Latest news with #DuaneBoise
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
DEA Scrambles to Defend Marijuana Decision Amid Supreme Court Ruling, Legal Collapse And Public Outrage
"This Wasn't DEA Marijuana Regulation - It Was a DEA Illegal Ambush." ALL EYES ON TERRY COLE!MMJ BioPharma Cultivation CEO Duane Boise is calling out the DEA's desperate attempt to defend a marijuana Administrative Law Judge decision that never got a hearing, blocked marijuana scientific evidence, and defied Supreme Court precedent. "They're defending a hearing that never actually happened," said Duane Boise."We followed every rule. They followed none." WASHINGTON, D.C. / / July 27, 2025 / Friday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) filed a last-minute response in an escalating legal battle with MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a Rhode Island-based pharmaceutical company seeking to grow federally compliant cannabis for FDA-approved clinical trials targeting Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The agency's filing comes in response to MMJ's official legal "exceptions" challenging a controversial ruling by DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II (aka Mclooney) - a ruling that denied MMJ's bulk manufacturing registration without a hearing, without cross-examination, and without admitting material evidence into the record. "We were stonewalled at every step," said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ BioPharma. "The DEA ignored Supreme Court precedent, blocked our science, and manipulated the process to produce a predetermined outcome. Now they're trying to defend that decision in a system the Department of Justice itself has declared unconstitutional." Constitutional Crisis MMJ's case has become a flashpoint in the broader collapse of the DEA's internal court system. In Axon v. FTC (2023) and Jarkesy v. SEC (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that agency administrative law judges (ALJs) violate the separation of powers because they are insulated from presidential removal - a direct hit to the DEA's current process. Even the Department of Justice has abandoned its defense of the ALJ structure, and Attorney General Pam Bondi notified the courts in February 2025 that DEA hearings like the one against MMJ BioPharma Cultivation are legally void. DEA's Desperate Defense Despite this, the DEA has now used its one allotted legal filing to respond to MMJ's exceptions - an effort seen by legal experts as a last-ditch attempt to salvage a crumbling decision and maintain bureaucratic control over cannabis based drug development. "This is the DEA doubling down on injustice," said Boise. "They're defending a hearing that never actually happened because they're afraid of what the truth will show." A Legitimate Researcher, Blocked MMJ BioPharma Cultivation is not a dispensary. It is a federally compliant manufacturer that has: FDA Orphan Drug Designation Two accepted Investigational New Drug (IND) applications A pharmaceutical grade cannabis facility built to DEA standards Binding supply agreements with Schedule I licensees Yet after more than 2,400 days of delays, the DEA still refuses to approve its registration - while unlicensed tribal and cartel-linked marijuana networks operate with impunity across state lines, and recreational cannabis companies receive preferential treatment. Path Forward: Will Administrator Terrance Cole Act? All eyes now turn to Terrance Cole, President Trump's newly confirmed DEA Administrator, who holds the final authority to approve or deny MMJ's license. "Administrator Cole has a choice," said Boise. "He can defend a broken system riddled with bias and constitutional violations-or he can restore integrity by granting our lawful, science backed registration and ending seven years of obstruction." MMJ BioPharma has vowed to take its case as far as necessary, including seeking federal injunctions and legislative reform if the DEA continues to block research. About MMJ BioPharma Cultivation MMJ BioPharma is a federally compliant biopharmaceutical company focused on producing cannabis derived medicines for neurodegenerative diseases. It operates under FDA regulatory frameworks and maintains partnerships with international GMP manufacturers and licensed U.S. laboratories. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT:Madison HiseyMHisey@ SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
DEA Scrambles to Defend Marijuana Decision Amid Supreme Court Ruling, Legal Collapse And Public Outrage
