cannabisnews.com: Legalize Pain Relief for Cancer Patients 





Legalize Pain Relief for Cancer Patients 
Posted by CN Staff on January 24, 2004 at 19:58:43 PT
Editorial
Source: Wisconsin State Journal 
Give state Rep. Gregg Underheim credit for courage and compassion. The Oshkosh Republican has broken with party leaders to endorse marijuana for cancer pain relief - a position that makes more sense every day. Underheim changed his mind the hard way: through a battle with prostate cancer. It was while he was waiting for test results that would show whether the cancer had spread (it had not) that he started thinking about chemotherapy patients, and how many claim the use of marijuana combats chemo's attendant nausea and loss of appetite.
Underheim knows the odds are stacked against him. The State Medical Society opposes medicinal marijuana, arguing that its medical efficacy has not been proven and that there are legal ways for cancer patients to obtain marijuana's active ingredients without smoking a joint. However, anecdotal evidence from patients who've tried synthetic marijuana say it doesn't work as well as old-fashioned Maui wowie. If there is insufficient evidence whether marijuana works, the medical community is at least partly to blame for not pushing the government to conduct comprehensive tests. It's not as if this is a new issue. Underheim is right that "the public is much more comfortable with this than policy makers are now." Wisconsin policy makers are behind the times. Ten states have already approved the use of medical marijuana for patients suffering from terminal illnesses and certain other debilitating diseases; it's time Wisconsin took the same small step toward easing pain and suffering. Federal drug authorities are fighting the medicinal marijuana movement. The feds argue the state medical marijuana laws interfere with enforcement of federal drug laws. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled recently that the feds cannot punish doctors for recommending marijuana to their ill patients. Other Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin should show the same courage and compassion as Underheim, and agree to co-sponsor his bill. The medical marijuana issue deserves a public hearing and, given the lack of alternative treatment for patients, prompt legislative passage. Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)Published: January 24, 2004Copyright: 2004 Madison Newspapers, Inc.Contact: wsjopine madison.comWebsite: http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Is My Medicine Legal Yet? http://immly.org/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmProf is Proof That Drug Laws Need Change http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18079.shtmlCancer Changes Lawmaker's Mind on Drughttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18075.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #6 posted by yippierevolutionary on January 25, 2004 at 05:46:12 PT
I think he still drinks too
I downloaded a video from the smokinggun I think of Bush at a wedding in 91 where he looks tanked.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by yippierevolutionary on January 25, 2004 at 05:44:17 PT
Your all on dope!
"Colin Powel just had a battle with cancer
If only he were as courageous and compassionate as Underheim."Colin Powel is a company man. He might have used cannabis therapy secretly.I think George Bush still does blow. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on January 25, 2004 at 05:01:34 PT
Tell him how you feel
Rep. Underheim needs to hear from his constituents that he has their support.
Gregg Underheim contact info
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Taylor121 on January 24, 2004 at 22:01:58 PT:
The reasons that full marijuana is necessary
What about marinol as a synthetic substitute to marijuana? Isn’t that safer and better? I will describe below substantial evidence to the contrary and the reasoning for supporting the medical use of marijuana in its full herbal form. Keep in mind that marinol only contains one chemical component of marijuana, and that is D-9-THC.Marijuana contains over 400 different chemical compounds in it. At least 66 are unique to the plant, and have earned the name "cannabinoids." Some of the major cannabinoids found in marijuana are D-8-THC, D-9-THC, cannabinol, and cannabidol. I'll concentrate on the latter. Cannabidiol has been found to help people with dystonia disorder, Huntington's Disease, epilepsy, sleeping, Tourette Syndrome, Dyskinetic syndrome, stroke, and psychotic activity. Cannabidiol has also been found blocking of effects of THC, which included increased pulse rate, disturbed time tasks, and psychological reactions. It also decreased the anxiety from THC. Cannabidiol is apparently not psychoactive. Again, Marinol does not contain cannabidiol. Smoked marijuana can provide relief from ailments almost immediately. Marinol can take from 30 to 90 minutes (or even longer, this can vary from person to person). For some individuals who are suffering from nausea, the act of swallowing a pill can induce vomiting. So smoking (or vaporization) might be the only way they can use the drug.Another issue is metabolization. When someone swallows Marinol, the THC gets metabolized into 11-OH-THC, which is more psychoactive than THC. Keep in mind there is no cannabidiol in Marinol, so side effects from THC such as anxiety can be more extreme in Marinol than marijuana. The majority of patients and doctors admit that marijuana in its herbal form is a better treatment option than marinol could ever be. It has been found that taking out all the other components of cannabis and only using one component isn’t nearly as effective as all of them together. http://www.one-revolution.com
One-Revolution
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by ekim on January 24, 2004 at 20:31:26 PT
ck out a most wonderful quilt.
Just on ch 366 on dir tv that canada police raided a news ladys home and went thru her belongings for sorce of leak about something.
 did any one hear what Toronto police were said to have done something wrong last night on NPR. this was a email i got. This morning I had a dream which gave me this idea: each one of us is 
part of many potenially globe spanning quilts, and the needlework is 
our connections with each other. To some degree, by our vision and 
our connections we can choose which quilts we want to be pieces of. 
The vision I have of the quilt which I am holding in my mind and 
heart is this one: http://www.labyrinthonline.com/djk_quilt.html I'd 
like to see others who want to be part of the vision for this global 
quilt for peace share the idea and pictures of the quilt with others 
around the world so that we can see in our minds that we are part of 
a bigger picture and have a clearer sense of what that picture looks 
like on some level. I hope you'll pass on the vision and be part of 
the quilt.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on January 24, 2004 at 20:05:26 PT
Colin Powel just had a battle with cancer
If only he were as courageous and compassionate as Underheim.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment