cannabisnews.com: Canada's First Cannabis HIV/AIDS Study Suspended Canada's First Cannabis HIV/AIDS Study Suspended Posted by CN Staff on June 19, 2003 at 10:53:44 PT Press Release Source: Canada NewsWire Toronto -- The Community Research Initiative of Toronto (CRIT) today announced the cancellation of the first Canadian study evaluating the therapeutic effects of smoked marijuana, a direct result of Health Canada's decision not to renew funding for this groundbreaking project. This study was to have assessed whether smoking cannabis can alleviate the debilitating nausea and weight loss experienced by many persons living with HIV/AIDS. Research was to have begun this spring as a pilot study in Toronto, involving a total of 32 individuals. "Health Canada has just cancelled funding of an important, groundbreaking research project," explained Derek Thaczuk, Chair of the CRIT Scientific Committee. "This about-face on its previous commitments has come at the very time the study was about to start enrolling, and at a time when Health Canada itself is proclaiming the need for well-conducted scientific studies of marijuana's health effects." As a not-for-profit, community-based organization, CRIT does not have the resources necessary to continue the cannabis project without funding support from Health Canada. This study represented more than three years of development and planning, not only with Health Canada, but also with the scientific and HIV/AIDS communities. "While the Minister of Health, Anne McLellan, has been publicly supportive of the project, her spoken commitments were not acted upon by those in the Office of Cannabis Medical Access", Thaczuk said. Indeed, the organization's day-to-day relationship with the Federal marijuana program has been characterized by an ongoing series of delays. While CRIT has operated under a policy of providing prompt responses to all requests and inquiries from Health Canada, the flow of communication in the other direction was not nearly as forthcoming. In general, information was either unavailable or was obtained only after repeated and persistent requests. "After a meeting between CRIT and Health Canada at the end of January, our organization was left in the dark for nearly two months," said Thaczuk. "We had no clue about the impending about-face until March 27th, a mere three days before the expiration of the agreement we had been operating under." Certainly, it has become clear that Health Canada is not committed to supporting CRIT in conducting this study. Furthermore, this is consistent with Health Canada's lack of support for community-based research. "While Health Canada has been outwardly supportive of the concept of community-based research ongoing operational funding for our organization has never been available," said Thaczuk. "This has left us so vulnerable to delays in project funding that, even were this study to be renewed months from now, CRIT literally could not survive until then." It is with a considerable concern and disappointment that CRIT has withdrawn from what was the organization's leading role in such research; however the sudden absence of an ongoing funding commitment from Health Canada has left no other option. "Our Board of Directors has made this decision in order to act responsibly and fulfill the obligations and commitments we made in good faith with our staff, the testing laboratories, the hospitals and individuals who have agreed to partner with us in carrying out this important study. It is very unfortunate for all concerned." This outcome is unfortunate for several reasons. It represents the loss of this study's potential to improve the quality of life for those suffering with HIV/AIDS, the hobbling of the first and most groundbreaking of Canada's scientific studies of the medical potential of marijuana, and the write-off of a considerable investment of public funds. Thaczuk concludes: "An incredible amount of time, effort, and money has gone into overcoming legal and regulatory hurdles, ensuring scientific rigor, and painstakingly constructing an infrastructure within which this research can operate. What is most painful is the abandonment of this project just when all of that labour was about to bear fruit. It spells the loss of our investment to date, and the loss of the knowledge that could have been gained. We are bitterly disappointed at losing this project just when the end was in sight." For further information: Derek Thaczuk -- derekt pwatoronto.org -- (647) 223-6400Source: Canada NewsWire (Canada)Published: June 19, 2003Copyright: 2003 Canada NewsWire Ltd.Related Article & Web Site:CRIThttp://www.crit.ca/Canada's First Marijuana Study To Beginhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14393.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by afterburner on June 19, 2003 at 23:04:44 PT: Sounds Like Another "AVRO Arrow"... but in this case the government that commissioned the studies is the Same One that is cancelling them. With the decrim/recrim bill being considered by the Canadian Parliament, Health Canada seems to hope the medical cannabis patients will just go away. I don't think the courts will let the legislature get away with it.ego transcendence follows ego destruction, first, the blade, then, the ear, then, the full "corn" doth appear. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by ekim on June 19, 2003 at 21:20:02 PT cloud remember the meeting of AG it was about the same time ----------We had no clue about the impending about-face until March 27th, a mere three days before the expiration of the agreement we had been operating under----------so how much are they talken about--"An incredible amount of time, effort, and money has gone into overcoming legal and regulatory hurdles, ensuring scientific rigor, and painstakingly constructing an infrastructure within which this research can operate. What is most painful is the abandonment of this project just when all of that labour was about to bear fruit.-------maybe it can be saved if Marc Emery could start a lottery with people all across Canada buying a ticket and the money would go to funding this project. I would love to do the art work on the ticket, they would be a collectors item. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by prop203 on June 19, 2003 at 12:11:04 PT More Thats kinda what im thinking. They know some major changes will take place before the study ends. Posibly changes that make it so we would have no need for the study.PeaceProp203 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dark Star on June 19, 2003 at 12:01:56 PT The Chaos Continues What the hell is going on in the Great White North? Ambivalence? Ignorance? Giving in to the American heavy hand?This kind of chaos is apt to lead the courts to act in a way that will tell them what to do: Legalize It! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by cloud7 on June 19, 2003 at 11:51:22 PT In other news... John Pee W. just returned from a meeting with Health Canada -- Just kidding [ Post Comment ] Post Comment