Honorary MD degrees for Cheech and Chong?
http://www.independent.com/news/2010/dec/30/cannabis-harm-reducing-cheech/
Thursday, December 30, 2010
By David Bearman, M.D., Santa Barbara
This past election day, Measure T, the ill-conceived ban on medicinal
cannabis dispensaries, was soundly defeated, garnering only 39
percent of the vote. The good people of Santa Barbara have spoken
that we should not deny access to an affective analgesic, muscle
relaxant, anti-emetic, antioxidant, anti-cancer drug cannabis. So
now is a good time for some more education to address concerns of
that worried 39 percent.
It turns out that not only does cannabis not interfere with
drug-abuse treatment but that for many patients it is a harm-reducing
substitute.
Science tells us that the medical use of cannabis did not compromise
the results of patients in substance abuse treatment: In a pilot
study reported in the July 2010 Harm Reduction Journal and the
Newsletter of the International Association of Cannabis Medicine,
California researchers investigated the effects of the medical use of
cannabis on the outcome of people participating in substance abuse
treatment. Their study demonstrates that questions about the
relationship between medical marijuana use and involvement in drug
treatment can be systematically evaluated.
They found that, "Cannabis use did not seem to compromise substance
abuse treatment among those who used cannabis for medicinal purposes.
They fared equal to or better than non-medical cannabis users in
several important outcome categories, e.g., treatment completion and
criminal justice involvement."
Harm Reduction: The authors of that study concluded that their
exploratory study suggests "medical use of cannabis is consistent
with participation in conventional forms of drug treatment and may
not adversely affect positive treatment outcomes" and that "a
justification can be made for medical marijuana in addictions
treatment as a harm reduction practice."
The late Dr. Tod Mikuriya, psychiatrist, medicinal cannabis pioneer,
former National Institute of Mental Health bureaucrat in charge of
marijuana research, and scapegoat of General McCaffrey and the
Medical Board of California, has long stated that cannabis was a harm
reduction substance. Many of us in the field of cannabinoid medicine
have found this to be true. The anecdotal evidence is clearly that
many substance abusers benefit from the medicinal use of cannabis.
Collectively, those of us in the field of cannabinoid medicine have
many patients who no longer use alcohol, cocaine, and/or heroin,
which they ascribe to their therapeutic use of cannabis. This study
confirms our practice observations.
Scientific Studies Prove Former Drug Czar Wrong: In 1997 then Drug
Czar General Barry McCaffrey ridiculed a list of medicinal conditions
compiled by Dr. Tod Mikuriya (former NIMH staffer in charge of
marijuana research) for which cannabis was useful in treating
symptoms. McCaffrey, not a doctor, and with no formal medical
training, suggested that Mikuriya's list was absurd. He called it
Cheech & Chong medicine.
Well, don't look now but maybe we should confer honorary MD degrees
on Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong because cannabis, and cannabis
derivatives, are legally used as medicine in 15 U.S. states, Canada,
Great Britain, Spain, and New Zealand. Tincture of cannabis (liquid
marijuana) is being distributed by Bayer in Canada and Great Britain,
Amirall in Spain, and by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals in New Zealand. It
turns out that Mikuriya was way ahead of his time.
Cannabis has Enormous Therapeutic Potential: In addition to its harm
reduction capabilities, researchers have shown that cannabis is
neuroprotective, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic,
anti-cancer, anti-spasmodic, and anti-depressant, and contributes to
retrograde inhibition. It is well past time to stop shouting that the
sky is fallingfor the federal government to join the modern
scientific world and recognize the medical benefits of cannabis.
We should come to our senses and return to the situation that existed
before 1942, to an accepted legal status for cannabis and hemp. If
and when we do it will give our economy a real boost.
.
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