Proposition 19's failure will not be the end of the marijuana legalization effort. Rest assured it will continue unabated, but we should focus our attention on better protecting medical marijuana patients. Doctors need more data to choose the best treatment option for their patients. We should call for the expansion of cannabis research for FDA approved studies in order to settle medical marijuana at a national level through its approval as a prescription medication. Research is currently blocked by a federal monopoly over the marijuana supply, held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA's mission is to study the harmful effects of illicit drugs; with this in mind they have denied studies looking into the therapeutic potential of cannabis research materials even after their protocols obtained FDA approval. Another source of marijuana is clearly needed. [continues 62 words]
Re: "Why Legalization Failed,' Legalization Nation, 11/10 Proposition 19's failure at the polls demonstrates that although Californians have accepted the medicinal use of marijuana, they are not ready to accept recreational use. This makes it that much more important to facilitate research into the benefits and harms of marijuana in order to properly assess the utility of cannabis. At present, researchers have to contend with a monopoly over the marijuana supply held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse whose mission is to study the harmful effects of illicit drugs. This disqualifies them as objective judges as to who to provide marijuana to for FDA approved studies. [continues 149 words]
To the editor: Over and over, the people of Arizona have demonstrated that they want medical marijuana. Whether in 1996, 1998, or 2010, Arizona has taken the stance that medical marijuana is a means to ameliorate the suffering of the sick. With 200,000 to 300,000 late mail-in and provisional ballots still to be counted, Proposition 203 is still too close to call. However, these incredibly close results demonstrate that people take this issue seriously, and as such, the people deserve to have a better scientific understanding of what the medicinal properties of marijuana are. [continues 165 words]
Re "Youth vote falters; Prop. 19 falls short," Nov. 3 Proposition 19's failure makes it that much more important to facilitate research into the benefits and harms of marijuana. At present, researchers have to contend with a monopoly on the marijuana supply held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whose mission is to study the harmful effects of illicit drugs. We need to pressure the Drug Enforcement Administration to issue another marijuana cultivation license. In 2007, DEA Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner found that the agency should issue a license to a researcher to cultivate marijuana; her recommendation was rejected. It's time we ask why the DEA upholds an obstructionist federal monopoly. Stephen Morseman San Leandro, Calif. [end]
To the editor: The guest column by Carolyn Short and Ed Gogek, "The real story on medical marijuana" makes the assertion that the medical marijuana initiative on the ballot for November is a ploy for legalization of drugs; this is not true. This initiative is about giving people who are in pain the medicine they need to improve their quality of life. But in order for doctors to effectively choose the best treatment for their patients, there needs to be an increase in medical marijuana research. [continues 105 words]
