By Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy
When the President took office, he directed all of his
policymakers to develop policies based on science and
research, not ideology or politics. So our concern about marijuana
is based on what the science tells us about the drug's
effects.
According to scientists at the National
Institutes of Health- the world's largest source of drug
abuse research - marijuana use is associated
with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive
impairment. We know from an array of treatment admission
information and Federal data that marijuana use is a
significant source for voluntary
drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms.
Studies also reveal that marijuana potency has almost tripled
over the past 20 years, raising serious concerns about what
this means for public health – especially among young people
who use the drug because research shows their brains continue
to develop well into their 20's. Simply put, it is not a
benign drug.
Like many, we are interested in the potential marijuana may
have in providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain
serious illnesses. That is why we ardently support ongoing
research into determining what components of the marijuana
plant can be used as medicine. To date, however, neither the
FDA
nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked
marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective
medicine for any condition.
As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to
arrest our way out of the problem. We also recognize that
legalizing marijuana would not provide the answer to any of
the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and
community quality of life challenges associated with drug
use.
That is why
the President's National Drug Control Strategy is balanced
and comprehensive, emphasizing prevention and treatment while
at the same time supporting innovative law enforcement efforts
that protect public safety and disrupt the supply of drugs
entering our communities. Preventing drug use is the most
cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences in
America. And, as we've seen in our work through community
coalitions across the country, this approach works in
making communities healthier and safer. We're also focused on
expanding access to drug treatment for addicts. Treatment
works. In fact, millions of Americans are in successful
recovery for drug and alcoholism today. And through our work
with innovative drug courts across the Nation, we are
improving our criminal justice system to divert non-violent
offenders into treatment.
Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is
real. This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government
spent over $10 billion on drug education and treatment
programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug related law
enforcement in the U.S.
Thank you for making your voice heard. I encourage you to
take a moment to read about the
President's approach to drug control to learn more.
Resources:
Check
out this response on We the People.
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