[socioecologist]

Be sure to check the Federal Register tomorrow for specifics. The DEA is publishing their rescheduling decision, and it sounds like there are a couple different pieces in play. No mention in the article as to whether private entities will be allowed to compete with universities for the right to produce research cannabis for studies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/sc...?smid=fb-share

[armedoldhippy]

from what i have read on this, they will allow a few universities to grow for researchers. i'm afraid that they will restrict the new grow sites to the shitweed varieties they grow in Mississippi, and force them to treat the weed the same way-IE- grind up seeds, stems, roots etc & claim it is a "whole plant approach". they don't want to test newer high-quality genetics or concentrates for fear a benefit might actually be found. what good is more of the same old crap being studied? the definition of insanity is doing the same fucking thing over & over & pretending there might be a different outcome...just like fighting the war on drugs. "WHACK!" "yup, it still smarts when i hit my thumb with a claw hammer. i figured for sure it would not hurt this time..." it looks as if there will be no rescheduling until congress gets off of its bloated ass & does it legislatively though.

[socioecologist]

My reading on this is a bit different; yes, the DEA and FDA are keeping cannabis as a schedule 1 drug. They will allow universities--and other organizations--to submit production proposals to supply approved researchers with cannabis products.

While this maintains the status quo on scheduling, it opens the door to very large, well capitalized firms to get into a tightly regulated production system. The main gripe from researchers is what you allude to (no access to high quality products); this is supposed to simultaneously fix that issue and provide big pharma the opportunity to legally produce cannabis for federally-approved research programs.

The decision temporarily protects existing state-level medical marijuana and recreational use programs (which are only possible with cannabis listed as a schedule 1 substance). On the other hand, it creates a pathway to move from a production monopoly (i.e. UMiss) to an oligopoly, with the DEA in charge of hand-picking the winners and losers for production contracts.

***Edit: You can find the DEA's pre-release disclosure here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-insp...2016-17955.pdf

[guineapig]

Dr. Lyle Kraker of the University of Massachusetts has been pursuing the right to obtain and study raw quantities of cannabis for decades now, and I believe he is the leading authority on the history of the attempt to re-schedule.

It would be interesting to hear from him, perhaps he has retired from the public eye however.

kind regards from guineapig

[paladin420]

Our Jewish friends found out that having their sworn enemies write the rules was not a good idea. Free train rides to fat camp anyone?
As long as our enemies write the laws we lose. Just sayin