The Drug War is Such a Violent Failure, the Surgeon General is Speaking Up for the First Time EverBy Justin Gardner Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, the nations top public health official, will be presenting the state of the science on substance use, addiction and health, in the first-ever report from that office. Its time for us to have a conversation in this country thats based on facts; A conversation thats based on medicine and science. Which is why Im proud to announce that next year, I will be releasing the first-ever Surgeon Generals Report on substance use, addiction, and health. Were going to look at the best science on everything, from heroin and marijuana, to alcohol and prescription opioids. The reports broad scope will look at the impact of all drugs, legal and illicit, with the goal of capturing the current landscape of the impact of alcohol and drug issues on health to work toward prevention, treatment and recovery. The Surgeon Generals report will also address ethical, legal and policy issues, and those conclusions will be eagerly awaited by those who are fighting to end the senseless, immoral War on Drugs. Areas of focus in the report may include the history of the prevention, treatment, and recovery fields; components of the substance use continuum (i.e., prevention, treatment, and recovery); epidemiology of substance use, misuse, and substance use disorders; etiology of substance misuse and related disorders; neurobiological base of substance misuse and related disorders; risk and protective factors; application of scientific research in the field, including methods, challenges, and current and future directions; social, economic, and health consequences of substance misuse; co-occurrence of substance use disorders and other diseases and disorders; the state of health care access and coverage as it relates to substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery; integration of substance use disorders, mental health, and physical health care in clinical settings; national, state, and local initiatives to assess and improve the quality of care for substance misuse and related disorders; organization and financing of prevention, treatment, and recovery services within the health care system; ethical, legal, and policy issues; and potential future directions. The Surgeon General will undoubtedly confirm the preponderance of scientific evidence that has emerged on the medical benefits of cannabis. We have reported extensively on the various ways in which cannabis provides treatment for illnesses, both physical and mental. This should utterly demolish the federal classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug with no currently accepted medical use. The fact that 23 states in the U.S. have recognized the benefits of medical cannabis, legalizing its use, should be reason enough to invalidate the Schedule 1 classification. A landmark study presented at the American Epilepsy Society showed the astonishing effectiveness of the cannabis extract cannabidiol (CBD) for treating epilepsy. The National Cancer Institute admitted that cannabis kills cancer cells. People use cannabis to treat a variety of conditions that arise from inflammation, such as Crohns disease and nerve pain, yet are being arrested for it and having their kids taken away. We can only hope that the Surgeon Generals report serves to cure the primitive mindsets that still inhabit government, such as DEA chief Chuck Rosenberg who said medical cannabis is a joke.Tell that to the countless children whose lives have been saved by this incredible plant. To the drug warriors child suffering is a joke. In the broader sense, the report should serve as a catalyst for government to change its stance on drug use and addiction. Instead of criminalizing this behaviorthrowing people in jail, ruining lives and breaking up familiesdrug abuse should be treated by physicians and addiction centers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presented data on drug overdose death rates from 2001-2014, and it does not look good. Prescription drug overdose deaths have nearly tripled since 2001 Opioid overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled since 2001 Benzodiazepine overdose deaths have increased by more than 600% since 2001 Cocaine overdose deaths are up 42% since 2001 Heroin overdose deaths are up nearly 500% since 2001 In addition to this, alcohol is killing Americans at a rate not seen in at least 35 yearsincreasing 37 percent since 2002. These deaths are from causes such as alcohol poisoning and cirrhosis, and do not include deaths from drunk driving and other accidents. Contrast these statistics with cannabis, which has caused zero overdose deaths and causes virtually no driving impairment. Clearly, the U.S. governments approach to drugs is a failure. The criminalization of certain drugs, and the complicity in the use of alcohol and prescription pills, has only exacerbated the problem of abuse to epidemic proportions.Portugal, which took the opposite approach in 2001 by decriminalizing all drugs, has seen a drastic decline in drug use, overdoses and crime. If the scientific input of the Surgeon General has any influence on governments approach, we should move rapidly toward ending prohibition so drug abuse can be properly addressed. It will also highlight the fact that cannabis has potent medical benefits and causes no overdose deaths, which by any logic should bring decriminalization and freedom to Americans who use this plant. Justin Gardner writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com I do not plan to hold my breath to see if the report actually contains factual information, or is just one more official avoidance of facts and practical experience. We are long overdue for the Surgeon Generals office to enter into the discussion of health care and its relationship to law enforcement. The government, through its police apparatus should not be involved in any aspect of health care or access to medications. I hope the Surgeon General will agree. The choice of medication and care for illness is between the physician and the patient and no one else. I hope some sanity will come of this latest turn of the War On Drugs that is turning this country inside out. doubtful if they declare the war on drugs over. More likely cannabis will become illegal. No government has the authority to block people from using any medicine that the person wishes to use. 