Medical Marijuana Gets Its Day in Federal Court

Cannabis classification could change from dangerous to medically useful

Next week, a federal appeals court in Washington, DC will review the scientific evidence for medical marijuana for the first time in 20 years.

The case could change the legal classification of marijuana from a dangerous drug like heroin to a drug with medical benefits – at least, that's what the doctors and patients bringing the case hope for.

The case for medical marijuana is supported by a whole slew of health care-related groups, including Americans for Safe Access, the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American Nurses Association, the Federation of American Scientists and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Medical marijuana is already legal in 17 states.

Via the Wall Street Journal.

Should marijuana be reclassified as a drug with medical benefits?

[Cheenoguy]

Awesome! Good medicine for people and a largely diminished prison system.

[Wilberhum]

I don't know about medical benefits, I'm not a user. But I am sure it needs to be treated no different that alcohol.

[methinks]

It can greatly help people with chronic pain that have become immune to regular pain killers. I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to purchase this from your local pharmacy.

[wesmess3588]

They actually ran an article on here where a scientific study just showed that it cures cancer. it has to be broken down to a much stronger dose than just smoking it but it has the properties to cure cancer

[KimBoe]

@methinks in the 70's high times ran an article on government crops & it featured picture of factory rolled joint like cigarettes packaged in big tin canisters. as far as i can recall, in the bay area the scene started for AIDS patients. once being a musician, i smoked a lot. i don't care what anyone says, it is definitely psychologically addictive. nobody wants to stop feeling good. what it is, this program, is big business. it's holistic medicine & for the chronically addicted, hoping to turn casual users into the chronically addicted.

it relieves depression & arthritis.that why i got a card. the list goes on.

but the recreational use of it???

it's packaged & sold as an aphrodisiac

it's wa-ay out of control. they've whored it.

& dealers nickle & dime bag it out in high schools & on the streets

i know people that are so addicted they can't fulfill their basic needs.

the homeless recycle for it and give up other essentials.

it's the only subject in certain groups of society.

a handful of years ago,a musicianfriendsofminegave it up in his 60's saying ' i can;t smoke that shit anymore' in spite of needing it for depression & arthritis, i've done the same.

maybe if i get married again i'll indulge again.

[Quantummist]

@KimBoe Yes the Government maintains a Very large pot growing farm in Mississippi called G-13 .... The basic reason it was started in the 30's was to maintain a seed stock as pot seeds have about a 2 years shelf life and because there may be a time in a national emergency where it becomes a necessity to have assorted hemp fiber and by products. It supplied the few Government pot receivers back in the70's & 80's but stopped supplying in the 80's.. The Joints came in a sealed Tin OD Green can with a pull top with the data on the pot stamped on the top... The Farm is still there and grows a variety of strains and produces seeds for world wide seed storage , then burns the crops each year....

[Dan_Tien]

It will not be made legal because then it would not be profitable.

[Thunderchicken]

I don't see your point. The profit is being made by criminals who don't pay tax on it. Legalizing it would make it taxable.

[Dan_Tien]

@Thunderchicken Marijuana is a weed that grows quickly and easily in most of the country, and so it would be free if legalized like it was before it was prohibited. The amphetamine epidemic could have been ended years ago if "legal" drug companies that make the cold medicines which provide the precursors chemicals for crank had not blocked legislation to prevent their very profitable over-the-counter sale. The makers of pseudoephedrine based cold medicines like Sudafed know that they are profiting from illegal drugs. They don't care. Something tells me that a similar profit motive is involved in keeping marijuana illegal.

[Thunderchicken]

@Dan_Tien

"Something tells me that a similar profit motive is involved in keeping marijuana illegal."

Maybe but unless the criminals have bought off the government, I don't see where it is.

[Len_in_NY2]

@Thunderchicken

There is a larger issue here.(BTW, criminals HAVE bought off the gov't, they're called lobbyists, but I digress).
The profit motive for keeping it illegal (i.e. not allowing any progress other than total prohibition) is not just the cannabis itself but also the threat that industrial hemp (now prohibited under the same rule) rears to multiple industries which benefit from the current prohibition. Pulp paper, textiles, wood, big oil (plastics), drug rehab (judges often give cannabis offenders the choice between jail and rehab), private prison, alcohol and of course big pharma all have something to lose if cannabis is lower scheduled and/or unprohibited. The reason it is still illegal now is the same reason why it was banned in the first place. It has nothing to do with the well-being of the poulace and everything to do with those influentials who want to keep the gravy train rolling.

[Thunderchicken]

@Len_in_NY2

A quick search shows many hemp products already available. In fact that search is going to cause me to look into some hemp work clothes.

