Mark Souder: “regardless of how you have voted in the past, there are two critical developments since the last vote that make…”

“regardless of how you have voted in the past, there are two critical developments since the last vote that make compelling arguments for a ``no'' vote on the Hinchey Amendment to the SSJC Appropriations bill. The Hinchey Amendment would deny law enforcement agencies Federal funds to enforce the Controlled Substances Act in those States where `medicinal' marijuana is legal under State law. First, the FDA in April of this year confirmed that there is no research to sustain the supposed ``medicinal value'' in smoked marijuana. On April 20, 2006, the FDA stated, ``A past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use.'' Furthermore, the ``FDA has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease indication.'' Second, research from a 25-year longitudinal study by the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Services showed that regular or heavy marijuana use was linked to a wide range of other illicit drugs and to a dependence or abuse of these other illicit drugs.…”