The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that scientific research fails to support the medical use of marijuana.

Forgive the skepticism, but why now, seven years after the National Academy of Sciences found marijuana rather, "well suited for particular conditions," should Americans question the legitimate uses of the drug?

What's more, the FDA, according to an April 21 New York Times report, does not plan to regulate the states that already have legalized medical marijuana laws on the books. Despite a Supreme Court ruling last year that grants the federal government power to override state laws and arrest anyone using marijuana. Pardon the observation, but this situation is a mess.

On the one hand, there is the bureaucratic FDA, which is furnishing reports that say marijuana does not ease sufferers' pain. Meanwhile, the land's highest court is bolstering the same view but no one is enforcing these positions.

The only thing happening as a result is the erosion of the states' prerogative to craft legislation. The court's ruling maintains that marijuana use, even for medicinal purposes, is prohibited, so states do not have the ability to pass legislation on this issue.

Of course, Americans are left scratching their heads because many doctors and even the National Academy of Sciences, a national committee designed to serve the public by bringing together experts from various scientific fields, say, if used properly, medical marijuana eases the pain caused by chemotherapy, glaucoma and AIDS.

The FDA's announcement smacks of politics. How so? The FDA lets word out that it thinks using medical marijuana is scientifically untenable, then a gaggle of legislators cry foul, appealing for a crackdown; they'll earn their sound byte.

The FDA should focus on which foods and drugs are safe for Americans. It should not deliberately spark political debates over what is beneficial to Americans. Candid observers will note that this is what the agency is effectively doing.

Candid observers will also think twice about swallowing the agency's conclusions.