By Jack Burns

The Drug Enforecment Agency (DEA) quietly removed a 45-page document from its website which had long been criticized for stating inaccuracies and making false statements about cannabis.

According to The Cannabist, “‘The Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana Abuse,’ a nearly 45-page publication on the various ramifications of cannabis use, no longer was available on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s website.” One statement, found on page 7, made the following claim,

Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and public safety. It will create dependency and treatment issues, and open the door to use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior, and drugged drivers.

However, we at TFTP have addressed those myths associated with cannabis, all of which directly contradict the DEA’s controversial statement. As our very own Matt Agorist once wrote, the eyes of the world are being opened to the wondrous medical benefits of marijuana.

Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells, save the lives of countless epileptic children, treat PTSD, heal bones, treat brain trauma, and a slew of other uses science is only beginning to understand. And yet, the only thing dangerous about this seemingly miraculous plant is that police will kidnap, cage, or kill you for possessing it.

But thanks to the efforts of TFTP and others, the DEA has chosen to take down its document which used the semantics of fear, and danger, to promote its anti-cannabis policies.

Another cannabis advocacy group, the Americans for Safe Access, took their concerns over the erroneous document directly to the DEA, filing a petition in late 2016, under the Information Quality Act, arguing that the DEA was promoting false statements and thereby shaping public policy towards cannabis.

The group took umbrage with the DEA’s statements about cannabis being a gateway drug and claims marijuana use leads to lung cancer, schizophrenia, psychosis and mental decline in adults. “In December, the medical marijuana advocacy organization alleged that the DEA website’s inclusion of 25 false statements about marijuana violated the Data Quality Act, also known as the Information Quality Act, which is meant to ensure the quality, objectivity, utility and integrity of information that government agencies provide to the public,” The Cannabist writes. In light of the DEA’s decision to remove the document from its website, the group is now claiming victory.

Policing the authorities is not limited to holding police officers accountable. On the contrary, it is holding all government entities responsible for the statements made, positions held, and actions taken. As The Free Thought Project has consistently reported, the government’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is one such entity which not only needs to be held accountable but eliminated, especially for the false and misleading statements and actions it takes concerning cannabis, CBD, and Kratom.

For many years, we at TFTP have been holding the DEA accountable, especially in the area of transparency. As we reported in late 2016, lobbyists who petition for policy changes within the DEA are groups related to Big Pharmaceutical, Hospitals, and others who would benefit from keeping cannabis, a plant, illegal. The blaring conflict of interest leaves many to conclude the DEA is fraught with corruption.

Furthering our beliefs are actions taken by the DEA which lead many to conclude the DEA is intent on keeping cannabis illegal at the federal level, while the states are quickly moving in the opposite direction towards legalization of cannabis in all 50 states (currently there are 27 states which have some form of legalized marijuana for its residents to use for a great number of various illnesses). One such action occurred in August of 2016 when the DEA moved to classify kratom, another plant, as a Schedule I narcotic. After a public outcry, and even from members of Congress, the DEA backed off its decision to make it harder for the public to access a plant which has shown to be effective in treating heroin and opiate addictions.

At about the same time, the DEA also decided to maintain cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic, in the same category as crack cocaine. Those two actions, as incredulous as they may be to some, were followed in late December with yet another absurdly ludicrous move to classify cannabidiol (CBD) as a Schedule I narcotic as well. CBD is hemp oil, cannot get anyone high, does not work as a strong pain killer like aspirin or Tylenol, but the DEA decided to classify it as such nonetheless.

It should come as no surprise to critics of the DEA who contend the government’s drug enforcement decision is being led around by the nose by Big Pharma. The pharmaceutical companies stand to lose billions of dollars once Americans understand just how powerful a neuroleptic CBD actually is. Those who suffer from depression, migraines, seizures, bipolar disorder, and a myriad of other disorders have all reported having their symptoms lessened after using CBD.

Please consider sharing this article in your social media network to get the word out that activism works, even if it leads to something as simple as having a federal agency remove false and misleading information from its website.

Jack Burns writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared.