We’re all aware that the DEA doesn’t believe that marijuana has medicinal benefits or that it is safer than a number of prescription medications, regardless of the scientific evidence that supports those claims. In August they denied petitions to remove cannabis from the most restrictive category of the Controlled Substances Act – and now they are amending the CSA to specifically include marijuana extracts.
In the new drug code titled “Establishment of a New Drug Code for Marihuana Extract,” the DEA says it is “creating a separate code number for marihuana extract with the following definition: ‘Meaning an extract containing one or more cannabinoids that has been derived from any plant of the genus Cannabis, other than the separated resin (whether crude or purified) obtained from the plant.’ Extracts of marihuana will continue to be treated as Schedule I controlled substances.”
This new code effectively puts an end to the legal grey area that has allowed companies to sell CBD products that are derived from hemp plants, rather than medical marijuana plants. Since hemp products with less than 1% THC are legal (hemp oil, cloth, lotions, etc.), many companies started to sell CBD products all across the U.S. under the assumption that it was legal if the CBD was extracted from hemp – but this law clarifies that, making any and all extracts from cannabis plants (no matter how little THC they may contain) specifically Schedule I.
“This code,” wrote DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg, “will allow DEA and DEA-registered entities to track quantities of this material separately from quantities of marihuana.”
Apparently, the move is supposed to bring the U.S. into compliance with international drug-control treaties. While it doesn’t necessarily change the law, it does make it a little clearer – and will likely put an end to CBD products being sold across all 50 states, which is unfortunate. Luckily, there are laws in place that will continue to protect patients in states with medical marijuana laws from prosecution under federal law – including those that allow CBD-only products.
“This action is beyond the DEA’s authority,” Hoban told Leafly in an interview. “The DEA can only carry out the law, they cannot create it. Here they’re purporting to create an entirely new category called ‘marijuana extracts,’ and by doing so wrest control over all cannabinoids. They want to call all cannabinoids illegal. But they don’t have the authority to do that.”
Whether or not the DEA should be able to amend the Controlled Substances Act, they have – reminding everyone that they are keeping cannabis a controlled substance and actually expanding it to include extracts from any genus of cannabis, including industrial hemp.
**Update: Title changed from “The DEA Makes CBD a Schedule 1 Drug”
TAKE BACK THE D.E.A.!!!
The D.E.A. and F.D.A. both stand in defiance of Congress and also the Senate as well as the majorty of citizens. Because of the misuse and abuse of responsibility and credibility as well as incompetence and refusal to reform the enforcement power of the D.E.A. should be removed and placed back into the hands of the state. A semi-secret elite police force within what is already a police state is way over the top. America does not need this throwback to the cold war era. These Federal offices have become a haven of renegade Authoritarian despots and tyrants commandeering and miss-directing hundreds of millions even billions into their drug war against American citizens and likewise funding state police regimes both within the U.S. and worldwide.It is these federal agency’s that have created the drug problem solely to commandeer funding and as their power base. Well in excess of sixty percent of F.D.A. employees are lured into going to work for the pharmaceutical industry. The D.E.A. is no more than an arm of the pharmaceutical industry. These renegade authoritarians as well as the pro drug war Authoritarians in the F.B.I. need to be controlled or removed
just another lawless rogue agency Trump must abolish its not needed!
i’m sure he’ll get right on it, just as soon as he put hillary in jail lol
President Obama needs to make an executive action and take all cannabis products off schedule 1 before he leaves office in January!
What a joke! The FDA and The DEA have zero authority to make laws!
The Fricking Dumb Asses have zero clue! They allow 1000’s of ingredients added to items we continue to use on a daily basis that KILL US ALL!
They need to be stopped!
Obama must really step up this time. He’s been wobbly for 8 years.