Colorado has become the fourth State in the US to send a letter to the US Drug Enforcement Administration asking them to downgrade marijuana from a Schedule I Narcotic to a Schedule II Narcotic. Schedule I drugs are listed by the DEA as having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical value. Drugs such as Heroin and LSD fall into this category.
Schedule II drugs on the other hand, while still having a high potential for abuse, are recognized as having a legitimate medical value. The Governors of Washington and Rhode Island already filed formal requests with the DEA and Vermont filed one shortly afterward.
Sixteen States and Washington DC currently have laws on the books legalizing marijuana for medical use. The Federal Government still does not recognize those state laws and in fact has even raided marijuana dispensaries in those states where the drug is provided.
Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project told CNN, “I don’t think that we’re going to see to much change in Washington’s position on this until public opinion and state-level support reaches a little bit higher a tipping point,”
The DEA said it would give the petitions due consideration, but that is the same line it usually gives to other groups before it rejects similar applications.
In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected any argument that marijuana should be made legal for medical use. It stated that “no sound scientific studies” prove its effectiveness. State laws authorizing it “are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process,”
It is interesting to note that thousands of medical organizations support the legalizing of medical marijuana, including the federal government’s own National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the National Institutes of Health.
How do you feel about medical marijuana?
Anyone that has seen someone go through chemo would be in favor of full legalization without fear of arrest. How rude is a society that keeps relief from pain a crime.
Tonic, medication, legalize it now everywhere!
Radiation, Chemo,.. Cancer & pain I would think you would do anything to help them. And people go to sleep and get hungry on marijuana what is so bad about that, especially if your in a situation where you could be dying anyways.
It seems ridiculous to keep up this "WAR ON DRUGS" I'm in favor of legalization for all use of marijuana.
I think they should legalize it in the whole USA.
I would much rather use marijuana for my chronic pain than narcotics. There have been no documented deaths from overdose of marijuana. The current federal laws make absolutely no sense whatsoever!
Ihave chrons disease if it was'nt for MJ I would probably be dead right now!
Once a drug company can patent it for their use you will see it legalized.
I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY DRUG IN MY LIFE, BUT FOR WHAT WAS PERSCRIBED TO ME…BUT I BE DARN IF I HAVE THE RIGHT TO STOP SOME ONE FROM NOT HURTING….I HAVE GLAUCOMA , THYROID DISEASE , MENIERE'S DISEASE AND T M J..DOES THAT MAKE ME STOP OTHERS FROM GETTING ANY HELP TO EASE THEIR PAIN? HELL NO! , I'M FOR ANY KIND OF HELP FOR ANY WAY'S TO MAKE OTHER'S NOT HURT! I SAY HELL NO MORE PAIN LEGALIZE IT AND STOP MAKING MONEY OFF IT….
I think the FDA needs to shut the hell up and be disorganized. Everyone knows they get kickbacks under the table from big drug companies. They don't want to allow sick people to take anything that doesn't give the FDA some kind of income, and they want us to take prescription drugs that make us feel fine for a little bit only to give us issues with side effects later that require further medication just to take care of. Legalize Medical Marijuana for the easing of chemo pain and relief of glaucoma.
They should legalize it they could tax it and finally pay off our nations debt.
PRESCRIBED SORRY THING'S LIKE THIS MAKES ME ANGRY! I HAVE HAD A BROTHER THAT DIED WITH FULL BLOWN AIDES AND I'VE SEEN HIM CRY IN PAIN….SO SAD!
Most definitely. This is long over due. Should be legalized and taxed like tey do cigarettes and alcohol. Would solve alot of problems. BTW prostitution should also be legalized!
Legalize It!
I suffer from Fibromyalgia as well as PTSD and was run over by a car and have other cronic pain from all of it. Legalize it and stop handing me huge bottles of pain pills and tell me they are ok for me. Next you will tell me I need a liver transplant from the prescription pills they give me.
