AMA craving for a fresh look at medical pot - November 11, 2009
The American Medical Association has adopted a new policy that calls for the US government to review its ban on medical marijuana, the physician's group announced Tuesday.
The most well-established clinical application for marijuana istreatment of nausea, vomiting and unintended weight loss, particularly when these conditions accompany chemotherapy. Other studies have shown that marijuana may be effective in treating migraines, MS, PMS, ADHD and dozens of other conditions.
Medical marijuana is already legal in 13 states — with a 14th possibly on the horizon — but is illegal at the federal level. The US government currently classifies marijuana, along with heroin, PCP and many others as a Schedule 1 Drug — its strictest category, professedly reserved for drugs with a high tendency for abuse and no accepted medical use.
Now, the AMA thinks the latter incrimination deserves a new look. Although they noted that the new policy "should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product", the AMA is promoting clinical research, cannabis-based medicine development and alternative delivery methods, such as vaporizers.
The move comes just weeks after the Obama administration announced it would not arrest medical marijuana users and providers who follow state laws.
Image: medical marijuana dispensary in California by Neeta Lind, via Flickr
Comments
Thank you for the post with links to National Library of Medicine articles.
-Sunil Aggarwal, lead author on original resolution that was adopted my AMA-MSS
Posted by: Sunil Aggarwal | November 11, 2009 07:27 PM
Marijuana use entails **unknown hazards** and is therefore more dangerous than heroin, cyanide, and carbonated soda with corn sweetener (all of which merely have known hazards). Jackbooted State compassion defines who we are.
The US cannot detect hundreds of square miles of Afghani poppy fields. May the War on Drugs never fail to identify, seize, and crush every glaucomatous grandmother who presumes to contravene Official Truth.
Posted by: Uncle Al | November 11, 2009 11:46 PM
That's impressive news. The US seems to be leading the world at the moment with a refreshing attitude to these tricky issues.
I do hope the UK takes note.
Posted by: Andy | November 12, 2009 09:19 PM
Keeping Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is *MURDEROUSLY STUPID*.
As long as Cannabis is a Schedule I substance, the Controlled Substances Act is a damned lie... "by any measure of rational analysis".
Richard Steeb, San Jose, CA
Posted by: Richard Steeb | November 14, 2009 04:10 PM