Too many of our citizens suffer from pain and chronic illnesses. Smoking illegal drugs may make some people "feel better." However, civilized societies and modern day medical practices differentiate between inebriation and the safe, supervised delivery of proven medicine by legitimate doctors. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published a review of the available scientific evidence in an effort to assess the potential health benefits of marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids. The review concluded that smoking marijuana is not recommended for any long-term medical use, and a subsequent IOM report declared, "marijuana is not a modern medicine."The IOM is hardly an unbiased, apolitical source of medical recommendations. As the AHRP notes,
Most IOM members-physicians and bioethicists-are employees of major medical schools that have extensive financial ties to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Additionally, IOM members include executives at major pharmaceutical companies. IOM members receive millions of dollars in grants from both industry and NIH. Their financial interests present personal and institutional conflicts of interest--raising doubts about IOM members' ability to render an objective evaluation about controversial drugs, vaccines, and other issues affecting health care.The issue isn't marijuana's efficacy, or careful analyses of its harms and benefits. It isn't whether marijuana can help sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis, or may help shrink brain tumors, or reduce the suffering of Alzheimer's.
No, the first line says it all: it's fear of people making their own choices, fear of people actually enjoying themselves. It's the government knowing what's best for you, no matter what the evidence says. It's willful ignorance, blinding prejudice, and puritanism that would shame the Puritans.
Update: Fafblog says it best.
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