cannabisnews.com: Delaware Attorney General Hails Marijuana Study Delaware Attorney General Hails Marijuana Study Posted by FoM on December 03, 2001 at 21:23:59 PT By Tom Eldred, Senior Writer Source: Newszap Is marijuana a dangerous drug to be guarded against at all costs? Or does it have therapeutic value to ease the pain of people suffering from an array of diseases from cancer to AIDS?The controversy has raged for decades. Eight states and the District of Columbia have passed initiatives recently supporting the controlled use of "pot'' as a medicine. But federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance - possibly addictive with no medical use. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-0 in May that there is no exception in the law for people to use marijuana as medicine. The court said it is illegal to sell or possess marijuana, period. The only exception is for government-funded research projects.Delaware adheres to the U.S. statute. It's a crime to grow, smoke, sell or possess marijuana in Delaware.Nevertheless, the growing rift between the feds and the states that do allow sick people to smoke marijuana without fear of state prosecution has spurred the nation's top drug enforcement agency to endorse a series of studies with smoked marijuana in human subjects.The Drug Enforcement Administration of the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it has approved the registration of two researchers from the University of California San Diego to participate in studies assessing the safety and efficacy of marijuana as an "alternative'' for treating certain debilitating medical conditions.According to DEA, the researchers are the first individuals affiliated with the California Marijuana Research Program to be approved by the agency.DEA, charged with fighting drug trafficking worldwide, must grant its approval before research with Schedule I controlled substances can proceed. The green light for research protocol comes from the Food and Drug Administration.Michael L. Chapman, a DEA spokesman, said the studies would use marijuana provided by the National Institute of Drug Abuse."The DEA registration approval completes the process for allowing research with Schedule I controlled substances to proceed,'' Mr. Chapman said in a prepared statement."Because Schedule I controlled substances have the highest potential for abuse, a rigorous review process must be followed.'' Delaware Attorney General M. Jane Brady said she's encouraged to see the issue moved to the scientific arena."I think this has been debated and addressed for years as a political issue as opposed to a medical issue,'' she said. "I would welcome the review. There are a number of substances that are controlled that are also used for medical purposes."That being said, I don't think we should rule out marijuana without good scientific testing. I welcome a good scientific study that would allow policy makers to make decisions based on sound scientific evidence.''DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson said the DEA is following such an approach."This announcement is consistent with the DEA position that the question of whether marijuana has any legitimate medical purpose should be determined by sound science and medicine,'' he said."Historically, the research has shown no medical benefit from smoking marijuana. This research is important in light of the divergence of federal law with a number of states (that) have passed some form of medical marijuana initiatives.''Capt. Raymond W. Hancock, commander of the Delaware State Police Special Investigations Section, said the studies may help clear up inconsistencies between federal and state regulations."We are involved in enforcement issues, not policy issues,'' he said. "We will enforce the law as it is written on the books."I do know there's been a lot of controversy in California. I think what the DEA may be trying to do is to clear up some of the gray area and clarify the issue. It doesn't seem to be much of an issue here, but I don't know what tomorrow may bring.''Samuel B. Hoff teaches political science at Delaware State University. He has long advocated legalizing marijuana for therapeutic use."Just about three-quarters of the total number of states have passed some form of legislation recognizing marijuana's utility for medical purposes,'' he said."Several prestigious groups, including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Public Health Association, have gone on record condoning the use of marijuana in medical circumstances.''Mr. Hoff called the federal law banning medical marijuana use a "house of cards'' that could be undone if states band together to assert the right of infirm people to use the drug."This study will further weaken the federal position,'' he said. "It's a step in the area of compassion that is long overdue.''Mr. Chapman said the registrations of the researchers were approved following a rigorous review process."The DEA emphasizes that determinations regarding the safety and potential medical use of substances should be made by authorized national health authorities and be based on rigorous scientific studies,'' he said."The two approved research studies will enable researchers to obtain meaningful scientific data in controlled environments utilizing material of known composition.''Source: Newszap (DE)Author: Tom Eldred, Senior WriterPublished: December 3, 2001Copyright: 2001 Independent Newspapers, Inc. Contact: feedback newszap.comWebsite: http://www.newszap.com/Related Articles & Web Site:CMCR http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmDEA Approves UC San Diego Marijuana Study http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11450.shtmlResearchers Seek Answers on Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10648.