{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/dea/","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2379-markdown","title":"New DEA Ruling on Hemp & Marijuana Extracts","slug":"new-dea-ruling-on-hemp-and-marijuana-extracts","content":"### DEA Creates a New Regulatory Code\r\n\r\nThe DEA just released a three page report outlining the newest controlled substances code created for “marihuana extracts”, even using outdated spelling from the Reefer Madness era. This code regulates extracts, whether made from marijuana or hemp, separately then traditional cannabis plants and products. The code allows for cannabis extracts to be tracked and recorded separately than cannabis flowers, but technically does not change anything about the way they are represented or regulated. Marijuana extracts are still viewed as a Schedule I substance by the DEA, no matter if the extract is made from hemp or cannabis. This is a big deal as hemp based products, such as CBD extracts, are regularly sold across state lines on platforms such as Amazon.com.\r\n\r\nThere is a lot of confusion in relation to the recent report because many people do not understand if the regulation of extracts has been changed with the new code. This process of giving extracts a unique code, however, was first initiated in 2011. According to Russ Baer, a DEA spokesman, this recent move by the DEA is mostly administrative, allowing them to have a better handle on what is going on. It does not reflect any changes in DEA policy or how cannabis will be regulated going forward. Much of the confusion surrounding this recent news has come in anticipation of how the industry may change with the incoming Trump administration in January. The DEA completely denies any connection to the administration change and says it is simply assigning the new code to a particular category of cannabis products. \r\n\r\nRELATED: [OPEN LETTER TO JEFF SESSIONS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/an-open-letter-to-jeff-sessions)\r\n\r\n### CBD Hemp Extracts\r\n\r\nCBD cannabis extracts have always been a grey area in the cannabis world because some are derived form hemp rather than marijuana. Hemp based CBD products are technically covered under this code, meaning that hemp CBD products fall under the category of a Schedule I substance. The DEA did make it clear, however, that this does not really change anything with how they plan on regulating cannabis extracts in states that have internally legalized marijuana, medically or recreationally. \r\n\r\nThe DEA claims it is working towards better understanding of the cannabis industry and how cannabinoids from marijuana could possibly have medicinal benefits. Baer, the [DEA spokesman even said](http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/12/15/dea-cbd-new-rule-marijuana-extracts/69550/), “(The rule change) recognizes that there is a potential medical benefit to some of the cannabinoids.” Though the DEA has put a positive spin on the issue, the marijuana industry as whole is still very skeptical of the move. Some worry it is a power move by the DEA as they attempt to control and regulate all cannabinoids, rather than just marijuana products. The new requirements on cannabis extracts does have the ability to criminalize certain people, like those transporting completely non-psychoactive CBD products. \r\n\r\n### DEA to Focus more on Opioids?\r\n\r\nThe DEA has reiterated, however, that it is focusing its efforts on major problems like the opioid epidemic, rather than targeting people based on small marijuana infractions. When the DEA chose to maintain marijuana’s status as a Schedule I substance, Baer made it clear that innocent cannabis use was not their first priority, “The nation is in the throes of an opioid epidemic, and it is there — not cracking down on offenses such as a mother transporting CBD oil for her daughter across state lines to Nebraska — where the DEA needs to allocate its resources”. \r\n\r\nAs of January 13 of 2017 all extracts with cannabinoids present will be [tracked by the new code](http://www.krcrtv.com/north-coast-news/dea-finalizes-new-cannbis-extract-laws-gives-hard-deadline-of-30-days/211798577) of 7350 and will not be allowed to cross state lines. There have also been indications that there will be a new licensure for people who produce and handle marijuana extracts, since it is now seen as a separate substance than cannabis, but that remains to be seen. As of now, the DEA maintains that there has been no changes to their policy other than an administrative clarification that allows for easier internal tracking of cannabis extracts within the country. \r\n\r\n________________________________________________________\r\n\r\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.4598540145985401,"src":"/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/14b42/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/f836f/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.jpg 200w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/2244e/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.jpg 400w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/14b42/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.jpg 800w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/cf18d/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.jpg 1186w","srcWebp":"/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/58556/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/61e93/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.webp 200w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/1f5c5/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.webp 400w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/58556/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.webp 800w,\n/static/9d2c40d424973cce3047ce6cfe670a04/a1ac9/bf2aa9ae04ed7a3a49ff2e62edeeee38.webp 1186w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2117-markdown","title":"An Open Letter to Jeff Sessions","slug":"an-open-letter-to-jeff-sessions","content":"Dear Senator Sessions,\n\nCongratulations on your [nomination]( http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/us/politics/jeff-sessions-donald-trump-attorney-general.html) for Attorney General. As the nations’ most senior law enforcement official, you have a big job ahead of you. \n\nWhen it comes to marijuana, the fact is that previous administrations have left you with a [pickle of a problem]( http://www.latimes.com/la-oew-gutwillig-imler10-2009mar10-story.html). One that has put millions of Americans and about half the state's laws out of sync with the policies of the federal government, and the [law of the land]( https://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml). \n\nAs Attorney General, you will oversee the DEA. You won’t need any assistance in destroying the medical cannabis industry if you so choose. The laws are in place and the resources lined up for you already. You simply need to unleash the DEA and they will go about arresting and charging people from California, to Oregon, to Colorado and in 25 other states. [Federal law breakers]( http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/federal-crime/medical-marijuana-federal-laws.htm) all of them, and so easy to find since they are doing business openly, even [paying taxes]( https://www.boe.ca.gov/industry/medical_cannabis.html) on their illegal activities. Can you believe that?\n\nLet’s review what some of the consequences of DEA action might be:\n\n* Destroying the cannabis industry would be [hugely unpopular]( http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/12/support-for-marijuana-legalization-continues-to-rise/), likely generating widespread protests across the country. [89% of Americans']( http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/do-people-support-legalizing-marijuana-223928) now support the use of cannabis for medical purposes with a small majority (54%) supporting complete legalization. [Young people](http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/27/63-of-republican-millennials-favor-marijuana-legalization/) in particular would feel very passionate about this issue causing further [disenchantment](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/poll-do-millennials-like-trump-222397) with the new Trump administration. \n\n* Prosecution would drive thousands of (otherwise law abiding) business people underground, where they would once again [sell on the black market]( https://news.vice.com/article/how-americas-legal-weed-is-changing-the-black-market-and-influencing-mexican-cartels).\n\n* People who rely on cannabis would once again be meeting dealers in cars, in their homes and on street corners. [Associated petty crime]( http://news.nationalpost.com/features/o-cannabis-black-market-to-grey) would flourish with all this new illegal activity.\n\n* Millions of people with [anxiety]( https://www.hellomd.com/learn/anxiety), PTSD, [migraines]( https://www.hellomd.com/learn/migraines), [chronic pain]( https://www.hellomd.com/learn/chronic-pain), [insomnia]( https://www.hellomd.com/learn/insomnia) and about 18 other medical conditions would find it much harder to get the products that they have come to rely on over the past few years. There are millions with serious medical conditions, including children with epilepsy and seizure disorders, that depend on medical marijuana. \n\n* Fewer people would use to cannabis get off opioids and end their opioid addiction. This is currently one of the biggest health issues in America.\n\n* Tax revenue for [schools]( http://www.npr.org/2016/09/10/492118493/marijuana-pays-for-schools-in-colorado-kind-of-but-how-will-it-help-maine), [drug treatment]( http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/03/22/richard-branson-marijuana-tax-drug-treatment/50492/) programs, [education]( http://www.ibtimes.com/how-legal-marijuana-funds-education-colorado-taxes-go-prevent-bullying-2423329), [law enforcement]( https://blog.mpp.org/prohibition/for-law-enforcement-marijuana-is-where-the-money-is/), medical research and [lots of other]( http://taxfoundation.org/article/marijuana-legalization-and-taxes-lessons-other-states-colorado-and-washington)  programs would dwindle.\n\n* Growers would continue growing, but doing so once again out of sight. Their products would no longer be [tested for pesticides]( https://www.leafly.com/news/industry/leaflys-state-by-state-guide-to-cannabis-testing-regulations) or harmful chemicals putting people at risk.\n  \n* Thousands of businesses owners would close their doors, lay off their employees and stop paying taxes.\n\n* People would still use marijuana, just as they have done for thousands of years.\n\n* All of this would be hugely unpopular within the electorate, at a time when the Trump administration desperately needs to [unite the country]( http://www.recorder.com/editorial-election-reaction-5946895) around its agenda.\n\nMr. Sessions, I know that you are [no fan of marijuana]( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeff-sessions-marijuana_us_582f58d5e4b030997bbf479c), but let me propose a way that you might navigate this huckleberry, while remaining true to your core beliefs as a conservative, as well as showing support for the ‘[jobs first](http://www.newstarget.com/2016-11-14-immigration-healthcare-and-jobs-are-going-to-be-president-trumps-first-priorities.html)’ agenda of our new President. \n\n1.\tState publicly, even though you don’t support the marijuana movement, that you strongly believe in the conservative principles of states’ rights and [federalism]( https://home.isi.org/conservatism-centralization-and-constitutional-federalism), and therefore marijuana policy should be up to the states to decide. The federal government has [no business involving]( http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/opinion/sunday/high-time-let-states-decide-on-marijuana.html) itself in this issue. \n\n2.\tInstruct the DEA to continue following the [Cole Memo](https://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resources/3052013829132756857467.pdf)  which said that the federal government should not expend its resources pursuing people that are [observing](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/us/politics/us-says-it-wont-sue-to-undo-state-marijuana-laws.html) state and local laws.\n\n3.\tRecognize that more than [60 percent](http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article115643188.html) of Americans now live in states where voters have approved either medical marijuana, recreational marijuana, or both. Allowing states to get further out of alignment with the federal government is problematic. To solve this problem once and for all, simply instruct the DEA to remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, where it can be regulated and taxed like alcohol or tobacco (two far more harmful substances).\n\n4.\tRecognize that cannabis is the [fastest growing industry]( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/marijuana-industry-fastest-growing_n_6540166.html) in the US, and with [$100B industry]( https://www.newcannabisventures.com/ackrell-capital-forecasts-100-billion-cannabis-market-in-2029/) forecast by 2029, it’s a [massive job creator]( http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/local/oregon/2016/05/16/report-oregons-marijuana-market-taking-off/84461532/) (something every conservative should be able to get behind).\n\nMr. Sessions, if you have any remaining doubts, have your people give me a call. I would be happy to connect you with [tens of thousands]( https://www.hellomd.com/medical-marijuana-patient-survey) of everyday Americans, who are finding incredible relief for their serious medical issues, by using a harmless weed that grows just about anywhere. I would also be happy to put you in touch with countless medical professionals who have advised these patients, and are equally convinced of the healing benefits of medical cannabis. \n\nAt HelloMD, we see this first-hand every day of the week. I know things look different in Alabama, but perhaps you should pay a visit to California?\n\nYour Sincerely,\n\nMark Hadfield","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/14b42/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.jpg","srcSet":"/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/f836f/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.jpg 200w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/2244e/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.jpg 400w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/14b42/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.jpg 800w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/16310/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/58556/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/61e93/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.webp 200w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/1f5c5/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.webp 400w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/58556/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.webp 800w,\n/static/529c64474595a8eb77531d57ee367f33/cc834/1d11ba986658ec7cc3f217c76d8cf090.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2012-markdown","title":"Q & A with Alex Halperin of WeedWeek","slug":"q-and-a-with-alex-halperin-of-weedweek","content":"HelloMD had the chance to speak to Alex Halperin, a top cannabis journalist and the founder of  the popular weekly online newsletter [WeedWeek](http://www.weedweek.net/). Alex has become a mainstay in cannabis journalism, which led to the creation of WeedWeek, a Saturday morning newsletter that covers everything from cannabis culture and business to criminal justice issues related to marijuana.  This past week, an article he wrote regarding the recent DEA decision to not reschedule cannabis from a Schedule I drug was published in [SF Weekly](http://www.sfweekly.com/news/chem-tales/chem-tales-failure-reschedule-cannabis-schedule-1-dea/). We got to speak to Alex his work as a cannabis journalist and where he sees the industry going in the future. \r\n\r\n#### So, how did you get into cannabis journalism?\r\n\r\nI had held various journalism jobs in New York before I got into cannabis journalism. While I was a freelancer, I went to an industry conference in Las Vegas on assignment for Fast Company in November 2014. I wrote a couple of stories about cannabis and very quickly realized that marijuana was a very fascinating and rich genre. Pretty soon after that I started making plans to move to Colorado to specifically focus on it. I moved to Colorado in March of 2015. \r\n\r\n#### What other publications do you write for?\r\n\r\nI write for a bunch of different publications. My cannabis work has appeared in Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and several other places. \r\n\r\n#### When and why did you start WeedWeek?\r\n\r\nI started WeedWeek in July of 2015, so about 5 months after I moved out to Colorado. I thought it filled a niche that was vacant and it was an opportunity to boost my profile as a cannabis journalist. \r\n\r\n#### How does WeedWeek differentiate itself?\r\n\r\nMy background is in mainstream journalism, so I try to bring that to WeedWeek. Most of my subscribers, I assume, are pro marijuana and quite a few of them are involved in the industry. I feel like my readers want to absorb information, even if it doesn’t necessarily support their thesis. They want to have a good idea of whats going on, whether or not they are happy about it. I think cannabis reporting has gotten a lot more robust since I started reporting, but there has been a certain shyness in reporting on issues that often paints marijuana in a poor light. \r\n\r\nFor instance, in the most recent issue of WeedWeek I reported that rates of cannabis use among the uneducated are climbing, and they are probably increasing among all different kinds of peoples, and this is interesting. It is something that the industry isn't necessarily bragging about, but it is something that they have to be aware of. I trust that my readers to want to know information like that and that they are openminded enough to accept that information. \r\n\r\n#### Is marijuana coverage different from the coverage on opioids?\r\n\r\nI think there is a lot of pretty friendly coverage. Most journalists don't really have a problem with marijuana and even the ones that do have much more of a problem with an unfair criminal justice system. I think I'm in agreement with most journalists when I say I think that this is much more of a problem. There is a lot of novelty coverage of marijuana, like ‘oh look celebrity chefs are getting involved’ or other style stories that aren't too concerned with legalization. With opioids, the facts on the ground are much more dire and demand a much more critical kind of coverage. Opioids don't get any good coverage, as far as I know, because by any standard the availability of these drugs is a much bigger problem than we see with marijuana. \r\n\r\n#### What are your thoughts on the DEA's decision not to reschedule cannabis?\r\n\r\nI do not have any deeper insight into the DEA than a lot of people, but I guess I would say a few things. There was a potential for rescheduling to really upset the industry by taking a product that is federally unregulated and making it regulated. That raised some red flags from companies who were worried that the federal government could interfere with the growing industry. It is not certain how real of a concern that really was, but I think that a lot of people in the industry were looking to the DEA for some vindication for the work they do, the jobs they create, and of the benefits of medical marijuana. I think they were looking for a little pat on the shoulder and they didn't get it, but ultimately, I don't think it has large consequences for how the industry will expand and grow in the future. \r\n\r\n#### Does the DEA's decision effect the news in states going for legalization?\r\n\r\nI think in the states where there is something on the ballot, especially states that are voting on recreational marijuana, which are Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, and California, there will be a lot of coverage as these states are becoming familiar with the issues. As for coverage in the other states, maybe not as much. An election year also takes up a lot of air, especially with everything that has happened around Trump. It has taken away coverage from marijuana and a lot of other worthy stories. \r\n\r\n#### If California legalizes, does it become the center of the industry nationwide?