On Nov 23, Rafael Lemaitre, Associate Director for Public Affairs of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), stated that "the Food and Drug Administration has not found smoked marijuana to be either safe or effective medicine for any condition". Medical Marijuana: The Government's View
The FDA does not need to determine the medical efficacy of herbal marijuana. Hundreds of thousands of patients have used and are using the marijuana plant to safely treat their illness. Federal marijuana policy is clearly political. Keeping marijuana illegal under federal law is not helping anyone. Removing marijuana from the federal prohibited substances list is the solution.
Why are we wasting precious federal resources trying to subvert state laws? Patients in 16 states and the District of Columbia can use marijuana without breaking state law. It's time to change federal law.
Ideology has driven marijuana policy for decades. The ONDCP claim that public health and safety are protected by marijuana prohibition is an insult not only to patients; it is an insult to all Americans.
Arthur Livermore, National Director
American Alliance for Medical Cannabis