[BigPuma]

I don't think the country is quite ready for legalization, however decriminalization is way past due. It is a complete waste of taxpayer dollars incarcerating non violent offenders over a marijuana offense.

We should tax and regulate, not incarcerate.

[PNWest]

Marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Regulate it in a similar way and reap the tax benefits for all of us. Criminalized marijuana only makes profits for drug cartels and fills up the prisons with non-violent offenders.

[tomincali]

this has caused huge problems in my area. the locals are calling in the feds making a strange thing. the city sells these folks the right to grow then calls the feds in, works with them to bust the grows.
between the cartels being found involved mixed in with legal stuff they need to do away with it all.

who would have guessed organized crime would get into the legal operations.ha!

[Denizen_Kate]

Yes. If this court rules favorably, perhaps we can finally get cannabis decriminalized on a federal level, clear our prisons, and stop wasting billions of dollars annually on the failed "war on drugs."

[tomincali]

the only reason the war on drugs is not working is do to lack of real effort.

from seeing what goes on in my area the legal stuff has caused more problems than the illegal dope dealer on the corner.

[Denizen_Kate]

@tomincali actually, alcohol causes more problems than most illegal drugs.

[tomincali]

@Denizen_Kate that it does and i see no reason to add to the problems. i don't think it would help the problems by making marijuana legal just be more crashes like drunk drivers are doing with legal booze,though it is illegal to drive drunk.

[Denizen_Kate]

@tomincali the few cannabis users I know don't drive under the influence. They stay home and pop in a movie.

[tomincali]

@Denizen_Kate too bad all do not do that. kind of like those who drink and have a brain drink at home and never drive after.its the ones who think they can drive better while under the influence that will cause the problem for the rest of us.

[CitizenToker]

Cannabis never should have been classified as a dangerous substance in the first place so, yes, it's far past time to reschedule it. I don't think that this particular hearing will legalize it, but I believe this is the straw that will break the prohibitionists' camels back. Once the public understands how useful this plant can be the house of cards that is cannabis prohibition will fall and once that happens it'll open several doors that will lead America to a much more prosperous future. After all, hemp is illegal just for looking kinda like the cannabis people use for inebriation and it has so, so many useful applications that within a decade of being able to utilize it to it's fullest potential we could be living in an entirely different world. A world where we no longer have to cut down an acre of trees that take 20 years to replenish to get 2/3 of the pulp we could get from hemp every 90 days. A world with dozens, if not hundreds of new industries that can't exist now because of our foolish decision to allow hemp to be prohibited. And, oh my, how much we will save in tax dollars when we no longer have the prohibition monkey on our back sucking up money by the billions of dollars, not to mention the money we'll save on health care when people can have access to an inexpensive alternative to pharmaceuticals that cost $50 a pill. Also, I believe a lot of alcohol consumers will drink less after experiencing cannabis, which will save us a fortune by reducing the number of people who suffer from alcohol induce illness. These are just a very few example of how cannabis can help us and I for one look forward to finally catching up with the times we live in.

[ram84]

Here here! Cannabis for medicinal use is a way better solution then say morphine or opana (oxycontin). The number of people addicted to these two substances alone is staggering. Not to mention the fact that death by overdose is now the leading cause of death for youths in America.(Use to be vehicular accidents). And marijuana is NOT a killer and would help so many people.

[MarkJM]

I hope the court rules in favor of Marijuana. Treat it like alcohol. Let it be legal and place a tax on it. It is none of my business if two people are in their own home smoking marijuana. It should not be the government's business either. Place similar Surgeon General warnings on marijuana packets and let corner stores sell the stuff. It would take business away from the Mexican drug cartels, allow for law enforcement to crack down on more severe drugs, bring in much needed revenue, and yes even provide for some medical benefits (especially to cancer patients and those with glaucoma).

[Faceman]

ok as a person with epilepsy and bipolar disorder i support the legalization of marijuana.personally i myself have smoked weed and i mean a bunch of it and when i quit due to getting a good job i suffered no withdrawal symptoms at all. every drug that is at pharmacies everywhere that is a narcotic is known for withdrawal symptoms and are dangerous meds i take for seizures also has a potential for withdrawals that can kill a person.it has been proven by medical research that pot is helpful for pain nausea mental and neurological disorders as well as many other medical uses.marijuana can also be used for paper products which if legalized would dramatically reduce if not stop the clear cutting of trees all over the world we would be using the trees we cut down for lumber and not paper which would reduce prices in lumber due to all the pulp trees being used for lumber flooding the market causing building supply cost to drop and the building of new houses cheaper.so in short the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes could be a start of a great way to reduce the prison population,help many people medically,and help the environment by reducing the number of trees being used for paper

[LivGuillen]

Yes, the evidence is there!

