Should one unelected bureaucrat, Deputy Assistant Administrator Thomas Prevoznik, possess the unchecked authority to obstruct FDA authorized drug development and derail critical scientific breakthroughs in the United States just because they are utilizing extract from the marijuana plant? The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.

WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / May 9, 2025 / At the heart of the marijuana growing controversy surrounding the DEA lies a critical question: Should one unelected bureaucrat - Deputy Assistant Administrator Thomas Prevoznik - possess the unchecked authority to derail critical scientific breakthroughs in the United States?

For seven years, Prevoznik has been responsible in stalling MMJ BioPharma Cultivation's FDA sanctioned efforts to develop cannabis-based pharmaceuticals for diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington's. This is no longer a bureaucratic delay, it's a national crisis. As patients continue to suffer, and innovation is driven offshore, the burden now falls on both the current administration and the American public to demand accountability and restore integrity to our drug approval system.

MMJ BioPharma Cultivation: Compliant, Qualified, and Stonewalled

MMJ BioPharma Cultivation and its affiliated labs have fully complied with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), following every legal and scientific protocol required to secure a DEA Schedule I Bulk Manufacturer Registration. The company already holds a Schedule I DEA Analytical Lab Registration, a designation that confirms it meets the DEA's highest security, recordkeeping, and compliance standards. MMJ has also secured two Investigational New Drug (IND) applications from the FDA for its cannabis-derived treatments for Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington's disease, as well as Orphan Drug Designation for its Huntington's treatment.

Despite these credentials, MMJ has been mired in a seven-year delay, with no clear directive or justification from the DEA. The Drug Enforcement's refusal to issue the final cultivation license, while continuing to recognize MMJ's authority to test the same Schedule I substances, exemplifies bureaucratic hypocrisy.

DEA Thomas Prevoznik's Obstruction: A Pattern of Delay

According to legal filings and internal records, Thomas Prevoznik has played a central role in the obstruction of MMJ's application. His name repeatedly appears in correspondence and administrative decisions that have stalled progress without scientific or legal merit. Critics argue that Prevoznik's actions have crossed the line from cautious regulation into deliberate sabotage of a lawful, FDA-supervised drug development program.

These delays have real-world consequences. For patients suffering from progressive, debilitating diseases, time is not a luxury. Every day that MMJ is prevented from cultivating research-grade cannabis is another day patients are denied access to treatments that could alleviate suffering or slow disease progression.

MMJ Follows Federal Law

Unlike other conflicts involving state-level cannabis legalization, MMJ's case is squarely within federal jurisdiction. The company has not asked the DEA to bend state-federal boundaries; it has instead followed the Schedule I regulatory pathway exactly as prescribed under federal law. Its facilities are DEA-inspected. Its research is FDA-approved. Its requests are rooted in the very statutes Congress enacted to enable safe, controlled scientific exploration of Schedule I substances.

Administrative Law Breakdown: Trump DOJ Withdraws Defense, DEA Pushes Forward

In a further twist, the Department of Justice has officially withdrawn its defense of the DEA's current administrative hearing framework for ALJs (Administrative Law Judges), citing constitutional concerns. Yet the DEA, under Thomas Prevoznik's guidance, continues to push forward with administrative proceedings that now lack legal grounding.

This divergence between DOJ policy and DEA action reflects a troubling autonomy within the agency, where unelected officials appear to defy executive direction and judicial precedent. It raises the specter of a "deep state" dynamic, in which entrenched bureaucrats override the public interest and the democratic process.

Patients Left Behind: The Human Cost

The consequences of DEA obstruction are not theoretical. They are borne by patients-Americans-who live with daily suffering from conditions like Huntington's and MS. These are not recreational users or political activists. They are mothers, fathers, veterans, and children looking for relief, for hope, for life-saving science to move forward.

Call to Action: Restore Congressional Oversight, Restore Medical Progress

Congress, the White House, and the American public must now confront this crisis. Immediate steps include:

• Congressional hearings to investigate misconduct and delay within the DEA's Diversion Control Division

• Judicial enforcement of existing law, compelling the DEA to act on legitimate applications

• Suspension of administrative proceedings found to violate constitutional standards

• Accountability for individuals, like Thomas Prevoznik and Matthew Strait whose continued obstruction undermines public trust and patient health

America cannot afford to let life-saving pharmaceutical innovation be held hostage by bureaucratic inertia. MMJ's case is a litmus test for whether the United States is serious about drug development, regulatory fairness, and scientific progress.

The time for excuses is over. The time for action is now.

MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan.

CONTACT:
Madison Hisey
MHisey@mmjih.com
203-231-85832

SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings