A bipartisan group of seven lawmakers called on President Obama to fire Chuck Rosenberg, the current leader of the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, adding their voices to nearly 100,000 other people who have recently signed an online petition from advocacy group Marijuana Majority calling for Rosenberg’s termination.
Rosenberg took the helm at the DEA only six months ago, but quickly angered marijuana activists earlier this month after he dismissed medical cannabis as a “joke.” The DEA has since stipulated that Rosenberg merely meant that medical cannabis should be same laws and regulations as any other medicine. However, researchers have indicated that the DEA has traditionally stifled marijuana research by opposing removing it from the list of Schedule 1 narcotics, as well as by limiting access to marijuana for research purposes.
Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Or.) has led the lawmakers calling for Rosenberg’s dismissal, stating that he “is not the right person to hold the job” and urging the president to “find new leadership.” Meanwhile, Marijuana Majority will deliver the 100,000 petition signatures to the DEA headquarters tomorrow.