Green Market Report
A Drug Enforcement Administration judge has postponed a June hearing on the agency’s proposal to ban two psychedelic substances after a pharmaceutical company filed a federal lawsuit challenging the move, according to court documents released Thursday.
Administrative Law Judge Paul Soeffing ordered the DEA to cancel the June 10 hearing while Panacea Plant Sciences’ lawsuit plays out in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Law360 reported. The Washington-based company is seeking to halt the regulatory proceedings.
In December, the DEA initiated a proposed rulemaking process to classify the hallucinogens 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) as Schedule I controlled substances, the most restrictive category under federal law.
Panacea, which is researching the substances’ potential therapeutic benefits, filed the lawsuit last month, arguing the DEA’s administrative rulemaking process has been unlawful and would hamper its research efforts.
“Although the public interest may lie in an expeditious and efficient resolution to these proceedings, the public interest also lies in ensuring parties are not potentially subjected to an adjudication process found unconstitutional,” Judge Soeffing said in his decision.
The judge directed the DEA to publish a notice informing the public that the June hearing is canceled and proceedings are stayed pending the lawsuit’s resolution. As of Thursday, no notice had been published in the Federal Register.
“Panacea Plant Sciences is thankful the (administrative law judge) agreed in the need for a stay,” CEO David Heldreth said in an email to the outlet. “We look forward to DEA publishing the ordered notice to alert the public to the cancelation of the hearing.”
The company’s lawsuit seeks an injunction halting the regulatory proceedings and a declaration that the DEA’s process has been unlawful. Panacea alleges moving the drugs to Schedule I would critically hamper its research into their potential uses for treating asthma, pain, and inflammation.
Read the rest of the article and see the documents at
https://www.greenmarketreport.com/dea-psychedelics-ban-hearing-halted-by-lawsuit/
