Millions of Americans take prescription drugs to treat a plethora of illnesses and symptoms, but not all drugs are created equal. The question of whether or not to consider marijuana a viable medical treatment remains a hot button issue. In states like California, medical marijuana clubs have flourished despite their federal illegality. Should the federal government allow states to make their own decisions, or is marijuana nothing more than a dangerous narcotic?
Despite the fact that federal law clearly requires adequate competition in the manufacture of Schedule I and II substances, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has maintained an unjustified monopoly on the production of marijuana for legitimate research purposes in the U.S. The DEA helps to protect NIDA’s monopoly by refusing to grant competitive licenses for marijuana production.
Currently, the only way for marijuana to be evaluated for safety and medical efficacy is for privately funded sponsors to conduct FDA-approved clinical trials. Unfortunately, NIDA’s monopoly on the supply of research marijuana obstructs such research, despite strong public and scientific interest. NIDA has refused to provide marijuana to at least three federally approved, privately funded studies.
The DEA creates a Catch-22, denying that marijuana is a medicine because the FDA has not "approved" it, while simultaneously refusing to license other manufacturers of research marijuana, which bolsters NIDA’s monopoly. Until there is an alternate source of research cannabis, FDA-approved research will continue to be obstructed.
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