On Tuesday, November 10th, 2009, the American Medical Association, AMA, shocked the world and gave a ringing endorsement to the medical marijuana by altering their 72 year stance against the drug and it’s benefits to the medical world.
This move shocked most supports of the medical marijuana and those that oppose the legalization of marijuana for any reason. The reason this is so stunning to people is because there were really no signs of warning that this was coming. The AMA, and it’s 250,000 member doctors, have always been consistent in their dismay for the potential use of medical marijuana.
However, give the AMA and their leadership some credit. They are obviously willing to be flexible with the times and have been weight the research that has been pouring in supporting the medical benefits of the marijuana.
However, as of 1997, the AMA has had a strong stance against marijuana and classified it as a Substance I drug that has no medical benefits what’s so ever. Other drugs that share in this category are PCP and LSD, which his a bit harsher than marijuana and might be understandable. To give you some perspective, cocaine and amphetamines have been given Substance II clearance because they have been recognized to have some medical value.
The AMA made it clear that they were not giving an outright endorsement of marijuana and it’s legalization, but simply wants to open the door to more clinical trials and see if more cannabis based drugs can be prepared to help mankind. That is their clear aim with this decision and it is sitting very well with medical and recreational marijuana supporters.
Still the AMA made this statement as well, “This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product.” They merely want to open the door for more testing.
President Obama has yet to comment on the issue. But there is clear evidence that he wants to leave the door open for medical marijuana research and study. His administration even ordered Federal law enforcement agencies to stop shutting down medical marijuana clinics and facilities that are following State laws. This was another positive for the marijuana movement.
AMA endorses Medical Marijuana
Overall, this is a positive step for not only medical marijuana users, supporters, and believers, but for marijuana smokers in general. Because you have to figure that if marijuana will ever be legalized in this country, it will start with the legalization of medical marijuana first, then trickle into recreational use as well. At least, we can only hope.
Way to go American Medical Association, AMA, for finally getting on the right side of the medical, medicinal marijuana usage debate!
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