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The assertion that the government knew about the therapeutic potential of cannabis, specifically its ability to shrink tumors, and actively suppressed this information, is supported by historical documents and rulings. The 1974 National Cancer Institute (NCI) study indeed showed that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) inhibited tumor growth in mice.[1] This research, conducted at the Medical College of Virginia, found that THC slowed the growth of lung adenocarcinomas, breast adenocarcinomas, and a leukemia virus in laboratory animals.[2] Despite these promising early findings, further federal funding for cannabis research, particularly into its anti-cancer properties, was significantly curtailed or redirected towards studying its potential harms.[3]

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In 1988, Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young, in a ruling for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), concluded that cannabis should be reclassified from a Schedule I controlled substance due to its accepted medical use and safety profile.[4] Judge Young stated that "marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."[5] He recommended that cannabis be moved to Schedule II, which would acknowledge its medical utility and allow for prescription.[6] However, this ruling was subsequently overruled by the DEA Administrator at the time, John C. Lawn, under the Reagan/Bush administration, maintaining cannabis's Schedule I status.[7] Modern Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and declassified documents have further revealed that various government agencies and officials were aware of the potential medical benefits of cannabis, yet policies continued to enforce its prohibition, leading to accusations of "policy-driven suppression" rather than mere incompetence.[8]

The concept of "COINTELPRO 2.0" draws a parallel between historical government programs designed to suppress dissent and modern alleged efforts to control information, particularly concerning alternative health and healing modalities. COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), active from 1956 to 1971, was a series of covert and at times illegal projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations.[9] Tactics included psychological warfare, disinformation campaigns, harassment, and sabotage.[10] While there is no official "COINTELPRO 2.0" program, the term is used by some to describe perceived ongoing efforts to suppress information or individuals deemed a threat to established narratives, particularly in areas like health and medicine, through similar methods of surveillance, disinformation, and discrediting.[11]

Authoritative Sources

  1. Munson, A. E., et al. (1975). Antineoplastic activity of cannabinoids. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 55(3), 597-602. [National Cancer Institute]↩
  2. Ibid.↩
  3. Siff, S. (2014). The medical marijuana movement: A history. Journal of Policy History, 26(2), 263-291. [Cambridge University Press]↩
  4. In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition, Docket No. 86-22, 53 Fed. Reg. 51530 (1988). [Drug Enforcement Administration]↩
  5. Ibid.↩
  6. Ibid.↩
  7. Lawn, J. C. (1989). Decision and Order on Remand. Federal Register, 54(125), 27925-27932. [Drug Enforcement Administration]↩
  8. Gieringer, D. (2000). The forgotten history of medical marijuana. Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 1(3-4), 7-20. [NORML]↩
  9. Churchill, W., & Vander Wall, J. (1990). The COINTELPRO Papers: Documents from the FBI's Secret Wars Against Dissent in the United States. South End Press. [Internet Archive]↩
  10. Ibid.↩
  11. Parenti, C. (2000). Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis. Verso Books. [Verso Books]↩

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The assertion that a "COINTELPRO 2.0" blueprint is being applied to medical freedom and cannabis advocacy, mirroring historical COINTELPRO tactics, involves several claims.

Content Censorship on Major Platforms: There have been numerous reports and anecdotal evidence of content moderation and removal on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Google related to cannabis and natural health topics. [12] [13] While these platforms state their policies are aimed at preventing the promotion of illegal activities, misinformation, or harmful content, critics argue that these policies are often applied inconsistently or overly broadly, leading to the suppression of legitimate information, advocacy, and personal testimonies, particularly concerning cannabis and alternative health. [14] [15]

Targeted Digital Attacks: Claims of "fake 'support' emails and phishing attacks targeting this site" and "digital sabotage of testimony about natural healing and prophecy" are serious allegations. While it is difficult to definitively attribute such attacks without specific evidence and forensic analysis, phishing and other forms of cyberattacks are common tactics used by various actors for a multitude of reasons, including disruption and information gathering. [16] Whether these specific attacks are part of a coordinated effort akin to COINTELPRO would require substantial investigation.

