Pubdate: Sat, 06 May 2006
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2006 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: Travis Rosen

FDA MARIJUANA RULING IGNORES DATA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proved yet again that it has
become completely co-opted by political influence and has no interest
in actually protecting or helping the American public.

The latest affront: An official statement saying that marijuana has
"no proven beneficial medical value." Oh, really? That flies in the
face of a panel of leading scientists and doctors, not to mention
countless testimonials directly from patients suffering from
afflictions such as cancer, AIDS and glaucoma, whose quality of life
has been improved dramatically from use of the drug.

This comes on the heels of several of the agency's top advisers
walking out over the refusal to clear the "Plan B" contraceptive for
purely political reasons. And more recently an attempt by drug
companies to outlaw a more cost-effective and comprehensive hormone
replacement therapy regimen for sufferers of severe menopausal symptoms.

Maybe this will shake some people up. We've allowed Washington to rape
our pocketbooks. Now between the FDA and the new Medicare prescription
drug plan, they are messing with our health for the sake of pure
political maneuvering and economic favoritism for drug companies.

Travis Rosen, Pembroke Pines
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake