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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | July 16, 2014 11:30 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jim Cox |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Resolution Calling for the Reclassification of Cannabis by the FDA |
| In the near future, I will be introducing a resolution that will request that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comply with the most recent scientific information available and hold hearings to change the classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug. Many House members have expressed concerns with legislation which would fully legalize the use of cannabis for the treatment of medical conditions. Many of these concerns involve what some view as the Commonwealth superseding the decision by the FDA in 1970 to classify cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug. Additionally, medical doctors have shared their concerns about the legal, ethical and professional ramifications of prescribing a medication which is illegal under the current FDA classification. As a result, I am introducing this resolution to help resolve that misclassification of cannabis. As many of you are aware, the Institute of Medicine has concluded, in two separate studies, that cannabis is a safe and effective medicine. Additionally, studies in the Netherlands, Spain, Israel and Canada have acknowledged that cannabis can be used in the treatment of a variety of illnesses and maladies. Contrary to these studies, the FDA continues to decline to review the current classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug and deems it to have “no currently accepted medical uses.” This inaction is even more appalling in light of Congress’ approval of the District of Columbia’s initiative to allow for medicinal uses of cannabis. While the federal government recognizes the beneficial medicinal aspects of cannabis, the FDA continues to ignore the evidence. Please join me in calling on the FDA to stop ignoring the scientific evidence and re-classify cannabis in light of twenty-first century medical research. Such a re-classification would begin to remove the barriers, once and for all, for those patients who so desperately need this important medicine. Thank you. . |