FDA rules out medical marijuana

[Vicious176]

This story is no longer available - Washington Times

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it does not support "the use of smoked marijuana for medical purposes."

The FDA released a statement in Washington reiterating its long-held position that marijuana meets the three criteria for placement on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act -- the most restrictive classification of narcotics -- a high potential for abuse, no "currently accepted medical use" and "a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision."

Citing conclusions by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, which administers the Controlled Substances Act, the FDA said there is "sound evidence that smoked marijuana is harmful."

The statement cited evaluations by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Institute for Drug Abuse, which "concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use."

The FDA said measures in a growing number of states to legalize medical marijuana are "inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process," and are proven safe and effective.

 

[Thepurplem0nkey]

WHile this tactic certainly isnt new, pay close attention to the organizatins that contributed to this finding:
The DEA: They have EVERYTHIGN to lose from suppoerint gmedical marijuana, and NOTHING to gain. They may as well have asked the Tobaco and Cotton industry to contribute to their findings as well.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Institute for Drug Abuse: Two organizations whos purposes are to suppress marijuana and any other "drug" for responsible, recreational use. Like asking an fundamental christian group to contribute to a study on if abortion is medicalty sound.
I was reading at msnbc.com a similar article, and they pointed out:

The statement contradicts a 1999 finding from the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, which reported that “marijuana’s active components are potentially effective in treating pain, nausea, the anorexia of AIDS wasting and other symptoms, and should be tested rigorously in clinical trials.”

So you can either trust in the findings of the DEA, and its 2 suppotring organizations....or you can trust the independant, non partisan, nothing to gain/nothing to lose National Academy of Sciences and the citizens of 11 states (and growing).
-PM