DEA Administrator Says ‘Marijuana Is Not Medicine’
By William Stash Jones
Oregon Cannabis Connection
May 26, 2017—In a statement at the lauded Cleveland Clinic, Drug Enforcement Administration acting head Chuck Rosenberg said: “marijuana is not medicine.” The event was a Cleveland Clinic Community Healthcare Forum held on Thursday, May 25th, and the topic for the evening was “Our Nation’s Opioid Epidemic.”
In his comments, Rosenberg indicates that the science does not support its use medically. He deferred to the FDA, as they always have done, and their refusal to recognize the medical value and the thousands of studies that contradict that position. The Washington Examiner reports:
“If it turns out that there is something in smoked marijuana that helps people, that’s awesome,” he said, speaking at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “I will be the last person to stand in the way of that. … But let’s run it through the Food and Drug Administration process, and let’s stick to the science on it.”
…Rosenberg noted that the DEA takes recommendations about how to classify the drug from the FDA. He pointed out that marijuana studies have been ongoing and acknowledged some studies show it may have medical benefits for children with epilepsy.
His comments were buttressed by the United States Surgeon General, Vivtek Murthy, who also spoke at the event. After admitting to the need for more research and the removal of barriers in the way, he shared his concerns about addiction and the chances that children could be more susceptible to drug addiction later in life if the develop an addiction to cannabis. The Examiner also reported:
“When you develop a substance use disorder at a young age, it actually increases the likelihood of you developing an addiction to other substances,” General Murthy told the audience. “So in that sense addiction to marijuana or any substance, including nicotine, during adolescence and young adulthood when the brain is developing is very concerning.”
Yet, in the end, he deferred to the science as the most important reason for policies, or changes to them, stating, “I worry that we have gotten away from allowing science to drive our policy when it comes to marijuana.”
Basing the decision whether marijuana (or cannabis) has medical value on science is, of course, what they should have done a very long time ago. With over 21,000 articles on Pub Med under the search term “cannabinoids” alone, it should be a fairly simple task to research the medical value. The lack of acknowledgment of the science and blatant discrimination against cannabis continues, even as the bureaucrats with the power contradict themselves with statements like these.
© 2017 Oregon Cannabis Connection. all rights reserved.
………………….When the mind is closed, No doors will open…
. When I first tasted a glass of ice water on a hot day,I developed a liking to it and because it quenched my thirst, so I continued to drink some ice water on hot days… but I was not ADDICTED to it.
Marijuana is not a habit forming drug… To say that marijuana has; medical benefits for children with epilepsy, and declare “marijuana is not medicine.” shows a blatant refusal to even consider an open mind. With that said, and as i read your comments it appears you continually contradict yourself .,,Your concern about the science of things and decisions such as Medical value of marijuana is unfair, as you imply that science is not being used to determine such things. So how
is it I wonder that it was
determined that stage four cancer patients can be cured and proven via gotten out of the bed and back to the dance after being treated with medical marijuana.
ps, when the brain is developing is very concerning.”
Oh by the way, The word is Dis-concerting not Concerning….If you are going to give speeches about which meds are bad for us to doctors, at least know your vocabulary. have a nice day….dbd
TAKE BACK THE D.E.A.!!!
The D.E.A. and F.D.A. both stand in defiance of Congress and also the Senate as well as the wish of the citizens. Because of the misuse and abuse of responsibility and credibility as well as incompetence and refusal to reform in their war against marijuana the enforcement power of the D.E.A. should be removed and placed back into the hands of the state. A semi-secret elite police force within what is already a police state is way over the top. America does not need this throwback to the cold war era. These Federal offices have become a haven of renegade Authoritarian despots and tyrants commandeering and miss-directing hundreds of millions even billions into their drug war against American citizens and likewise funding state police regimes both within the U.S. and worldwide.It is these federal agency’s that have created the drug problem solely to commandeer funding and as their power base. Well in excess of sixty percent of F.D.A. employees are bribed into going to work for the pharmaceutical industry. The D.E.A. is no more than an arm of the pharmaceutical industry. These renegade authoritarians as well as the pro drug-war Authoritarians in the F.B.I. need to be controlled or removed Anyone who can not tell the difference between a harmless and beneficial plant such as marijuana and a dangerous and destructive drug like meth does not need to be in any position of responsibility.
IM HERE TO SAY THAT IM NOT ON METH BENZOS (XANAX KLOZAPAM )
SEROQUIL PAXIL CELEXA TRIAZADONE ETC BECAUSE OF THIS “NON-MEDICINE” OVER 55 DAYS
Many are SUFFERING that need this non-medical spiritual and physical healing
Maybe its the non medical that we actually need
God made Cannabis! Man made Alcohol and Pharmaceuticals! I put my trust in GOD!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Harold.Hurst.Presumed.Innocent/permalink/1926155210966247/
Try as they may, the genie is out of the bottle and legalization is a huge wave. Statements like Rosenberg’s won’t change attitudes and further deepen citizens disrespect for government.
Good for you John, stay healthy that way!! I believe if the DEA were on game show .SPIN THE WHEEL; They should ask to buy another “D” Cause their collective brain is already DEA….D