[BigPoppaPhat]

The government makes more money keeping it illegal

[Keyjo]

Legalize marijuana.

[Quantummist]

Absolutely, You should be able to grow and use home grown medication anytime you wish... Including the assorted roots and herbs we in the south have been using for generations...

[Denizen_Kate]

Q, you just put yourself on the List of Enemies of global pharmaceutical companies. Welcome to the club.

[Rocker]

We just thought it was 'rag weed'......... really!!!

[Quantummist]

@Denizen_Kate ... That's not my first list, nor my first rodeo ...

[Quantummist]

@Denizen_Kate ... I'm of the view that it's My Body and I should have the right to put anything I want in it... Even if it's deadly to me.. I can see laws for sales and distribution of assorted things, I can see laws that hold me responsible for my actions against others if my intake causes me to do something stupid... But as long as I make, grow, magically produce something there should be No Laws against what I put into my body....

[Joe-Revis]

Hope this passes!

[Wisdom73]

It's about time. As long as alcohol remains a legal and socially acceptable substance, then marijuana should be also. For decades now we have lived in an extremely hypocritical society which condemns marijuana use while the alcohol flows like water. Alcohol destroys lives, is addictive, and is responsible for an average of 75,000 deaths a year from accidents and health related issues.

Why have the FDA and pharma companies been reluctant to endorse marijuana's medicinal properties?? Well you can't place a patent on a plant, therefore the pharma companies can't make a profit off of it like they do their many other designer drug cocktails. They have tried for years to chemically replicate it in the form of marinol and others, but the fact remains that marijuana is most potent and effective in plant form. Why would pharma companies endorse a naturally occurring drug which could replace their designer drugs? They won't.

The nasty reputation that marijuana has gotten is also due in most part to Harry Anslinger, former Federal Bureau of Narcotics director, and a very racist man. He is responsible for the many lies about the dangers of marijuana which some even still believe today. Here are just a few of Mr. Anslinger's other beliefs and quotes:

"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows and look at a white woman twice."

"Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men"

"The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races"

It's time for the lies to end and the world to acknowledge that marijuana does have medicinal uses and is no more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes.

[phrank]

Absolutely not, if pot is classified this way we will NEVER EVER get recreational legalization, which means without a prescription it will STILL BE JUST AS ILLEGAL, and the reality is that most states wont/don't allow even a fraction as many conditions/people for prescriptions, meaning only GENUINELY terminally ill or seriously ill will get it, and only REAL doctors will be allowed to prescribe for very specific, physically identifiable chronis conditions. We want full legalization, regulation, taxation, or you will see new criminal charges for; dispensing medicine w/out a license, posession of controlled substance, posession of expired medication, etc.. I live in illinois, they will abuse every freedom they can for profit of openly crooked politicians. You have to be a fool to think the whole country/feds/all states will wink and nod the way cali and colorado do.

[shadmark]

I was diagnosed with Chronic uveitis in my right eye at the age of fourteen. I have been told by a pain specialist this is a very painful condition almost to the point of being unbearable. Of course I already new this. This condition slowly destroys the eye by inflammation and glaucoma, which is excess fluid in the eye. Normal eye pressure is around 15 and the instrument which measures this pressure only read up to 80 in those days. I was off the scale. I had three very painful surgeries and took many expensive meds. with terrible side effects and received no benefit. I could take two hits of a joint and the pain went away and the eye pressure would measure normal. I had to stop using this wonderful treatment to get a decent job. After another couple of years without marijuana I was completely blind in my right eye and had my eye removed because of the pain. This condition normally affects both eyes. If this occurs in my only good eye what do you think I should do?

[truthsayer]

Ron Paul: "I think the federal war on drugs is a total failure. You can at least let sick people have marijuana because it's helpful, but compassionate conservatives say, well, we can't do this--the federal government's going in there and overriding state laws and putting people like that in prison. Why don't we handle the drugs like we handle alcohol? Alcohol is a deadly drug. The real deadly drugs are the prescription drugs. They kill a lot more people than the illegal drugs. The drug war is out of control. I fear the drug war because it undermines our civil liberties. It magnifies our problems on the borders. We spent, over the last 40 years,$1 trillion on this war. And believe me, the kids can still get the drugs. It just hasn't worked."

[Rocker]

I'm from the George Carlin/Cheech and Chong period.... O Man, that makes your eyes red just thinking about it. We used to joke like crazy over it. I got my first sip of weed in 'Nam in the rear areas around some of the REMFs.