When you consider that the only OTC pain relievers carry with them significant risk ( that we are only now starting to find out about) and natural remedies are demonized or looked at as backwards ( even though they have a far longer track record than anything in modern medicine), it starts to appear that society still admires martyrs to a great deal, and by all appearances those who suffer the greatest pain are to be respected the most. Whether they suffered needlessly or not seems to be a side note.
better not how can u patent a plant?
Here here
WHY IS IT THAT WE VOTED FOR THIS..AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE OUR STATE LAWS??? THAT'S THE PART I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!! WHAT ABOUT THAT PART PEOPLE! WE HAVE SPOKEN, ARE WE NOT A DEMOCRACY? WE ARE NOT A DICTATORSHIP! THIS IS AMERICA AFTER ALL BUT I FEEL LIKE WE LIKE IS SOME OTHER COUNTRY SOMETIMES!!! THE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN!
If they are going by DATA…Booze and Cigarettes would ALREADY be off the market!!!
Here in WA there will be an initiative to legalize it for that purpose. An initiative because our states politians don't have the stones to do the right thing.
legalize it!
I have known sick people and it has great benefits….the government makes too much money keeping it illegal.
I think it is an herb like any other thing that grows naturally in the wild. (I can still pass a drug test, so don't think I have been indulging).
In an age where the political process comes to a standstill to argue about funding women's clinics to the amounts of millions. It seems weird that the conversation of the failed war on marijuana is not a topic. We spend billions on imprisonment of mj users and it's not a problem but give poor women a mammogram or pap smear and that has to be cut. Just imagine an America where mj is tax and reguLated like booze and gambling it would take away stigma unclog the court system and provide reLief to our prison system to where some prisons could close and enforcement agencies could focus Violent crimes.
I think they should just legalize it period. You could sell it just like cigarettes or pipe tobacco and tax it. Then there is no doubt that it should be used for medicinal purposes. I know a person who son has adult ADD and won't take pills. But he self medicates with marijuana and it works well for him. No one should have to suffer when there is a solution to their problem.
Also it's all natural. Not artificially and chemically man made medicine.
Our laws are becoming outdated… As the younger generation infiltrates politics things will eventually change. Like most things change is gradual. Honestly they should just decriminalize it and make it legal for medical use. Lets face it, Marijuana is an enormous industry that is only growing in popularity under the public spotlight. People I know, like my dad, who dooesnt smoke is even in favor. I love how the states are taking there own stand and opposing federal regulation! Keep fighting!
I'm all for medical marijuana. I have chronic pain and the docs will not give me any narcotics. All they give me are NSAIDS which don't help much. I suffer from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Marijuana has been proven to help with pain and also help cancer patients. I also heard it helps people with glaucoma. Is pot any worse than narcotics? I don't think so.
This is a new day. The people have spoken yet our government hears only the moral voice. We as the people can change all of this but first we must come together and become one. As one we are much larger then our government or it's so called moral's. A planned dated smokeout world wide! We are going to smoke out anyway….right? Summertime on a certain date everyone in every state goes to the steps of their capital building carring signs maybe telling what you or someone you love suffers from and how MM would help. Maybe a picture of them. Smoke and be arrested if need be. They do not listen to words in one ear and out the other. If we come together with one huge voice and we show them just how committed we are to having our way on this it will happen. Just how United can we become? Now is the time to stand as united states peoples and let our voices join together to make this happen. An up rising of the people taking beack their power. The Pollitations work for us and we are the bosses they must do what the majority says they want. Everyone write your state leaders and demand this be done. If they do not do as we say fire them or don't re-elect them as they must have their own agenda? This country belongs to everyone of us. This is not their personal play ground for making money on the side. Special interest, oil companies, big business buying all the new laws they can. No this country is ours and I personally want my power back and yes I do vote. If a cause is personal enough and is made to be a priority and the collective comes together with one united mind thought this whole thing will become history. One really loud voice can be heard even over the the sound of big business, or the FDA, FBI, whatever. We have a voice if e use it.
