Community | February 23, 2011 | 10 comments

DEA to legalize marijuana only for ‘Big Pharma,’ NORML claims

source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/23/dea-to-legalize-marijuana-only-for-big-pharma-group-cl...

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WakeUpPeople
A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposal to reclassify the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana as a Schedule III substance would allow pharmaceutical companies to market the drug while still penalizing common recreational use, according to marijuana law reform advocates.

The main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is currently a Schedule I substance within the US Controlled Substances Act, the most restrictive schedule with the greatest criminal penalties.

In November 2010, the DEA proposed reclassifying dronabinol, a synthetic THC, as a Schedule III substance, which would place it among substances such as hydrocodone and allow it to be dispensed with a written or oral prescription.

"The DEA's intent is to expand the federal government's schedule III listing to include pharmaceutical products containing naturally derived formations of THC while simultaneously maintain existing criminal prohibitions on the plant itself," Paul Armentano, the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), wrote at AlterNet.

With its proposal, the DEA is responding to the demands of large pharmaceutical companies, he claimed.

Marijuana plants and THC extracts would remain illegal under the proposal, but companies would be able to purchase THC from a government-licensed provider to develop pharmaceutical products.

"While the DEA's forthcoming regulatory change promises to stimulate the advent of legally available, natural THC therapeutic products... the change will offer no legal relief for those hundreds of thousands of Americans who believe that therapeutic relief is best obtained by use of the whole plant itself," Armentano added.

"Rather the DEA appears content to try to walk a political and semantic tightrope that alleges: 'pot is bad,' but 'pot-derived pharmaceuticals are good.'"
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10 comments // DEA to legalize marijuana only for ‘Big Pharma,’ NORML claims

  • sugarlilly
    • +1
      sugarlilly  

    • we knew we were working with insanity when our government ever wrote legislation against a plant to begin with! personally, i think they should've attacked poison oak with social proproganda in the 50s. POISON OAK MADNESS shown in every school. poison oak has seriously derailed lives. {the calamine lotion companies would never have allowed this}. oh sovereign & good government, bend me over & tax me more please.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
  • EmileZ
  • Denica_Cassandra
    • +1
      Denica_Cassandra  

    • Lol/ Baby Steps?... hm it's not like the community-based growers r gonna go away even w/ the fascist police tactics (which they also use on the Med Clinics). - I think that it could be used as an legal step to show that Marijuana is not the demonized substance from Reefer Madness OR the research could be used to reenforce myths for higher profits for BigPh and the Prison Industrial Complex. Stop torturing the poor in jail.

    • 1 year ago
  • EmileZ
  • Conniepae
    • +6
      Conniepae  

    • One of the most profound comments in the article:

      ***With its proposal, the DEA is responding to the demands of large pharmaceutical companies, he claimed.***

      Once again the demands of large pharmaceutical companies get's heard, while the people get ignored, or incarcerated. Sad, sad, sad!

      Money -- The only voice which get's heard in America. Money talks! Politicians listen!

    • 1 year ago
  • floydyboy
    • +5
      floydyboy  

    • We must not be quiet. Speak up & tell the people who represent us that we are sick & tired of this shit.
      capwiz.com/norml2/issues/basics/?style=comm
      Free the weed! The people want their pot! Please, please write your government & tell them how you feel.

    • 1 year ago
  • floydyboy
    • +3
      floydyboy  
    • Image

    • Tell your reps how you feel. Join Norml. Call & write your local lawmakers. We must take action. norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3448

    • 1 year ago
  • jesus_is_a_liberal
    • +5
      jesus_is_a_liberal  

    • The DEA does not want to loose their jobs, that's it! This is a fat, bloated, Republican, job placement program, for so many. If pot were to be made legal, they would lay off hundreds of these people. They are kings, because of weed. They run around with their imaginary capes playing super hero, with pockets full of drugs and money. They have lots of neat toys, to break in and ruin the lives of otherwise good and honest people, who's only crime is smoking a little weed to relax after a hard day in this maddening world! They take away everything they ever worked for. Their homes, all of their possesions, ruin their careers and economic futures, and lock them behind bars, in a prision, a place designed for CRIMINALS! You know, people who HARM others in some way. They think of themselves as angles doing society such a huge favor, protecting us from the "EVIL WEED" Do you think these guys want to give up ALL THAT EASY MONEY AND POWER? NO WAY! This is the reason they will fight to the last bell, to keep their jobs. So they play their masquerade, while ruining peoples lives, all the while, many of them are making out very well, sitting around smoking free weed until, their sculls become numb, with a stack of "evil weed" cash in the basement, baby! Now that is EVIL!

    • 1 year ago
  • merilyncat
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