norml07 - Page 3

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 History of _-_edica_ M_ij_a Litfg_tion A_inst DEA
 i'he ongoing attempt to fbrce d_e Drug En£c_ceme_k. Administration
 (fbrmeriy _.he Bureau of Narcotics and Dar_gercus Dmxgs) to reelassif)
 marijuana using !egal channets began in 1972. Threughou% the 1970s, the
 agency refused !:o _brmaily hear the pet;tion of the Nationat Organization
 for the Reform <_f Marijuana Law< but the UoS. Court of Appeals for the
 District of CohLmbia sided -_dth NORML on every one of three appeals,
 urging the DEA to hold heari_gs on the issue. In 1981 arid 1982, NOR_'_L
 filed two mo_ior_s to compel, seeking to force the DEA to obey the manda_ of
 the U.S. Appeals Court.
 tn 198_, hearing procedures were finally set. Throughout 1987 a_d
 1988, s,_b_mssions of evidence, affidavits a_.d exNbits took place, followed by
 era1 arguments, before the DEA's chief" administrative law jt_dge, Francis
 h,. You._g,
 On _ept. 6_ 1988, Judge Young recommended '_ha_ marij_aana be moved
 from the DEA's ScheduIe I to Schedule II, to recot_nize and allow its
 medical use° Young said it was DEA's responsibility o_!y to observe
 whether a drug was used m treatment in the United States, not to decide
 whether it s'houhf be used. On the basis of all the testimo_ay befbre him,
 Young said there could be no question that marf,i,.:ana had medical u.aes
 Over a year later, on Dec. 29, 1989, DEA Administrator John I,awn
 rejected Judge Young"s recommendation and dismissed NORML% pet_ti(__
 a[rafr,,.
 On Apr_i 26, 1991, the U.S° Court of Appeals fk_r the District of
 Coh_mbia sided with NORML% 1990 appeal,, with a three-judge pa_eI
 ruling ui-maimously that DEA was being "ur_reaso:nable" in its behavior
 barring medical marijuana.
 March 10, 1992: The Public Health Service reveals _o the A.s_;oeiated Press
 that it _,_dtt not continue its medical marijuana program, which at the time
 was providing the drug to 13 patients. Some 30 patients who had been
 approved are told they, will net receive the dru_.
 March 18, 1992: The DEA rejects NORML's petition again, aCtemp_ing _o
 answer the Appeals Court's concerns and calling :medical marijuar_a
 advocates "s_mke oil salesmen '_
 perpetratit_g "a cruel hen×."