There has always been a "gap" between pharmaceutical extracts and herbal remedies. I can't think of any other herb which has been considered for FDA approval. Point being is, I don't think even schedule II is appropriate. I watched testimony in California where a doctor called cannabis the new aspirin of the 21st century. Would aspirin be classified as schedule II. It needs to be an over-the-counter supplement.
The government WILL find a way!
The government and large super corporations will always find a way to screw Americans out of things.When they legalize it for profit it will the greatest drug that was ever created by them.
Our Constitution states that we have the right to medicate and take care of ourselves!
I went from a blinded by what "People in Charge" told me about marijuana to an informed voter.
I found out as much information as I could because it was a possible help to so many problems I've had all my life!
If you don't find out as much information as you can about ANYTHING, with this Information Super Highway called the INTERNET, then what right do YOU have to tell me what medicines I GET to take to help me?
Do your job and look at ALL the information out there! They didn't make Marijuana illegal to save mankind! The Gov't put a stop to it, #1) To control the Mexican Immigrants that were using it. #2) Hemp was going to put a HUGE dent into the Cotton Industry! #3) The Gov't does not pay or give grants for Positive studies of MJ, only negative ones!
Seriously people, when are you going to open your eyes and stand up for what is right? There is POWER IN NUMBERS!
GET EDUCATED! IT'S YOUR LIFE TOO! TAKE CONTROL!
I don't see anything wrong with it it has never killed anyone, or gave them cancer, or overdosed on marijuana so really there is nothing wrong with it to me anyways.
ASK MONSANTO HOW! i WATCHED THEM TAKE OVER THE K.FALLS POTATO CROPS BY USING THEIR GMO ON THEM. THE PLANTS BECAME PROPERTY OF MONSANTO NOT THE FARMER, FURTHERMORE IF ANY EYE OF THE POTATO REMAINS AFTER HARVEST THE FARMER CAN BE SUED. THE 1ST FARMER THEY USED TO EXPERIMENT WITH HAD HIS CROPS IN HIS LOCKED STEEL BARNS THE FIRST YEAR AND SINCE HE WAS SWORN TO SILENCE HE WAS SOON VERY DISLIKED BY THE REST OF THE GOOD OL BOYS. SO YOU 1ST ALTER THE PLANT BY CHEMICAL PROCESS THEN THAT FIELD BECOMES YOUR PATENTED PROPERTY. SO ONCE THEY RUIN THE NATURAL PLANT (SAME WAY TOBACCO IS) BY ADDING THEIR PATENTED CHEMICALS YOU'LL FIND IT ON STORE SHELVES. THE GOV HAS TO FIND A WAY TO DO THIS W/O LOOKING STUPID FOR HOLDING THIS PLANT AS A SCHEDULE 1 DRUG, THEY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY PRODUCE SOMETHING NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE NORMAL ORGANIC THAT WE HAVE NOW. THAT SAID DO WE REALLY WANT THE GOV TO BE INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION?? WILL THEY ALLOW OTHERS TO PRODUCE W/O GOV INTERFERENCE? HA! HIGHLY UNLIKELY! EVERYONE NEEDS TO PLANT IT LIKE CRAZY EVERYWHERE UNTIL THEY HAVE TO MAKE IT LEGAL BECAUSE IT IS AN UNCONTROLLABLE WEED.
ME TOO IT IS SCARY ALL THE DRUGS THE VA GIVES ME AND GUESS WHAT I'M STILL IN PAIN AFTER 5 YEARS OF NON-NARCOTICS. I WILL NOT MAKE THAT NEXT MOVE TO THEM UNLESS I AM IN SUCH PAIN I CAN'T THINK, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO BE ADDICTED TO RX DRUGS ANYMORE THAN WHAT I TAKE NOW.
I like that idea" plant it everywhere"
When some politician asshole can figure out how to put money in his pocket in order to legalize cannibus watch how quickly it will make into legalization!!!