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Against Medical Marijuana? What About Medical Cocaine?

cocaineEvery once in a while, I come across someone who is actually against medical marijuana. I try to explain to them the overwhelming evidence to support marijuana’s medical use, but they usually just say that the “chance of abuse is to high”. When I realize the stubbornness of their argument, I usually ask them if they think medical cocaine is ok. Of course, the answer is “no” and usually for the same reasons. Some will even admit that cocaine is worse.

Then I have to inform them that as a schedule 2 narcotic, cocaine is legally prescribed for medicinal use in all 50 states.

Cocaine is still used by some physicians to stop nosebleeds, and for pain control before minor nose surgery. Dentists or oral surgeons can also use cocaine for anesthesia before procedures. Cocaine is prescribed mostly as an anesthetic in topical or injectable form.

In addition to oral, and nasal surgery, The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. considers cocaine to be a valuable anesthetic and vasoconstricting agent when used as part of the treatment of a patient by a physician. No other single drug combines the anesthetic and vasoconstricting properties of cocaine.

*see links at bottom of page

So how do we move Marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2?

I don’t know anyone who thinks that marijuana should be regulated more heavily then cocaine. So how difficult is it to have marijuana moved from schedule 1 to schedule 2? According to the controlled substances act, subchapter I, part B, section 811 The Attorney General can remove any drug or other substance from the schedules if he finds that the drug or other substance does not meet the requirements for inclusion in any schedule.

master-kush-1In section 812, in order to be listed as a schedule 1 narcotic, a substance must meet the following criteria:

Schedule I.—

  • The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
  • The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
  • There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

In contrast, a schedule 2 drug has to meet these following criteria:

Schedule II.—

  • The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
  • The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.
  • Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

It seems obvious that the Attorney General is legally obligated to move Marijuana from its current Schedule 1 classification, and place it into Schedule 2 (at the very minimum).

In a recent paper, the National Institute on Drug Abuse admits that a “scientific study of the chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to two FDA approved medications that contain cannabinoid chemicals in pill form. Continued research may lead to more medications.”

So if the FDA is approving medications based on the chemicals in marijuana, then the FDA is admitting that marijuana has medicinal use. Thereby proving that marijuana should not be a schedule 1 narcotic, and should be moved to schedule 2 with cocaine and other drugs that have “currently accepted medical use”.

Links to medical cocaine information

http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_hydrochloride-topical/article.htm

http://www.acmt.net/Cocaine.html#Q2

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-1383/cocaine-top/details

http://www.entnet.org/content/medical-use-cocaine

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