DEA Chief: Cannabis ‘Certainly is Not as Dangerous’ As Other Schedule 1 Drugs, Opposes Rescheduling Anyway
DEA Chief Chuck Rosenberg.
Chuck Rosenberg, Chief of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), stated in a recent interview that he believes cannabis “certainly is not as dangerous as other Schedule I controlled substances”. Despite this, Rosenberg says that cannabis has no medical value, and should remain a Schedule 1 drug which puts it alongside actually dangerous substances such as heroin.
In May, Rosenberg was selected by President Obama to succeed Michele Leonhart, who stepped down amidst controversy. Just a few months later, in August, Rosenberg made the news and excited cannabis reform advocates by saying that “heroin is clearly more dangerous than cannabis”, a fact that no prior DEA Chief has been willing to admit.
Now, in an interview with Fox News, Rosenberg says that despite cannabis being “clearly” not as dangerous as other Schedule 1 drugs, he “frankly [doesn’t] see a reason to remove” it from its current scheduling.
In regards to the medical value of cannabis, Rosenberg said; “If we come up with a medical use for it, that would be wonderful. But we haven’t.”
You can find contact information for the DEA – where you can express your opinion on Rosenberg’s comments – by clicking here.
– TheJointBlog
frankielee
The never ending parade of idiots in power is astonishing.
Chief Rosenberg, YOU HAVE NO VALUE!
moldy
Yep, protecting make work jobs for idiots off of the backs of peaceful cannibis comsumers.
scott
If this isn’t 1 of many medical uses research studies by the National Institute of Drug Abuse ( yes a federal agency) then what is it???? Also go to nih.gov for more studies.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Says Cannabis Kills Cancer Cells
News
April 4, 2015
The Nationalcannabis Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a government-run research institute with a budget of over $1 billion, has admitted that cannabis can kill certain cancer cells, and reduces the size of others.
A publication from NIDA, revised as of April 2015 and titled Drug Facts, states that “recent animal studies have shown that marijuana can kill certain cancer cells and reduce the size of others.” It notes that; “Evidence from one animal study suggests that extracts from whole-plant marijuana can shrink one of the most serious types of brain tumors”, and that; “Research in mice showed that these extracts, when used with radiation, increased the cancer-killing effects of the radiation.”
This publication is the first time NIDA has officially declared medical cannabis to have true medical value, and is directly contrary to the substances schedule 1 controlled substance status, meaning it has no known medical value.
Denzidrine
In an interview with “FOX NEWS!” When Fox interviewer Jay Rosen pointed out that there is a “common-sense disparity, or irony, or disconnect” stemming from the fact that alcohol is legal but marijuana is not, Rosenberg seemed to acknowledge as much.
“Probably, yeah,” he said, before insinuating that alcohol prohibition was a failure. “We tangled with that as a society in the 1930s. And we know how that went.”
But Rosenberg didn’t seem to notice the inconsistency of his own views when he added, “I choose not to drink alcohol but I’m not going to impose that on anyone else.” Why FOX?
Bruce Leonard
Sir maybe you should do some research on the medical benefits of medical pot and you would see what a wonderful helpful drug this can be How many deaths can be attributed to heroin and prescription pills overdose Prescription pill deaths now lead the country as the number one killer in America today I can say there are no deaths attributed to pot overdose I have had chronic pain for 23 years I have been on pain pills for 23 years I am currently on oxycodone OxyContin fentanyl and now dilaudid I have been on these 4 narcotics for the past 10 years I also suffer from not being able to sleep I am now off of all pain medications and only use pot to control my pain and I can now sleep with no problem I am now more healthier by being off all that poison I was on for 23 years I know of a family who’s son was diagnosed with acute non verbal autism the boy had not spoke for 9 years after being given a HTC oil to try on their son after only 3 days of use there son started talking and is now speaking in complete sentences due to this oil so please get your head out of your ass and wake up that pot has true medical purposes and get it off of schedule 1 narcotic level because if you believe that heroin is as dangerous as pot you surely have no idea what you are talking about and step down from your position
vickia52
another boy wonder! just how much money is he making to lie!
Sherri Larson
The Significance of US Govt Cannabinoid Patent 6,630,507
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by Brinna, July 23, 2008, 01:05am
Brinna Nanda
When I was at the Patients Out of Time Medical Cannabis conference in Asilomar this last April, I overheard a remark that startled me: “The US Government has a patent on cannabis.” I couldn’t locate the person who made the comment, so I went home and did some online research. Sure enough, patent number 6,630,507 states unequivocally that cannabinoids are useful in the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases including auto-immune disorders, stroke, trauma, Parkinson’s, Alzeheimer’s and HIV dementia. The patent, awarded in 2003, is based on research done by the National Institute of Health, and is assigned to the US Dept. of Health and Human Services.
So, why is this important? Here is a legal document, in the public domain, which flies in the face of the US Government’s stated position with regard to the classification of cannabis as a Schedule I substance having no “currently accepted medical use”. Believe me, citing this patent stops the “medical marijuana is a myth” advocates dead in their tracks. They simply cannot argue with it. The forces that would keep cannabis illegal are vocal and well funded, but they are not impervious to persistent effort. The lynch pin in the War on Drugs is cannabis. Without the suppression and interdiction of this popular and widely used substance, there simply would not be enough “illegal drug use” going on to justify the huge amount of money and resources spent on “fighting drugs.”
I believe disseminating information about this patent as widely as possible, and to as many people as possible is a crucial strategy in loosening that lynch pin, and changing public perception about cannabis. I, personally, downloaded the first page of this patent and sent a copy (with the assignee highlighted) to every one of my elected representatives. I have also included information about it in “letters to the editor” referencing any cannabis related news story I come across, I use it as an argument in every State medical cannabis and decriminalization initiative, and have mentioned it in all my comments to online posts and blogs of the same nature. I would be delighted if everyone who believes the War on Drugs is a failed and destructive policy, would do the same, until the existence of this irrefutable patent becomes widely held public knowledge, and government ‘s rhetoric is shown to be as hollow as a busted drum.
QuaxMercy
I don’t expect Obama to move this issue forward. I believe he recognizes that if he is too closely identified with legalization, the Repubs would seek to negate it ASAP. But to appoint this KnowNothing at this late date? It is insulting, Mr. President, just so unnecessary and an opportunity squandered.
evitlexan
what a dhik!