cannabisnews.com: Unorthodox Uses for Medicinal Marijuana





Unorthodox Uses for Medicinal Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on February 23, 2004 at 07:35:31 PT
By Daniel Costello, Special to The Times
Source: Los Angeles Times 
Buoyed by a recent federal court decision, a small but growing number of California doctors are treating patients with marijuana for a host of medical conditions, including some controversial ones, such as adult depression and attention deficit disorder in children. Experts say most of these doctors are recommending medicinal marijuana only for the treatment of conditions for which there is some scientific research supporting its benefit: pain management, glaucoma and as an appetite enhancer for cancer and AIDS patients. But others already are raising concerns about doctors who recommend marijuana for purposes for which there is little or no science demonstrating its effectiveness.
It is common for doctors to use medications to treat "off-label" conditions for which the drug is not approved. However, some experts are concerned that patients using marijuana for unorthodox treatments may not be receiving medications proven to be effective. Doctors are split about the overall safety of using marijuana. Some consider it extremely safe, noting that an estimated one-third of U.S. adults have tried it, with few reported medical complications. Others, however, contend that smoking marijuana may be as harmful as tobacco, doing more harm than good."Marijuana shows encouraging results in some areas like pain management and nausea. But there is little evidence to suggest it has any benefit beyond a few defined areas," says Igor Grant, director of the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research in San Diego. Physicians who recommend cannabis insist its health benefits are plentiful, and they advise patients to use it only after other medications and treatment have failed.Note: The drug is being recommended by some doctors for conditions such as depression and ADD. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/unorthodox.htm Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author:  Daniel Costello, Special to The TimesPublished: February 23, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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