DEA Denies Marijuana Petition, Restrictions on Use Remain
Denying a petition to loosen marijuana restrictions, U.S. officials said regulations on the drug’s use will remain in place, although more of it may be available for research into potential medical therapies.
The plan is a disappointment for critics who had hoped the agency would recognize the potential medical benefits of the plant and possibly ease the way for companies, such as GW Pharmaceuticals Plc, to develop cannabis-based medications. Those include possible treatments for nervous-system disorders like epilepsy and cancer pain using cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is one of the active chemicals found in marijuana, though unlike THC, the main psychoactive chemical in pot, it doesn’t cause intoxication.
“Not everyone agrees marijuana should be legal, but few will deny that it is less harmful than alcohol and many prescription drugs,” Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. “Removing barriers to research is a step forward, but the decision does not go nearly far enough. Marijuana should be completely removed from the CSA drug schedules and regulated similarly to alcohol.”
- Probe Into Death of Nurse on Home Visit Alleges Employer Failed to Protect Workers
- Insurers Get Green Light to Pay Less Than Billed Charges in Florida PIP Cases
- Insurer Chubb Readies $350M Payout Tied to Baltimore Bridge Collapse
- Miami Retirement Fund Class Action Alleges Globe Life Officers Concealed Fraud