cannabisnews.com: Drug Czar Proven Wrong!





Drug Czar Proven Wrong!
Posted by FoM on March 19, 1999 at 13:36:03 PT
Marijuana Policy Project Report!
The IOM report was hailed by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the seriously ill people MPP represents. "The scientific evidence in the IOM report shows that marijuana is a relatively safe and effective medicine for many patients," said Chuck Thomas, co-director of MPP, an advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. 
 The long-awaited Institute of Medicine (IOM) report presents ample scientific evidence confirming that marijuana has therapeutic value for patients with certain conditions. IOM is a private, non-profit organization that was commissioned two years ago by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to perform a "comprehensive review" of marijuana's medical benefits and health effects   The IOM report provides a blueprint for additional research into marijuana's medical uses. The report also recommends that while new drug development proceeds, seriously ill people should have legal access to marijuana in the meantime. "We acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting," the IOM report states on page ES.9.   "For patients who do not respond well to other medications, short-term marijuana use appears to be suitable in treating conditions like chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, or the wasting caused by AIDS," said IOM co-principal investigator John Benson, dean of the Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine, in IOM's news release.   The report's findings debunk the claims of ONDCP Director Barry McCaffrey and other federal officials. "There is not a shred of scientific evidence that shows that smoked marijuana is useful or needed," said Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey on August 16, 1996, in The San Francisco Chronicle. In his efforts to oppose the medicinal marijuana initiatives in California and other states, McCaffrey has made dozens of statements that have unequivocally denied marijuana's medical uses.   MPP agrees with the following important findings in the IOM report:Smokable marijuana works as a medicine for some people. Patients are already using medicinal marijuana despite its illegality. Marijuana does not present significant health risks relative to medicines that are legally available. No evidence was presented in the report that indicates that prison is better for patients than marijuana. While more research should be conducted into marijuana's medical uses, patients should be permitted to use marijuana in the meantime. IOM REPORT HIGHLIGHTS MPP COMMENTARY "One possible approach is to treat patients as n-of-1 clinical trials," whereby patients would be legally permitted to use marijuana, just as thousands of patients were allowed to do in the state-run programs in the early 1980s. [page ES.9] "Clinical trials are one way of giving patients legal access to marijuana, so we wholeheartedly support that," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "We support any policy changes that would protect patients from being arrested for using marijuana for medical purposes." "Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation." [page ES.11] "The report confirms what we have been saying for years - that marijuana has medical properties that are beneficial for some people," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "Except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications." [page ES.6] "This report effectively debunks the government's favorite marijuana myths," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "The report shows that using marijuana does not actually cause hard drug use, and it is not seriously addictive." "Smoked marijuana should generally not be recommended for long-term medical use." [page ES.8] "Of course, smoke is not a preferred delivery system, especially for long-term use," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "But the report does not oppose short-term use, or use in special circumstances. Plus, many patients eat marijuana." "It will likely be many years before a safe and effective cannabinoid delivery system, such as an inhaler, will be available for patients. In the meantime, there are patients with debilitating symptoms for whom smoked marijuana might provide relief." [page ES.8] "The FDA could very well approve individual cannabinoids or a marijuana inhaler in 10 or 15 years," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "IOM has also recommended that we find a way to provide marijuana to seriously ill patients in the meantime. We agree." Nothing in the report endorsed the federal laws and the laws of 46 states that presently subject marijuana-using patients to arrest. "Because IOM was not allowed to discuss criminal penalties, the report's calls for 'more research' should not be construed as opposing our efforts to change the laws," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "Alternatively, it is hard to imagine that IOM would have recommended arresting patients if they were permitted to discuss these laws." IOM's three 2-day workshops heard presentations "mostly from patients and their families about their experiences with and perspectives on the medical use of marijuana." [Preface] "IOM heard from the patients loud and clear," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. MPP arranged for dozens of medicinal marijuana users to testify at the hearings, including all three patients - Greg Scott, Barbara Douglass, and Jim Harden - who are featured on pages 1.16-1.18 of the IOM report. http://www.mpp.org/
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