-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 14, 2001 CONTACT: Heather Cirmo, (202) 393-2100 FOR RADIO: Kelly Green
U.S. SUPREME COURT SEES THROUGH SMOKESCREEN OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "The medical marijuana lobby is nothing more than a front for the drug legalization movement," Family Research Council's Vice President for Policy Robert Maginnis said Monday. "Today's unanimous Supreme Court decision is a major strike against legalizers' crusade to skirt federal drug laws."
On Monday, the United States Supreme Court ruled 8-0 in U.S. v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative that a federal law classifying marijuana as illegal has no exception for ill patients. Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, "It is clear from the text of the [Controlled Substances Act] that Congress has made a determination that marijuana has no medical benefits worthy of an exception." Justice Thomas continued, "Unwilling to view this omission as an accident, and unable in any event to override a legislative determination manifest in a statute, we reject the Cooperative's argument." FRC filed one of only two friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the federal government's position.
"Smoking pot is never sound medicine. Medicalization of marijuana would result in many negative consequences the federal drug laws are designed to prevent," Mr. Maginnis said. "Although certain active ingredients in marijuana have been found to have therapeutic effects, doctors should not recommend smoking the drug to receive the benefits. The negative effects of smoking outweigh the therapeutic components of the drug. Marijuana's principal active ingredient (THC) is available in a prescribable pill called Marinol; it will soon be available as a suppository, and eventually as an inhaler. Crude marijuana, however, is a mind-altering and dangerous substance that affects cognition, memory, pain perception and motor coordination.
"Congress had the American public's best interests in mind when it passed the Controlled Substances Act. It's encouraging to see the Supreme Court has seen through the pot enthusiasts' smokescreen by ruling in favor of the federal government," Mr. Maginnis said.