit drug across the nation.

"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," he said, "and it's not."

http://www.npr.org/2016/08/10/489509471/dea-rejects-attempt-to-loosen-federal-restrictions-on-marijuana

[RAFisher]

21. Tobacco and Alcohol aren't considered safe medicine by the FDA and they aren't even scheduled.

Typical DEA bullshit.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. End prohibition.

[Thinkingabout]

18. Removing marijuana from the Schedule 1 would allow research into the benefits of marijuana

and it could benefit many people including children who have seizures and etc.

[Bob Buttons]

20. Looks like a no-go, folks

Assuming NORML is to be believed.

http://blog.norml.org/2016/08/10/dea-reaffirms-flat-earth-position-with-regard-to-marijuana-scheduling/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=DEA+Reaffirms+%E2%80%98Flat+Earth%E2%80%99+Position+With+Regard+To+Marijuana+Scheduling

[Wies Acres]

22. I don't expect that the DEA will do the right thing.They have no honor and

are controlled by outside interests,and cash.How can the Government be believed,when this agency is still pushing the "Cannabis is Bad" mantra.

It sure would be nice if we had leadership and candidates with the courage to take a stand,instead of dismissing the issue with statements like “I think we need to be very clear about the benefits of marijuana use for medicinal purposes. I don’t think we’ve done enough research yet,and mentioning “laboratories of democracy".Leaving it to the states to do the leg work,while it still remains illegal at the Federal level is way wrong.

This should not even be an issue.I am an adult.I have basic human rights that no government should be allowed to legislate or meddle in.

Where is the leadership on this issue?

[raven mad]

24. Yep - they kept it at Schedule 1............

because without that, most of them would be unemployed.