'This Wasn't DEA Marijuana Regulation - It Was a DEA Illegal Ambush.' ALL EYES ON TERRY COLE! MMJ BioPharma Cultivation CEO Duane Boise is calling out the DEA's desperate attempt to defend a marijuana Administrative Law Judge decision that never got a hearing, blocked marijuana scientific evidence, and defied Supreme Court precedent. ' They're defending a hearing that never actually happened,' said Duane Boise.'We followed every rule. They followed none.' WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / July 27, 2025 / Friday, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) filed a last-minute response in an escalating legal battle with MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a Rhode Island-based pharmaceutical company seeking to grow federally compliant cannabis for FDA-approved clinical trials targeting Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The agency's filing comes in response to MMJ's official legal 'exceptions' challenging a controversial ruling by DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge John Mulrooney II (aka Mclooney) - a ruling that denied MMJ's bulk manufacturing registration without a hearing, without cross-examination, and without admitting material evidence into the record. 'We were stonewalled at every step,' said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ BioPharma. 'The DEA ignored Supreme Court precedent, blocked our science, and manipulated the process to produce a predetermined outcome. Now they're trying to defend that decision in a system the Department of Justice itself has declared unconstitutional.' Constitutional Crisis MMJ's case has become a flashpoint in the broader collapse of the DEA's internal court system. In Axon v. FTC (2023) and Jarkesy v. SEC (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that agency administrative law judges (ALJs) violate the separation of powers because they are insulated from presidential removal - a direct hit to the DEA's current process. Even the Department of Justice has abandoned its defense of the ALJ structure, and Attorney General Pam Bondi notified the courts in February 2025 that DEA hearings like the one against MMJ BioPharma Cultivation are legally void. DEA's Desperate Defense Despite this, the DEA has now used its one allotted legal filing to respond to MMJ's exceptions - an effort seen by legal experts as a last-ditch attempt to salvage a crumbling decision and maintain bureaucratic control over cannabis based drug development. 'This is the DEA doubling down on injustice,' said Boise. 'They're defending a hearing that never actually happened because they're afraid of what the truth will show.' A Legitimate Researcher, Blocked MMJ BioPharma Cultivation is not a dispensary. It is a federally compliant manufacturer that has: Yet after more than 2,400 days of delays, the DEA still refuses to approve its registration - while unlicensed tribal and cartel-linked marijuana networks operate with impunity across state lines, and recreational cannabis companies receive preferential treatment. Path Forward: Will Administrator Terrance Cole Act? All eyes now turn to Terrance Cole, President Trump's newly confirmed DEA Administrator, who holds the final authority to approve or deny MMJ's license. 'Administrator Cole has a choice,' said Boise. 'He can defend a broken system riddled with bias and constitutional violations-or he can restore integrity by granting our lawful, science backed registration and ending seven years of obstruction.' MMJ BioPharma has vowed to take its case as far as necessary, including seeking federal injunctions and legislative reform if the DEA continues to block research. About MMJ BioPharma Cultivation MMJ BioPharma is a federally compliant biopharmaceutical company focused on producing cannabis derived medicines for neurodegenerative diseases. It operates under FDA regulatory frameworks and maintains partnerships with international GMP manufacturers and licensed U.S. laboratories. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey [email protected] 203-231-8583 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings press release
Associated Press
17-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
DEA Whistle Blower-MMJ CEO Duane Boise Blows the Whistle on DEA Stonewalled Cannabis Research
MMJ CEO Duane Boise Exposes DEA Corruption in National Interview: Calls for Dismissal of Officials Blocking FDA Medical Marijuana Trials Full Interview with MMJ CEO Duane Boise to Air Today @ ET on Cannabis Coast to Coast News. Terrance Cole, the nominee for DEA Administrator, . The agency's marijuana program is a train wreck. The public deserves answers. And legitimate companies like MMJ BioPharma Cultivation deserve justice. WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / July 17, 2025 / Pro Cannabis Media will release the full, uncut interview with Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings, on July 17th, Thursday at 9:00 AM ET during a special segment of Cannabis Coast to Coast News with Alaina Pinto. In the wide-ranging interview, Boise delivers a scathing critique of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), accusing the agency of deliberately obstructing FDA-authorized clinical research into cannabinoid-based medicines for Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a subsidiary of MMJ International Holdings, has been embroiled in a multi-year battle for a DEA bulk manufacturing license despite full compliance with federal law and active Investigational New Drug (IND) authorizations from the FDA. The company is now calling for urgent reform of the DEA's Diversion Control Division and the immediate dismissal of a deputy administrator accused of sabotaging legitimate pharmaceutical research. 