\r\n\r\nCalifornia is a massive market, it is often called the world’s 8th or 9th largest economy, so there will be some kind of shift. It also considers itself marijuana’s real home in America because it is where the movement started. Marijuana was just always a bigger part of everyday life in California than in other states, so there is definitely going to be some shift. Smaller states are protected by the fact that you cannot sell marijuana across state lines. Should the federal government get involved though, and rules like that begin to dissolve, then it will be interesting to see how other states try to stay competitive to California.  \r\n\r\n#### What are your thoughts on cannabis legalization?\r\n\r\nI think legalization will be very hard to stop for a variety of reasons. One is that unlike other decisive social issues, like abortion or same sex marriage, there are not extremely deep convictions on the right about how these things shouldn't exist. People in the cannabis industry like to talk about how bad the opposition is, but I think it is relatively small. Opponents have some legitimate arguments, but they don't always focus on their best arguments. They over utilize ascetic arguments, like the inherent offensiveness of a store selling marijuana gummy bears even if kids really aren't going to see the gummy bears. There are some issues that are concerning though, like the growing number of new born babies in Colorado that are being born with THC in their system. I think most of what we know about marijuana being dangerous is that it is most dangerous for developing brains. There are medical opponents, law and order opponents, and some status quo opponents, but compared to the side of legalization they lack the money and the motivation. I don't see the opposition being able to get together the money, motivation, or organization to stop the tide of legalization. \r\n\r\n#### As cannabis goes more mainstream where do you see yourself?\r\n\r\nWhen I first got to Colorado it already felt pretty normal. It is even more so now because there are normal business patterns and more and more people are more habituated to it. I think it'll be interesting to see how new states, especially states that aren't as progressive, adapt. The California industry will look very different from the industry in Ohio, in the products they produce and the forms of regulation they implement. It will be interesting to see how different systems evolve and what works best in the long run. \r\n\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/14b42/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/f836f/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg 200w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/2244e/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg 400w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/14b42/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg 800w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/47498/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg 1200w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/54ac5/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/58556/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/61e93/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp 200w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/1f5c5/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp 400w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/58556/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp 800w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/99238/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp 1200w,\n/static/948bdd55c7b4a5fa4e88dbd7a2e57ff6/5e0b8/f0c72709843b5642172b2b2e0775493d.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2147-markdown","title":"The DEA Drops the Ball","slug":"the-dea-drops-the-ball","content":"The DEA announced this week that marijuana will continue to remain illegal for any purpose. After considering rescheduling marijuana from its current position as a schedule I substance to a schedule II substance, the DEA has decided to keep marijuana where it is. This decision to maintain marijuana’s current position means that the DEA believes that cannabis has absolutely no medicinal use. The DEA cited a lack of scientific studies and no consensus among medical experts for its decision, “at this time, the known risks of marijuana use have not been shown to be outweighed by specific benefits in well-controlled clinical trials that scientifically evaluate safety and efficacy,” [stated](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/08/11/dea-marijuana-remains-illegal-under-federal-law/88550804/) the report. \r\n\r\n### What are the positives?\r\n\r\nThere are some positives that have come out of this new report by the DEA. The report found no evidence that the use of marijuana leads to abuse of other illicit substances, officially putting an end to the “gateway theory”. Once a rallying cry for anti-marijuana advocates, the DEA has finally discredited the “gateway theory” due to lack of evidentiary support. The report by the DEA was also followed by a series of new rules in the Federal Register to dictate the future of cannabis research. The DEA has officially removed the monopoly on the production of cannabis for research, which was previously held by the University of Mississippi. This new expansion, in theory, allows for more competition in the production of marijuana for study, providing the platform for the growth of higher quality marijuana for use in medical studies. \r\n\r\nThese relaxed growing regulations also come with an expanded ability for marijuana research. The research of marijuana is no longer limited to universities, so private companies can now dive into cannabis research as well. This will allow for even more pilot programs that can hopefully provide the clinically tested evidence that the DEA is looking for.\r\n\r\n### What does it mean for the current industry?\r\n\r\nThere should not be much noticeable change in the current marijuana programs that are run in states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana. The Ogden memos, put into place by the Obama administration, currently allow for the continuation of state-legalized industries despite the Controlled Substances Act. There could even be some positive aspects from the cannabis industry continuing in its current position, however precarious it is. Alex Halperin reported in Rolling Stone that, “[I]f the federal government determines that medical marijuana must be subjected to FDA approval, companies would have to enter a process that can take years to complete and cost more than $1 billion per product. Few, if any, cannabis companies in the U.S. have the resources for that, which might open the door for Big Pharma to muscle in and take over the business.” Cannabis maintaining its position as a schedule I substance could save the industry a lot of money and allow for the continuation in the diversity of products we see on the market today.\r\n\r\n### What do people in the industry have to say?