Pubdate: Wed, 03 Mar 1999 Source: USA Today (US) Copyright: 1999 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Contact: 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington VA 22229 Fax: (703) 247-3108 Website: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nfront.htm Author: Francis X. Kinney, Director of Strategy, Office of National Drug Control Policy Washington, D.C. REPORT DUE THIS MONTH ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA Letter writer Peter McWilliams mischaracterizes the Clinton administration's policy toward marijuana ("War against medical marijuana causes misery," Letters, Friday). Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under the provisions of the Controlled Substance Act, Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. It is classified this way because of its high potential for abuse and lack of acceptable medical use. In response to anecdotal claims about marijuana's medical effectiveness, the National Institutes of Health are supporting peer-reviewed research on the drug's safety and efficacy. The Office of National Drug Control Policy is supporting a comprehensive review of existing research on marijuana's potential benefits and harms by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine. We look forward to receiving their report this month. We agree with the International Narcotics Control Board's recent conclusion that "Any decision on the medical use of cannabis should be based on clear scientific evidence. Political initiatives and public votes can easily be misused by groups promoting the legalization of all use of cannabis and/or the prescription of cannabis for recreational use under the guise of medical dispensation." Francis X. Kinney Director of Strategy Office of National Drug Control Policy Washington, D.C. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck