Position of Thelma Drake, 2nd District, Virginia, on legalization

This is a letter that I received.

Dear Mr. Bagdon,
Thank you blah, blah, blah.

In your email, blah, blah, blah, neither my stance nor my values have changed, blah, blah, blah, Global War on Terror, blah, blah, blah, we must achieve energy independence, blah, blah, blah, I am working hard for the active duty military, their retirees, and veterans, blah, blah, blah, strengthen American's families by providing outstanding education and access to healthcare for all Americans.

I would also like to address your questions regarding the legalization of marijuana. The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) sets the standards for regulating the production, distribution, and use of potentially dangerous drugs (wheter approved or otherwise), to prevent their diversion to non-medical and unhealthy uses. While whole-plant marijuana is a "Schedule I" drug - meaning that it has not been approved for any medical use- the statute contains procedures to reschedule any drug, provided that it meets scientific standards for safety and efficacy.

Marijuana is the most widely abused drug in the United States today. There are more young people in treatment for dependency on marijuana than for alcohol and for all other illegal drugs combined. In addition, smoking marijuana has not been approved for use under the rigorous Federal drug approval process conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To date, the weight of evidence does not show that smoking marijuana is safe and effective for any disease. In fact, a growing body of evidence demonstrates that smoking marijuana can increase the risk of serious mental health problems.

I do not support the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use. I am sorry that we disagree on this subject. However, as a resident of the Second District of Virginia, your comments and opinions are an important source of information to assist me in carrying out my duties as your Representative.

Sincerely,
Thelma Drake
Member of Congress