On September 10, 2018, political activist Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform sent a formal letter to United States Attorney General Jeff Session that explains why he is advocating for an end to the NIDA monopoly on research-grade marijuana.
I write urging you to implement the current Drug Enforcement Administration policy stance that allows for private cultivation of cannabis for federally approved research and drug development. This would allow new medicines and treatments to continue through the Food and Drug Administration process and open a multi-billion-dollar market to American researchers and industry.
In August of 2016, the DEA announced a policy change stating that ‘persons may become registered with the DEA to grow cannabis not only to supply federally funded or other academic researchers, but also for strictly commercial endeavors funded by the private sector and aimed at drug product development.’