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by Tim Stone on December 04, 2001 at 21:35:25 PT In Good Faith? As DdC suggests, the Feds cannot ever be assumed to be operating in anything remotely resembling "good faith" on cannabis in general, let alone medpot issues. You gotta have a feeling that the FDA and DEA in order to give their approval made the researchers change their study protocols enough to make it highly likely that the outcome of this study will be inconclusive and non-threatening. Like Thomas Pynchon says in Gravity's Rainbow, one of his Proverbs for Paranoids: "If THEY can get you to ask the wrong questions, then THEY don't need to worry about what answers you come up with." I suspect the laborious approval process for a medpot study consists of the alphabet agencies making sure that in itsw final form, the study is designed to seek a non-threatening answer. Clearly the Feds are not acting in good faith on medpot, and have absolutely no intention of ever doing so short of being dragged kicking and screaming. This article, like every article, starts from the tacit assumption that the Gov't usually or almost always acts in good faith on drug policy issues. That it is actually concerned with protecting the citizenry and is actually interested in the most accurate scientific info on which to base sound, wise drug policy decisions. This is of course demonstrable nonsense. Yet the article still assumes "good faith" on the part of the Gov't. Partly because most all Americans spend far too much time in Disneyland's Fantasyland, and partly because it's darned dangerous to stand up and accuse the Gov't of acting in bad faith. America is based on various myths, such as that of a good and wise gov't always acting with full knowledge in the best interests of the people. And it's ALWAYS more important to maintain the myths than to actually try and find some verifiable truth. In America, national myths trump verifiable truth almost every time. Especially so in the new pre-apocalyptic world of post-9/11. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by mayan on December 04, 2001 at 17:13:46 PT It's A War On Hemp I've said it before but imho the war on marijuana(medicinal & recreational) is ultimately a war on industrial hemp. If the Federal Government recognized marijuana as a legitimate medicine, the prohibition of recreational use would soon end also. There would then be no excuse to continue the ban on industrial hemp cultivation. It all comes down to oil & money. The powers that be want to maintain their power & if industrial hemp becomes legal it will drastically cut into their profits & hence, their power.How could any government deny a dying person the only medicine that sustains them...unless they had an ulterior motive? Why would the government even care if a terminally sick patient stuck big buds up their butt if it made them feel a little better...unless they had something to lose? [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by DdC on December 04, 2001 at 17:01:38 PT We Won't Get Fooled Again? The D.E.A.th approved the IOM (Institute of Medicine) report and they gave it to Shalalagans at the HHS (Health and Human Services) and she hid it under her big fat ass until Tommyguns took it and hid it behind the left file cabinet in the old storage warehouse. File #13 I believe. So they authorize it since even they have to be feeling the pressure, that doesn't mean the results will be disclosed or implemented anymore than the IOM report stating what the Safer Commission stated, that was what the Whooten report stated, which was what the La Guardia report stated and not much different than the Indian Hemp Commission report. Rayguns tried elimnating all of the UCLA medicinal studies results for our own good. When Spain recently discovered the tumor treatment with cannabis they also discovered it was already discovered in 74 by US. On the other hand if they can find a way to Pharmaid and package it without the raw free vegitable being legal they would. The DEA can not be trusted. I hope for the best but the DEA can not be trusted. Besides Congress still hasn't lifted the ban on research grants leaving the research in the hands of those who can afford to do it and only if they can get something in return. Using NIDA schwagg leaves room for abusing the test results. 