Medical Marijuna
In 1978 the federal government created the Investigational New Drug (IND) compassionate access research program to allow some patients to receive medical marijuana. The IND was closed in 1992 after it was flooded by applications from AIDS patients and the remaining patients had to sue the federal government on the basis of "medical necessity" to retain access to their medicine. Today, eight surviving patients still receive medical marijuana from the federal government. The most a single patient receives is 9 pounds a year. Despite this successful program, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I substance, defined as having a high potential for abuse and no medicinal value. Did you get that? The federal government is supplying sick people with medical marijuana, yet at the same time, they're saying it's more dangerous than pcp and cocaine…
In 1988, the DEA's chief administrative law judge, Francis L. Young, ruled that, "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known…It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance." Hello? Anyone listening?…
Since 1996, voters in 14 states plus the District of Columbia have passed favorable medical marijuana ballot initiatives.
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine, in the most comprehensive study of medical marijuana's efficacy, concluded that, "Nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety…all can be mitigated by marijuana." Allowing patients legal access to medical marijuana has been endorsed by numerous organizations, including the AIDS Action Council, American Bar Association, American Public Health Association, California Medical Association, The New England Journal of Medicine, several state nurses associations and Howard Dover.
On October 25, 2001 the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center was raided, forcing them to close their doors to their 960 seriously ill patients. DEA raids on patient cooperatives and patient-providers continued over the next year, with raids on the Wo/men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Santa Cruz, Genesis 1:29 in Petaluma, and Shelter from the Storm in San Diego. Obscene if you ask me. Check out http://www.wamm.org.
In October 2002, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously decided to uphold the right of doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients and for patients to receive that recommendation. When it comes to health concerns, oddly enough, I'd rather listen to my doctor's advice. Fortunately, the courts agree.
"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of the substance." — Francis L. Young, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge, 1988
MPP and MPP Foundation believe that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment. Therefore, MPP and MPP Foundation are working to change U.S. policies to remove criminal penalties for marijuana use, with a particular emphasis on making marijuana medically available to seriously ill people who have the approval of their physicians.
Americans for Safe Access is the nation's largest organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.
Want more information? Check out our medical marijuana links.