The Big Lie – Cannabis as Medicine and a Schedule 1 Drug

We live in a world of thin lines and gray areas.  The federal, State, and local governments that exist in the United States form a complex, imperfect, and confusing web of laws, rules, regulations, and accompanying bureaucracy that make it impossible to define what’s “legal”, what’s “constitutional”, and what is actually right and just.

This, we can’t fix.

However, we can help our fellow Americans navigate through what is real, what is not, and help people decide for themselves what they think is right for them.  When it comes to understanding Cannabis and the polices behind it, we have realized a giant hole within our federal government, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, and the Farm Bill.  This gaping hole is that Cannabis has multiple definitions among agencies – none of which are being used cohesively with any State governments – and that there is absolutely no differentiation between psychoactive components of Cannabis and those that are not.  And this is where the consumer has a chance to win.

That’s Natural is interested specifically in the medicinal uses of the non-psychoactive parts of Cannabis, which includes other cannabinoids beyond tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), what gets people “high”.  The cannabinoid that we are most interested in is Cannabidiol, or CBD.

In the 2014 Farm Bill, Section 7606 authorized several States to grow “industrial hemp” in order to explore if hemp would be beneficial for American farmers and businesses (of course, hemp was already productively and profitably grown in the United States even before we were a country, most notably by George Washington).  This authorization, which “allowed” Colorado to grow hemp, is what allows us to create our CBD supplement from that hemp – that is legal to purchase and sell in all 50 States – because it has less than 0.3% of THC (there is always a trace amount of THC in any hemp product because it is inherently part of the plant – just like there is nicotine in eggplant – you don’t see the ATF regulating farmers growing eggplants – and, oddly enough – you don’t see public service announcements warning against the consumption of eggplant).

Cannabis, as a plant, can be bred to have different amounts of compounds, like THC or CBD.  Industrial hemp is considered to have higher amounts of CBD, while “marijuana” (even though it is not defined like this anywhere) is usually referred to plants containing higher amounts of THC.

So, the issue and the gray area that we face is that the DEA has “Cannabis” as a Schedule 1 Drug.  “Industrial hemp“, which is now legal to grow in several States is “Cannabis”.  And there are several States that are “legalizing” all different types of Cannabis and Cannabis products – for medical and recreational reasons.  At the end of the day, we are all breaking federal law – an that’s kind of scary – and kind of empowering!

The truth is that there is not enough enforcement at the federal level to ever actually enforce all of the regulations in place.  And the truth is, that eventually the federal government will have to “legalize” this plant, as the revenue opportunity is just too great.  The key is, to maintain your right to use and farmers’ rights to grow and sell Cannabis, industrial hemp, and the associated products – and to keep big Pharma and big Corporations out of the way.  We must protect our natural right to eat the foods and take the natural medicines of our choice.

Supplements made with hemp are legal to purchase and sell in all 50 States, despite the confusing and contradictory regulations in place.  You can see for yourself, that merchants on Amazon and Google (two companies inexorably intertwined with the federal government) are selling CBD supplemental products.  States continue to stand up for their citizens using nullification of federal law and the 10th Amendment.  Individuals and farmers are standing up for their natural and constitutional rights.  And I am asking you to not be afraid to stand up for your medicine freedom.  Refuse to be bullied by your government – engage in your right to natural and herbal supplements and treatments.  After all, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a patent for the use of cannabinoids to treat disease, so they must work!  Don’t be scared – and heal yourself.

– Tisha Casida

* Please help us share our message of medicine freedom!  We depend on people like you to tell your friends and family about their rights, we appreciate your support!!