\r\n\r\nThere have been mixed responses from people across the marijuana industry, ranging from content to skeptical with the decision. HelloMD’s Chief Medical Officer, [Perry Solomon, MD](https://www.hellomd.com/people/PerrySolomonMD),  had much to say about the DEA’s newest decision. \r\n\r\n>\"The FDA making more growing sites available is wonderful. Unfortunately, it will take several years for whatever product the other sites grow to become available for study and all studies will still have to be approved. Then the studies have to be done and results evaluated which can take another year or so. So, the time frame from today to seeing published studies can be 2-5 years from now, perhaps longer, doubtfully shorter.\r\n\r\n>It is, however, a terrific public relation stunt. It makes it look like the FDA is actually moving forward with allowing more research to be done, which it is…years from now. There are thousands of studies from all over the world that have shown the efficacy of using cannabis for many medical conditions. 25 states and DC currently have cannabis laws in place that allow for it to be used for various medical conditions.\r\n\r\n>Part of the denial from the DEA could also be in their self interest. With 2.8 BILLION dollars in their budget, they have their own self perpetuating agency to maintain. Part of the issue that the DEA is also left with is how to schedule cannabis. If they move it to Schedule 2 like Percocet, how is the prescription written by a physician? You can’t just write “cannabis”. There is no exact analysis of what you are prescribing as there is with any “normal” drug like aspirin or even Percocet. Who will be manufacturing the cannabis, how is it dispensed to patients, is it edible, tinctures, etc?  The logistics are enormous. The easiest course is to de-schedule cannabis completely, so it can be over-the-counter. The patient can then pick whatever type of product, concentration, etc. of cannabis they want. Of course analysis of the product needs to be tightly controlled in that situation as well.\"\r\n\r\nIt is clear to people in the medical marijuana industry that the good cannabis can do is undeniable, but the DEA continues to deny it. The DEA, however, does not benefit from legalized marijuana. The DEA receives billions of dollars a year, a lot of which goes to searching out and seizing illegal drugs. Much of the DEA’s revenue comes from seizing products like marijuana, meaning that legalizing marijuana would cut off one of their main sources of revenue. Though it may be a long road coming, this commotion around marijuana rescheduling could help the future of the cannabis industry. \r\n\r\n### What does this mean for the future of cannabis?\r\n\r\nAll of the news coverage on the DEA’s decisions to maintain the status of cannabis has definitely brought the marijuana industry prominently into the daily news cycle. From investors to everyday people, the issue of marijuana is front and center in peoples minds. With more opportunities for research, hopefully more private companies will look into researching marijuana. The coverage on cannabis has also brought the issue of marijuana legalization into the minds of voters. Marijuana legalization is up for a vote eight states this coming November, and current country wide polls show an overwhelming majority of the American people in favor of medical marijuana legalization and over 50% in favor of recreational legalization. It is not likely that marijuana’s maintained position as a schedule I substance will change its political standing, even with the impending presidential change. Both Clinton and Trump, the democratic and republican presidential nominees respectively, are in favor of maintaining the current system of state-run marijuana industries. In the coming years, hopefully we will see a variety of clinical marijuana studies that show what we see time and time again in anecdotal evidence, that marijuana can be extremely beneficial for aiding people with a range of medical conditions.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/ee604/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.png","srcSet":"/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/69585/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.png 200w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/497c6/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.png 400w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/ee604/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.png 800w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/035d9/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.png 990w","srcWebp":"/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/58556/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/61e93/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.webp 200w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/1f5c5/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.webp 400w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/58556/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.webp 800w,\n/static/4ab433f84ed209e101824603e976aa3c/8b5b8/1cd94091c3635f9373ee00565932e200.webp 990w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2196-markdown","title":"My Teen, Snapchat & Why the DEA Got it Wrong","slug":"my-teen-snapchat-and-why-the-dea-got-it-wrong","content":"### DEA Rules: Cannabis is the Same as LSD\r\n\r\nEven as an entrepreneur in the medical cannabis industry, the truth is I paid little attention to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s cannabis classification discussion of the last few months. For one, whatever was written was purely rumor-based. And secondly, I get up every morning to build a business that will educate millions on the wellness benefits of medical marijuana -- and I will continue to do so regardless of what the DEA says. \r\n\r\nYet when the news of the DEA decision recently broke, I found myself bitterly disappointed to again see numerous headlines that compared, or in some ways even equated, medical cannabis to Heroin or LSD. Despite years of anecdotal evidence to the contrary, years of death-less cannabis consumption, and now 25 states offering legal access to medicinal marijuana - somehow the federal government chose to reaffirm their position that cannabis compares to Heroin and LSD in medicinal value and in its ability to do harm. What?\r\n\r\n### Ask a Teenager\r\n\r\nIn search of rational thinking, I turned to my teenager and asked her what she thought of the news. She perked up, took the question very seriously, and answered with a much straighter face than I’m used to. ‘How could cannabis and heroin be in the same sentence? Heroin can kill you; cannabis can help you’, she exclaimed. And then added, before moving back to Snapchat, 'Why would the government do this?’ That was it. Short, simple but with infinitely more wisdom than the DEA.