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Testimony of Dr. David Murray
Chief Scientist, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Before the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism,
and Homeland Security
“Hearing on the Drug Enforcement Administration's Regulation of Medicine”

July 12, 2007

Conclusion

Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Forbes, our investment in medical science is at risk if we do not defend the proven process by which medicines are brought to the market and to patient-physician relationships. All drugs must undergo rigorous clinical trials before a drug can be released for public use. The responsibilities of the public health system are to ensure the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of contemporary drugs. This responsibility cannot be discharged where science-based knowledge is discarded in favor of misguided hearsay and uninformed pressure politics. I look forward to working with Congress to ensure that our nation's drug policies continue to work to make our national drug problem smaller and keep our citizens as safe and healthy as possible.

Thank you.



In Their Words: What the Experts Say:

The American Academy of Ophthalmology:

“Based on reviews by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the Institute of Medicine and on available scientific evidence, the Task Force on Complementary Therapies believes that no scientific evidence has been found that demonstrates increased benefits and/or diminished risks of marijuana use to treat glaucoma compared with the wide variety of pharmaceutical agents now available.
Complementary Therapy Assessment: Marijuana in the Treatment of Glaucoma, American Academy of Ophthalmology, May 2003

The American Medical Association:

“...AMA recommends that marijuana be retained in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act...AMA believes that the NIH should use its resources and influence to support the development of a smoke-free inhaled delivery system for marijuana or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to reduce the health hazards associated with the combustion and inhalation of marijuana...”
Policy Statement H-95.952, American Medical Association, http://www.ama-assn.org

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society:

“Studies completed thus far have not provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS.”
The MS Information Sourcebook, Marijuana (Cannabis), National Multiple Sclerosis Society, September 18th, 2006

The Institute of Medicine (IOM):

“Because of the health risks associated with smoking, smoked marijuana should generally not be recommended for long-term medical use.”
Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, Institute of Medicine, 1999








Last Updated: July 16, 2007