NO RUSH TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Is Medical Marijuana A Big Deal?

The slacker protagonists of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" fail to
steal medical marijuana from a hospital. As with many other films, this one
uses the drug as a punch line. However, medical marijuana isn't a joke to
the people who want it legalized.

This question got more attention last week when comedian and "Price Is
Right" host Drew Carey appeared in a Reason. tv video advocating the
reclassification of medical marijuana. (Perfect. Exactly what the world
needs right now is another celebrity championing a shaky cause.)

Carey isn't the only one who's mentioned marijuana lately. In a December
2007 British GQ interview, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said
marijuana is not a drug, but a plant.

Currently, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance in the U.S.
According to a marijuana brochure from the National Institute of Drug
Abuse, this means marijuana - at least when smoked - has no "commonly
accepted medical use." The brochure was last revised in August 2007.

Carey's Reason.tv video can be found on the Reason Foundation's Web site.
The video's press release refers to many studies extolling the benefits of
medical marijuana. However, those studies are either not specifically
named, or were published almost 10 years ago.

David Nott, president of the Reason Foundation, said in the press release
the government is ignoring cancer, HIV and AIDS patients, and the millions
of sick Americans who "deserve access to the drugs that ease their pain and
suffering."

If that's the case, then where are the numbers to back up such a statement?
How many people actually rely on marijuana for legitimate medical purposes?

Although we don't have those numbers, we know enough people voted to
legalize medical marijuana in 12 states: Alaska, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island,
Vermont and Washington. Legalizing medical marijuana doesn't seem like a
big deal in Virginia, so don't expect us to join those states anytime soon.

Politicians have been addressing many medical and scientific issues, such
as better health insurance systems, stem cell research and stronger mental
health policies. But when you get in line to vote, remember, medical
marijuana won't be one of those health issues.

Medical societies and associations such as the American Cancer Society and
the American Medical Association do not support the legalization of medical
marijuana, nor do they believe in the drug's medical value. However, an AMA
statement on the Drug Enforcement Administration's Web site says marijuana
should remain a prohibited, Schedule I substance, "at least until more
research is done."

Let's just make sure that research is well-publicized when it is published.

On second thought, maybe more young Virginians would come to the polls if
legalizing marijuana became a state issue.