Medical Marijuana and the FDA

April 27: NY Congressman Maurice Hinchey Leads Bipartisan House Coalition In Calling For FDA To Explain Baseless Anti-Medical Marijuana Policy

Twenty-Four Members Say Agency Needs To Start Responding To Science & Not To Political Pressure
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny22_hinchey/morenews/042706medmarijuanafdaletter.html

The National Review agrees, saying

"The FDA has proclaimed that there is no scientific support for the
medicinal benefits of marijuana. Yet the pronouncement appeared to be
driven more by politics than by science. The FDA's statement conflicts
with earlier studies, most notably one done in 1999 by the Institute
of Medicine, a non-profit medical advisory group. And then there are
experts such as Dr. Jerome Kassirer, a former editor of The New
England Journal of Medicine who says of the FDA's claim: "I think it's
ridiculous. The fact is there are circumstances where smoked marijuana
may be helpful to patients who are desperately ill." Such sparring may
be interesting, but in the end it is tangential to the policy
question: If some suffering patients believe they can find comfort in
smoking dope, and they don't interfere with anyone else, what
legitimate interest does the state have in prosecuting them?"

The left and the right are coming together on this issue. Eleven states have taken the lead and have medical marijuana laws on the books. Libertarians believe no one should be prosecuted for smoking pot, but let's at LEAST agree to take the patients out of the line of fire, OK?

As they say..."consider the source"

The FDA Awaits a Cure for Its Malaise
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fda30apr30,1,6025000.story?track=crosspromo&page=2&coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true

Ex-Head of F.D.A. Faces Criminal Inquiry
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/29/washington/29fda.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1146283200&en=488e5d05bb70e967&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin
bonnie on 05.03.06 @ 03:24 AM ET [link] [No Comments]