Making the Case for Medical Marijuana

[dbacks fan]

The drugs and other substances that are considered controlled substances under the CSA are divided into five schedules. A listing of the substances and their schedules is found in the DEA regulations, 21 C.F.R. Sections 1308.11 through 1308.15. A controlled substance is placed in its respective schedule based on whether it has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States and its relative abuse potential and likelihood of causing dependence. Some examples of controlled substances in each schedule are outlined below.


NOTE: Drugs listed in schedule I have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States and, therefore, may not be prescribed, administered, or dispensed for medical use. In contrast, drugs listed in schedules II-V have some accepted medical use and may be prescribed, administered, or dispensed for medical use.

Schedule 1: High Abuse, No Recognized Medical Use, Lack of Safety
Heroin
LSD
MDMA
Marijuana
Methaqualone

Schedule 2: High Abuse, Medical Utility, High Dependency Risk
Opium
Morphine
Coca
Cocaine
Methadone
Methamphetamine

Schedule 3: Lower Abuse, Medical Utility, Moderate Dependency Risk
Amphetamine
Barbiturate
Valium
Xanax
Anabolic Steroids
Codeine

Schedule 4: Limited Abuse, High Medical Utility, Limited Dependency Risk
Chloral Hydrate
Meprobamate
Paraldehyde
Phenobarbital

Schedule 5: Minor Problems
Typically includes preparations of the above drugs in limited amounts

http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/180/classify.html

[dbacks fan]

http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/list/46thedition.pdf

[patric]

As long as Congress tells the DEA that enforcing marijuana prohibition is just as important as heroin, they have little choice and marijuana arrests are an easier success. Congress and the executive branch are the targets for changing enforcement, not the DEA.

Well, yes and no.
When Congress wants to look informed on the subject, who do you think they go to for their expertise?
Remember, most of these representatives have to have interns do Google searches and email.

The above hearing clearly shows DEA bureaucracy is inept and only motivated by politics.

[patric]

http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/180/classify.html

The Schedule 1 list (No Recognized Medical Use) skirts history.  LSD has been used in Norway to treat alcoholism, and marijuana was considered the most effective drug at treating migraine attacks.

...yet Schedule 4 (limited dependency/abuse risk) lists dangerous highly abused drugs like phenobarbital.

The system is broken, and all the forceful "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" heavy-handedness has not made that fact any less real.

[dbacks fan]

Well, yes and no.
When Congress wants to look informed on the subject, who do you think they go to for their expertise?
Remember, most of these representatives have to have interns do Google searches and email.

The above hearing clearly shows DEA bureaucracy is inept and only motivated by politics.

Marijuana has been a controlled substance since the 30's. It was made a Class I narcotic before the DEA was formed.

[AquaMan]

Well, yes and no.
When Congress wants to look informed on the subject, who do you think they go to for their expertise?
Remember, most of these representatives have to have interns do Google searches and email.

The above hearing clearly shows DEA bureaucracy is inept and only motivated by politics.

That and cya.

What would be your plan for decriminalizing any drug in this political atmosphere? No sitting president or Congressman up for re-election dares support such craziness. It seems that attacking the beast from the inside (the states) as the TP'ers and Gay activists are doing might be the best strategy. That would force a face-off.

[Conan71]

That and cya.

What would be your plan for decriminalizing any drug in this political atmosphere? No sitting president or Congressman up for re-election dares support such craziness. It seems that attacking the beast from the inside (the states) as the TP'ers and Gay activists are doing might be the best strategy. That would force a face-off.

Convince the Tea Partiers that MJ cures “teh ghey” and it might just get decriminalized.

[patric]

Marijuana has been a controlled substance since the 30's. It was made a Class I narcotic before the DEA was formed.

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws developed the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act in 1934 due to the lack of restrictions in the Harrison Act of 1914. The act was a revenue-producing act and, while it provided penalties for violations, it did not give authority to the states to exercise police power regarding either seizure of drugs used in illicit trade or punishment of those responsible.

Harry J. Anslinger, a member of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, campaigned and lobbied for passage of the Uniform State Narcotic Act.
Anslinger launched a nationwide media campaign declaring that marijuana causes temporary insanity. The advertisements featured young people smoking marijuana and then behaving recklessly, committing crimes, killing themselves and others, or dying from marijuana use. The propaganda campaign was a success and all states signed on.



