US Federal Government Rules Their Thinking on Marijuana dates to the 1930's

Keeping this plant illegal is big business, mustn't mess with that.

Marijuana has been approved by California, many other states and the nation's capital to treat a range of illnesses, but in a decision announced Friday the federal government ruled that it has no accepted medical use and should remain classified as a highly dangerous drug like heroin.

The decision comes almost nine years after medical marijuana supporters asked the government to reclassify cannabis to take into account a growing body of worldwide research that shows its effectiveness in treating certain diseases, such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.

Best bullshit, and the one always trotted out on these occasions:

the DEA concluded that marijuana has no accepted medical use, Leonhart wrote in her letter, because its chemistry is not known and adequate studies have not been done on its usefulness or safety. "At this time," she said, "the known risks of marijuana use have not been shown to be outweighed by specific benefits in well-controlled clinical trials that scientifically evaluate safety and efficacy."

They have been saying that forever, and always will.

This might have worked on the public in the 1960's. This is 2011 however, and the public have been doing "adequate studies" of their own for decades.

Government pronouncements on the topic are open to derision.

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