DEA judge rules for professor's pot crop

Wilmington Star ^ | Feb 15, 2007 | Michael Doyle

[cryptical]

Medical researchers need more marijuana sources because government supplies aren't meeting scientific demand, a federal judge has ruled.

In an emphatic but nonbinding opinion, the Drug Enforcement Administration's own judge is recommending that a University of Massachusetts professor be allowed to grow a legal pot crop. The real winners could be those suffering from painful diseases, proponents believe.

"The existing supply of marijuana is not adequate," Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner ruled.

The federal government's 12-acre marijuana plot at the University of Mississippi provides neither the quantity nor quality scientists need, researchers contend. While Bittner didn't embrace those criticisms, she agreed that the system for producing and distributing research marijuana is flawed.

"Competition in the manufacture of marijuana for research purposes is inadequate," Bittner determined.

Bittner further concluded that there is "minimal risk of diversion" from a new marijuana source. Making additional supplies available, she stated, "would be in the public interest."

The DEA isn't required to follow Bittner's 88-page opinion, and the Bush administration's anti-drug stance may make it unlikely that the grass-growing rules will loosen. Both sides can now file further information before DEA administrators make their ruling.

"We could still be months away from a final decision," DEA spokesman Garrison Courtney said Tuesday, adding that "obviously, we're going to take the judge's opinion into consideration."

Still, the ruling is resonating in labs and with civil libertarians.

"(The) ruling is an important step toward allowing medical marijuana patients to get their medicine from a pharmacy just like everyone else," said Allen Hopper, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union.

[cryptical]

This is a long-running dispute that I've commented on before. It's an interesting ruling, but I don't think much will come of it.

[BullDog108]

"The existing supply of marijuana is not adequate,"

I guess he doesn't have the same connections as I do . . .

< /s>

[Seruzawa]

Better lock this judge up.

This is great. If we keep the WOD going a few more years we could have 20% of the US population behind bars. Great news for prison system buraeucrats. Lots of jobs!

[Enterprise]

Already posted - neener neener neener

[mtbopfuyn]

The federal government's 12-acre marijuana plot at the University of Mississippi provides neither the quantity nor quality scientists need, researchers contend.

Not enough? Gee, wonder why...

[Gorzaloon]

"The existing supply of marijuana is not adequate,"

I guess he doesn't have the same connections as I do . . . < /s>

HAHAHA! Someone at "Zoo Mass Amherst" cannot get enough good pot! Hahahahaha!

Yeah SURE.

[gonzo]

They can get all they need outa my back yard. There's enough to go around ........... FRegards

[robertpaulsen]

"The existing supply of marijuana is not adequate," Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner ruled."

Ruled. I like that.

An Administrative Law Judge used to be called a "hearing examiner". The federal requirements for an ALJ is that "aplicants must be attorneys and have a minimum of seven (7) years administrative law and/or trial experience involving formal administrative hearing proceedings before local, State, or Federal administrative agencies, courts, or other administrative bodies."

They have no power.

[KoRn]

ping

[Trailerpark Badass]

The federal government's 12-acre marijuana plot at the University of Mississippi provides neither the quantity nor quality scientists need, researchers contend.

The government can't do ANYTHING right!

[traviskicks]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[traviskicks]

There was a story awhile back about the same thing with the Canadian government, I wish i could fine it...

[gondramB]

>>This is a long-running dispute that I've commented on before. It's an interesting ruling, but I don't think much will come of it.<<

If the Federal government already has a 12 acre pot farm I don't see a philosophical difference if they make it 20 or 30 acres.

[LibertarianInExile]

"The real winners could be those suffering from painful diseases, proponents believe."

Oh, give me a break. Every time I hear how great marijuana might be as a medicine, I can't help but hear liberals spouting about how "the rain forests may have cures for cancer." It's either legal or not, but pretending it's some sort of all-solving panacea is silly. It is what it is, not what it might be if we only imagine hard enough.

Either people have the right to use it and own it as it is, or not. Accepting half-freedom and half-prohibition through government regulation is how we got into the mess we're in today.

[Sir Gawain]

We should just build a prison wall around the entire country before long. Save money.

[Eagle Eye]

But someone might think that we're building a wall to keep some people out and they could get offended....

[bird4four4]

The real irony is that the Fed Govmt is seizing and destroying hundreds or thousands of tons of pot each year. But they claim they don't have enough of the government grown stuff for research.

Any 1st grader can figure out this simple solution. But most 1st graders are smarter that the federal bureaucrats.

[cryptical]

The real irony is that the Fed Govmt is seizing and destroying hundreds or thousands of tons of pot each year. But they claim they don't have enough of the government grown stuff for research.

Any 1st grader can figure out this simple solution. But most 1st graders are smarter that the federal bureaucrats.

I'm not so sure it's that easy. I'd think that for research you'd want consistent samples to cut down on the variables. From what little I know of the current state of grow technology with clones you can produce a steady supply of approximately the same plant...