cannabisnews.com: Myths About Medical Marijuana

Myths About Medical Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on March 27, 2004 at 18:18:29 PT
By Dr. Joycelyn Elders
Source: Providence Journal

Little Rock -- The Rhode Island General Assembly is now considering legislation to permit the medical use of marijuana by seriously ill patients whose physicians have recommended it.This sensible, humane bill deserves swift passage. The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day.
But right now, Rhode Island law subjects seriously ill patients to the threat of arrest and jail for simply trying to relieve some of their misery. There is no good reason that sick people should face such treatment.Still, foes of the medical-marijuana bill keep raising objections. So let's look at their arguments, one by one:"There is no evidence that marijuana is a medicine." The truth: The medical literature on marijuana goes back 5,000 years. In a 1999 study commissioned by the White House, the Institute of Medicine reported, "nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety . . . all can be mitigated by marijuana." In its April 2003 issue, the British medical journal The Lancet reported that marijuana relieves pain in virtually every test that scientists use to measure pain relief."The medical community doesn't support this; just a bunch of drug legalizers do." The truth: Numerous medical and public-health organizations support legal access to medical marijuana. National groups include the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Public Health Association and the American Nurses Association. Regional groups include the New York State Association of County Health Officials, the California Medical Association and the Rhode Island Medical Society.I know of no medical group that believes that jailing sick and dying people is good for them. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/elders.htmSource: Providence Journal, The (RI)Author: Dr. Joycelyn EldersPublished: Friday, March 26, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Providence Journal CompanyContact: letters projo.comWebsite: http://www.projo.com/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #6 posted by BigDawg on March 28, 2004 at 06:10:01 PT
Canned for advocating rational discussion...
Dr. Elders was one of the few people in recent American history in a gov't position who advocated rational discussion of taboo topics... and as a result she was canned.But that's America for ya....
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Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on March 28, 2004 at 04:07:40 PT
Elders deserves much respect
Joycelyn Elders was practically shouted down for recommending a discussion:from http://jogin.com/weblog/archives/000077/"According to former surgeon general Joycelyn Elders, US officials don't want to hear, much less discuss, any other method than the one they are presently pursuing.In 1991, Joycelyn Elders dared to suggest legalization might reduce crime. Critics almost immediately called for her resignation. "How can you ever fix anything if you can't even talk about it?" Elders says. abcnews.com"
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Comment #4 posted by E_Johnson on March 27, 2004 at 19:51:40 PT
She mentioned the "L" word under Clinton
One of the public snafus she got into before she was fired for suggesting teens use masturbation as a substitute for intercourse was when she used the "L" word.
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Comment #3 posted by OverwhelmSam on March 27, 2004 at 18:51:51 PT:

Amazing Composure
If you didn't read the whole article, read the rest of the article. Very sound reasoning that should be echoed throughout the marijuana reform movement. Is she calling the marijuana prohibitionists - liars?Never expected to see something like this to come from Dr. Elders.
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