cannabisnews.com: Federal Agencies Partner To Distribute Marijuana





Federal Agencies Partner To Distribute Marijuana
Posted by FoM on January 09, 2001 at 12:31:57 PT
By Ron Shinkman 
Source: Modern Healthcare
The National Institute of Drug Abuse -- which cultivates marijuana in Mississippi for research purposes -- will provide some 3,600 marijuana cigarettes to 60 AIDS patients in San Mateo County early this year. County health officials will distribute the drug through local clinics to study its effectiveness in alleviating AIDS-related pain in the extremities. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has approved the project and will monitor the research. 
The program makes San Mateo County the first local government in the country to distribute marijuana. Officials say the study is the first logical step toward widespread distribution of the drug for medical purposes. Other county-sponsored programs to study the use of marijuana in alleviating other AIDS-related symptoms are also in the works. "In all the years of studying marijuana for medicinal use, there has not been one community-based outpatient study," said Dennis Israelski, M.D., the chief of infectious diseases and chief research officer for the San Mateo County Hospitals and Clinics. "Given all the potential for both marijuana use and abuse, we have to see if it's even feasible to provide it in an outpatient setting before we invest more time in further research." Although San Mateo County has only 700 AIDS patients and its public health system handles just 200,000 outpatient visits a year, Israelski said its relatively small size makes it flexible and creative enough to tackle such a bold initiative. That the DEA is cooperating with San Mateo County to such an extent represents a significant about-face for the agency. Although nine states have provisions for using medical marijuana, the DEA -- which licenses drug distribution in the U.S. -- has regularly threatened to prosecute any physicians who prescribe or provide the drug to patients. A long treatise on the DEA Web site scoffs at using marijuana for medical use, concluding that "there is not one reliable study that demonstrates marijuana has any medical value." But DEA officials noted in a written statement released to MODERN HEALTHCARE last week that the drug still can be used for approved scientific research. "In the case of the research to be conducted by (San Mateo County), the Food and Drug Administration reviewed the protocol and found it to be scientifically meritorious," the statement declared. Israelski and other public health officials noted that the movement encouraging the use of medical marijuana, fueled by recent studies indicating pot can alleviate symptoms in AIDS and cancer patients, has prompted the DEA to take a hard look at the drug. Along with the San Mateo County study, the National Institutes of Health is underwriting three other projects researching the medical benefits of marijuana. "The political mood of the country has changed," said Mohammad Akhter, M.D., executive director of the American Public Health Association, a Washington-based organization that encourages public health initiatives. "Virtually everything happens in the federal government after the states have taken the initiative on a particular issue. That has happened in this case," he said. In the San Mateo County study, patients will be studied for 12 weeks -- six while smoking marijuana and six marijuana-free. Their use of the drug will be tightly monitored and will include in-home visits from county health officials. Despite the tight regimen, some thorny peripheral issues won't be avoided. For example, only AIDS patients who have smoked marijuana in the past will be eligible to participate. "We don't want to introduce marijuana to someone who hasn't smoked it before," said study coordinator Jonathan Mesinger. Both he and Israelski acknowledge the drug is generally harmful to the respiratory system. That participants will have already been acclimated to the drug raises another conundrum -- government-grown pot is considered to be less potent than street pot. Israelski said participants likely would be smoking pot that's less powerful than what they're accustomed to but dismissed any notion that the factor would skew the results. "Because we're not doing a (medical) efficacy study per se, it's not important," Israelski said. "It will be more important to get feedback on the potency, and see how it might influence how marijuana is grown on government farms." Complete Title: Joint Effort in Calif. is a First: County Health Department, Federal Agencies Partner to Distribute Marijuana to AIDS PatientsNote: The health department in San Mateo County, Calif., has engaged in an unusual partnership with federal research and law enforcement agencies to investigate the feasibility of distributing marijuana on an outpatient basis. Source: Modern HealthcareAuthor: Ron ShinkmanPublished: January 8, 2001 IssueAddress: 740 N. Rush, 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60611 Copyright 1996 - 2001 by Crain Communications, Inc. Contact: MHCEdit aol.com Website: http://www.modernhealthcare.com/Related Articles:Medical Pot To Be Studied in 60 Cases http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7744.shtmlMedical Pot Study Receives Supporthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/5/thread5753.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #11 posted by nl5x on January 12, 2001 at 00:12:54 PT
there is not one reliable study 
A long treatise on the DEA Web site scoffs at using marijuana for medical use, concluding that "there is not one reliable study that demonstrates marijuana has any medical value." On September 6, 1988, the Drug Enforcement Administration's Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, ruled: "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. ...[T]he 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: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22] (September 6, 1988), p. 57.The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care." Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition," [Docket #86-22], (September 6, 1988), p. 57.    Marijuana has been, in fact, never proven to have directly caused any death, according to Drug      Enforcement Administration's Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young. Young's report said         one would have to smoke 1,500 pounds of marijuana (20,000 to 40,000 joints) within about 15 minutes      to overdose on the drug.Medical Marijuana- Master Reference http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/medical_mj.htm
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Comment #10 posted by NiftySplifty on January 10, 2001 at 22:52:26 PT
Put me in for a roller/trimmer.
