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This Monday, the Drug Policy Alliance and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies released a report titled "The DEA: Four Decades of Impeding and Rejecting Science." Using case studies from 1972 to the present, the report argues the ways the US Drug Enforcement Administration has suppressed research on the positive benefits of marijuana for medical use.
The crux of the report is this: The DEA has worked to paint marijuana into an inescapable corner by both repeatedly (and falsely) stating that marijuana has no proven medical use and by systematically impeding clinical research that would prove such medical benefit. This refusal to either acknowledge or study the drug allows it to continue being classified as a Schedule I drug, the most heavily regulated illegal substance.
From the story:
"It's like giving the Highway Patrol the ability to set speed limits," Sean Dunagan, a former DEA senior intelligence research specialist, told VICE News. Dunagan, a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, said DEA culture is vehemently anti-drug and "stuck in the 1980's rhetoric" of the war on drugs.
"The DEA is never going to approach scheduling decisions on the basis of science," said Dunagan. "It's necessarily skewed in one direction."
(Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Monday June 16 2014, @05:43PM
I'm more hung on the concept that this is news. I'm to lazy and to preoccupied to do any searches on the subject, but I recall reading various articles over the years. The DEA and/or the DOJ, and/or other government agencies have come down hard on any research into cannabis. One fuzzy memory on my mind at the moment, involved some students doing research, whose laboratory was raided. The government demanded to see all the tons of cannabis that they should have on hand, when in fact, the net sum of all their stock both past and present was a couple pounds. The study was naturally shut down because the researchers couldn't account for all that grass that MUST have been sold on the streets for zillions of dollars.
The DEA has never tolerated any independent research.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Monday June 16 2014, @06:42PM
The solution seems easy: conduct the research in a country, where it is legal to do so.
(Score: 1) by Kromagv0 on Monday June 16 2014, @07:11PM
Why do you hate America.
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(Score: 2) by Geotti on Monday June 16 2014, @09:13PM
Why do you say so?
I'm critical of any government that is not acting in the best interest* of our species (i.e. all of 'em).
* best interest, as in we live in abundance of resources & can all do what we feel like.
(Score: 1) by Kromagv0 on Tuesday June 17 2014, @12:13PM
I actually wasn't trying to criticize you, but attempting to make a joke that fell flat.
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(Score: 2) by Geotti on Tuesday June 17 2014, @01:55PM
Oops, sorry : )
(Score: 1) by Kromagv0 on Wednesday June 18 2014, @07:40PM
Not a problem. I should probably be better about putting in sarcasm tags.
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(Score: 1) by fadrian on Monday June 16 2014, @09:18PM
... conduct the research in a country where it is legal to do so.
But, but... America is exceptional! I learned that in my American Exceptionalism class. Research done in other countries is de facto invalid because... because... Freedom! Yeah! That's it. Freedom! Woooo! USA! USA!
That is all.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday June 17 2014, @05:47AM
Just what we need, more offshoring.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by dry on Tuesday June 17 2014, @05:13AM
They don't mind independent research into the negative affects of marijuana and will even sponsor it, but only if independent.
Wish I could use the sarcasm tag but the above seems to be how it works, lots of research on the bad affects that seems independent but actually has funding strings or done by an institution that is known for its results.