The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that “no sound scientific studies” supported the medical use of marijuana, contradicting a 1999 review by a panel of highly regarded scientists.

So reports this mornings news. It’s not as big as the war in Iraq, the people it directly affects are most likely too stoned-out to protest, pot-heads won’t loose a toke because their use was never an approved therapy by the FDA in the first place, but it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

According to an article in J: Jewish News Weekly, “The Reform movement officially called for its legalization years ago, spurred on by enthusiastic support by local members of the Women of Reform Judaism. In 1996, the East Bay Council of Rabbis unanimously supported a petition in favor of Proposition 215, which legalized the cultivation of medical marijuana.”

From a short review of some literature on the subject, it seems there are many therapeutic uses to the drugs contained in cannabis. People with pain have found it alleviates their symptoms. People with nausea from chemo find it a saving grace. I even read it has been used effectively in treating OCD and lymph problems. This ruling even contradicts the NAS’s Institute of Medicine:

The Food and Drug Administration statement directly contradicts a 1999 review by the Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, the nation’s most prestigious scientific advisory agency. That review found marijuana to be “moderately well suited for particular conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and AIDS wasting.”

It appears that a real illness may be affecting the FDA (what some call a politicized entity that is controlled by pharmaceutical money and other interests.) Is this another case of the pot calling the kettle black?

The real solution may lie with finding some religious arguments, as the mushroom eating folks recently won their right to dope up for God.

Meanwhile the ad-hoc group Besamim is looking to line up rabbinical endorsements, before they go public with their “Let our poeple smoke” campaign. And to all a Good Shabbos.

About the author

Rabbi Yonah

34 Comments

  • I am surprised after all matisyahu is vehemently against the substance. At least in his body.

    Well, medically it can and is used for patients who need it.

    For recreational, I have mixed feelings. people tend to over use it, tho they do w/ alchohol as well. not even talking about tobbacco. but alchohol is more controllable bec. u would smell from it, at say 8am. i have known many people who toke up at that hour.

    also it tends to lead to the need for many types and strains, and then also hashes, so it costs more to the recreational person but to each their own…

    In US at least they are stupid not to legalize it, bec. the revenue goes to the mafia, you aren’t going to reduce people’s desire for it. I just met 3 dudes drove all the way from, California w/ some pounds they are selling, my buddy in the liquor store mentioned to me, I work near to him on the weekends.

  • Before I start I have to make 2 points:

    1. I’m pro-legalization of ALL drugs. I believe each person should be able to choose what they want to do. It really pissed me off when pot smokers are pro-legalization of only marijuana because “its not that bad”. Each person should be able to decide for themself.

    2. I have smoked medical marijuana… and let me tell you its nothing special. Doctors in California CAN and DO prescribe it to patients (and sometimes to their friends).

    Now for the MAIN EVENT:

    There has NEVER been ONE scientific study that showed pot is better than another available medicine. If there was the article would have cited it, as well as how much better it was, than current available medicines.

    I think we all know that reform rabbis are pinko-commie-hippies who would all be living in homeless shelters if they had to compete in the for-profit sector of the economy. (I’d rather some shyster litigious Jewish lawyer supports them, then they claim unemployment……. which is the ONLY REASON I think reform synagogues should exist). Every reform rabbi / activist I have met is not able to construct a deductive argument. They think with their hearts instead of their heads.

    For cognitively sound intellectuals the fact that reform rabbis “mean well” means little, because so does “Al Queda”.

    BTW. To the liberal readers: I also really dislike Haredim, if thats any consolation.

  • f*ck the FDA

    f*ck the bush administration

    f*ck the oil companies that give a $400 million dollar retirement package to their waspy CEO

    f*ck companies like dupont that outlawed hemp and cannabis by paying scientists in the 20’s go on the stand and lie about how cannabis made mexicans go crazy and kill people in the ‘reefer madness’ campaign of the 20’s

    i could go on and on and on and on and on

    hashem gave us marijuana. it has seeds. seed bearing herb. def has a use, but oh, man……..MAN knows better…………..

    better to bend over backwards and break ourselves for the almighty dollar than to do what’s right and take the path of least resistance when it’s more than staring us in the face. who cares if it works the same and/or better than a scientifically designed chemical that hasn’t been tested for long term effects because its only been around for 10 years.

    The fundamental reasons, like the war in Iraq, for cannibas being illegal are founded on lies, deception, and zero’s before the decimal point in some very rich people’s bank accounts

    my 2 cents

    Aryeh

  • Hey Aryeh, you pinko-commie. I love the system!!

    I’m hoping to add another ‘0’ to my net worth before tax season (the time of year you look forward to, when the goverment, against my will, takes my money and gives it to you).

  • Aren’t you a student? When I was a student, if you added a 0 to my net worth, I would have been worth about 100 dollars.

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