U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is preparing an extensive, first-of-its-kind report “presenting the state of the science on substance use, addiction and health,” Marijuana.com reports.
“It’s time for us to have a conversation in this country that’s based on facts; A conversation that’s based on medicine and science,” Murthy said at the rally held for his announcement. “Which is why I’m proud to announce that next year, I will be releasing the first-ever Surgeon General’s Report on substance use, addiction and health. We’re going to look at the best science on everything, from heroin and marijuana, to alcohol and prescription opioids.”
The report is expected to be a very broad examination of substances and substance use in the U.S., including any “ethical, legal and policy issues” we currently face regarding the subject— with any luck, such an examination could lead to more sweeping marijuana reform and, hopefully, the ending of the Drug War.
Last February, Murthy gave cannabis advocates hope when he admitted on national television that marijuana has medical properties, and that he was looking forward to continued research on the plant’s therapeutic possibilities. “We have some preliminary data showing that for certain medical conditions and symptoms, that marijuana can be helpful,” he said during an interview back then. “I think that we have to use that data to drive policymaking.”
Photo Credit: Ted Eytan
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