NEWSWIRE:

This morning started off with a buzz that’s quite pleasing, to say the least. No, it’s not the announcement of a new strain. It’s an announcement about regime change.  A much welcomed change.

Newsfeeds are buzzing with the headline: Dismayed by Trump, Head of Drug Enforcement Administration to Leave

The AP reports: 

“The acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration will resign at the end of the week, according to law enforcement officials, who said he had become convinced that President Trump had little respect for the law.”

We couldn’t find a solid source as to the rift between Chuckie Rosenberg and America’s reality TV star, turned controversial US president. However, we’re not really sure that anyone in the pro-cannabis movement actually cares “why” Chuckie is leaving, just that he finds his way out the door quickly, quietly and without stealing tax-payer funded office supplies.

We assume Chuckie is probably an all-around good guy with plenty of friends and a spot on the bowling league roster somewhere.  However, he is no friend to the pro-cannabis movement.

Chuckles has repeatedly used his power and influence to maintain old outdated laws in regard to the way marijuana is classified at the federal level. Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 substance right alongside heroin. A Schedule I substance according to the DEA, “has no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” and is the most dangerous rating a substance can receive.

In contrast, cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone are rated as Schedule II substances. Schedule II drugs are rated as less dangerous than marijuana, despite the fact, to-date, there has not been a single documented incident of a fatal marijuana overdose ever. That is far from the case with prescription drugs. The New York times reports, drug overdose as the leading cause of death in people under 50. The majority of those deaths being attributed to prescription drug overdose.

As recently as May of this year, Chuckie reminded us of his strict religious adherence to the, “marijuana is evil” doctrine, when he declared “marijuana is not medicine.” Many people  called bulls**t, including The Hill, which wrote that Rosenberg may as well have said “the Earth is flat.”

In that speech Rosenberg stated, “If it turns out that there is something in smoked marijuana that helps people, that’s awesome…. I will be the last person to stand in the way of that. … But let’s run it through the Food and Drug Administration process, and let’s stick to the science on it.”

Now, that would be almost believable, except that, the Food and Drug Administration has already approved two marijuana-based medicines for treatment of nausea in chemotherapy patients and to help increase appetite in AIDS patients experiencing extreme weight loss.

There’s also that pesky little fact, the US Government has already been granted a patent (patent no. 6,630,507) in 2003 based on cannabis having antioxidant properties for the treatment of certain neurological diseases. Not to mention, the  26,000 published studies or reviews in the US government repository for peer-reviewed scientific research, with over 1,000 new studies published annually showing the tremendous effects of marijuana as medicine for everything from anxiety and seizure related disorders to PTSD and cancer.

Maybe what Chuck Rosenberg meant to say was not, “let’s stick to the science of it.” But rather, “won’t you join me in sticking my  head up my ass while we collectively ignore the overwhelming science of cannabis as medicine.” It’s almost as if, he thinks by continually repeating the mantra, “marijuana is not medicine, marijuana is not medicine”, he will magically will it to be so. For some reason, images of Dorothy clicking her heels saying, “there’s no place home, there’s no place like home,” just flooded my mind.

One thing is certain, it’s good to see Chuckles is going away, “ding dong the witch is dead, the witch is dead…” (sorry, couldn’t resist one last OZ reference).

As to Chuckie’s claim he’s leaving because of Trumps disrespect for the law, one can only point out:

Chuck Rosenberg has continually blocked every opportunity to work within the parameters of the DEA to support the update of antiquated marijuana laws that continue to unjustly  convict non-violent offenders with murderers and rapists, all while, withholding potential life-altering medication from people suffering with cancer, PTSD, etc. The science for marijuana as medicine is overwhelming and irrefutable. Over half of our United States have recognized the destructive nature of antiquated marijuana laws and have rewritten those laws for the compassionate betterment of people who are suffering. Chuck Rosenberg’s refusal to take action based on this overwhelming evidence is both a disrespect for the law and an abuse of power. And, truthfully Chuck, what are we to make of a man claiming the President has no respect for the law, and your solution is….. leaving your post.

Honestly, we had all been hoping to hear those famous words anyway, “Chuckles…, You’re Fired!”

So now, we hold our breath and pray for a new DEA Chief who wants to actually lead this organization out of the stone age and back into relevancy. Until then, well wishes and prayers to all of those who continue in the fight.