'We have followed every rule, spent millions building a compliant facility, and still the DEA has done everything in its power to delay and deny this life-saving research. This isn't about cannabis-it's about control, corruption, and constitutional failure,' said Boise during the interview. The full show will also highlight continued delays under the agency's controversial 'Bona Fide Supply Agreement' requirement, which MMJ argues was applied retroactively and unfairly. With growing bipartisan calls for reform, MMJ's case may serve as a tipping point in the national debate over medical marijuana and regulatory overreach. Alaina Pinto, the host of Cannabis Coast to Coast News, will present the segment alongside Jimmy Young, founder of Pro Cannabis Media. The full interview will be available via this link for early access and syndication. Broadcast Details Show: Cannabis Coast to Coast News Episode Airs: Thursday, July 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM ET Host: Alaina Pinto Guest: Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings Streaming: Pro Cannabis Media YouTube Channel & LinkedIn Groups About MMJ International Holdings MMJ International Holdings is a pioneering pharmaceutical company developing FDA-authorized, cannabinoid based medicines for rare neurological conditions. Through its subsidiary, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, the company has produced consistent, pharmaceutical-grade marijuana for clinical trials-an effort repeatedly obstructed by DEA delays. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey [email protected] 203-231-8583 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings press release
Associated Press
13-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
DEA Crushes Illegal Marijuana - But Still Blocks MMJ's Legal Cannabis Drug for Huntington's
While busting cartels, DEA continues war on science and suffering patients. Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ International Holdings, expressed frustration over the contrasting approaches of federal agencies, stating, 'While the FDA is facilitating medical innovation, the DEA's hindrance not only blocks scientific progress but also contradicts directives aimed at revitalizing domestic manufacturing.' This situation starkly contrasts with the 'Buy American' initiative endorsed by President Trump, which was intended to strengthen U.S. drug production capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers. WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / July 13, 2025 / In a historic move, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), alongside California officials, seized over $123 million in illegal cannabis in California's Central Valley. Touted as the largest cannabis eradication operation in state history, this multi-agency sweep destroyed 105,700 illegal plants and over 22,000 pounds of processed product-dealing a powerful blow to criminal diversion networks. But while the DEA proudly parades its enforcement success, it continues to obstruct a very different kind of cannabis operation-one backed by the FDA, supported by Congress, and desperately needed by patients. Why is the DEA targeting drug cartels, while simultaneously blocking science and medical progress? The DEA Operation: A Win Against Illicit Growers During the week of May 5, a coordinated task force involving the DEA, California National Guard, state and local law enforcement, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife executed dozens of warrants across Kern, Tulare, and Kings counties. Nine firearms were seized and multiple individuals arrested. 'This operation demonstrates the power of collaboration to dismantle criminal enterprises,' said California officials. But one form of cannabis remains untouched: federally compliant, FDA authorized medical cannabis research. DEA's Double Standard: Criminal Cartels Get Raided-Pharmaceutical Innovation Gets Sabotaged Despite this public victory, the DEA's track record tells a darker story: It targets illegal grows tainted with pesticides and mold But blocks companies like MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, which holds: Yet the agency continues to deny MMJ a bulk manufacturing license after nearly seven years of delay-citing retroactive 'Catch-22" policies and hiding behind a broken administrative law system. Obstructing Science While Crime Thrives While criminal operations flood state-legal markets with contaminated cannabis, the DEA has stood by, doing little to protect public health-until now. But even this long-overdue enforcement does not excuse the agency's refusal to act on federally authorized medical research. 'This isn't just negligence-it's sabotage,' said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ BioPharma. 