Resolution No. 503 (New York State G) - Legalization of Marij...

http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2015/...

Resolution No. 503 (New York State G) - Legalization of Marijuana

for Personal Use
Resolution No. 503 (New York State G)
Legalization of Marijuana for Personal Use
Introduced by the New York State Chapter
Referred to the Reference Committee on Advocacy

WHEREAS, Drug-related crimes were the single largest reason for arrest in the United States in 2013, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and
marijuana possession accounts for over 40% of drug-related arrests1, and
WHEREAS, a study by a Harvard professor of economics estimated that legalization of marijuana would save the government 8.7 billion dollars per year2, and
WHEREAS, in 2010, there were over 100,000 marijuana arrests in New York, 97% of which were for possession, and costing New York taxpayers $670 million
according to a study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union3, and
WHEREAS, in 2010, in New York City alone there were 40,00050,000 arrests for marijuana, 85% of which were arrests of African-American or Latino people,
and
WHEREAS, imprisonment for drug offenses can have additional negative health consequences, including exposure to tuberculosis, worsened mental health, and
overall decreased life expectancy, and
WHEREAS, laws that legalize only medical marijuana use may put physicians in the position of being asked to prescribe or approve marijuana for indications that
are not supported by scientific evidence, and
WHEREAS, substance abuse treatment is underfunded, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians support laws to legalize possession and cultivation of marijuana for personal use for people over
age 21, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians support removal of marijuana from the federal Drug Enforcement Agencys List of Schedule 1
Controlled Substances, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians advocate for a percentage of those funds to be used for substance abuse treatment if laws are
passed regarding the taxation of marijuana.
(Received 7/19/15)
Fiscal Impact: None
Background Information
In recent years, federal policy makers have begun reviewing policies regarding marijuana usage in response to the increase in the number of states either
decriminalizing its possession or permitting its sale for medicinal purposes.
Currently, 23 states have passed laws allowing for the possession and use of marijuana under some conditions.
In 2014, Congress voted to ban federal prosecutors and the Drug Enforcement Administration from spending fiscal year 2015 funds to go after state medical
marijuana laws, but that vote did not change the underlying law.
In addition, four bills were introduced during the 114th Congress (2015 2016) to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
And several bills were introduced to support the cultivation, taxation, sale and decriminalization of marijuana.

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Current Policy
Marijuana
Medical Use of
The AAFP recognizes that there is support for the medical use of marijuana but advocates that usage be based on high quality, patient-centered, evidence-based
research and advocates for further studies into the use of medical marijuana and related compounds. The AAFP requests that the Food and Drug Administration
change marijuanas classification for the purpose of facilitating clinical research. This process should also ensure that funding be available for such research.
The AAFP also recognizes that some states have passed laws approving the medical use of marijuana; the AAFP does not endorse such laws. The AAFP
encourages its members to be knowledgeable of the laws of their states and consult with their state medical boards for guidance regarding the use of medical
marijuana.
Recreational Use of
The AAFP opposes the recreational use of marijuana. The AAFP recognizes that several states have passed laws approving limited recreational use of marijuana
but advocates for further research into the overall safety and health effects of recreational use as well as the effects of those laws on patient and societal health.
(1989) (2014 COD)
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/marijuana.html (http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/marijuana.html)
Prior Congress Actions
Resolution No. 401 to the 2013 COD (Not Adopted):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) oppose the use of marijuana
for therapeutic effect in smoked or otherwise burned form, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) support randomized
controlled studies to be conducted to examine THC as a potential therapy for medical conditions as
long as it does not involve the use of smoked substances.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Substitute Resolution No. 401 from the 2013 COD (Substitute Adopted):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians support rigorous research to examine
elements of marijuana as potential therapies for medical conditions, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians express concerns about the safety
and efficacy of marijuana for therapeutic effect in smoked or otherwise burned form.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Please see Substitute Resolution No. 401 (http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2013/resolutions/resolution-401.mem.html) from 2013 on the website for
follow-up details.
Resolution No. 402 from the 2013 COD (Referred to the Board of Directors):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians reaffirm the fact that medication
preparation needs to be strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and not by
legislatures to assure safety, purity and effectiveness, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians opposes state approval of smoked
medical marijuana which does not conform to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA)
regulatory process.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Please see Resolution No. 402 (http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2013/resolutions/resolution-402.mem.html) from 2013 on the website for follow-up details.
Resolution No. 405 from the 2014 COD (Referred to the Board of Directors):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians develop patient centered educational
materials regarding the use of recreational marijuana based on scientific evidence.
Please see Page 324 in the 2014 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2014/CODTransactions2014.pdf) for details.
Please see Resolution No. 405 (http://www.aafp.org/aafp/about/governance/congress-delegates/2014/resolutions/oregon-a.mem.html) from 2014 on the website for follow-up details.
Prior Board Actions
Approval of a recommendation from the Commission on Governmental Advocacy that the AAFP Board
of Directors accept for information the second resolved clause of 2013 NCSC Resolution No. 1001,
Research and Education on Impact of Marijuana Legalization.
B2014, April 29-May 1, p. 41.
Request that the Academy policy on marijuana use, both for medical and recreational use, be
considered by the Commission on Health of the Public and Science in light of the changing laws in
several states.
BC1:12014, May 8, p. 1.

