cannabisnews.com: The Medical Use of Marijuana The Medical Use of Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on June 30, 2004 at 18:16:25 PT By News-Medical.Net Source: News-Medical The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Bush administration's appeal against a ruling that protects the medical use of marijuana in California from federal prosecution. The hearing is set down for October of this year with a final ruling by June of 2005.Some Medical Marijuana Facts: The medical use of marijuana enjoys wide public support. More than 70% of respondents to recent surveys agree that marijuana should be available medically. Sources: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. Feb. 14-19, 2001 and The Gallup Poll. March 19-21, 1999.Marijuana is safe. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young stated in his 1988 ruling, “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. [The] provisions of the [Controlled Substances] Act permit and require the transfer of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance.” Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition. (September 6, 1988) Docket #86-22. p. 57.Marijuana can be used to treat a variety of conditions. Approved by approved voter initiative in 1998, the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act allows for the use of marijuana to treat cancer, glaucoma, AIDS/HIV, cachexia, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures (epilepsy), and persistent muscle spasms (Multiple Sclerosis). Currently, more than 300 Oregon physicians participate in this program. A blue ribbon panel of physicians, nurses, and patients appointed to review new indications added agitation from Alzheimer’s Disease to this list in July 2000. Source: Oregon Department of Human Services, Medical Marijuana Program. -- http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/hclc/mm/Smoked marijuana is effective. Evaluation of controlled studies conducted in six different U.S. states indicates that smoked marijuana is 70-100% effective in controlling the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and substantially outperformed the synthetic THC capsule (Marinol®) and other commonly prescribed antiemetics. Source: Musty, Richard E. and Rita Rossi. “Effects of Smoked Cannabis and Oral D9 –Tetrahydrocannabinol on Nausea and Emesis after Cancer Chemotherapy: A Review of State Clinical Trials.” Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics (2001): Vol. 1, p. 29.Marijuana is not a “gateway” drug. According to the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, “There is no evidence that marijuana serves as a stepping stone [to other drugs of abuse] on the basis of its particular physiological effect…It does not appear to be a gateway drug to the extent that it is the cause or even that it is the most significant predictor of serious drug abuse.” Source: Joy, Janet E., Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base for the Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Institute of Medicine. (Washington DC: National Academy Press, 1999), Chapter 3, pp. 98-100.Medical groups support marijuana. Numerous prestigious medical organizations support access to medical marijuana. These include American Academy of Family Physicians, American Preventive Medical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Lymphoma Foundation of America, National Association of People with AIDS, National Women’s Health Network, and the New England Journal of Medicine. Source: Patients out of Time -- http://www.medicalcannabis.com/Marijuana should be made available to sick people. As Tennessee State Senator Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) put it, “If people need pain relief, then they ought to have anything that God has provided on this earth to help.” Source: Editorial, “Testing Medical Marijuana Urged,” Chattanooga (Tennessee) Times & Free Press, April 12, 2001.Please see -- http://ohiopatient.net -- for more Medical Marijuana Analysis. Source: News-Medical (US)Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 Contact: editor news-medical.net Website: http://www.news-medical.net/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Raich vs. Ashcroft http://www.angeljustice.org/Angel Raich v. John Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmProtecting Patients' Rights http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19104.shtmlCourt To Decide if Anti-Drug Laws Apply http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19095.shtmlSupreme Court Justices To Decide MMJ Disputehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19094.shtmlKey Medical Pot Case To Be Heardhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19092.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Jose Melendez on July 01, 2004 at 04:51:18 PT hope for the future(s) from: http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2004/mft04063014.htm OUR TAKE: Lion's Gate on Fire June 30, 2004 Some of the greatest works in literature and cinema make veiled statements about problems in current society by looking at a futuristic nightmare world, such as 1984, Metropolis, and Blade Runner. Of course, there are no hidden messages in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911; he is like Guy Montag, the lead character in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, who instead of burning books, likes to burn Bush. And he is burning up the box office -- the top draw over the weekend, at $23.9 million -- which makes his distributor, Lion's Gate (AMEX: LGF), very happy.Yesterday, Lion's Gate released its earnings report. The company sustained a loss of $94.2 million for the year (ended March 31), primarily from the costs of its acquisition of Artisan Entertainment, as well as increased marketing expenses. The company did increase its revenue guidance to $680 million for fiscal 2005, up from $650 million. Free cash flow is expected to be roughly $80 million.Some are speculating that Fahrenheit 911could reach $100 million in sales. (snip)In the land of entertainment giants, Lion's Gate has done an incredible job in building an entertainment powerhouse. The film library has approximately 8,000 titles, and the company has also produced successful cable series, such as The Dead Zone. Lion's Gate has also struck innovative deals. Look at the recent alliance with Marvel Enterprises (NYSE: MVL), in which both companies will develop direct-to-DVD animated movies. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on June 30, 2004 at 19:49:08 PT Regulate------------------------------------- dam this is a good one. hats off to the writer for all the facts and places to look them up. The writings of Judge Young must be remembered in the video and DVDs. ck out another Judge Young who is against mandatory sentencing. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19045.shtml Boston -- In a scathing criticism of the system used to punish federal crimes, a judge on Monday called the government's sentencing guidelines unconstitutional, saying they unfairly limit the authority of judges. In a series of drug cases, U.S. District Judge William Young said the guidelines put too much power in the hands of prosecutors and give judges too little discretion in sentencing. Jose i heard that Lions Gate the company that took the heat and sent out nineoneone -- sports the maple leaf and got a bump in stock today. Maybe Jack Cole could get a face to face with the highly intelligent person that called the shots. http://www.leap.cc [ Post Comment ] Post Comment