'We followed every federal rule, obtained FDA approvals, and proved our security protocols. The DEA's refusal to grant a license has delayed critical treatment for patients suffering from Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.' A National Embarrassment MMJ BioPharma's situation has become a symbol of DEA dysfunction: Meanwhile, illicit grows flourish-and so does patient suffering. The Path Forward: Reform, Not Excuses With President Trump threatening 200% tariffs to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to U.S. soil, the DEA's outdated war on cannabis could derail America's pharmaceutical future before it starts. MMJ BioPharma calls for the following immediate actions: Remove DEA roadblocks to FDA-approved medical cannabis research Transfer cannabis pharmaceutical oversight to the FDA or NIH Investigate the DEA Diversion Control Division for systemic obstruction A Final Word: 'The DEA cannot be allowed to fight cartels with one hand and choke science with the other,' said Boise. 'Lives are on the line. We need enforcement-but we also need research progress.' MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey [email protected] 203-231-85832 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings press release
Associated Press
24-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
DEA's Last MARIJUANA Gamble: Unconstitutional ALJ System Collapses as MMJ BioPharma Fights Back
The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher This is more than a marijuana case. It's a constitutional case. It's a test of whether the DEA is still accountable to the courts, to the people, and to the law. 'If the DEA believes it can ignore the Supreme Court, then no American is safe from administrative tyranny,' Duane Boise warned. " MMJ will fight. And we will win.' WASHINGTON, D.C. / ACCESS Newswire / June 24, 2025 / The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has doubled down on an administrative law judge (ALJ) system the Supreme Court has already deemed unconstitutional and which the Department of Justice (DOJ) itself now refuses to defend. At the center of this constitutional implosion is MMJ BioPharma Cultivation, a federally compliant pharmaceutical cannabis company fighting a multi front legal war against regulatory sabotage. Despite having earned FDA orphan drug designation and submitting multiple Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, MMJ has spent over 2,380 days awaiting DEA registration to Cultivate Schedule I pharmaceutical grade marijuana for use in clinical trials targeting Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington's Disease. Instead of progress, MMJ faces a DEA rogue tribunal and a broken justice mechanism that the Supreme Court and now the DOJ have all declared illegitimate. A System Already Declared Unconstitutional In Axon Enterprise v. FTC (598 U.S. 175, 2023), the U.S. Supreme Court held that parties could bypass agency run tribunals and challenge their constitutionality in federal court. In SEC v. Jarkesy (2024), the Court went further, ruling that agency run Administrative Law Judge proceedings violate the Seventh Amendment's jury trial right, the nondelegation doctrine, and Article II's executive removal structure. The legal writing is on the wall: these kangaroo courts must go. The Department of Justice agrees. DOJ Abandons Defense of DEA's ALJ System In a historic filing on February 27, 2025, the DOJ notified the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island that it would no longer defend the DEA's ALJ system in MMJ BioPharma v. Bondi ([ECF 22](Case 1:24-cv-00127-WES-PAS)). Acting Solicitor General Sara Miron Bloom admitted the ALJ structure violates Article II's separation of powers. Citing Axon and Jarkesy, DOJ conceded that 5 U.S.C. § 7521 is unconstitutional and that DEA's internal judicial regime is legally indefensible. Yet the DEA marches on in open defiance of the very government it is supposed to serve. Mulrooney's Lawless Ruling On June 16, 2025, DEA Chief ALJ John J. Mulrooney II-still clinging to a discredited position-issued a recommended denial of MMJ's bulk manufacturing application. No evidentiary hearing. No cross-examination. No valid record. And no authority. 'This is bureaucratic mutiny,' said MMJ's CEO Duane Boise. 'The DOJ admits the system is illegal, yet the DEA keeps using it to punish medical marijuana research.' MMJ Fights Back on Two Fronts 'They're saying, 'Prove you drowned after we pushed you in the ocean,'' said MMJ CEO Duane Boise. The Gaslighting and Hypocrisy Run Deep 'The DEA is a constitutional dead man walking,' Boise declared. 'Every day it uses this system, it digs its own grave deeper.' The Endgame: DEA's Administrative Empire Is Crumbling Three outcomes are now in motion: Justice Delayed Will No Longer Be Justice Denied What began as a regulatory delay has become a constitutional crisis. The DEA has been caught running a rogue system, misusing authority, and subverting scientific advancement. Now, the walls are closing in on Deputy Administrator Thomas Prevoznik, Matthew Strait, and Aarathi Haig. MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan. CONTACT: Madison Hisey [email protected] 203-231-8583 SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings press release
