Marijuana and other illicit drugs are addictive and unsafe especially for use by young people. The science,though still evolving in terms of long-term consequences,is clear:marijuana use is harmful. Independent from the so called “gateway effect”—marijuana on its own is associated with addiction,respiratory and mental illness,poor motor performance,and cognitive impairment,among other negative effects.
Despite successful political campaigns to legalize “medical”marijuana in 15 states and the District of Columbia,the cannabis (marijuana) plant itself is not medicine. While there may be medical value for some of the individual components of the cannabis plant,the fact remains that smoking marijuana is an inefficient and harmful method for delivering the constituent elements that have or may have medicinal value. As always,the FDA process remains the only scientific and legally recognized procedure for bringing safe and effective medications to the American public. To date,the FDA has not found smoked marijuana to be either safe or effective medicine for any condition.
A few points. First of all,the FDA is not allowed to study cannabis. Second,the assertion that “ the cannabis (marijuana) plant itself is not medicine”is not only belied by dozens of studies,but also by millions of people who find relief everyday through cannabis,even if they smoke it. Third,“The science,though still evolving in terms of long-term consequences,is clear:marijuana use is harmful.”Really? Where is this science?
A little further along in the government’s “report”comes this nugget about medical marijuana:
Marijuana and other drugs are addictive and unsafe,especially for use by young people. Unfortunately,efforts to “medicalize”marijuana have widened the public acceptance and availability of the drug.
There is no substitute for the scientific approval process employed by the FDA. For a drug to be made available to the public as medicine,the FDA requires rigorous research followed by tests for safety and efficacy. Only then can a substance be classified as medicine and prescribed by qualified health care professionals to patients.
Of course cannabis has never killed anyone,and dozens of FDA-approved drugs kill people every year. Yet this is the standard we are told to go by. But the government doesn’t care. They are fine with people dying as long as the drug that killed them is FDA-approved. It may have something to do with how much money the makers of these FDA-approved drugs pour in to the pockets of the politicians who decide the fate of the FDA,ONDCP and DEA,among other agencies.
It may seem cynical to some,but what other explanation is there for this kind of behavior?
- Joe Klare