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Approval of a recommendation from the Commission on Governmental Advocacy that the AAFP Board
of Directors accept for information the second resolved clause of Resolution No. 402, Oppose
Legislative Approval of Smoked Medical Marijuana and that the AAFP continue to provide information
on smoked marijuana to state chapters in response to the 2013 CoD Resolution No. 402.
B2014, July 30-August 1, p. 15.
References:
1. http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/persons-arrested/persons-arrested (http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-theu.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/persons-arrested/persons-arrested).
2. The Budgetary Impact of Ending Drug Prohibition, Jeffrey A. Miron and Katherine
Waldock http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/DrugProhibitionWP.pdf (http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/DrugProhibitionWP.pdf).
3. The War on Marijuana in Black and White, American Civil Liberties Union: https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/1114413-mj-reportrfs-rel1.pdf (https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_document/1114413-mj-report-rfs-rel1.pdf).

Resolution No. 503 (New York State G) - Legalization of Marijuana for Personal Use -- Congress of Delegates
http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2015/resolutions/newyork-g.mem.html
Copyright 2015 American Academy of Family Physicians. All rights reserved.
11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway Leawood, KS 66211-2680
800.274.2237 913.906.6000 Fax: 913.906.6075 contactcenter@aafp.org

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Resolution No. 504 (Minnesota A) - Ask the Drug Enforcemen...

http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2015/...

Resolution No. 504 (Minnesota A) - Ask the Drug Enforcement

Administration (DEA) to Reclassify Marijuana from a Schedule I to
a Schedule II Drug
Resoltuion No. 504 (Minnesota A)
Ask the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to Reclassify Marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II Drug
Introduced by the Minnesota Chapter
Referred to the Reference Committee on Advocacy

WHEREAS, Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, and
WHEREAS, cannabinoid biology is poorly understood because of the lack of research, and
WHEREAS, the Drug Enforcement Administration scheduling of marijuana as a Schedule I drug prevents funding and legalization of research on the
pharmacological properties of cannabinoids, and
WHEREAS, more than 200 cannabinoids have been identified, and
WHEREAS, there are endocannabinoid receptors found throughout the body, and
WHEREAS, dranabinol for the treatment of AIDS-related wasting and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and nabilone for spasticity secondary to spinal
cord injury have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and
WHEREAS, of the 22,767 deaths relating to pharmaceutical overdose in 2013, 16,235 (71.3%) involved opioid analgesics, and 46 people on average die from an
overdose of prescription painkillers each day in the U.S., and
WHEREAS, no fatalities have ever been reported as solely attributable to a marijuana overdose, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians support reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug by continued discussions
with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as this will facilitate further research on the potential medical uses of pharmaceutical cannabinoids.
(Received 8/17/15)
Fiscal Impact: None
Background Information
In recent years, federal policy makers have begun reviewing policies regarding marijuana usage in response to the increase in the number of states either
decriminalizing its possession or permitting its sale for medicinal purposes.
In 2014, Congress voted to ban federal prosecutors and the Drug Enforcement Administration from spending fiscal year 2015 funds to go after state medical
marijuana laws, but that vote did not change the underlying law.
In addition, four bills were introduced during the 114th Congress (2015 2016) to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
Current Policy
Marijuana
http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/marijuana.html (http://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/marijuana.html)
Prior Congress Actions
Resolution No. 401 to the 2013 COD (Not Adopted):

