On Tuesday, the movement for Medicinal Marijuana received an unexpected endorsement from the American Medical Association.
This marks a substantial policy shift for the AMA, which contains approximately 250,000 member doctors, making it, by far, the largest and most influential association of doctors in the United States.
Their decision to shift policies is especially significant, since the AMA has maintained since 1997 that marijuana should remain a Schedule I substance, meaning that it should continue to be considered by the Federal Government to have no medicinal value and to be dangerous and addictive.
Substances such as LSD and PCP share this category, but even ampehetamines and cocaine are classified as Schedule II substances, since both have recognized medicinal properties.
The AMA stated that its goal was to clear the way to conduct clinical research, or to develop cannabis-based medicines, as well as alternative ways to deliver the drug.
One of the primary reasons that the AMA wants marijuana's classification to be changed is that it would allow for a greater number of clinical studies in order to satisfy the current standards for prescription drugs.
The decision by the organization's delegates at a Houston meeting is particularly significant, since the traditionally conservative AMA had once linked marijuana to homicidal mania. Since California voters decided in 1996, marijuana has become more accepted as its moved more into the cultural mainstream. The AMA adopted a new policy that states, "This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product.
Comments
As more and more people learn about the truth about Marijuana, more and more approve of its use. The people against legalization are generally ignorant about Marijuana, and have practically no understanding of it, other than what they know from watching those pathetic Above the Influence commercials. It's funny how they mainly go after Marijuana, when alcohol is a far bigger problem that ACTUALLY KILLS PEOPLE. As negative of an impact as Marijuana may have on one's health, keep in mind, Marijuana has ZERO deaths relating to it. Man made beer, god made pot, who do you trust?
It's hard to fathom that there are still those people like "Tony", who believe the negative hype about Marijuana being a poison. Tony, and others like him/her, need to do some SERIOUS research before they make judgement. The herb, Marijuana, has been proven, via numerous studies (mostly done abroad), clinical trials, etc... to be helpful in the treatment of many conditions.
One that touches my family is severe Tourettes Syndrome. In a nutshell: instead of numerous harmful drugs and drug "cocktails" prescribe by doctors ( top specialists) Marijuana has eliminated the need for ALL drugs, along with their dangerous side effects (dulling of the senses, lethargy,heart palpatations, breathing difficulties, allergic reactions, possible strokes or heart attack, liver damage and on and on). After 15 yrs of this, one young person in our family with severe Tourettes now has a life! (We do have other members that have inherited this too, and are also finding relief, at last.) A small amount,
Bricks are falling from the wall. I can almost see the other side.
As Reagan stated, ghorbachav tear down this wall, well Obama, tear down this wall.
Licensing, taxing, and regulating the distribution of marijuana is the surest way to put the criminal drug dealers out of business and protect our children from the money-hungry criminal element. It’s time to protect our children and take the marijuana business out of the hands of criminals. License, tax, and regulate the marijuana business. And while we’re at it, let’s implement a personal cultivation permit. Limit the size of the growing area or the number of plants, and put a small user-fee on it to cover administrative costs, something like a fishing license. Maybe high enough that there will be a little something left over for education or fixing the roads.
One possibility:$100 per year for a permit to cultivate a dozen plants.
It's a win-win.
Thank you all for your insightful comments and support. I'm happy to see others share my passion for legalizing marijuana, for at least medicinal purposes, if not outright. As Alex states, there are many legal drugs, like alcohol, that are much worse for people who consume them and those who are affected by alcohol consumption, such as DUI victims.
Marijuana legalization and taxation could literally pave the way for California to dig itself out of a horrible economic condition, put money in public schools, and public health-care. Although I'm not a big fan of the proposition system, I would love to see one on the ballot for the full legalization of marijuana.
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