Originally appeared at: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/05/opinion/la-le-1105-friday-20101105 Re “Youth vote falters; Prop. 19 falls short,” Nov. 3 Proposition 19’s failure makes it that much more important to facilitate research into the benefits and harms of marijuana. At present, researchers have to contend with a monopoly on the marijuana supply held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whose mission is to study the harmful effects of illicit drugs. We need to pressure the Drug Enforcement Administration to issue another marijuana cultivation license. In 2007, DEA Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner found that the agency should issue a license to a researcher to cultivate marijuana; her recommendation was rejected. It’s time we ask why the DEA upholds an obstructionist federal monopoly. Stephen Morseman San Leandro, Calif. A response on the failure of prop 19 in California in the LA Times urging for conducting research into the benefts and harms of marijuana.
