Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As States' Position On Pot Evolves, FDA Takes Hands-Off Approach For Now
Politico Pro: For Medical Marijuana, A Patchwork Of State Rules
The medical marijuana movement has pitted voters and states against the FDA — and the FDA is losing. The Drug Enforcement Agency, with advice from the FDA, has decided to keep marijuana classified as a Schedule I substance — the same category as heroin and LSD. As far as the federal government is concerned, marijuana is still an illegal drug with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. But that classification exists mostly on paper. Most states have made clear that when it comes to marijuana, they see things differently, and the feds have mostly had a hands-off approach. (Karlin-Smith, 12/4)
Tampa Bay Times: Popular With Voters, Medical Marijuana Finds Few Champions In Tallahassee
More than 6 million Floridians voted in November to allow patients with conditions like cancer and HIV to use marijuana — nearly 2 million more than President-elect Donald Trump's state total. But such overwhelming support for the state constitutional amendment has not translated into urgency in the capital. (Auslen, 12/2)
