Americans for Safe Access fought to remove misinformation on the dangers of marijuana from the DEA website.
Earlier this week, “The Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana Abuse” was removed from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) website. The approximately 45-page document put forth many questionable claims, including the assertion that marijuana use could lead to psychosis and could also serve as a gateway to heroin addiction. The publication read like something inspired by the movie Reefer Madness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCxg1sVYbV4
In December, the medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access (ASA) filed a petition to remove 25 statements in the publication they considered misleading. The petition charged that the document published by the DEA was in violation of the Information Quality Act. This federal law was drafted to ensure the integrity and honesty of information disseminated by government agencies.
Steph Sherer, executive director of ASA, was pleased with the victory.
“The DEA’s removal of these popular myths about cannabis from their website could mean the end of the Washington gridlock” she said on ASA’s website. “The federal government now admits that cannabis is not a gateway drug, and doesn’t cause long-term brain damage, or psychosis.”
ASA is awaiting a response from the DEA in regards to several additional claims they find misleading.
“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.” said Vickie Feeman, a partner at the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. The firm represents ASA.
