DEA's Diversion Control Division leadership implicated in the obstruction of MMJ 's DEA registration and delays in cannabis-based pharmaceutical research are Thomas W. Prevoznik, Matthew Strait and DEA Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) all who under the agency's control, raising serious concerns about due process, impartiality, and accountability.
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / May 7, 2025 / MMJ International Holdings, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation and MMJ BioPharma Labs the pioneer in cannabis-based pharmaceutical development, continues to face unjustified delays by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) despite fulfilling every legal, scientific, and regulatory benchmark required for a DEA Bulk Manufacturing Registration. The company is now urging Congress, the Trump Administration, and the American public to demand accountability from a rogue agency whose outdated interpretation of "public interest" obstructs legitimate medical progress.
DEA Already Authorized MMJ for Schedule I Controlled Substances
MMJ BioPharma Labs has already been granted a Schedule I Analytical Laboratory Registration by the DEA - a license that permits the handling and testing of the most tightly regulated controlled substances. This authorization confirms MMJ's compliance, secure infrastructure, and scientific capability. Yet, the DEA continues to withhold the complementary license MMJ needs to cultivate those same substances for FDA-approved clinical trials.
"If we're trusted to test Schedule I materials in a DEA-licensed lab," said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ, "why are we blocked from growing the exact same materials for federally sanctioned drug development?"
MMJ BioPharma Checks Every Public Interest Box
MMJ BioPharma's registration request embodies - and exceeds - what the DEA itself defines as serving the public interest:
FDA Engagement: Two Investigational New Drug (IND) filings for treatments targeting Multiple Sclerosisand Huntington's disease.
Orphan Drug Designation: Awarded by the FDA for its proprietary cannabinoid-based treatment for Huntington's.
Scientific Integrity: All cannabis grown would be used strictly for pharmaceutical R&D, not for recreational purposes.
DEA Compliance: MMJ's facilities meet all security and regulatory standards - already validated by its existing DEA lab registration.
DEA Epitome of Ineptitude: While 38 U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana - and the American public overwhelmingly supports it - the DEA remains paralyzed by bureaucracy and outdated views.
Public Support: Over 80% of Americans support access to medical cannabis, across all major demographic and political groups.
DEA Delay = A Violation of Law, Science, and Democracy
Rather than applying its own rules transparently, the DEA continues to delay MMJ's application by hiding behind a vague and antiquated "public interest" standard. This bureaucratic evasion directly undermines:
The Controlled Substances Act,
The Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act,
And the FDA's role as the nation's public health authority.
"This isn't just a bad policy decision - it's a breach of public trust," said Boise. "Patients with serious neurological diseases are waiting. The science is ready. The infrastructure is ready. We're simply asking the DEA to stop standing in the way of medical progress."
Why is the DEA still ignoring it?
MMJ BioPharma has played by the rules and advanced beyond expectations. With its existing DEA lab registration, FDA-filed drug development, and overwhelming public and state-level support, the question is no longer whether MMJ meets the public interest.
The question is: Why is the DEA still ignoring it?
MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan.
CONTACT:
Madison Hisey
MHisey@mmjih.com
203-231-8583
SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
