John,

When I founded NORML over 50 years ago, it was clear to me that marijuana possessed medical properties and that the federal government had no business treating it as a Schedule I drug like heroin.

That’s why one of my first decisions as NORML’s Director was to file an administrative petition calling for marijuana to be removed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

As a result of our initial petition, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s own Administrative Law Judge determined: “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care.”

Over the years, NORML has been a party to virtually every rescheduling petition filed before the federal government. We also have been involved in numerous legal battles challenging the constitutionality of cannabis as a Schedule I substance.

That is why, some 50 years after NORML first began this fight, I am pleased to see the federal government finally acknowledge what we – and millions of Americans – have known all along: That marijuana is a legitimate therapy for many Americans and that it doesn’t belong in Schedule I.

Of course, this isn’t the end of our fight for cannabis freedom. However, it marks a significant and hard-fought victory that validates NORML’s position then – and now.

NORML has always stood up for the rights, interests, and liberties of responsible cannabis consumers. This was my mission when I founded the organization in 1970 and it remains NORML’s focus today. With your support, we are steadily ending cannabis prohibition. Help us finish this fight by supporting our mission today.