“All Americans, whether or not they have any interest in medical marijuana, should be concerned by the Food and Drug Administration’s recent statement claiming there is no evidence that marijuana is medically beneficial. The FDA’s pronouncement tells us little about medical marijuana, but it says much about how politics appears to be trumping science at the agency we all depend on to protect our health. The FDA’s missive, issued late in the day on April 20, proclaims that ‘no sound scientific studies’ support medical use of marijuana and condemns state medical marijuana laws. But why, one wonders, did the FDA issue this statement now? It cites neither new scientific data, nor even any new analysis of old data. The FDA did not, as it often does when addressing difficult issues, convene an advisory committee of independent experts. Indeed, the document appears to be nothing but a rehash of the federal government’s long-standing position.” (04/26/06)