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AMA Calls for Review of Medical Marijuanaâs Legal Status
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
NOVEMBER 10, 2009
AMA Calls for Review of Medical Marijuanaâs Legal Status
New Policy Marks Historic Shift From Prior Stance
CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦ 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205
HOUSTON, TEXAS â In a move considered historic by supporters of medical marijuana, the American Medical Associationâs House of Delegates today adopted a new policy position calling for the review of marijuanaâs status as a Schedule I drug in the federal Controlled Substances Act. The old language in Policy H-95.952 had previously recommended that âmarijuana be retained in Schedule I,â which groups marijuana with drugs such as heroin, LSD and PCP that are deemed to have no accepted medical uses and to be unsafe for use even under medical supervision.
        The revised policy, adopted today, states, âOur AMA urges that marijuanaâs status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods.â It goes on to explain that this position should not be construed as an endorsement of state medical marijuana programs.
        âThis shift, coming from what has historically been Americaâs most cautious and conservative major medical organization, is historic,â said Aaron Houston, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project, who attended the AMA meeting. âMarijuanaâs Schedule I status is not just scientifically untenable, given the wealth of recent data showing it to be both safe and effective for chronic pain and other conditions, but itâs been a major obstacle to needed research.â
        Drugs listed in Schedule II, for which medical use is permitted with strict controls, include cocaine, morphine and methamphetamine. A pill containing THC, the component responsible for marijuanaâs âhigh,â is classed in Schedule III, whose looser requirements allow phoned-in prescriptions.
        With more than 29,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.
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You're invited: Celebrate 15 years of MPP history with us
Dear friends:
Please join MPP staff, supporters, and celebrity guests in toasting 15 years of remarkable progress in the movement toward ending marijuana prohibition. Reserve your ticket to our 15th Anniversary Gala today.
WHAT: MPPâs 15th Anniversary Gala
WHEN/WHERE: January 13 in Washington, D.C.
HOW: Find more information here.
The eventâs theme? 15 states in 15 years. When MPP was founded in 1995, medical marijuana was illegal in all 50 states. Since then, 13 states have legalized medical marijuana and 13 have decriminalized marijuana possession. By the end of MPPâs 15th year in 2010, weâre hopeful that medical marijuana will be legal in 15 states, and that marijuana possession will be decriminalized in 15 states.
Our honorary host committee for the event includes Melissa Etheridge, Susan Sarandon, Montel Williams, Ani DiFranco, Bill Maher, Steve Buscemi, Tom Robbins, and more.
Still not sure? Watch this video invitation, created by honorary host Hal Sparks:
Please reverse your tickets today!Â
By the way, if youâd like to join the host committee for the event, please e-mail MPPâs Leah Harris at [email protected] for more information.
I look forward to seeing you on January 13.
Sincerely,
Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
P.S. As Iâve mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $2.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.
Great, FREE event and reason to celebrate
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The Debate Rages On (And We're Winning it)
On a side note, my attention was immediately drawn to the pictures of Gray and Evans that appear at the top of the page. Judge Gray appears in full color, while Evans is in black & white. This struck me as the perfect metaphor for the debate that follows.
Medical Use... why are we stuck like this?
Marijuana Legalization Confusion in Connecticut
Drug policy reformers did a double-take today when the following "Budget Suggestions" were discovered on the website of Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell:
January 9, 2009: Decriminalize marijuana â allow for medicinal purposes and collect taxes on it purchase. Create a tax stamp for these packages â anyone caught with a bag of marijuana without the stamp should face harsher penalties than someone caught with a bag with a stamp.
February 3, 2009: Legalize marijuana and have the Department of Agriculture grow it for sale in 1 ounce bags -- sell it over the Internet.
March 2, 2009: Increase revenue by legalizing marijuana and administering its sale and tax to be sold in pharmacies as well as in liquor stores. Apply law enforcement standards currently used for alcohol. This would save money in not having to chase drug dealers and generate huge revenues.
This is surprising stuff to see on the site of a governor who'd vetoed medical marijuana legislation. And, unfortunately, it was too good to be true.
It turns out these ideas came from unnamed current or former state employees as part of a program called the Innovative Ideas Initiative. They're not endorsed by the Governor's Office, although a much better job could have been done to explain the source of the proposals when posting them under a picture of Gov. Rell. It wasn't until reporters started calling her office today asking about marijuana legalization that the whole story emerged.
So I suppose you could argue that there's not much of a story here, but I do find it amusing to see the debate over marijuana legalization popping up where you least expect it.
Is There Something "Liberal" About Improving Our Drug Policy?
McLellan, insisting heâs not "a wild-eyed liberal," said expanding treatment wouldnât negate the war on drugs.
"Law enforcement is necessary, but itâs not sufficient," he said.Â
It's just a stupid and completely unnecessary attempt to label anyone with concerns about our heavy-handed drug policy. The whole concept that only liberals care about this is pathetically simple-minded and dishonest, as anyone who's been watching FOX News lately could tell you. By McClellan's strained logic, his own boss, drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, would also be a "wild-eyed liberal" for criticizing the idea of fighting a "war on drugs."
Anyone endeavoring to define the political identity of the drug reform movement is wasting their breath. The idea that our drug policy sucks is far too widespread to be contained within any vague political parameters and I'm quite sure Tom McClellan knows that, even if he conveniently pretends not to.
The Pre-Colombian Origins of Drug Trafficking in the Americas: Illicit Cocaine, 1945â1973
What Drives Medical Marijuana Prices In California?
Docket No. DEA-331 reopened for public comment, new deadline is 11/27/09
Shades of 1986 anti-crime bill
Press Release: Montel Williams to Receive Awards for Drug Policy Work
Press Release: NY State Assemblyman Aubry to Receive Award for Drug Policy Work
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