\r\n\r\nI shouldn’t gloss over the mind-bending complexities behind this recent decision. The very rules that govern drug classification appear to make it impossible for the federal government to change its longstanding view of cannabis. It’s the chicken and egg – on the one hand, clinical trial findings establishing cannabis’ efficacy are required in order to move cannabis from its Schedule I substance classification. On the other, it’s almost impossible to executes these while a drug is classified Schedule 1. Go figure. Still, if the current process results in telling the general public (remember, we live in a headline world) that cannabis is essentially akin to heroin, something has gone terribly wrong. In a world where heroin and opioids dot the news for their increasing association with death, this ruling strikes me as a cowardly and irresponsible act by elected officials. Even teenagers appear to know better.\r\n\r\n### The Medicinal Power of the Plant\r\n\r\nNow granted my seat at this table is still a fairly unique one. I consider myself lucky; I get to witness people every day moving away from opioids, finding pain relief, taking on PTSD, relieving stress and altogether discovering hope through medical cannabis. These are people abiding by state laws, and taking their health into their own hands. Actually, they form part of a broader trend. As a nation, we are transitioning to an era of self-advocacy and self-guided treatment when it comes to our health. Gone are the days of simply depending on your doctor for an answer. People are sick of pills, sick of the cost of healthcare and sick of fancy machines that bring little long-term relief. Instead, they want control over their health - and the right to choose and safely access medical cannabis fits right in. \r\n\r\nThe DEA and its limited perspective aside, maybe the word itself - ‘medicinal’ - is getting in the way. Some suggest, as cannabis is plant-based, that we call it herbal. Others say holistic. I like to think of it as therapeutic. Therapeutic is good for everyone, from the very sick to those simply trying to feel a little better. In fact, couldn’t cannabis just as easily be on the shelf at Vitamin Shoppe, or GNC - next to the fish oil? Americans spend billions of dollars in these stores every year - seeking therapeutic benefits - and yet you would be hard-pressed to find a product in there labeled FDA-Approved. Instead, shoppers are depending on the mighty Internet and underpaid clerks to tell them what to put in their bodies and why. What do you think of the term ‘Medical Cannabis’?\r\n\r\n### The Power of the People\r\n\r\nIt is possible that the ruling - and the news reel that comes with it - will misinform the millions who search every day for a better way to heal themselves, and also arm those determined to keep cannabis at bay. But I believe that the sheer power of people feeling better (with minimal side-effects, by the way) will overcome. As time passes, people who find relief though cannabis will passionately share their stories with those around them until, regardless of the DEA’s blind spots, cannabis will be widely considered therapeutic. HelloMD will continue to do its part. Ours is to enable millions of Americans to connect with doctors, experts, like-minded patients and the right products – so they may leverage cannabis in managing their own wellness. You can get involved too. If you have a story of success with cannabis that you’re willing to share, please let us know. We want to share it.\r\n\r\nI can’t help but close with a message for the DEA’s employer, our federal government. If you people can figure out how fast we should drive, and how to regulate proven killers like alcohol and cigarettes, surely there is a better way to take medical cannabis mainstream. Oh, and maybe check with some teenagers. They hold more wisdom than you think.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/14b42/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg","srcSet":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/f836f/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/2244e/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 400w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/14b42/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 800w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/47498/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 1200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/54ac5/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/58556/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/61e93/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/1f5c5/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 400w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/58556/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 800w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/99238/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 1200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/5e0b8/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2136-markdown","title":"The History of Marijuana Propaganda","slug":"the-history-of-marijuana-propaganda","content":"The history of marijuana propaganda follows an interesting trajectory,\r\nfrom moral outrage to a seemingly objective and measured scientific\r\ncensure. In the arguments, certain themes and tropes appear again and\r\nagain, as the narrative has built on its own stories, refined its\r\napproach and responded to criticisms.\r\n\r\n**Reefer Madness**\r\n\r\nThis [1936 film](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbjHOBJzhb0) depicts\r\nthe anti-marijuana propaganda movement in its first frenzied iteration.\r\nThe narrative follows the plight of a young man who smokes the \"vicious\r\nweed\" and finds himself plunged in short order into a nightmare of\r\nviolence and murder that culminates in suicide and insanity. In the\r\n1930s, cannabis and hemp, which had been grown for hundreds of years in\r\nthe US, even by the founding fathers, began being referred to as\r\n\"marijuana,\" perhaps to associate it more closely with Mexican\r\nimmigrants, who were accused of taking American jobs during the\r\nDepression.\r\n\r\n**Marijuana, Assassin of Youth**\r\n\r\nThis [1937 screed](http://druglibrary.org/mags/assassinofyouth.htm) was\r\npenned by H.F. Anslinger, U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics, together with\r\nCourtney Ryley Cooper. Published in the American Magazine, the article\r\ncould easily be a synopsis of \"Reefer Madness,\" suggesting that the\r\nNarcotics Czar didn't look too far for his inspiration. Its notable\r\ntheme is marijuana's unpredictable quality, presumably responding to\r\npeople who had tried the plant and discovered it to be quite benign. One\r\nnever knew how the brain would react, and \"whether he will become a\r\nphilosopher, a joyous reveler, a mad insensate or a murderer.\" This work\r\ncontained a potent theme that would appear again and again in the annals\r\nof drug prohibition literature: of young people, completely detached\r\nfrom material reality, flinging themselves from windows to their death.