cannabisnews.com: Physician Group Urges Research On Marijuana





Physician Group Urges Research On Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on February 26, 2008 at 05:39:30 PT
By Julia Harte
Source: Daily Pennsylvanian
Pennsylvania --- The second largest group of physicians in the United States sees evidence that marijuana can relieve severe pain and supports its medicinal use, according to a recently issued position paper.This paper from the Philadelphia-based American College of Physicians urges the federal government to acknowledge and sanction research into the plant's medicinal uses.
The federal government currently classifies marijuana as a drug with "no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision," according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy's Web site.But a 1999 Institute of Medicine study - conducted at the ONDCP's behest - found that "scientific studies support medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States."The ACP paper "builds very substantially on that report," said ACP President David Dale. "We're just supporting good science."In light of marijuana's scientifically demonstrated therapeutic properties, the ACP paper urges the government to reclassify the plant.Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, lauded the ACP. "They are pointing out some very important problems with government policy that have long needed to be pointed out," he said. "The federal government has essentially been lying to us."Twelve states already allow marijuana to be used medicinally, and the ACP paper further advocates that the federal government not penalize physicians who prescribe medical marijuana - or patients who use it - as their state permits.Many potential medicinal uses of cannabinoids, the chemical compounds that make up marijuana, may be yet undiscovered, according to the ACP paper. However, the authors say, research is often hampered by the federal government's refusal to acknowledge the medicinal properties of marijuana."Drug discovery is a very important part of modern society," Dale said.Mirken agreed and added that scientists have already deemed marijuana a safe and effective pain reliever. "So the ACP is asking the 21st-century questions, while our government is stuck in 1937," he said.The ACP paper also calls for more research into the best dosage and mode of ingesting the herb, "for conditions where the efficacy of marijuana has been established."Those conditions include loss of appetite, nausea, convulsions and extreme nerve pain - the kind suffered by victims of AIDS and multiple sclerosis.According to Mirken, nerve pain is particularly resistant to the existing legal pain relievers. Those options "don't work for everybody, and they don't work for every condition," he said.The ONDCP, which has been critical of the ACP paper, did not return repeated calls for comment for this article.Source: Daily Pennsylvanian, The (U of PA, Edu)Author: Julia HartePublished: February 26, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Daily PennsylvanianContact:  letters dailypennsylvanian.comWebsite: http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Doctors: Ease Penalties for Medical Use, Researchhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23691.shtmlDoctors Group Backs Marijuana for Medical Useshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23690.shtmlPhysicians Group Urges Easing of Ban on Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23686.shtml 
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Comment #21 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 27, 2008 at 08:59:58 PT:
San Francisco Resolution
SF: RESOLUTION CONDEMNS DEA LETTERS TO MARIJUANA DISPENSARY LANDLORDSSAN FRANCISCO (BCN)The San Francisco Board of Supervisors today passed a resolution condemning federal authorities for sending letters to landlords of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, notifying them of the possibility of imprisonment and seizure of their property.The resolution was approved this afternoon by a 7 to 2 vote.The resolution calls the letters - issued in December by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to about 50 Northern California landlords, some in San Francisco --"misguided and sensationally threatening harassment."
complete article
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Comment #20 posted by Paint with light on February 26, 2008 at 13:20:22 PT
The "Doors" of perception
I've got alternative lyrics running in my mind.Are we "riders" on the storm or "writers" on the storm?Dom tee dom dom dom.Pot, safer than most water supplies.
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 08:40:39 PT
Ripit...
Here's your uniform and gas mask... this storm really stinks!Be careful. To the rescue!
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Comment #18 posted by ripit on February 26, 2008 at 08:29:05 PT:
i would be
proud to be a member of the storm crew!
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Comment #17 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 08:14:26 PT
We're the "Storm Crew"
I can see the lead in to a TV series or movie.Crazed prohibitionist/preventionists/enforcers creating mayhem and misery on every hand... and out of the darkness "The Storm Crew" emerges, very photogenic heroes, by the way, in all it's austere and beautiful glory, to save humanity from the devastation. Yeah!
