Marijuana-based drug could get FDA approval [WGRZ]

Richard D. Blondell, MD, professor of family medicine and vice chair of addiction medicine, talks about a new marijuana-based drug to help children battling severe forms of epilepsy that is one step closer to FDA approval. Blondell is hopeful that after 40 years of testing the FDA will approve a cannabis-based oil to treat two rare forms of the disease. "What we really need to do is reclassify marijuana and turn the drug companies loose on it so they can begin to isolate these chemicals, study it and find drugs that might help with chronic pain, depression, sleep disorders, seizures, but I think we need to do it in a measured, scientific, medical way, and not some, on a political whim," he said.