It seems that nearly everyone in government fancies himself superior to the rest of us in knowledge and judgment. There is no telling how much beneficial, not to mention vital, research and knowledge have been lost as a result of the arrogant whims of the few who consider themselves the elite among us, simply on the basis of having engineered themselves into a position of power. A depressing example of this arrogance is reflected in the fiasco surrounding research into the medical benefits of marijuana.
Way back in 1974, the National Institute of Health funded research at Medical College of Virginia. Their mission was to prove the contention that marijuana damages the immune system. In funding this research, the NIH was destined to be roundly cannabis alaska disappointed – they effectively shot themselves in the foot. Rather than receiving confirmation and supporting evidence of their contention, the NIH people were annoyed to learn that the MCV researchers found instead, that THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, undeniably slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice.
Since this failed miserably in bolstering the government’s case against marijuana, in their view the most noxious of all weeds, and in fact proved just the opposite, the DEA came charging into the fray, banners flying, trumpets blaring. They shut down the Virginia study along with all other cannabis tumor research.
Not to be outdone in the public assault on a useful albeit often misused plant and substance, President Gerald Ford got on the bandwagon in 1976, and put an end to all cannabis research while simultaneously granting that right exclusively to the maniacally delighted pharmaceutical industry.
Then again, in 1983, in accommodation to intense lobbying and reception of massive campaign contributions, the Reagan/Bush administration tried hard to persuade American Universities and researchers to destroy all of the 1966-76 cannabis research work, including compendiums in libraries. They were partially successful. Large amounts of information have disappeared.