Pubdate: Wed, 03 May 2006
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2006 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n516/a04.html
Author: Karen P. Tandy

D.E.A. AND MARIJUANA

To the Editor:

John Tierney, in his April 25 column discussing the Drug Enforcement 
Administration's registration of marijuana researchers and the 
national effort to curb methamphetamine production, claims that the 
agency prevents researchers from finding evidence that marijuana is 
medicine by not allowing high-quality marijuana to be supplied to them.

The D.E.A. doesn't limit the potency of marijuana for research. The 
agency has registered every one of the 163 researchers who requested 
to use marijuana in studies and who have met Department of Health and 
Human Services standards.

None of these researchers have sought any higher quality marijuana, 
but if they ever did, it could be supplied.

Mr. Tierney also suggests that placing restrictions on the sale of 
pseudoephedrine products won't affect meth and its related crime. To 
the contrary, states with these restrictions have slashed the number 
of make-shift meth labs, sometimes by more than half.

Citizens overwhelmingly accept this small inconvenience because they 
have seen it rid their neighborhoods of violent criminals and toxic 
meth labs that are endangering our children, poisoning our 
environment and costing taxpayers millions of dollars to clean up.

Karen P. Tandy

Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration

Arlington, Va., April 28, 2006