Never Trust Uncle Sam on Drugs

The federal government's historical approach to marijuana has been characterized by misinformation, political maneuvering, and a disregard for scientific evidence, often prioritizing power and control over public health and individual relief. The text draws parallels between the federal handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-standing "war on drugs," particularly concerning marijuana policy.

Historical Federal Deception: The document asserts that federal health officials have a history of lying to maintain power, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a recent example. It claims that this pattern was established through the federal war on drugs, which began over a century ago.

Marijuana's Medical Past: Contrary to federal claims, the text states that for over 50 years, the U.S. government falsely denied marijuana's medical use. Historically, during the 1920s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture encouraged cannabis cultivation for industrial purposes, and marijuana's popularity grew during Prohibition.

Criminalization and Misinformation: The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, driven by anti-immigrant sentiment, effectively criminalized marijuana. Despite scientific journals publishing over a hundred articles on its therapeutic uses between 1839 and 1900, and the American Medical Association testifying in favor of its medicinal use, Congress, influenced by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, declared marijuana to have no medical value.

Long Legal Battles for Recognition: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) faced significant resistance from federal agencies in its efforts to have marijuana reclassified for medical research and use.

In 1972, a federal appeals court admonished the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs for rejecting NORML's petition without proper consideration.

In 1975, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) held a hearing, and an administrative law judge found merit in NORML's arguments, but the DEA chief overturned these findings.

A 1977 federal court of appeals criticized the DEA's order and mandated reconsideration.

In 1982, the Institute of Medicine concluded that cannabis showed promise in treating various disorders.

In 1988, DEA administrative law judge Francis Young conducted an extensive two-year evaluation and ruled that marijuana had been used therapeutically for millennia, was safe under medical supervision, and it was unreasonable to deny its benefits.

DEA's Defiance: DEA administrator John Lawn denounced Judge Young's findings as a "cruel and dangerous hoax" and refused to accept them, stating that medical use would only be allowed if already "currently accepted medical use," a circular logic since the DEA prohibited its prescription.

Continued Federal Resistance: Despite further lawsuits and court orders compelling the DEA to re-examine the evidence, in March 1992, the DEA reaffirmed its ban on medical marijuana, with chief Robert Bonner dismissing anecdotal evidence and physician testimonials as "entirely irrelevant" and labeling claims of marijuana as medicine as "false, dangerous and cruel."

Political Science Over Scientific Evidence: The document criticizes federal officials, including drug czars like General Barry McCaffrey, for dismissing scientific evidence and labeling medical marijuana claims as "Cheech 'n' Chong medicine" or a "cruel hoax." They prioritized political agendas and the "war on drugs" over acknowledging marijuana's potential benefits.

Suppression of Research and State-Level Conflicts: Federal officials downplayed or suppressed research, including a UN affiliate study that suggested alcohol was more harmful than marijuana in several categories of long-term health damage. Federal court rulings, like that by Judge Fern Smith, attempted to protect doctors' right to advise patients about medical marijuana, but federal officials like Attorney General Janet Reno insisted medical decisions should not be made "at the ballot box."

Obama Administration's "Great Betrayal": Despite appearing to pledge an end to the persecution of medical marijuana users and providers, the Obama administration reportedly brought more prosecutions against them than the George W. Bush administration. The text criticizes the administration for its stance, supported by pharmaceutical companies, against medical marijuana's potential for pain relief, especially during the opioid crisis, and for torpedoing research on its use for PTSD in veterans.

Collateral Damage in the War on Drugs: The document concludes that generations of politicians and bureaucrats have prioritized "tough on crime" stances over scientific evidence and the well-being of individuals suffering from various ailments. The "war on drugs" resulted in millions of arrests for marijuana possession, serving to demonize the substance and its users. The author posits that federal policymakers have been more interested in control and punishment than in allowing citizens access to relief.

The document argues that the federal government's historical actions regarding marijuana illustrate a pattern of prioritizing political agendas and bureaucratic power over scientific evidence and public health. This approach has resulted in the denial of potential medical benefits to suffering individuals and has fueled a costly and damaging "war on drugs." The text suggests that a significant disconnect exists between the desire for control and the reality of individual suffering, with hard facts often unable to compete with politically motivated campaigns. 

https://brownstone.org/articles/never-trust-uncle-sam-on-drugs/