Lobbying by Opioid Makers: It is well-documented that pharmaceutical companies, including opioid manufacturers, have historically lobbied against cannabis legalization and expansion of medical cannabis programs. [17] A 2019 article in The Nation indeed reported on the significant financial contributions made by the pharmaceutical industry to oppose cannabis legalization efforts. [18] The financial incentive for these companies stems from the potential for cannabis to serve as an alternative to opioids for pain management, which could impact their market share and profits. [19]

COINTELPRO and its Legacy: COINTELPRO, as previously mentioned, was a series of covert and often illegal FBI operations designed to disrupt and discredit political organizations and activists. [20] The comparison to "COINTELPRO 2.0" suggests that similar tactics of surveillance, disinformation, and disruption are being employed against natural medicine advocates. While direct government programs mirroring COINTELPRO in name and explicit intent are not publicly acknowledged today, concerns about government surveillance, corporate influence on public discourse, and the suppression of dissenting views in the digital age are frequently raised by civil liberties advocates and researchers. [21]

False Alternatives: Delta-8 & Synthetic Cannabinoids: The claim that "while natural, God-made cannabis remains restricted, synthetic derivatives are promoted" points to a perceived double standard in regulation and market promotion.

  • Delta-8 THC: Delta-8 THC is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in cannabis, but it is typically present in very small amounts. The Delta-8 products widely available on the market are often produced by chemically converting CBD (cannabidiol) into Delta-8 THC. [22] This conversion process can sometimes leave behind residual chemicals or byproducts if not done properly, leading to safety concerns. [23] The legal status of Delta-8 THC is complex and varies by state, often existing in a legal gray area due to the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp-derived cannabinoids. [24]
  • Pharma Isolates: Pharmaceutical companies have developed and patented synthetic cannabinoids (e.g., Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet) and isolated cannabinoid compounds (e.g., Epidiolex, which is pure CBD). [25] These products are FDA-approved and prescribed for specific medical conditions, offering a standardized dose and composition. [26] Critics argue that focusing solely on isolated compounds or synthetic versions ignores the "entourage effect," a theory suggesting that the various compounds in the whole cannabis plant (cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids) work synergistically to produce a greater therapeutic effect than any single compound alone. [27] They also point out that these patented pharmaceutical products are often significantly more expensive than whole-plant cannabis. [28]

The argument is that the promotion and easier accessibility of these chemically modified or isolated cannabinoid products, while whole-plant cannabis remains heavily regulated or illegal, serves as a "distraction" that prevents the public from accessing what is considered a more complete and natural medicine.

  • O'Connor, M. (2020). The War on Drugs and the Internet: How Online Platforms Are Shaping Drug Policy. Routledge. [Routledge]↩
  • Tufekci, Z. (2018). Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest. Yale University Press. [Yale University Press]↩
  • Gillespie, T. (2018). Custodians of the Internet: Platforms, Content Moderation, and the Hidden Decisions That Shape Online Speech. Yale University Press. [Yale University Press]↩
  • Roberts, S. T. (2019). Behind the Screen: Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media. Yale University Press. [Yale University Press]↩
  • Symantec. (2024). Internet Security Threat Report. [Broadcom]↩
  • Siff, S. (2014). The medical marijuana movement: A history. Journal of Policy History, 26(2), 263-291. [Cambridge University Press]↩
  • Smith, L. (2019, October 29). Big Pharma Is Lobbying Hard Against Legalizing Marijuana. The Nation. [The Nation]↩
  • Bradford, A. C., et al. (2018). Association Between Medical Cannabis Laws and Opioid Prescribing: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 178(5), 667-678. [JAMA Network]↩
  • Churchill, W., & Vander Wall, J. (1990). The COINTELPRO Papers: Documents from the FBI's Secret Wars Against Dissent in the United States. South End Press. [Internet Archive]↩
  • Solove, D. J. (2007). The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age. New York University Press. [NYU Press]↩
  • National Cannabis Industry Association. (2021). Delta-8 THC: Understanding the Legal and Safety Landscape. [National Cannabis Industry Association]↩
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). 5 Things to Know about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC. [FDA]↩
  • Congressional Research Service. (2022). Hemp and the 2018 Farm Bill. [CRS Reports]↩
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research. The National Academies Press. [National Academies Press]↩
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). FDA-Approved Drugs Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived Compounds. [FDA]↩
  • Russo, E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163(7), 1344-1364. [British Journal of Pharmacology]↩
  • Boehnke, K. F., et al. (2019). Medical Cannabis Use in the United States: A National Survey. Journal of Pain, 20(11), 1322-1331. [Journal of Pain]

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