I believe that marijuana will be re-scheduled this October. This could possibly lead to a massive overall change of attitude of the country concerning the dangers of Marijuana and could help Colorado, Washington, and Oregon with their ballot measures this year. _________________________________________________ The disconnect between state laws allowing for the use of medicinal marijuana and federal anti-drug enforcement efforts may be evolving. As ThinkProgress reports, for the first time since 1994 a federal court will consider the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value. The lawsuit, which is now a decade old, was brought by Americans for Safe Access and argues the science behind marijuana's therapeutic properties. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule 1 substance with a “high potential for abuse,†placing it alongside other narcotics such as heroin and cocaine. Oral arguments on the ASA case will be heard on October 16th. Since the original petition was filed in 2002 the scientific evidence to support declassifying marijuana has expanded at least two-fold, especially in the treatment of diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and cancer. In 2011, the National Cancer Institute listed cannabis as a complementary and alternative medicine, noting that it has been used as medicine for thousands of years. Even Congress seems prepared to protect medical marijuana possession. Should ASA succeed and the court find the DEA's refusal to reclassify marijuana as “arbitrary and capricious†that will force the Obama administration to re-evaluate and adjust federal enforcement efforts. Which, similar to their tactics in same sex marriage, may be exactly what they are looking for. When Attorney General Eric Holder first took over at the Department of Justice he said that medical marijuana prosecutions would fall low on the list of DOJ priorities. Yet busts and prosecutions have continued, leading many to question the sincerity of the statements. Cover from the court would provide DOJ exactly what it needs to ease up on enforcing federal law, expand the ability of researchers to conduct more science to prove the benefits of medicinal marijuana use and ease tensions between federal and local law enforcement. It may not be fast and it may not be sexy, but this is how policy evolves. Medical Marijuana Up For Debate in Federal Court | Care2 Causes
WOW! That hearing is a lot closer then I thought it would be... So pumped for that day, because I know it HAS to be rescheduled.. And if not, I have no faith left in this government. I mean, definition of Schedule 1 drugs are drugs with high rate for addiction (not even close for weed) and no medicinal value (we could just show them one video of how it saves cancer patients lives' and that should prove that).
I think the 3000 year old Chinese medical scrolls describing several medical applications and the preparations using cannabis should suffice as proof of medical efficacy,,unless the DEA can prove that hippies used a time machine to forge that information into them,,,and the claim that unless a substance is approved by the FDA as a medicine,,it isn't,,,tell that to aspirin manufacturers,,,aspirin is not FDA approved.
I do not see how this will not happen, It HAS to happen. We have science on our side now, plenty of doctors and patients who can testify. And then there is the obvious which is that 17 states have legalized it for medical purposes, But despite that, They still claim it has no medical value? That does not make ANY logical sense. Combine this rescheduling with legalization in at least Colorado (best chance so far) and we are pretty much free
What do you mean aspirin is not FDA approved? According to the Drugs@FDA website, aspirin is approved. Bayer aspirin was approved on June 25 1965. What am I confused about here?
What makes you think that this is happen? I really hope it does but I don't see this happening at all unless I'm missing out on something. To all you guys saying how there is proof that it helps medically and it's not addicting- the government is 100% aware of this but they simply do no give a fuck. Short of a big change in the government I don't see much happening in our favor. I don't mean to rain on anybody's parade I'm just trying to be real.
If it is re-scheduled, it is only because it is continuing forward with the push toward pharma profits (and government profit thanks to their patents.) Cocaine is Schedule II, and obviously, it is still entwined in the drug war. I don't see such a ruling doing anything along the lines of legalization that anyone but corporations will benefit from. The delays in this hearing gave them all the time they needed to prepare for commercial re-introduction to *select* "partners.
Not sure I agree with that. The "big pharma" picture involves derivatives, not whole plant cannabis. And they (pharma) can already do whatever they want with derivatives. Marinol is already FDA approved, and Marinol made from organically derived THC is supposedly not far from being placed in Schedule III. Sativex is nearing the final stages of FDA approval. I don't believe that "big pharma" has any interest in marketing whole plant cannabis. If anything "big pharma" profits are a reason to keep whole plant cannabis in Schedule I. Keep it there long enough to allow pharma to create as many derivative drugs as they can.
Sativex is a hash oil tincture made from the plant,,it is days away from FDA approval and is already being produced and sold in several countries that are members of the Single Treaty Convention,,which strictly prohibits cannabis production for medicine,,period,,,they are going around the UN treaty and will go around the CSA in the same way,,and your hash oil tincture you can make at your house will still be schedule 1.
OOPs,,showing my age,,the first time I used that line,,we did not have the internet and a mailed list of "approved by the FDA" medicines was almost impossible to get,,,,gonna hafta update that line PS:Bayer is a major player at G&W pharm,,,Sativex
I'm hopeful the end result here is a change in both schedule and policy. At least with the possibility of reschedule maybe some true medical research can get underway even if pharma industries are doing it. I think if laws even to the minimal point where medical testing can be done more easily happen medical benefits will be proven and then perhaps we can get a real change of attitude regarding cannabis.
Not sure I agree with your description of Sativex, nor it's "going around the CSA". Sativex is a blend of THC and CBD (approximately 1:1 ratio) derived from the plant. However it does not contain the full cannabinoid or terpinoid profile of cannabis. Therefore it is not cannabis. Synthetically derived THC in Sesame oil is in Schedule III (Marinol). Organically derived THC in Sesame oil will soon be in Schedule III. CBD is not on the CSA schedules at all. So as long as organically derived THC is placed in Schedule III, and CBD is not scheduled at all, GW can make all the Sativex they want and not contravene the CSA. As far as the Single Convention on Narcotics is concerned: So I don't think the Single Convention treaty prohibits cannabis production for medicine. That's the way I see it anyway...
"Not sure I agree with your description of Sativex, nor it's "going around the CSA"." According to G&W,,the cbd's and thc are balanced by using a specific strain that produces them balanced,,,as was told in the Youtube from G&W,,they show them drying the plants and stripping them,,then boiling them in a huge cauldron,,they do not tell you what they are using for the leaching agent but it looks just like Rick Simpsons cooking down in his videos,,only larger scaled.
I would be surprised if the DEA keeps their court date. They have been avoiding this day forever. They also know that when it comes to evidence supporting prohibition, they have not a leg to stand on. That is why that court date will never happen. I see rescheduling to II just before the court date. In the same breath as the rescheduling announcement, surprise! guess what gets fast-tracked..... anybody? Sativex. "Here is your 'marijuana medicine'. Now all dispensaries must close or face federal prosecution." Far too much power and money want to keep it illegal for this to be a smooth transition. Sadly, I have been having these same thoughts since about a week after the announcement of the Oct. 16 court date. Reports of 30,000 drones, military equipment being supplied to civilian police forces, 600 million hollow point rounds procured by DHS..... it seems the feds are prepping for civil war. While it would be nice for legalization to go off without a hitch, those that stand to lose income streams will do what they do. The Mayans may not be far off. New age/era? Let's hope so.
As it stands no one will qualify for Sativex unless they have cancer or MS. Until you can get it for insomnia, then it won't even come close to being accepted by the mmj community.
GW has been doing their good globalist work in the UK, however, where the scheduling allowed for their research and production. It completely goes around the CSA as intended, and "follows the laws" in this respect. Meanwhile, raw cannabis can still be propped up in value by the globalists and using prohibition they can cash in on both sides of the law. They're basically already doing whatever the hell they please while using the UN Treaty to abuse the citizens.