Federal drug officials are warning Georgia to shelve its plans to be the first state to allow pharmacies to dispense medical marijuana products.
News outlets report that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Nov. 27 warned pharmacies that dispensing medical marijuana violates federal law.
Not everything with medical benefits can be found in a pharmacy. For example, gamma ray emitters have medical benefits.
Even if we only consider substances, there are plenty of beneficial drugs that are never found in pharmacies, like propofol.
So, is cannabis more like a gamma ray emitter or surgical anaesthetic, or more like a drug typically dispensed by pharmacies?
I was addressing the argument that things with medical benefits belong in pharmacies.
But since you ask: it is more like a drug taken most often for recreational purposes, many of which are also not found in pharmacies.
Does the pharmacy sell any drugs that can be used for recreational purposes?
Often alcohol.
Some, but not all.
So what would be the issue with adding medical marijuana to that list?
I don’t know.
But one could equally ask why we don’t take nicotine off that list (and in fact, some countries have moved in that direction).
Propofol is found in any hospital pharmacy isn’t it?
I don’t know, but if so they still won’t dispense it to you.