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  • Lawmakers Tell Sessions To Stop Blocking Marijuana Research

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    Marijuana Moment
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    A bipartisan group of members of Congress is asking U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop standing in the way of increased research into marijuana's medical potential.

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    A bipartisan group of members of Congress is asking U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop standing in the way of increased research into marijuana's medical potential.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Flag for inappropriate content
    3K views2 pages

    Lawmakers Tell Sessions To Stop Blocking Marijuana Research

    Uploaded by

    Marijuana Moment
    A bipartisan group of members of Congress is asking U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to stop standing in the way of increased research into marijuana's medical potential.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 2
    fore ereieeet Congress of the United States ne coauirer on ew ‘House of Representatives ‘Wtushington, BE 20515-2901 August 23, 2017 ‘The Honorable Jefferson Sessions ‘Atiomey General US. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW ‘Washington, DC 20530-0001 Dest Attomey General Sessions: We write to express our concer regarding an August ISth acl from the Washington Pos, “Justice Department at odds with DEA on marijuana research, MS-13," which asserts thatthe Justice Deparment has prevented the DEA from moving forward in its permiting process for marijuana research. The ‘purpose of our leter is threfol: frst, we wish to establish the veracity of this article's claims. Secon, if the atte’ elaims are true, we would lke to know the rationale behind the Department of Tustice’s decision. Finally, we would lik to encourage you to proceed with rapidity on the DEA’ permiting process, as we Believe it is in keeping with President Trump's campaign promises and the best interests ‘of the American people. (On August 11, 2016, Chuck Rosenberg, Acting Administrator ofthe Drug Enforcement Administration, sated ina leter to Governors Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island and Jay Inslee of Washington that the DEA “fully support lestimate medical and scientific research on marijuana and its constituent pars and that the DEA “will continue to eck ways to make the process for those researchers more efficent and effective.” The following day, on August 12th, the DEA established anew rule (21 CFR Part 1301, Docket No. DEA-447) that it would begin accepting applications to grow cannabis forthe purposes of ‘medical and scientific research, According tothe Post sory of August 15, aswell as a uly 24 report fom Scientific American, over two dozen applications have been completed. These applicants, however, have received neither an approval nora denial — they atin limbo. The Post claims this i because the Justice Department will not give the “sign-off to move forward” on processing these applications, Quite simply, we would like to know whether this is true, and, iso, we would like to know the rationale for this decison (ver eighty percent of Americans believe tht doctor prescribed marijuana should be legal, aecording to recent polls. Yet despite widespread public support, health care professionals are understandbly cautious bout prescribing medical marijuana: Further research into is safety and efficacy is necessary. Only rigorous cienlfic research can ascertain the medical potenal of cannabis, if any, but the ules and regulations surrounding cannabis make such research extremely challenging. The cumbersome and Tengthy permiting proces, es well as the eifHculy of obtaining diferent types and "strains" of cannabis ‘with which fo perform research have thwarted researcher’ ability to study the pharmacology end potential medical usage of cannabis. The DEA's new permiting proces of August 2016 does not attempt to change marijuana laws, excep forthe acquisition of research materia Such a change is small, but wil ‘aretly enhance scientists" ability to perform research, and, as such, it should not be hindered ‘unnecessarily. A“tough-on-rime” postion is important to ths administration, and your elfrs to curb the importation ‘of drugs into America are laudable, While we must continue out fight agninst organized eime and drug ‘elated violence, its our opinion tht medical marijuana research falls outside of those categories, and oes not pose a pressing danger to American society. This view, it sem is supported by President ‘Trump: in an October 29, 2015 campaign rally in Sparks, NV, Mr. Trump stated that he believed in the ficacy of medical eannis for certain patents — position he expressed several times at many other ‘campaign stops. Indeed, as you surely know, many patients and patients’ advocacy groups nationwide ‘have attested tothe potential benefits of medical marjuana — including its usage asa treatment for PTSD, which has aficted many ofthe heroic men and women of our armed frees. ‘These groups" claims for medial marijuana efficacy can only be determined through scientific research, ‘which wil be expedited and enhanced bythe DEA’s new permitting process. It is worsisome think that the Department of lustice, the comersione of American civil society, would limit new and poteatally _rounalbreaking research simply because it does not want to follow rule. We write to inquire whether the allegations rise by the Post are ru, and, iso to understand the Department of Justice's ational in refising to proee theee apliestione Finally, herr we know yrs to hea man with menor

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