DEA Sued For Allegedly Hiding Emails With Anti-Marijuana Group

Attorney Matt Zorn is suing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for failing to release records related to its communications with Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), an anti-cannabis group.

This lawsuit, filed November 28, seeks to compel the DEA to produce these records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), reported Marijuana Moment.

The request came just days before hearings on cannabis rescheduling got underway on December 2 at DEA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

Zorn argues that the DEA broke public records laws by not responding to his FOIA request made on October 29.

The law requires agencies to reply within 20 days, excluding weekends.

The lawsuit follows a recent decision by an administrative law judge who denied the DEA's motion to remove itself from the rescheduling hearings. The judge noted serious concerns about the DEA's contact with SAM, which could affect the fairness of the process.

SAM has long fought against marijuana legalization and reform. Its involvement in the rescheduling talks has raised alarms among pro-reform groups. Critics say the DEA's communication with SAM could unfairly influence the hearing’s outcome.

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Another Wrinkle In The Process

In response to a separate motion, the DEA denied allegations of improper communication with SAM, dismissing them as “gossip” and arguing that any contact was not unlawful, despite SAM’s president Kevin Sabet’s admission of discussing rescheduling details with DEA insiders. SAM also denied that the conversations had to do with the rescheduling procedure.

The DEA held its first hearing on Monday to lay the groundwork for discussing the Biden administration’s proposal to reclassify marijuana. The next steps include witness testimonies presented by approved participants.

The move could lead to major changes in cannabis regulation, including tax benefits and expanded research opportunities, though stopping short of full legalization.

• Read Next: DEA LIVE Hearings On Marijuana Rescheduling, What To Expect

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