cannabisnews.com: Doctor Remembers His Medical Marijuana Experience





Doctor Remembers His Medical Marijuana Experience
Posted by FoM on March 27, 2001 at 23:52:36 PT
By Geraldine Sealey
Source: ABCNews
When Dan Shapiro was diagnosed with Hodgkins' disease in 1987, he called a friend who had also battled cancer. His friend's advice, Shapiro says, came in a six-word package: "Cancer is grim, man, get weed."Shapiro, who was 20 at the time, immediately announced to his parents that he was going to buy marijuana to help him cope with the pain and nausea he knew was in store from his treatments.
They were shocked and dismayed. "My parents were vehemently against drugs," he says.But his mother gave him $40 for his purchase, and was even more shocked and dismayed when she saw the small patch of marijuana her son brought home."She said, 'where's the rest of it?'" Shapiro says.His mother, an avid gardener, decided to look past the law — the family lived in Connecticut, which had no medicinal marijuana law — as well as her objections to drug use and help her son get a more affordable stash. She took the seeds and grew the marijuana herself, in her own garden.Shapiro, who's been in remission for nine years, said the marijuana helped him stay functional despite the notoriously-debilitating chemotherapy. He wrote about his experiences in his recent book Mom's Marijuana (Harmony, 2000). An 'Absurd' Ban:Now, Shapiro works as a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Arizona Cancer Center and says he can't understand the logic of those who oppose the medicinal use of marijuana."To us, it's absurd, given the available medicines that physicians have in their arsenals that are far more biologically addictive, such as morphine, Valium, and Percocet," he said.Those who oppose the medicinal use of marijuana often point to its reputation as a "gateway" drug, meaning users will get hooked on drug use and move onto more serious and harmful drugs.Advocates of medicinal marijuana say the drug provides a much-needed therapy for patients suffering from cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraines and other illnesses.The National Institute of Medicine recently agreed that marijuana can be helpful for people with AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy, in part because the drug helps ease anxiety, stimulate appetite, relieve pain and calm nausea and vomiting.Medical officials also warn that smoking marijuana can cause respiratory disease and throat and lung irritation. The Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Collective recommends patients use water pipes or vaporizers instead of smoking joints. Complete Title: Thanks, Mom: Doctor Remembers His Medicinal Marijuana ExperienceSource: ABC NewsAuthor: Geraldine SealeyPublished: March 28, 2001Copyright: 2001 ABC News Internet VenturesWebsite: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Contact: http://www.abcnews.go.com/service/help/abccontact.htmlRelated Articles & Web Sites:Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Co-op: http://www.rxcbc.org/USA V. OCBC & Jeffrey Jones: http://www.druglibrary.org/ocbc/Court To Look At Marijuana Dispense: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9180.shtmlCourt Weighs Exception To Marijuana Ban: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9175.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by Robbie on March 28, 2001 at 08:36:28 PT
Throwing a bone...
I was amenable to calling this piece balanced and straightforward until I got to this:Those who oppose the medicinal use of marijuana often point to its reputation as a "gateway" drug, meaning users will get hooked on drug use and move onto more serious and harmful drugs.The first part of that sentence makes sense, in that the reporter wishes to balance her piece. In the second sentence, the reporter is guilty of so much drug war disinformation propaganda. She doesn't say outright that marijuana is addicting, because she knows she'd probably get flak from somewhere. She says that marijuana=drug use=addiction=ruin and depravity.This is by no means a paean to the Reform community for the tripe that was the Nightline: Traffic series. It is, in fact, a story that perpetuates so much myth and ignorance.
March for Marijuana! We are everywhere!
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Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on March 28, 2001 at 05:10:00 PT:
Read the Book
Shapiro's book is an eloquent testimony to the utility of clinical cannabis. If it were made into a TV movie with Tom Hanks as Shapiro, and Renee Zellweger as his wife, the game would be over: Point, set and match.
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Comment #1 posted by Dan B on March 28, 2001 at 01:12:14 PT:
Peace Offering?
Maybe this is ABC News's way of saying "sorry" for last week's debacle that was Nightline. This is actually a pretty good endorsement for the Oakland Cannabis Club's arguments.Dan B
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