MMJ International Urges DEA to Accelerate Federal Cannabis Medicine Access for Huntington’s Patients

WASHINGTON, D.C. — MMJ International Holdings, a U.S.-based pharmaceutical developer of federally compliant cannabis-derived therapies, has issued a Thanksgiving message highlighting ongoing delays in patient access to investigational medicines for Huntington’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

Despite having a fully manufactured, FDA-compliant cannabinoid pharmaceutical ready for clinical trials, MMJ says administrative hurdles at the DEA continue to prevent patients from accessing federally legal treatments. The company emphasized that while the DEA has tolerated state-legal THC programs, its longstanding resistance to federally regulated cannabinoid therapies has left Americans with debilitating neurological conditions waiting for relief.

MMJ President and CEO Duane Boise stated, “Chorea doesn’t take holidays. Huntington’s patients and their families live with daily challenges that can’t be scheduled around bureaucratic delays. We hope regulators reflect on the urgency these patients face as they sit down for Thanksgiving.”

The company’s program includes:

• FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Huntington’s Disease
• DEA Schedule I import permit, the first for natural THC + CBD for pharmaceutical development
• GMP-manufactured soft-gel capsules with full stability, dosage, and chromatography validation
• IND applications pending final FDA alignment

MMJ criticized years of administrative delays, citing a complex DEA approval process that has slowed clinical progress despite compliance with all federal regulations. The company drew parallels to “Right to Try” initiatives, arguing that obstruction of federally approved investigational medicines directly conflicts with efforts to provide terminal and degenerative disease patients with timely treatment options.

Boise added, “With the new administration emphasizing science-based regulation, we see a path forward where regulatory delay gives way to patient-centered access. MMJ remains committed to developing safe, consistent cannabinoid medicines under full FDA oversight.”

MMJ International Holdings operates entirely within federal law through its subsidiaries MMJ BioPharma Cultivation and MMJ BioPharma Labs, advancing soft-gel cannabinoid formulations for patients with Huntington’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.