Fox News: DEA Says Fentanyl Now Found in Unregulated Vape Cartridges

CNN: DEA Declines to Loosen Restrictions on Medical Marijuana

By Nadia Kounang and Debra Goldschmidt, Aug. 11, 2016, CNN

(CNN)Marijuana will remain a schedule l controlled substance, which declares it has "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse," the Drug Enforcement Agency said Thursday. This keeps the drug in the same category as heroin and cocaine.

The announcement is in response to two recent petitions asking the agency to reconsider this designation for the benefit of scientific research. The decision is based on a "scientific and medical evaluation" conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration at the request of the DEA. 

"The DEA and the FDA continue to believe that scientifically valid and well-controlled clinical trials conducted under investigational new drug (IND) applications are the most appropriate way to conduct research on the medicinal uses of marijuana," said a statement from the DEA.

More: www.cnn.com

The Los Angeles Times: FBI official named to take over embattled drug agency

By Timothy M. Phelps, May 13, 2015, The Los Angeles Times

Atty Gen. Loretta Lynch reached into the ranks of top FBI administrators Tuesday for new leadership at the troubled Drug Enforcement Administration.

Former DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart was asked to resign last month due to dissatisfaction within the Obama administration over her handling of a scandal involving DEA agents hiring prostitutes and another incident in which agents forgot a detaintee in a cell for nearly five days with no food or water.

She had also long been at odds with former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. and President Obama over marijuana enforcement. Rosenberg is expected to improve the DEA’s procedures on classifying, declassifying and reclassifying drugs, the official said.

More:  www.latimes.com