It is labeled as being "Special to The Star." I wonder about their definition of "Special.")

AS I SEE IT: Marijuana should never be legalized for medicinal use.
By VICKY L. WARD - Special to The Star

Medicinal marijuana is likely to be an issue in the Missouri legislature this year.
(Marijuananews note: Why? Could it be because six other states have passed medical marijuana laws? Of course, there is no indication of that here. I wonder why?)
See
Message From Voters To Washington: Legalize Medical Marijuana
Measures Protecting Patients Pass in Five States, District of Columbia
NORML Weekly P R November 4

(Marijuananews note: Well, there certainly are not any "scientifically documented reasons why marijuana should never be legalized for medicinal use" here. Actually, she is trying to be more prohibitionist than the DEA.)
See
Important Press Release : DEA FINALLY CONFIRMS THE EXISTENCE OF SUFFICIENT GROUNDS TO REMOVE MARIJUANA FROM HARD DRUGS SCHEDULE OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

Here are some of those reasons:

In February 1994, the U.S. Court of Appeals set forth a decision which strikes down crude marijuana as a medicine.
(Marijuananews note: Not exactly, but what she omits is that this was the decision that said that the DEA could overrule its own Administrative Law Judge, who had said that medical marijuana should be made available, and that it was one of the "safest therapeutic agents known." A minor omission?)
The sale and possession of marijuana continues to violate federal law.
(Marijuananews note: Yes, that is what the debate is about.)

Marijuana has been identified as -- and should remain -- a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it is highly abusable and has no medicinal value.
(Marijuananews note: Yes, again that is what the debate is about. What she has done in these last two sentences is to state the government's position as self-justifying. This country began with -- and is based on -- precisely the opposite premise.)

Marijuana is not a pure substance. In its raw form, it is an unstable, varying, complex mixture of over 400 chemicals, many of which are harmful. Therefore, marijuana prescriptions cannot comply with the Pure Food and Drug act, which requires all medicines to be labeled with the exact amount of chemicals they contain.
(Marijuananews note: Yes, again, that is what the debate is about. Coffee contains hundreds of "chemicals" – as do most herbal remedies, some of which may be harmful in some doses. Many "pure" pharmaceuticals can be very harmful, including those that are sold over the counter. Unlike most of those, cannabis has no lethal dose.)
See
Forbes Data: "What you don't know can kill you." Which Drugs Kill the Most People?
and
Painkillers Put Millions At Risk Of Ulcers; Hospitalize 76,000 & Kill 7,600 Annually; One That Doesn’t Kill Is Illegal
Despite claims that marijuana serves to provide medicinal value in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis patients, the drug has never been shown to be safe or effective for the treatment of any condition.

(Marijuananews note: The Federal government provides marijuana to eight people, four of whom are glaucoma patients.)
See
Federal Judge Asks Why Plaintiffs In Class Action Medical Marijuana Suit
Can’t Be Given Government Marijuana.

Marijuana smoke has been proven to lower the immune system, which would create additional health hazards for AIDS and cancer patients.
(Marijuananews note: No, it has not. Consider that people with AIDS, notably ACT-UP in Washington D.C., are among the most vocal supporters of medical marijuana, and it is supported by the AIDS Action Council ,and the Los Angeles County AIDS Commission, the Maine AIDS Alliance, as well as many other such groups. They do not seem to want her help.)

Marijuana is addictive.
(Marijuananews note: Even if that were so, there are many other highly addictive drugs that are medically available.)
See
The Relative Addictiveness of Drugs According to NIDA's Own Researcher

It can lead to the use of other drugs such as cocaine.
(Marijuananews note: Even if that were true, and it isn't, it is the most ridiculous argument against medical marijuana. First, what difference does that make to someone who is seriously ill. Second, morphine and cocaine and – as noted -- many other very dangerous and addictive drugs are already medically available.)

It can cause cancer of the lungs, mouth, lip and tongue, respiratory diseases and mental disorders.
(Marijuananews note: It has not been proven to do any of these things, with the possible exception of causing respiratory irritation in heavy smokers. However, this is of little or no relevance to most medical users.)
See
A Mediocre Review Called The "Adverse Effects of Cannabis" Published In The Lancet
It impairs coordination and judgment and contributes to birth defects.
(Marijuananews note: Even over-the-counter antihistamines can "impair coordination and judgement." As for causing birth defects, there is no evidence to support this, and considering how widely used marijuana is, there is every reason to think that it does not. But even Thalidomide is now medically available.)
See
Marijuana, Caffeine, Thalidomide and the Persecution of the Sick and Dying

Legalization of marijuana for medicinal use would create numerous social ramifications: What type of marijuana would be legal?
(Marijuananews note: That could be easily defined. In fact, whole cannabis is already defined in the law that bans it. Why is it so easy to define it when the object is to arrest someone, but difficult when the object is help someone?)

(Marijuananews note: "The pro-drug movement?" Obviously, she does not mean the Pharmaceutical Industry Association. This is one of the cheapest shots, labeling supporters of medical marijuana and critics of marijuana prohibition as "pro-drug." But it gets worse…)

Those who aim to legalize this drug are preying upon our most vulnerable citizens: the sick and the dying.
See
Paralyzed Blind Man With AIDS and His 61 Year-old Mother Jailed
After Tacoma Police Find 3 Marijuana Plants In Home. 
Police Weren't Sure He Was Medical User? -- 2 Stories

(Marijuananews note: This is truly as scurrilous as it is illogical. How are we "preying upon our most vulnerable citizens"? By opposing their being arrested when they find that only marijuana helps them?)

There is no significantly valid reason to legalize marijuana, in any form, for any reason.
(Marijuananews note: If not, then what is the proper criminal penalty for people with serious medical problems who use marijuana for medical purposes? Anyone who opposes making marijuana legally available medical purposes must answer that question. It will not do to pretend that these people don’t exist, or that such cases do not come before the courts. What is the appropriate penalty?)

Most Kansas City communities and surrounding areas have a Community 2000 Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force. I would urge interested parties to become involved in these efforts.

(Marijuananews note: At last something we agree on.)

Vicky L. Ward is a community prevention specialist with Tri-County Mental Health Services Inc. She is a member of the Park Hill Community Drug Task Force.
(Marijuananews note: Surprise! A totally disinterested party?
1. I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you!
2. I’m from the government, and I’m totally unbiased!
3. I’m from the government, and I don’t have a vested interest in maintaining the ban on medical marijuana!)

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