By Madsen Lake
Check the CDC website to find out what the federal agency thinks about marijuana as a medicine and you’ll find some interesting statements. As you probably know, the CDC takes a generally negative attitude toward marijuana and THC. Their attitude toward CBD seems to be more neutral than positive. In light of that, here is a question: do you believe what the CDC says about marijuana?
Millions of people around the country now use marijuana for medical purposes. Utah Marijuana, an organization that helps Utah patients obtain their medical marijuana cards, says the industry prefers the broader term ‘medical cannabis’. That’s because cannabis encompasses more than just THC. It covers THC, CBD, terpenes, and the more than a hundred cannabinoids found in the cannabis.
The CDC, on the other hand, barely recognizes anything other than THC and CBD. As for their general attitude toward marijuana, some of the statements on their site are quite revealing.
Marijuana May Help
To their credit, the CDC acknowledges that some of the chemicals found in marijuana may “help symptoms for some health problems.” This is a fascinating statement given that marijuana is still considered a Class I controlled substance. All of the drugs in Class I are believed to have high addictive potential and little to no medicinal value.
What do you think? Can marijuana help relieve the symptoms of some medical conditions? If so, you agree with the CDC on this one. But it looks like both you and the CDC disagree with Congress and the DEA.
Not Enough Research
The CDC asserts on their website that there isn’t enough research to prove that marijuana – they refer to it as the “whole plant” – works to treat or cure certain medical conditions. This seems to be contradictory, but it’s not. Their previous statement acknowledges that some marijuana compounds may help. That is different from suggesting that the whole marijuana plant is useful as a medicine.
So where do you stand? Do you believe the entire marijuana plant is medicinally beneficial, or do you stop at THC, CBD, and some of the other cannabinoids and terpenes?
Smoking Can Harm Your Health
Moving on, the CDC acknowledges that marijuana is frequently smoked. They also explain that smoking can harm your health by damaging your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. They further suggest that the harmful effects of smoking may mitigate any benefits medical marijuana may offer.
There are plenty of medical marijuana advocates who claim that smoking the plant doesn’t cause any serious, adverse effects. What do you think? Does it make sense that smoking marijuana would be any safer than smoking tobacco?
Two Approved Medicines
The CDC asserts that the FDA “has not recognized or approved the marijuana plant as medicine.” They then go on to explain that two medicines developed from THC-like substances have been approved. One of the drugs is used to treat nausea related to chemotherapy; the other is used to help AIDS patients regain their appetites.
CDC assertions on this particular point are often a matter of debate. Medical marijuana proponents say the agency is splitting hairs by claiming a lack of FDA approval for marijuana. While it is true that the whole plant hasn’t been approved, medicined derived from it have.
Marijuana remains a controversial plant in this country for a variety of reasons. The fact that the federal government now seems content to tiptoe around the issue doesn’t help things. If nothing else, the CDC and DEA should get on the same page. Would you agree? Do you believe what the CDC says about marijuana as a medicine?