\r\n\r\n**Marihuana -- The Evil Weed**\r\n\r\nPublished in Detective World in 1947 and written by Judge Carl F.\r\nDieffenbach, Jr, [this\r\narticle](http://druglibrary.org/mags/detectiveworld.htm) built on the\r\nassassin theme and began to associate the plant with everything foreign\r\nand strange to the American mind. The notable use of the Anglicized\r\nspelling variation -- with \"h\" replacing \"j\" -- was very likely a\r\ndeliberate choice to make the plant sound more unAmerican and menacing.\r\nHinting that \"hashish\" is related to the Arabic word \"assassin,\" the\r\narticle depicts the plant as a snake that originated in the Orient and\r\ntraveled through Mexico, then wound itself in a serpentine fashion\r\nthrough the social world of American life, determined to destroy not\r\njust the mind but also our collective culture. The article goes on to\r\nindulge in blatantly racist insinuations, associating \"reefers\" with\r\n\"jazz\" halls and \"juke joints.\" In this reprehensible but masterly\r\nexample of period propaganda, even the poet Homer is evoked to denounce\r\nthe deadly plant, which had apparently invested the ancient Persians\r\nwith their devilish power.\r\n\r\n**Dare Smokes a Reefer**\r\n\r\nPublished in 1953, [Dare\r\nMagazine](http://druglibrary.org/mags/dare_smokes_a_reefer.htm)\r\nconcocted a scary composite picture of drug users turned into criminals\r\nand murderers from smoking \"reefers.\" Beyond these cautionary tales, the\r\nreader was told that nearly all heroin and cocaine users started with\r\nmarijuana, and only graduated to harder drugs when the thrill wore off,\r\nestablishing marijuana as a \"gateway\" drug to harder stuff. One\r\nconsequence of marijuana depicted in these case studies is tied back to\r\nits very illegality. This circular reasoning -- marijuana users suffer\r\nwhen they get arrested for possessing it -- became very popular in\r\nfuture messaging.\r\n\r\n**The Surgeon General's Warning on Marijuana**\r\n\r\nBy 1982, [the\r\nstory](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001143.htm) had\r\nchanged quite a bit. Marijuana was linked to \"amotivational syndrome,\"\r\ncharacterized by low energy, diminished performance and lack of drive --\r\nalmost exactly the opposite of the manic, super-human claims of the\r\nprevious decades. Along with these effects, the literature warned of low\r\nsperm count, cancer and an impaired immune system.\r\n\r\n**Marijuana -- National Drug Threat Assessment**\r\n\r\n[This official\r\nreport](https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs3/3300/marijuan.htm),\r\npublished as recently as 2003, positioned marijuana as the leading drug\r\nthreat to the country. It focused heavily on crime reports in framing\r\nthe argument, which was heavily skewed to the perceptions of law\r\nenforcement agencies. Again, this problem arises from the fact that\r\nmarijuana is illegal. It suggested that marijuana might be physically\r\naddictive and posited that decriminalization would increase usage.\r\n\r\nToday, marijuana still tops the federal list of dangerous and addictive\r\ndrugs. Since 1970, cannabis has been classified as a schedule I\r\nprohibited substance, the most restrictive category. However, there are\r\nsignals coming from the DEA that changes may be coming soon. Maybe it's\r\ntime to hear the other side of the story.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/invisibleinkweb/4267823492/in/photolist-7v8HeE-7v8J1u-6FJtKG-ERy2K-o7J8bN-o7K9Ar-onbC11-6W7GBW-7Q6qWh-7Q6r2j-9Af8yo-BZVYA-2UNycr-2SHXM-zxrbN-5Dya21-bdZEmk-sSivV-Czt7X-7Q6qN9-6t1ydA-8adKGF-f37iq-33RSKY-9zPgo3-4rLJGj-4rGFvp-4rLJjh-dhBszY-bPakS2-5jod4v-7Tg5Hx-8fJGNT-8qrkvj-B9tYQr-A7HGEr-e5N2FG-aoVWhb-AxPr8H-4rLKp9-B9tYP4-AxPr9e-7v8HvJ-yLvBR3-A9LYSK-5jJAGR-AvvAzA-ACxmbs-AoyvPE-AvvErc)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5625,"src":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/a2255/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png","srcSet":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/69585/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 200w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/497c6/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 400w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/a2255/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 578w","srcWebp":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/45990/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/61e93/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 200w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/1f5c5/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 400w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/45990/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 578w","sizes":"(max-width: 578px) 100vw, 578px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2155-markdown","title":"Legalization of Marijuana is Destroying Mexico's Drug Cartel ","slug":"legalization-of-marijuana-is-destroying-mexicos-drug-cartel","content":"The \"War on Drugs\" has been a massive failure. But there is a new force in the market, marijuana legalization. The war on drugs was a massive campaign that began stirring in\r\nAmerican politics way back in 1914 and was [popularized by President\r\nNixon](http://www.drugpolicy.org/new-solutions-drug-policy/brief-history-drug-war)\r\nand, later, President George H. W. Bush. This war on drugs has been an\r\nexpensive and [tragically ineffective\r\nprogram](http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/06/opinion/branson-end-war-on-drugs/)\r\nthat costs the American people approximately $500 *[each\r\nsecond](http://www.drugsense.org/cms/wodclock)*.\r\n\r\nWhile the war on drugs has historically been meant to discourage and\r\nblock the distribution and use of recreational drugs, it has actually\r\n[had the reverse\r\neffect](http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/28/opinions/winslow-drug-war-folly/).\r\nAs the war on drugs has escalated in both expense and intensity, the\r\nprice placed on illegal drugs has skyrocketed in places like Mexico.\r\n\r\nThis has resulted in more drug-related fighting resulting in [85,000\r\npeople](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/02/us-mexico-drug-cartel_n_7707136.html)\r\nbeing killed in Mexico alone since 2006 when then-President Felipe\r\nCalderón signed-off on a military response to drug cartels. It has also\r\nresulted in no fewer drugs crossing the American border - with one\r\nnotable exception. The exception is marijuana and the reason for this is\r\nthe widespread legalization of the plant throughout the United States.\r\n\r\nSo, is it possible that we're actually discouraging smugglers from\r\ntransporting and growing marijuana... by legalizing it? The answer is\r\nyes and, so far, legalization has proven to be a far more effective\r\nstrategy to discourage illegal drug cartels than the War on Drugs has\r\never been.