Pubdate: Sat, 8 Aug 2009
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2009 The Billings Gazette
Contact:  http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515
Author: Ed Stickney
Note: Ed Stickney is a long-time medical doctor who lives in Billings.
Referenced: Drug Czar: Feds Won't Support Legalized Pot 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n000/a144.html
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/people/Kerlikowske
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

WAR ON DRUGS PICKS WRONG TARGET IN MARIJUANA

The Obama-appointed "drug czar" Gil Kerlikowske, a former Seattle 
police chief said, "Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal 
benefit." His July 22 press conference was reported in the Fresno (Calif.) Bee.

This is a rather startling statement, given the fact that the 
Institute of Medicine, American Nurses Association, American Public 
Health Association, American Academy of HIV Medicine and many other 
medical organizations recognize marijuana's medical value. Even 
President Obama's own statements about marijuana's medical efficacy 
run counter to Kerlikowske's assertion.

In November 2004, 62 percent of Montana's voters approved Montana's 
medical-marijuana act. Montana was the 10th state to approve medical 
marijuana. As of July 21, 2,975 patients and 935 caregivers have 
signed up with the Department of Public Health and Human Services to 
obtain a medical marijuana card, and 204 physicians have given 
recommendations to patients.

A case study of an actual patient who used medical marijuana will be 
instructive: The patient suffered an industrial accident four years 
ago that injured three lumbar vertebrae. Until beginning the use of 
medical marijuana six months ago, the patient had lost 10 pounds and 
was largely confined to the house. Upon beginning use of marijuana, 
the patient was able to discontinue Neurontin (for nerve pain), 
Flexeril (for muscle spasm), Restoril and Phenergan (for sleep), 
lorazepam (for anxiety) and Percocet (for break-through pain). Use of 
Oxycontin has been cut in half, and increased appetite has made 
possible the gaining back of her lost weight. The patient has been 
able to resume a more normal life although isn't able as yet to go 
back to work.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of medical 
marijuana as in that case, the U.S. government - mainly through the 
National Institute on Drug Abuse - has routinely blocked and 
discouraged any scientific inquiry into the medical effectiveness of 
marijuana. Alan Leshner, Ph.D., has been the head of the Institute 
since 1995. Portions of a letter to him from Donald I. Abrams, M.D., 
professor of clinical medicine at University of California-San 
Francisco may be instructive regarding the attitude of NIDA.

"I was not only disappointed by the flat-out rejection of the 
request, but also by the way this matter has been handled by your 
institute. .. To receive the first communication from your office 
nine months after we sent the initial submission is offensive and 
insulting. ... Obviously, your letter leaves no door open for further 
discussion as to how this pilot study could be modified. In the words 
of the AIDS activist community: SHAME!"

In the 1990s, when Bill Clinton was president, Walter Cronkite 
stated, "Just about every American was shocked when Robert McNamara 
acknowledged that the war in Vietnam was 'wrong, terribly wrong.' 
That's a mistake we must not make in this 10th year of America's 
all-out war on drugs." Nineteen years later, we are still involved in 
this needless, damaging and futile policy of drug prohibition.

Ultimately, legalization of marijuana needs to happen. As 
spokespersons for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition affirm, 
"Nothing which is illegal can be controlled."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake