After Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske pronounced “Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit,” in Fresno last week, California NORML cordially invites Kerlikowske to come and interview a few real, live medical marijuana patients, physicians, researchers and providers next time he visits California.
If the government can’t get medical marijuana straight, how can we expect them to a run a national health care program?
D. Gieringer, Cal NORML
UPDATE: August 7, 2009:
In an interview on Seattle’s KOMO-TV former Seattle Police Chief Kerlikowske “found himself under fire” for his statement.
Back in Seattle for a roundtable discussion on drug policy, Kerlikowske sat down with KOMO News and addressed the comment.
“I certainly said that legalization is not in the president’s vocabulary nor is it in mine,” Kerlikowske said. “But the other question was in reference to smoked marijuana. And as we know, the FDA has not determined that smoked marijuana has a value, and this is clearly a medical question and that’s where I’ve been leaving it.”
Asked if he regretted what he said, Kerlikowske said, “Sometimes you make a mistake and you work very hard to correct it. That happens. I should’ve clearly said ‘smoked’ marijuana and then gone on to say that this is clearly a question that should be answered by the medical community.”
Kerlikowske’s stand on legalizing marijuana for everyone is more clear-cut.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy, by law, actively works against legalizing drugs.
