Nevada Approves Bill on Medical Use of Marijuana |
Posted by FoM on June 18, 2001 at 06:57:29 PT By Tanya Albert, AMNews Staff Source: American Medical Association Despite the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that put the kibosh on California's cannabis buying clubs, the Nevada Legislature earlier this month voted to legalize the medical use of marijuana there. The key difference in Nevada's system that some experts say should allow the legislation to go forward without much, if any, interference from the federal government is the way the law lets patients access medical marijuana. Unlike California's buying clubs, where large amounts of marijuana were grown in a central location and then distributed to patients, Nevada's legislation would allow patients or their caregivers to have up to seven plants for their personal use. It's similar to laws in Oregon and Maine in that respect, and neither of those states has encountered problems with the federal government before or after the May high court ruling. "Our analysis is that the Supreme Court ruling said there is no medical necessity defense and that buying clubs weren't legal," said Brenda Erdes, legislative counsel with Nevada's Legislative Counsel Office, which directed the state Legislature on the best way to write the law without running into problems. "But there wasn't anything beyond that." The court ruling didn't strike down laws or ballot initiatives that passed in nine states in recent years, including California. And in Oregon and Maine, where medical marijuana programs have been up and running for several years, the ruling hasn't changed physician habits when it comes to recommending whether patients should be allowed to have marijuana for medical purposes. "We've received no questions to our knowledge," said Jim Kronenberg, spokesman for the Oregon Medical Assn. "The atmosphere is unchanged," added Kevin Neely, spokesman for the Oregon Attorney General's Office. "Physicians have always been wary because they are subject to federal laws." Buffering Physicians: But Oregon has tried to make physicians feel more confident that they won't get in trouble with federal authorities. Oregon law requires patients to get a note from their doctor, which they can bring to the state to receive a license which allows them to own marijuana plants, Neely said. About 2,300 cards have been issued. Nevada's legislation, which at press time was waiting for the governor's expected signature, tries to do something similar. In addition to letting patients cultivate seven plants, the state would create a registry for patients whose physicians recommended that they use medical marijuana to treat side effects of their serious illnesses. Nevada also would take things a step further than other states have. It plans to ask the federal government for permission to conduct research on whether marijuana helps ease pain, nausea and other problems that people with cancer, AIDS and other serious illnesses encounter. Despite the research component of the legislation, the Nevada State Medical Assn. continues to oppose legalizing medical marijuana. The medical benefits haven't been shown, and the federal government would have to change its policies for the drug to be legal, said NSMA Executive Director Lawrence P. Matheis. "It simply is a popular vote," he said. "It's empathy for people who are chronically ill. There is question to whether there is any medical value. ... The state constitution is a terrible place to put a medical directive." Las Vegas oncologist Arnold Wax, MD, agreed. He pointed to a study in the July 1, 2000, Journal of Immunology that found that the active ingredient in marijuana actually caused cancer cells to reproduce faster. And, he said, there are plenty of other legal drugs on the market to treat patients, including Marinol (dronabinol), manufactured by Roxane Laboratories Inc. and Unimed Pharmaceuticals Inc. Marinol is the synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. "There is absolutely no use for medical marijuana," he said. "It is a social and emotional issue. It is not a medical issue." Note: The legislation isn't expected to raise problems with federal authorities, but the state medical association opposes it. Source: American Medical Association Related Articles & Web Site: Medicinal Cannabis Research Links AMA Discusses Marijuana Medical Use Supreme Court Ruling Undermines Medical Use Medical Uses Approved: Lawmakers OK Bill Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 18, 2001 at 16:39:19 PT |
We'll be thinking of you too Dr. Russo. Get rested and come back ready to go! Maybe when you get back Cannabis will be legalized! Well dreamings still ok! LOL! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #9 posted by Ben Cohn on June 18, 2001 at 16:19:52 PT:
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Dr. Ethan Russo is the tops in my book. Even with his parents in town, professional responsibilities and a trip to pack for, he still answered my question! We're lucky to have a good doctor like that on our side. I pray to all the higher
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Comment #8 posted by Smoker on June 18, 2001 at 15:44:36 PT |
Perhaps that is the reason that no case of lung cancer has been seen in a regular cannabis smoker. This is quite a statement, Ethan Russo. Can you give a reference? Every cigarette smoker should be aware of this. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #7 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on June 18, 2001 at 14:37:40 PT:
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for all you do for us and for the movement. I will think of all the folks at cannabisnews.com as I work and recreate. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #6 posted by FoM on June 18, 2001 at 13:44:32 PT |
Hi Dr. Russo, Just a note to say have a nice visit with your family and I hope your beeper doesn't go off to very often. You're going away for a whole MONTH! Oh No! That's terrible. You'll be missed but I hope you have a wonderful time! [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #5 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on June 18, 2001 at 12:47:23 PT:
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Ben, this stuff is challenging. As to a simple explanation of immunological effects of cannabis, see Hollisters review: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1506999&dopt=Abstract In essence, to get these dire sounding immunological effects, you need to use something like 50 times the psychoactive dose; it is not going to be a problem for most users. What this says is that THC helps prevent tumor induction by tobacco! Perhaps that is the reason that no case of lung cancer has been seen in a regular cannabis smoker. Obviously there are other risks, but there are positives to cannabis medically, in contrast to the claims of Congress and their Controlled Substances Act of 1970. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #4 posted by Ben Cohn on June 18, 2001 at 12:26:14 PT:
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Sorry, messed up the link in the last post. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #3 posted by Ben Cohn on June 18, 2001 at 12:23:01 PT:
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With the help of Pubmed I found the article. It's very dense, so I could only follow some of it. It certainly sounds scary enough, but I know how bad research can be dressed up as good facts. Nahas' stuff sounded scary, too, and it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. If you have any time in the coming days, Dr. Russo, I would love for you to write In the course of looking for info, I discovered that your Journal of Cannabis
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Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on June 18, 2001 at 11:28:28 PT:
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Scare tactics, my friends. Cannabis prevents lung tumors, and increases apoptosis (cell death) in brain tumors. I am on-call, my parents are in town, and am leaving for a month on Friday. Please point your browsers to PubMed, and consult heavily in Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts by Zimmer and Morgan for good answers. [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by Ben Cohn on June 18, 2001 at 10:41:43 PT:
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"Las Vegas oncologist Arnold Wax, MD, agreed. He pointed to a study in the July 1, 2000, Journal of Immunology that found that
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n572/a11.html?80085
Are there any scientists, especially one's with cell biology or immunological The link for the June 1, 2000 Journal of Immunology is http://www.jimmunol.org/content/vol164/issue11/
Thanks Ben Cohn [ Post Comment ] |
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