The new 94-page report released this week is entitled "Drugs of Abuse" and is intended to foster a better understanding of the dangers of drug consumption. "Education plays a critical role in preventing substance abuse," the document opens. "Drugs of Abuse, A DEA Resource Guide, is designed to be a reliable resource on the most commonly abused and misused drugs in the United States." While the report correctly includes seriously dangerous drugs like heroin, fentanyl, and pharmaceutical opioids, it also includes substances increasingly proven to be far less harmful than the government would like its citizens to believe — "drugs" that actually have medicinal properties. The report fails to acknowledge these benefits throughout its in-depth explanations.

Nevertheless, when it comes to cannabis, the DEA is surprisingly honest, at least in part. Describing the plant for what it is — a "dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves" — they note that "[n]o deaths from overdose of marijuana have been reported."