\r\n\r\nHere's what you need to know.\r\n\r\n**Legalization and Crashing Drug Prices**\r\n\r\nBefore the legalization of marijuana in the U.S., most cannabis bought\r\nand sold here had been grown in and smuggled from Mexico. This drove the\r\nprice of marijuana in Mexico to historic heights - at one time up to\r\n[\\$90 for a\r\nkilogram](http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/12/01/367802425/legal-pot-in-the-u-s-may-be-undercutting-mexican-marijuana).\r\n\r\nThose exorbitant cannabis prices had a wider effect than many people\r\nthink. In addition to encouraging Mexican drug lords to continue in\r\ntheir brutal and illegal industries, high cannabis prices also torpedoed\r\nthe Mexican government's attempt to help citizens build local economies\r\nby growing legal crops. Because the financial prospect of growing and\r\nselling marijuana was so appealing, many Mexican citizens gravitated\r\ntoward it (and, ergo, toward the dangerous job of working for the\r\nCartels).\r\n\r\nToday, however, the price of marijuana has dropped, which has thrown the\r\nMexican cartels into dire straits. This, in turn, has led to much less\r\ncannabis crossing the border via Mexican smugglers. According to a\r\n[report by Time\r\nMagazine](http://time.com/3801889/us-legalization-marijuana-trade/), the\r\nU.S. Border Patrol seized 2.5 million pounds of Marijuana in 2011. By\r\n2014, that number had dipped to 1.9 million pounds. This decline doesn't\r\nhave much to do with the War on Drugs, however. Instead, it's due to the\r\nlegalization of marijuana across the U.S.\r\n\r\n**How American Legalization has Destroyed Mexican Demand**\r\n\r\nAs affordable, legal marijuana becomes more prevalent in the U.S., the\r\ndemand for smuggled marijuana from Mexico has fallen flat on its face.\r\nIn 2008, roughly\r\n[two-thirds](http://www.rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/OP325.html) of\r\nall the cannabis consumed by U.S. citizens was imported from Mexico.\r\nToday, that number has fallen to roughly one-third. Likewise, cannabis\r\naccounted for 20%-30% of the Mexican drug cartels' revenue as recently\r\nas 2008.\r\n\r\nAs legalization has swept the U.S., though, these numbers have\r\nplummeted. Now that there is plenty of quality, affordable marijuana\r\navailable legally to consumers in the U.S., there's virtually no need to\r\npurchase expensive varieties from Mexico which are almost certainly\r\nlinked to violent cartel activity.\r\n\r\nIn what is possibly one of the largest victories linked to the American\r\nlegalization of cannabis, Mexico itself is now considering adopting laws\r\nlike the U.S. has, which would [decriminalize or legalize\r\ncannabis](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34731182) in\r\ncertain settings. If these laws go through, it would represent the final\r\nstraw for the powerful and dangerous cartels in Mexico - decimating\r\ntheir profits and obliterating the demand for their products.\r\n\r\n**The Future of Legalization and Mexican Marijuana: Why Pending States Should Follow California's Lead**\r\n\r\nAs waves of legalization continue to sweep the U.S., it stands to reason\r\nthat we'll keep seeing a decline in the price of, and demand for,\r\nmarijuana from Mexico. Despite the fact that the Federal Government has\r\nspent upwards of $15 billion on the War on Drugs since 2010 alone, it's\r\nclear that this approach has never been the most effective one.\r\n\r\nIn addition to making marijuana rare, and thus increasing the demand and\r\nprice of the product, the War on Drugs has only allowed the Mexican\r\ncartels to be more brutal than ever before.\r\n\r\nBecause of this, legalization is the only thing that truly has the\r\npotential to put the cartels out of business. When quality cannabis is\r\navailable to consumers from right here in the U.S., the demand for\r\nMexican products falls sharply. Because of this, [states like\r\nIllinois](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/03/medical-marijuana-business-licenses-illinois_n_6608060.html),\r\nFlorida, Georgia, Kansas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (all of\r\nwhich have [pending marijuana\r\nlegislation](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002481)\r\non the ballot for 2016) would be well-served to follow California's lead\r\nto make medicinal cannabis easily accessible to consumers. This year\r\nCalifornia too has legalization as a initiative on the November ballot.\r\n\r\nIn addition to being the most common-sense approach to destroying the\r\ndrug crime that's been running rampant in Mexico for the last several\r\nyears, improving consumer access to legalized marijuana is one of the\r\nbest ways for U.S. lawmakers and citizens to further deplete the Mexican\r\nmarijuana market. With California as a model to follow, legalizing\r\nmarijuana throughout all states is an efficient way for U.S. lawmakers\r\nto ensure that drug crime, high marijuana prices, violence, and\r\ndestroyed economies become a thing of the past in Mexico.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/degu_andre/5819199737/in/photolist-9SdVkX-9SdVJB-9SgP5q-9fWxC3-9RXtgT-9SgLxy-9S1oMu-9fWzky-bqGdsv-b7pABe-9S1oxY-9fWwUG-9SdTLa-bznfy5-9SdUm4-9SgL1w-63tkzx-8YX5rc-f7HJ24-6PXWY7-9SgM69-9fWyMo-aocW8E-9S1ne5-bEYxur-bAnr7S-aqwCkb-7NMvHT-9fTqEP-62CZHV-9SgMRJ-f7TXi1-f7DJ6T-f7DJ1e-f7XX6Y-9fTsFa-f7WYVQ-8HRe4b-f7WZeQ-f7WZbh-6G2fFr-f7GLdV-f7GLrn-E2KhMo-5HCV5w-f7DHrK-f7TXmN-f7WYZG-hX48WJ-cugpnL)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.4705882352941178,"src":"/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/ee604/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.png","srcSet":"/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/69585/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.png 200w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/497c6/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.png 400w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/ee604/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.png 800w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/a9ac2/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.png 945w","srcWebp":"/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/58556/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/61e93/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.webp 200w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/1f5c5/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.webp 400w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/58556/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.webp 800w,\n/static/82fb35fb0657aea3f4756322dc7cc80f/57e2d/89d78c1a3ad5c201d0eb880e46dc0b10.webp 945w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":0,"numPages":1,"currentPage":1,"id":5179,"name":"Dea","slug":"dea","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}