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| College Physicians Argue for Legalization of MMJ |
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Posted by CN Staff on March 07, 2008 at 06:10:48 PT By Rachel Lusby Source: The Daily 
Washington -- The idea that marijuana can be good for your health is being supported by a position paper released by the American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest group of internal medicine doctors in the United States.The paper supports the use of medicinal marijuana as an effective medicine to deal with side effects of chemotherapy treatments and symptoms like HIV-related weight loss and pain from glaucoma. Tim Kelly, president of the UW chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said the federal government has spent too many years ignoring evidence that points toward the medicinal benefits of cannabis. The federal government claims there is no scientific evidence that says marijuana is useful for those suffering from life threatening diseases, terminal illnesses, or both, Kelly said. Under federal law marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug and is grouped with narcotics such as heroin and crystal methamphetamine. Both drugs are highly addictive and neither have been shown to have any medicinal value. “For too long the federal government, specifically the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has stated that there are no acceptable medical uses of marijuana,” Kelly said. David C. Dale, a UW professor of internal medicine and the president of ACP, argued for a change in government policy. “We have recommended that the classification be changed,” he said. cause To date, Washington is one of 12 states that allow the use of medical marijuana. However, those who are prescribed the drug are not safe from federal prosecution. ACP believes there should be an exemption from federal prosecution for physicians and pharmacists who prescribe and/or sell medicinal marijuana and for the patients who use it, Dale said. Under the current federal laws an offender can receive up to five years in prison for possessing 100 kilograms of marijuana and up to 10 years for 1,000 kilograms. Those caught with less than 15 grams of marijuana face paying a fine of $100 or more. The report released by the ACP is an important step in the movement NORML has been working toward, Kelly said. “I think the report that the ACP released asking the federal government to lift its restrictions on research and accessibility to medical marijuana is a great tool in our fight for medical marijuana,” he said. According to the ACP report, research expansion has been hindered by a complicated federal approval process, the limited availability of research-grade marijuana and the debate over legalization. “The irony to it all is that the DEA severely limits who can legally obtain marijuana for research, causing the problem of little scientific evidence,” Kelly said. Complete Title: College Physicians Argue for Legalization of Medicinal Marijuana Source: The Daily of the University of Washington (WA) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #4 posted by mykeyb420 on March 07, 2008 at 20:53:50 PT |
| I bet the government will still say that these doctors have no credible scientific proof,,,besides these guys are doctors,not scientist,,why should the government believe them?
The Supreme Court(jesters) say NO ,,and their measley 9 votes over-ride the MILLIONS of voters that voted yes to PROP 215 in 1996,,can someone please explain how this is a democratic system? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 07, 2008 at 20:53:06 PT |
| Anti-Pot Propaganda Reaches a Whole New Level of Lameness By Paul Armentano, NORML March 5, 2008 URL: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/78785/ [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #2 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 07, 2008 at 14:14:00 PT:
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| Here's an e-mail I just received from them regarding my thank you letter. -Thank you for your recent e-mail message regarding the position paper of the American College of Physicians on Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana. Your comments are much appreciated. Please visit ACP’s Advocacy website for more information on our other public policy positions, www.acponline.org/advocacy. Thank you again for your support. David C. Dale, MD, FACP President of ACP [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on March 07, 2008 at 14:01:50 PT |
| This is great! op-ed by the writers of The Wire: In Baltimore, where we set The Wire, drug arrests have skyrocketed over the past three decades, yet in that same span, arrest rates for murder have gone from 80% and 90% to half that. Lost in an unwinnable drug war, a new generation of law officers is no longer capable of investigating crime properly, having learned only to make court pay by grabbing cheap, meaningless drug arrests off the nearest corner. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1719872,00.html [ Post Comment ] |
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