The Battle for Medical Marijuana: A Look at the Controversial Compassionate IND Program
It’s a battle that has been raging for decades – the fight for access to medical marijuana. And while the drug remains illegal for most Americans, there are nine individuals who have been granted legal access through the Compassionate Investigational New Drug (IND) program. But with the arrival of the Clinton administration, there may be hope for those seeking relief through this controversial program.
In February 1994, the program was under fire as the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Public Health Service (PHS) shut down expansion, claiming it sent a “bad signal” to the public. However, with the recent order from Secretary of Health Donna Shalala to review the Compassionate IND, rumors are swirling that the program may soon be open to new applicants.
According to PHS spokesman Bill Grigg, meetings have taken place to discuss the program, but the focus has been on “how to proceed to look at the issue” rather than when or if the program will be reopened. The decision to reopen the program is not an easy one, as it is fraught with political and bureaucratic obstacles. On the other hand, keeping it closed means denying relief to those suffering from conditions such as glaucoma, AIDS, and the side effects of cancer treatment.
So which way will the administration turn? It’s difficult to say. But to understand the gravity of the situation, we must look at the history of the Compassionate IND program and its eventual closure.
In 1972, Robert Randall, a speech writer from Washington, was diagnosed with glaucoma – a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness. Despite being on standard medical treatment, Randall’s condition continued to worsen. In 1973, he turned to marijuana, which he had used in the past, and found that it helped alleviate his symptoms. He began growing his own supply and was arrested in 1975.
It was then that Randall discovered that both NIDA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had information on the use of marijuana for glaucoma treatment and that NIDA even grew marijuana for research purposes. In December 1975, Randall sued the government for access to marijuana as a medical treatment and won. This led to the creation of the Compassionate IND program, which allowed Randall and a few other individuals to legally access government-grown marijuana for medical purposes.
However, in 1992, the program was shut down by the PHS, citing concerns about sending a “bad signal” to the public. This decision left many individuals without access to the only treatment that had been effective for their conditions.
Now, with the potential for the program to be reopened, the fate of those seeking relief through medical marijuana hangs in the balance. Will the administration choose to open the doors to the Compassionate IND program once again? Only time will tell.
