In states where no medical marijuana laws exist, patients are left without safe/legal access to this treatment option because marijuana’s current designation as a Schedule 1 controlled substance under the Federal Controlled Substances Act carries “no recognized medical use".
As the U.S. lead health official, the Surgeon General already has a program in place to address the behavior of cigarette smoking with warnings & smoking secession initiatives. These warnings advise Americans on health-risks without resorting to heavy-handed involvement by the criminal justice system. Treating cigarettes in this manner (even though they have no common medical applications) is inconsistent with a federal law criminalizing the medical use of marijuana.
Given the myriad ways marijuana is helping patients manage their conditions, from glaucoma to cancer; we strongly encourage the Surgeon General to work with Congress & Federal Agencies to reschedule marijuana to Schedule 2 in recognition of its medical utility. To fulfill the Surgeon General’s mandate to advocate on behalf of respiratory health, a simple warning about marijuana inhalation will suffice and encourage patients to explore methods of ingesting marijuana other than smoking. We believe that these changes are necessary to clear up this inconsistent application of federal health protocols.