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Resolution No. 504 (Minnesota A) - Ask the Drug Enforcemen...

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RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) oppose the use of marijuana
for therapeutic effect in smoked or otherwise burned form, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) support randomized
controlled studies to be conducted to examine THC as a potential therapy for medical conditions as
long as it does not involve the use of smoked substances.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Substitute Resolution No. 401 from the 2013 COD (Substitute Adopted):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians support rigorous research to examine
elements of marijuana as potential therapies for medical conditions, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians express concerns about the safety
and efficacy of marijuana for therapeutic effect in smoked or otherwise burned form.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Please see Substitute Resolution No. 401 (http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2013/resolutions/resolution-401.mem.html) from 2013 on the website for
follow-up details.
Resolution No. 402 from the 2013 COD (Referred to the Board of Directors):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians reaffirm the fact that medication
preparation needs to be strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and not by
legislatures to assure safety, purity and effectiveness, and be it further
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians opposes state approval of smoked
medical marijuana which does not conform to the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA)
regulatory process.
Please see Pages 277-278 in the 2013 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2013/2013Transactions.pdf) for details.
Please see Resolution No. 402 (http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2013/resolutions/resolution-402.mem.html) from 2013 on the website for follow-up details.
Resolution No. 405 from the 2014 COD (Referred to the Board of Directors):
RESOLVED, That the American Academy of Family Physicians develop patient centered educational
materials regarding the use of recreational marijuana based on scientific evidence.
Please see Page 324 in the 2014 Transactions
(http://www.aafp.org/content/dam/AAFP/documents/about_us/congress/restricted/2014/CODTransactions2014.pdf) for details.
Please see Resolution No. 405 (http://www.aafp.org/aafp/about/governance/congress-delegates/2014/resolutions/oregon-a.mem.html) from 2014 on the website for follow-up details.
Prior Board Actions
Approval of a recommendation from the Commission on Governmental Advocacy that the AAFP Board
of Directors accept for information the second resolved clause of 2013 NCSC Resolution No. 1001,
Research and Education on Impact of Marijuana Legalization.
B2014, April 29-May 1, p. 41.
Request that the Academy policy on marijuana use, both for medical and recreational use, be
considered by the Commission on Health of the Public and Science in light of the changing laws in
several states.
BC1:12014, May 8, p. 1.
Approval of a recommendation from the Commission on Governmental Advocacy that the AAFP Board
of Directors accept for information the second resolved clause of Resolution No. 402, Oppose
Legislative Approval of Smoked Medical Marijuana and that the AAFP continue to provide information
on smoked marijuana to state chapters in response to the 2013 CoD Resolution No. 402.
B2014, July 30-August 1, p. 15.

Resolution No. 504 (Minnesota A) - Ask the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to Reclassify Marijuana
from a Schedule I to a Schedule II Drug -- Congress of Delegates
http://www.aafp.org/about/governance/congress-delegates/2015/resolutions/minnesota-a.mem.html
Copyright 2015 American Academy of Family Physicians. All rights reserved.
11400 Tomahawk Creek Parkway Leawood, KS 66211-2680
800.274.2237 913.906.6000 Fax: 913.906.6075 contactcenter@aafp.org

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