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Comment #16 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 08:13:40 PT
You're right, Hope, Prohibition IS a Storm.
And we are the Crew (the people), trying to convince the insane Captain (the government) to sail away from the storm, instead of with it.Yeah, I'm part of the Storm Crew, too, hoping everyone will join the mutiny.
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 08:10:02 PT
Potent Stuff
I even visualized white "Storm Rescue" uniforms.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 08:08:35 PT
Comment #10
Potent stuff!
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on February 26, 2008 at 08:07:57 PT
Sinsemilla Jones
Keep up the good work. 
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 08:07:47 PT
Lol!
Sensimilla in the morning! What a way to start the day!
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Comment #11 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 08:00:06 PT
Your Welcome FoM!
All this good news is making me giddy!
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Comment #10 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 07:57:17 PT
Hope!
I've never seen some one get so much from a typo!
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on February 26, 2008 at 07:57:00 PT
Sinsemilla Jones
Thanks for making me laugh! I needed that!
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Comment #8 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 07:55:34 PT
Sinsemilla Jones #5
Yeah, quit posting to yourself, or people are going to think you're nuts.....well, more nuts.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 07:43:18 PT
I'm a part of the Storm Crew...
We're here to try and save humanity from the deadly storm of prohibition and insane, killer prohibitionists/preventionists.
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on February 26, 2008 at 07:40:01 PT
Sinsemilla Jones 
It's ok to talk to yourself but just don't start answering yourself! LOL!
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Comment #5 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 07:39:26 PT
Sinsemilla Jones #3
You're right!Sorry for the crew up.
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on February 26, 2008 at 07:39:10 PT
"Storm Crew"
I like it. It's supposed to be "Storm Crow". But it sounds so in there and busy and doing the right thing. Storm Crew! Great!
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Comment #3 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 07:38:00 PT
Sinsemilla Jones #1
I think you meant to thank Storm Crow.
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Comment #2 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 07:14:14 PT
I like this Paper soooooooooooo much....
I've been spamming it everywhere, lol -Executive SummaryMarijuana has been smoked for its medicinal properties for centuries. Preclinical, clinical, and anecdotal reports suggest numerous potential medical uses for marijuana. Although the indications for some conditions (e.g., HIV wasting and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) have been well documented, less information is available about other potential medical uses. Additional research is needed to clarify marijuana’s therapeutic properties and determine standard and optimal doses and routes of delivery. Unfortunately, research expansion has been hindered by a complicated federal approval process, limited availability of research-grade marijuana, and the debate over legalization. Marijuana’s categorization as a Schedule I controlled substance raises significant concerns for researchers, physicians, and patients. As such, the College’s policy positions on marijuana as medicine are as follows:Position 1: ACP supports programs and funding for rigorous scientific evaluation of the potential therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana and the publication of such findings.Position 1a: ACP supports increased research for conditions where the efficacy of marijuana has been established to determine optimal dosage and route of delivery.Position 1b: Medical marijuana research should not only focus on determining drug efficacy and safety but also on determining efficacy in comparison with other available treatments.Position 2: ACP encourages the use of nonsmoked forms of THC that have proven therapeutic value.Position 3: ACP supports the current process for obtaining federal research-grade cannabis.Position 4: ACP urges review of marijuana’s status as a schedule I controlled substance and its reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence regarding marijuana’s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions.Position 5: ACP strongly supports exemption from federal criminal prosecution; civil liability; or professional sanctioning, such as loss of licensure or credentialing, for physicians who prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law. Similarly, ACP strongly urges protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.- Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana, A Position Paper of the American College of Physicians, page 3Download Full Paper (Acrobat PDF format) -
http://tinyurl.com/35qcb2 or http://www.acponline.org/acp_news/medmarinews.htm
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Comment #1 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on February 26, 2008 at 06:51:29 PT
Wow, I totally missed this back on VD.
So, I wrote a belated love note to the ACP, today -I would like to thank each and everyone of the ACP membership for your courage in taking a public and very informed stand on Medical Marijuana.http://www.acponline.org/cgi-bin/feedback(Thanks Storm Crew)I put mine under Other Topic.
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