95% of the cannabis cases are plea bargained away from the 5th amendment seeing the risk of losing to a jury and facing manditory sentencing. The jury getting more corporate and government employeed with less chances of questioning the judge's instructions going with their conscience. Money in perks small business or self employeed can't afford leaving the incentive to be prohibitionistic. The incentive of forfeiture not done in England. MS research has been conducted and recorded so this is welcomed but as always taken with a grain of salt. The red herrings to avoid the real debate of prohibition. Profits on war and eliminating the competition. Abolish the D.E.A.th and O.N.D.C.P. America elects representatives not czars! DdCcontinued, previous studies, quotes, links http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=324.topic Welcome [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by p4me on December 04, 2001 at 10:50:46 PT Think of the pain... that many people are in. It could be Aids or cancer or chronic illness. If someone is chronically sick or dying let them take anything they want. Think of them and rewrite the laws that are a joke anyway. People are never,ever going to quit shouting for legalization and people are going to get much louder on the issue of medicical MJ. What a compassionate president we have alright thinking of the pain of millions. And thinking of the other 20 million people with AIDS across the world that will soon die in the epedemic. What leadership in changing the absurd marijuana laws that should be changed by the Food and Drug Administration. One call and it would have been all over with. And the joke that is Congress.Bush could play three characters in the Wizard of Oz because he has no heart, no brain, and no courage. Marijuana is medicine and is illegitimately classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic. Canada, Holland, and soon the UK have medical marijuana laws. Do you think they used junk science to come to these conclusions and why were these countries not mentioned. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Rev Jonathan Adler on December 04, 2001 at 10:35:04 PT: JURISDICTION OVER YOUR BODY AND SOUL IN ANY CLEAR THINKING PERSON's mind: medical marijuana is mis-scheduled at least and not even within law enforcment's jurisdiction at most! I see light all around us now. No longer is it at the end of the tunnel. See High Times January 2002 on page 18 to read about our successes in seperating our rights from law enforcement's alleged jurisdiction. Religion is not terrorist in nature. Many law enforcement procedures and practices... are! I rest my case. How do they expect to make us safer, when they are targeting us as we speak. Can we trust those who fear our freedoms? I trust in God, our Father, to show us the way! Amen. Hawaii Medical Marijuana Institute [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on December 04, 2001 at 05:55:19 PT: Someone get this man a copy of the IoM Report But chances are it wouldn't make any difference...I thought Barry had left town and wasn't doing his Drug Czar shtick again. This is getting monotonous:"DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson said the DEA is following such an approach. "This announcement is consistent with the DEA position that the question of whether marijuana has any legitimate medical purpose should be determined by sound science and medicine,'' he said. "Historically, the research has shown no medical benefit from smoking marijuana. This research is important in light of the divergence of federal law with a number of states (that) have passed some form of medical marijuana initiatives.''Yes, we can all see where this is leading, can't we? Shades of the 1999 IoM report, which all but (very timidly) endorsed MMJ. Barry was forced to put up or shut up about the medical efficacy aspects courtesy of a lawsuit. The IoM was commissioned to write the report. When the results came out, he stated that they supported his view, not ours. And thereafter completely ignored it. The Hutchster will do precisely the same thing, as he is not running the DEA; it is now running him.Well, the only good thing about pols having their heads in the sand is that it makes it that much easier to kick them in the arse... [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on December 04, 2001 at 05:27:07 PT i420 Police code for marijuana smoking in progress, 4-20. Sorry, I was jumping to conclusions.I'll be more careful in the future. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by i420 on December 04, 2001 at 04:33:59 PT Hold up... goneposthole i differ your opinion there are a few other members of Congress that are on our side. They deserve credit for their position as much as Mr. Paul. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ed Carpenter on December 04, 2001 at 01:41:32 PT: Delaware Attorney General Hails Marijuana Study "Mr. Hoff called the federal law banning medical marijuana use a "house of cards'' that could be undone if states band together to assert the right of infirm people to use the drug."Wouldn't it take just one state and the 10th amendment? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on December 03, 2001 at 23:36:25 PT Congressman Ron Paul Unfortunately, Congressman Ron Paul is the only true leader in this country with the wherewithal and presence of mind to acknowledge and understand the precepts of the Founding Fathers.I hope the 534 ostriches all around him will pull their heads out of the sand and follow his lead. http://www.rumormillnews.net/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=15459 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment