MAPS, MPP and Dr. Ethan Russo filed an Amicus Curiae brief in the medical marijuana case, US v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative. Even though FDA approved Dr. Russo’s MAPS-supported protocol to study the use of smoked marijuana in treating patients suffering from migraines, NIDA refused to supply the marijuana. As a result, Dr. Russo’s study never took place. We have tried to turn our frustrating experience with NIDA to the advantage of medical marijuana patients by letting the U.S. Supreme Court know that the FDA drug development process is politically obstructed. Our brief’s basic point is that these obstructions create more of a need for the medical necessity defense for patients who run into conflict with the police over their use of marijuana as medicine.
