US Cannabis rescheduling hearing postponed indefinitely
Hearing cancelled whilst waiting on a yet-to-be-filed appeal.
Donald Trump’s decision to lead the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will exert a weightier hand than anticipated concerning the ongoing cannabis rescheduling saga after the agency’s principal administrative law judge cancelled upcoming hearings.
DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II issued a ruling on Monday, January 13th, that included cancelling a hearing scheduled for Jan. 21 whilst waiting for the result of a yet-to-be-filed “appeal”
Anne Milgram is the current DEA administrator but is likely to be replaced once Trump takes office. Trump’s first choicenominee to head up the DEA was Chad Chronister but he unexpectedly backed out. So far Trump hasn’t specified another option.
The judge's ruling followed a Jan. 6 request from two pro-rescheduling “designated participants” that Milgram and the DEA be removed from the proceedings for presenting what they assert is biased.
What Does the Appeal Concern?
In their filing, the parties – Florida-based agricultural firm Village Farms International which produces cannabis in Canada under federal license and Hemp for Victory, based in Texas – asked Mulrooney to permit them to file an appeal“to the Administrator” should he refuse to take action, so he has
“The matter is on stay here, and the Administrator will issue a briefing schedule, entertain oral argument if he/she desires, and issue a binding, written decision on this tribunal,” Mulrooney commented in his ruling.
Mulrooney’s surprise decision to halt the long-awaited rescheduling hearings follows allegations from January 6th that the DEA is showing a sharp “bias” against rescheduling cannabis as federal health regulators suggested it do back in August 2023.
More From Soft Secrets:
DEA Moves to Re-Classify Cannabis
L
Liz Filmer
