cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Research Hasn't Created a Buzz





Marijuana Research Hasn't Created a Buzz
Posted by CN Staff on November 15, 2004 at 08:29:44 PT
By Edie Lau - Bee Science Writer 
Source: Sacramento Bee 
Medicinal cannabis studies are going more slowly than expected as the state's voters back stem cell work. California voters' decision this month to pay for embryonic stem cell research isn't the first time the state has stepped in to fill a national funding void for controversial scientific studies.Five years ago, the Legislature created the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research and promised $9 million in support over three years to find out whether marijuana makes good medicine.
To date, researchers have reported little in the way of definitive results. The studies have taken longer than expected to get under way, and data still is being collected and crunched.One clear accomplishment: The center has established enough credibility to become a permanent entity - albeit one without firm prospects for more money."I think the first thing is, we need to help (scientific) investigators complete the studies they're doing," said Dr. Igor Grant, a psychiatry professor at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the cannabis research center."Based on that, if, for example, the investigators found no evidence or extremely weak evidence that marijuana is helpful, I don't think there's a basis to pursue funding for more research."Anecdotes abound on the pain-killing and nausea-quelling properties of the plant Cannabis sativa, commonly known as pot. California is among 10 states with laws allowing the use of mari juana as medicine.The 1999 law creating the research center, authored by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara, was meant to support or disprove the pot-as-medicine claims with hard data. If evidence shows marijuana to be helpful, the center will seek money from federal sources such as the National Institutes of Health, said Andrew Mattison, a center co-director.The federal government doesn't explicitly discourage research on cannabis as medicine, but historically, scientists interested in such studies have believed the research was unwelcome. As a Schedule I drug, marijuana is considered by the national government to have no medical benefit.Dr. Barth Wilsey, a University of California, Davis, pain specialist, said he had heard for years from patients who found relief by smoking marijuana. But he didn't believe he could examine their experiences scientifically. "There have been hindrances to doing this type of work," Wilsey said.Obtaining pot for research is difficult. The only legal source is a small plot in Mississippi grown chiefly to supply the National Institute on Drug Abuse for studies on the addictive and otherwise harmful nature of the plant. This is where the California-funded researchers get their supplies.Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/story/11431646p-12345884c.htmlSource: Sacramento Bee (CA)Author: Edie Lau - Bee Science Writer Published: Monday, November 15, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Sacramento BeeContact: opinion sacbee.comWebsite: http://www.sacbee.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on November 15, 2004 at 15:00:42 PT
HARD data
That's what we need, some firm data.  Hard on drugs. It seems like America is one big hard-on. Maybe they should change the flag to 50 little erections instead of stars.
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Comment #1 posted by Dr Ganj on November 15, 2004 at 11:03:33 PT
Awesome Buds Are Here In Oakland
"Obtaining pot for research is difficult. The only legal source is a small plot in Mississippi grown chiefly to supply the National Institute on Drug Abuse for studies on the addictive and otherwise harmful nature of the plant. This is where the California-funded researchers get their supplies."Right there is where the problem is. Their schwag couldn't get a rat buzzed, let alone an adult human writhing in pain.
The researchers need to acquire their high-grade marijuana from growers in northern California who supply the real deal to the cannabis clubs. When this occurs, the reality of the efficacy of medical marijuana will be substantiated once and for all.
All of us who supply and run the cannabis clubs know it works, and we all just shake our heads whenever we read how the researchers can't get legal access to superior buds.
Our government knows their pot is pure dung, and they've prevented all efforts of others trying to supply real medical-grade buds. How frustrating for so many, but it's no surprise coming from this administration. 
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