The Government's Marijuana Problem

[RainDog]

23. I think the DEA needs to do a little soul searching

or, more to the point, needs to accept the OVERWHELMING evidence that cannabis has medical value.

We have people who have been in the Federal marijuana program for more than 30 years who have shown medical benefit.

We have people who have been in state marijuana programs for more 15 years who have shown medical benefit (including one the DEA basically killed by refusing to allow him to use mmj to keep down his chemo and HIV meds while under arrest.)

We have research going back to the 1970s that shows tumor-suppressing qualities of cannabis.

Research shows, for one type of breast cancer, cannabis relieves all of the pain from this chemo (cannabis is particularly useful for people undergoing chemo because the drugs used to fight cancer can kill the patient, not just the cancer.)

Research shows cannabis relieves symptoms of MS and may halt progression of the disease - AND - cannabis, whole-plant cannabis, not a synthetic, has shown to be the best medicine for MS and is legal in Canada and Great Britain for MS patients.

We know cannabis helps glaucoma patients retain their sight.

We know cannabis helps epileptics control their seizures and maintain a normal life.

IOW, there is NO justification for the DEA's scheduling of cannabis as something with no medical value.

It's true that Congress approved the prohibition of cannabis and can undo it - and they should. However, the DEA can take immediate action to correct their scheduling of cannabis, as the governors have requested.

This could and should be done immediately.