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Medical Marijuana - Official Government Denials
The Government has long denied that cannabis can possibly be medicine...
"The claim that marijuana is an efficacious medicine is a lie"
-- John Walters, 2002
RESOLUTION:
MARIJUANA SCHEDULING PETITION - DENIAL
OF PETITION, REMAND, MAR 26, 1992 Federal Register,
Department of Justice
Quotes
from the summary:
"...marijuana
has been rejected as medicine by the American Medical Association,
the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Glaucoma Society,
the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Cancer Society.
Not one American health association accepts marijuana as medicine.
"Relying
on the same scientific standards used to judge all other drugs, FDA
experts repeatedly have rejected marijuana for medical use."
"There
are significant short-term side effects and long-term risks linked
to smoking marijuana. Marijuana is likely to be more cancer-causing
than tobacco; damages brain cells; causes lung problems such as bronchitis
and emphysema; may weaken the body's antibacterial defenses in the
lungs; lowers overall blood pressure which could adversely affect
the supply of blood to the head; causes sudden drops in blood pressure
(orihostatic hypotension), rapid heart beat (tachycardia), and heart
palpitations; suppresses luteinizing hormone secretion in women, which
affects the production of progesterone, an important female hormone;
causes anxiety and panic in some users because of its mind-altering
effects; produces dizziness, trouble with thinking, trouble with concentrating,
fatigue and sleepiness: and impairs motor skills."
"There
are scientific studies showing pure THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol)
one of the many chemicals found in marijuana, has some effect in controlling
nausea and vomiting. Pure THC is pharmaceutically made in clean capsule
form, called Marinol, and is available for use by the medical community.
(ed. note: the petition was for reclassifying the smokeable form of
marijuana.)"
"The
only favorable evidence that could be found by NORML and IDEA consists
of stories by marijuana users who claim to have been helped by the
drug...many stories are no doubt due to the placebo effect."
"Second,
most of the stories come from people who took marijuana at the same
time they took prescription drugs for their symptoms...Mere stories
are not considered an acceptable way to judge whether dangerous drugs
should be used as medicines."
"Third,
any mind-altering drug that produces euphoria can make a sick person
think he feels better."
"Fourth,
long-time abusers of marijuana are not immune to illness. Many eventually
get cancer, glaucoma, MS and other diseases. People who become dependent
on mind altering drugs tend to rationalize their behavior."
"Beyond
doubt, the claims that marijuana is medicine are false, dangerous
and cruel."
"The
statutory meaning of 'currently accepted medical use' remains the
same as enacted by Congress in 1970..."
- "A.
The Drug's Chemistry Must Be Known and Reproducible."
"B.
There Must Be Adequate Safety Studies."
"C.
There Must Be Adequate and Well-Controlled Studies Proving Efficacy."
"D.
Acceptance by Qualified Experts Is Required."
"E.
The Scientific Evidence Must Be Widely Available."
"F.
General Availability of a Drug is Irrelevant."
"G.
Recognition in Generally Accepted Text is Irrelevant."
"H.
Specific Recognized Disorders Are the Referent."
"There
are no adequate well-controlled scientific studies proving marijuana
is effective for anything."
"Marijuana
is not accepted for medical use in treatment by even a respectable
minority, much less a consensus, of experts trained to evaluate drugs."
"In
the absence of reliable evidence adequately establishing marijuana's
chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and effectiveness, no responsible
physician could conclude that marijuana is safe and effective for
medical use."
"The
answer might seem obvious based on common sense. Smoking causes lung
cancer and other deadly diseases.. .no medicine prescribed for us
today is smoked."
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