END ARGUMENTS OVER MEDICAL POT

It is a misconception that the DEA must approve marijuana before it
can be legally used for medical purposes under federal law. Removing
marijuana from Schedule I status only requires recognition that the
drug has "currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United
States." Fourteen states with hundreds of physicians and thousands of
patients using marijuana provides the "currently accepted medical use
in treatment in the United States" needed to remove cannabis from
Schedule I so it can be legally prescribed in the United States.

Establishing the medical value of marijuana is not needed to put
cannabis back into the U.S. pharmacopoeia. The efficacy of marijuana
is legally irrelevant to whether cannabis can be used as a medicine.
Because marijuana has never caused a death in recorded history there
is no lack of "accepted safety for use of the [cannabis] ... under
medical supervision" and there is no need for extensive testing
before allowing medical use.

With 14 states allowing medical marijuana and more on the way there
can no longer be any argument that marijuana should stay in Schedule
I because pot has "accepted medical use." (see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act#Schedules_of_controlled_substances)

Ralph Givens

Daly City