The DEA against the vast majority of the public about marijuana

The cannabis industry is concerned about the direction of regulation – and the DEA is still against the plant.

The cannabis industry is very concerned about the future. While many supported the new president with the hope of action, things are looking difficult. The House speaker opposes legal marijuana, the pro-weed candidate for attorney general appears to be in trouble, and some of the new Senate leaders think the cannabis issue is dead from the start. And is this a sign for the DEA to do nothing? It's the DEA versus the vast majority of the public when it comes to marijuana.

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Every poll shows that at least 88% of the population is in favor of some form of legal cannabis. In Florida, nearly 57% of voters supported a full recovery. Almost all major medical organizations, including the federal government's Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration, the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians, have supported the rescheduling. Their reason is proven science that offers clear medical benefits. But the DEA seems to be against it.

Now the DEA and its chief administrative law judge, John Mulrooney, have barred a key group from attending the hearing. Cannabis has been proven to help with post-traumatic stress disorder, and the Veterans Administration has rearranged its process to allow veterans to receive this treatment option. The Veterans Action Council (VAC), an organization that supports access to cannabis for military veterans, applied for “interested party status” to testify.

This is a follow-up to a previous request to participate. Despite cooperation with the government, the group was not included on the list of 25 participants released Oct. 31 by DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.

The DEA could allow more participants to testify, according to a footnote in the order denying the veterans group the opportunity to testify. But DEA Director Milgam has shown no preference for cannabis or the industry, and the current list leans heavily toward the anti-cannabis group and against the general public.

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As reported in early summer, Director Milgram made an unusual request to the top representatives called to the “marijuana meeting” in March: no one was allowed to take notes. This has left the industry very worried and hoping for a positive outcome for the thousands of mom and pop businesses.