Arizona Tribune - Trump's DEA Must Choose: Reward Illegal Marijuana Operators or Sanction Science?

WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / September 5, 2025 / As the Trump administration touts its success in interdicting Venezuelan cartel drug shipments at sea and doubling down on border security, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, Inc. is calling out a glaring contradiction: why should federally illegal state marijuana operators be rewarded with tax breaks, while federally compliant medical research companies like MMJ remain blocked by the DEA from conducting clinical trials?

Under current law, state marijuana operators are illegal under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Yet proposals tied to rescheduling would let them deduct ordinary business expenses by removing IRS Section 280E restrictions, slashing their effective tax rates by up to 40%. Meanwhile, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a company pursuing FDA approved trials for cannabinoid based therapies in Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis-has been waiting more than seven years for DEA to approve its registration to cultivate pharmaceutical grade cannabis.

"The U.S. government rightly intercepts cartel drug shipments from Venezuela before they poison our streets," said Duane Boise, President & CEO of MMJ International Holdings, parent of MMJ BioPharma Cultivation "But how can DEA justify rewarding illegal state marijuana operators with tax breaks, while at the same time blocking federally compliant research that could bring real medicine to patients? The only consistent policy is to sanction science-not subsidize unlawful operators."

The Contradiction at Stake

• Cartels & Recreational Operators - Still illegal under the Controlled Substance Act; DEA claims enforcement priority.

• 280E Relief - Would give these same illegal operators huge tax benefits.

• FDA Research (MMJ) - Compliant with DEA and FDA regulations, with Orphan Drug Designations in hand, yet blocked from even planting a seed.

This double standard undermines both DEA's mission and public trust.

Why It Matters

• For Patients: Thousands suffering from Huntington's and MS are denied access to potentially life-changing therapies.

• For Law & Order: DEA risks rewarding the very activity it labels illegal, while punishing the companies that followed federal rules.

• For Policy: Rescheduling without research approval means Washington is prioritizing tax relief over scientific advancement.

MMJ's Call to Action

MMJ urges the Trump administration and newly confirmed DEA Administrator Terry Cole to:

1. Sanction research immediately by granting MMJ's cultivation registration.

2. Draw a clear line between recreational marijuana commerce and FDA regulated cannabinoid science.

3. Restore DEA credibility by aligning enforcement with law and public health, not political expediency.

"Patients don't need more dispensaries-they need real medicine," Boise added. "DEA has a choice: perpetuate hypocrisy, or make history by finally putting science first."

About MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, Inc.

MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, Inc., a subsidiary of MMJ International Holdings, is dedicated to developing FDA-compliant, pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid medicines. With Orphan Drug Designations for Huntington's disease and Multiple Sclerosis, MMJ is advancing soft-gel capsule formulations of THC and CBD under the FDA's rigorous clinical trial framework. The company is committed to science, patient care, and regulatory compliance in pioneering cannabinoid-based therapies.

MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan.

CONTACT:
Madison Hisey
[email protected]
203-231-85832

SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

O.Gutierrez--AT