WASHINGTON, D.C. — After months of public pressure, the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed factually inaccurate
information from its website.
The change comes after Americans for Safe Access, a national
nonprofit dedicated to ensuring safe and legal access to medical
cannabis for therapeutic use and research, filed a legal request with
the Department of Justice last year demanding that the DEA immediately
update and remove factually inaccurate information about cannabis from
their website and materials.
Americans for Safe Access argued that the more than 25 false
statements on the DEA’s website about cannabis constituted a violation
of the Information Quality Act (IQA, aka Data Quality Act) which
requires that administrative agencies not provide false information to
the public and that they respond to requests for correction of
information within 60 days.
One publication, “Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana”, contained
23 of the 25 factual inaccuracies in violation of the Information
Quality Act. Such inaccuracies included claims that cannabis was a
gateway drug, caused irreversible cognitive decline in adults, and
contributed to psychosis and lung cancer.
“The DEA’s removal of these popular myths about cannabis from their
website could mean the end of the Washington gridlock” said Steph
Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access.
“This is a
victory for medical cannabis patients across the nation, who rely on
cannabis to treat serious illnesses. The federal government now admits
that cannabis is not a gateway drug, and doesn’t cause long-term brain
damage, or psychosis. While the fight to end stigma around cannabis is
far from over, this is a big first step.”
But the fight is not over. As of Feb. 13, the government is one
week beyond the required deadline to respond to the Americans for Safe
Access’ legal petition and the group claims that the DEA is still
spreading false information about cannabis.
“We are pleased that in the face of our request the DEA withdrew
some of the damaging misinformation from its website” said Vickie
Feeman, of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
“However, the DEA
continues to disseminate many damaging facts about the health risks of
medical cannabis and patients across the country face ongoing harm as a
result of these alternative facts. We are hopeful the DEA will also
remove the remaining statements rather than continue to mislead the
public in the face of the scientifically proven benefits of medical
cannabis.”
"If the DEA does not take the necessary action to comply with the
binding time lines in the IQA, petitioners can always seek an
intervention by OMB as the Department of Justice so informed the court
in W. Harkonen v. USDOJ or in the courts as demonstrated in Prime Time
v. USDA" stated Jim Tozzi, the father of the Information Quality Act and
member of ASA’s Patient Focused Certification Reviewboard.
Americans for Safe Access argues that correcting false information
about cannabis is especially important now that the Department of
Justice is led by newly-confirmed Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Sessions has been a staunch supporter of the DEA and cites their
publications and opinions about marijuana to justify his opposition to
medical cannabis policy reform. Today, Americans for Safe Access delivered a letter to the DEA explaining:
“It is crucial that the DEA correct it’s inaccurate statements,
especially in light of Senator Jeff Sessions’ confirmation as Attorney
General of the United States. Attorney General Sessions has made several
statements demonstrating his beliefs that cannabis is a gateway drug
and that its psychological effects are permanent. These beliefs are
verifiably false, as confirmed by the DEA in its “Denial of Petition to
Initiate Proceedings to Reschedule Marijuana.”[1] As the top law
enforcement official in the nation, Mr. Sessions must have access to
accurate information based on current scientific data in order to make
informed decisions regarding the enforcement (or non-enforcement) of
federal drug laws. Allowing Mr. Sessions to make law enforcement
decisions based on biased, out-of-date information does a tremendous
disservice to ASA’s members and the American people at large. Therefore,
ASA respectfully requests that the DEA respond to its Request, and/or
remove the remaining inaccurate statements from its website.”
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