Reefer Madness Challenged

My felonious father and abetting mother

Medical marijuana advocates have filed suit against two federal health agencies who assert that smoking the Evil Weed has no medical benefit.

The nonprofit group, Americans for Safe Access, challenges the government’s position that marijuana “has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”

In its lawsuit, the group contends that the Department of Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration have publicly issued “false and misleading statements” about the medical benefits of marijuana.

The suit seeks a court order to retract and correct statements that the group called, “incorrect, dishonest and a flagrant violation of laws.”

I have no idea of the suit's chances of success, but it is long overdue.

There is ample evidence that smoked marijuana can save lives. It eases nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and other crippling treatments and helps mitigate the effects of AIDS wasting and glaucoma.

There also is ample evidence that with the vast majority of users, marijuana is not a so-called gateway drug that leads them to hard drugs like cocaine and heroin.

More here on the lawsuit.

For more on my take on medical marijuana and to learn why my folks and I engaged in what the federal government considers to be criminal behavior, click here.