Meanwhile, in our century:

 

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reiterated her support for medical marijuana on Wednesday and indicated Democrats might be interested in taking changes to federal law after the election.

“I’ve been very clear on the subject of medical marijuana over time, in committee and on the floor as leader,” Pelosi said told Raw Story at a round table of bloggers.

“I think that it would be really important to do that,” Pelosi said. “It would be hard for anyone to agree with the fact that someone who has HIV/AIDS or has cancer and they find relief from pain in medicinal marijuana that should be something that should be a priority to raid on the part of the Justice Department. Going along with that, we need to address some of the penalties for any non-violent crime that are out there.”

Pelosi previously attacked the administration on medical marijuana raids in May, when she criticized the administration for carrying out raids on medical marijuana facilities. The Obama administration has carried out more raids than the George W. Bush administration.

Her statement at that time said, “I have long supported efforts in Congress to advocate federal policies that recognize the scientific research and clinical research demonstrating the medical benefits of medicinal marijuana, that respects the wishes of the states in providing relief to ill individuals, and that prevents the federal government from acting to harm the safe access to medicinal marijuana provided under state law.”

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) told Raw Story, “I think our marijuana policy in this country is absolutely nuts.” He predicted that within 10 years, the country would move on medical marijuana policy nationwide.   And an increasing number of Americans agree with Blumenauer. A recent poll showed 74 percent of Americans agree that the federal government shouldn’t interfere with states’ laws on medical marijuana. A Gallup poll from last year also showed that 50 percent of Americans now support full legalization of marijuana.

[patric]

It seems that attacking the beast from the inside (the states) as the TP'ers and Gay activists are doing might be the best strategy. That would force a face-off.

Local authorities refusing to cooperate or give support to the feds when they want to raid a legal, tax-paying dispensary?

[AquaMan]

Convince the Tea Partiers that MJ cures “teh ghey” and it might just get decriminalized.

Yeah, legalize the ghey then legalize the anti-ghey. Sounds pretty Machiavellian. We all win!

[dbacks fan]

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) told Raw Story, “I think our marijuana policy in this country is absolutely nuts.” He predicted that within 10 years, the country would move on medical marijuana policy nationwide.   And an increasing number of Americans agree with Blumenauer. A recent poll showed 74 percent of Americans agree that the federal government shouldn’t interfere with states’ laws on medical marijuana. A Gallup poll from last year also showed that 50 percent of Americans now support full legalization of marijuana.[/font]

Yeah, they've been saying within 10 years for the last three decades. Talk is cheap, and the "war on drugs" is a cash cow.

[Vashta Nerada]

Yeah, they've been saying within 10 years for the last three decades. Talk is cheap, and the "war on drugs" is a cash cow.

We need only go as far as the recent federal sting here in Tulsa to see how well the WOD is going.
How we progressed from the 1930's version of anti-Mexican legislation, to drug enforcement officers caught on tape filling their pockets with cash in a Tulsa motel room, is mind boggling.

[heironymouspasparagus]

If you (everyone here) gets the chance, use your Netflix to watch "Reefer Madness".  I have the DVD, so don' t have to stream it...

It shows the hysteria, misrepresentations, distortions, and lies that have accompanied the WOD since the get-go.  Ya gotta ask yourself why/how there would be so much money and effort spent on this when the supposed end result is the salvation of America's youth?  Well, as we know now - and have for many decades - it IS, as it always is, a case of "follow the money".  The ones we know about for a fact are DuPont (eliminate hemp for rope in place of their nylon), and Hearst (replace hemp for paper by the trees William owned in all those forests he had). 

Who else could possibly benefit from this prohibition of nature??  Well, anyone who wanted to have a bureaucracy and make it survive and grow.  Perhaps an "army" fighting a "war" on drugs?  Bent on setting up a "boogey-man" (reefer addicts from then to now) for the general populace to focus on so they would not look behind the curtain.

So, find the person running for Congress/Senate who has drug law insanity reform as one of their platform planks.  Then vote for that person.  Simple.

[Red Arrow]

The ones we know about for a fact are DuPont (eliminate hemp for rope in place of their nylon), and Hearst (replace hemp for paper by the trees William owned in all those forests he had). 

I believe the liquor industry also had a hand in it.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I believe the liquor industry also had a hand in it.

Wouldn't surprise me at all - that certainly would make sense....I just haven't heard of any direct evidence...if you got some info, I would love to know it!