Posted on 04/21/2006 3:02:20 PM PDT by LouAvul
WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it does not support the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
The FDA said in a statement that it and other agencies with the Health and Human Services Department had "concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use."
A number of states have passed legislation allowing marijuana use for medical purposes, but the FDA said, "These measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are proven safe and effective."
The statement contradicts a 1999 finding from the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, which reported that "marijuana's active components are potentially effective in treating pain, nausea, the anorexia of AIDS wasting and other symptoms, and should be tested rigorously in clinical trials."
Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, said Thursday: "If anybody needed proof that the FDA has become totally politicized, this is it. This isn't a scientific statement; it's a political statement."
Mirken said "a rabid congressional opponent of medical marijuana," Rep. Mark Souder (news, bio, voting record), R-Ind., asked the FDA to make the statement.
Souder, chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on drug policy, has said the promotion of medical marijuana "is simply a red herring for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Studies have continually rejected the notion that marijuana is suitable for medical use because it adversely impacts concentration and memory, the lungs, motor coordination and the immune system."
The FDA statement noted "there is currently sound evidence that smoked marijuana is harmful." It also said, "There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana."
Mirken responded, "There is abundant evidence that marijuana can help cancer patients, multiple sclerosis patients and AIDS patients. There is no scientific doubt that marijuana relieves nausea, vomiting, certain kinds of pain and other symptoms that don't respond well to conventional drugs, and does it more safely than other drugs.
"For the FDA to ignore all that evidence is embarrassing," Mirken said. "They should be red-faced."
Medicine? Definitely.
Any statement made by the Federal Government involving marijuana should be ignored. They have been lying about it for 70 years and continue to lie about it today. They have zero credibility on the topic.
marking thread.
Since their only allegiance is to Big Pharma who could expect anything else?
They are absolutley a detriment to health or well being in America.
That is exactly right. Amazingly enough, there are people here (that purport to be intelligent, conservative supporters of the Constitution) that believe any lie that comes out of Washington. It is beyond pathetic.
I think the FDA statement mentioned that "smoked" marijuana
was not recommended by them. They made no mention about
injected or oral marijuana, or topically applied. The hazards of smoking any organic product are well known
with the production of too many well known carcinogens
during the burning process. Inhaling that garbage with
Marijuana ain't too smart...really....
It would be nice to see some definitive studies (triple blinded/placebo/appropriately statistically powered) come
out comparing marijuana (not just THC)which isn't
burned with placebo or other treatment modalities to put an end to the constant allegations of suppression of the wonder
drug.
"It would be nice to see some definitive studies (triple blinded/placebo/appropriately statistically powered) come
out comparing marijuana (not just THC)which isn't
burned with placebo or other treatment modalities to put an end to the constant allegations of suppression of the wonder
drug."
It would be nice for the federal government to allow such a study. Good luck. In case you hadn't noticed, both parties are owned by big business...and guess what one of the biggest is?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Cannabis does have that anoying side effect of causing euphoria. We cannot have patients feeling any euphoria! /sarcasm
Indeed.
Ask Elvie Musika about the medical benefits of marijuana.
She lost one eye to gloucoma years ago and still has her other eye thank to GOVERNMENT SUPPLIED MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
All we can expect the government to do is to lie to support their agenda.
thnx for the ping, there was a similar article that i pinged the list to earlier:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1618933/posts
And, of course, the FDA stooge offered no evidence to contradict the Institute of Medicine.
Welcome to 1984. Now what are we going to do?
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