I figure the trimming would be like a little Bonsai tree. Nice and relaxing. Also, I just need my trusty dollar bill for the rolling. Not too much left, not too much right. Even thumbs, baby. Man, can you imagine what the interview would be like? I realize it would be "Make sure this meter doesn't go above 35PSI", but it would be fun to roll one for your boss, let alone try to IMPRESS him with the roll.Nifty...
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Comment #9 posted by dddd on January 10, 2001 at 18:51:57 PT
Jobs
You got it CS....Let's just hope the feds dont have the bud trimming done my migrant laborers.It might not pay that well.I'm thinking of applying for a position in quality control,or testing,,,heck,I wouldnt even mind workin' the fields.There's nothing that quite compares to walking through a field of prime budding herbage.I'd never be late for work.
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Comment #8 posted by CongressmanSuet on January 10, 2001 at 16:34:55 PT:
Hey, dddd...
    After you have been there a while, you think maybe you could recommend me for a position manicuring the buds?
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Comment #7 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on January 09, 2001 at 17:22:44 PT:
Thanks, Frank
I am not about to give up, and will not do so until clinical cannabis is a reality in this country. Hopefully, it will not stop there either.
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Comment #6 posted by Frank on January 09, 2001 at 17:00:05 PT
Don't Give Up Dr. Russo
Dr. Russo, M.D.:I regret that the government has not allowed you to progress with your studies for the relief of migraines. I know of one case where a woman had such migraines that she had been hospitalized numerous occasions. She found that marijuana stopped her migraines and has had full time employment as a result. The Government is somewhat like the Church in the Dark Ages and will not permit scientific inquiry of taboo subjects. 
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Comment #5 posted by dddd on January 09, 2001 at 15:54:06 PT
federal ID
Yup,,I can see it now.Feds will approve medical marijuana use,but only after they have reviewed the doctors recommendation,and made you apply for a federal ID card so they know who,and where you are,and they will dole out the federally grown weed accordingly. Maybe I could get a job with the federal government rolling federal joints.I've had alot of experience doing it,and I would be happy to test my work often to maintain only the highest quality standards.No seeds or stems,,,,even burning,,,rolled not too tight,but not too loose.I'd select only the finest buds,,,no leaf,or shake......Maybe I should send in a resume?......dddd
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Comment #4 posted by military officer guy on January 09, 2001 at 15:33:42 PT
that won't work
ddddif you're right, that will NOT solve the black market problem that we currently face...people will want a better supply so they will go to the streets again...we can win this war...
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Comment #3 posted by dddd on January 09, 2001 at 13:53:22 PT
good and bad
 While this may seem to be a good thing,it also has a bit of a bad smell to it. It may be getting us used to the idea,that when the feds finally have to give in,they will do so,but only for marijuana that they supply.It will remain against federal law to grow your own.In this way,they will be able to maintain strict control over who legally smokes,how much they smoke,etc.....dddd
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Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on January 09, 2001 at 13:03:53 PT:
Welcome, but Long Overdue
I am glad this is happening, but it should not be confined to desperate diseases. NIDA showed no inclination to allow my migraine studies.  I would love to see studies approved with vaporizers. Unfortunately, this would require not only NIDA approval of the low-grade cannabis, but also FDA approval of the vaporizer as a new medical device. The studies would also have to include biophysical studies, animal toxicity studies, etc. In other words, many years and tremendous costs would be necessary to gain approval.
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Comment #1 posted by sm247 on January 09, 2001 at 12:45:04 PT
Thank God 
Thank God they figured it out finaly ..."The political mood of the country has changed," said Mohammad Akhter, M.D., executive director of the American Public Health Association, a Washington-based organization that encourages public health initiatives. 
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