Medicinal Marijuana and Federal Law
With the results of the 2016 election, use of medical marijuana is now approved in 28 states, plus Washington, D.C., but the plant itself is not approved as medicine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It still remains federally illegal. Under the Controlled Substances Act, the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug – which is a category reserved for the most dangerous drugs and those that don’t show any medical benefit.
This classification makes it difficult for researchers to study, because drugs in this category are very tightly regulated. In 2011, two state governors petitioned federal agencies to reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category– one that acknowledges its medical benefits. In August of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reconfirmed marijuana’s listing as a Schedule I drug, but are loosening some of the barriers for researchers wanting to study it.
So what does the science say? Are there actually any medical benefits to marijuana? Turns out, the answer is a bit more complicated than you may think.
Based on the science, how do you think the government should handle medical marijuana?
More Resources
REPORT: FDA Regulation of Marijuana: Past Actions, Future Plans (FDA.gov)