cannabisnews.com: Ottawa Funding Pot Study Researcher Tests Benefits





Ottawa Funding Pot Study Researcher Tests Benefits
Posted by FoM on July 26, 2001 at 07:26:00 PT
By Charlie Fidelman, The Gazette
Source: Montreal Gazette
A McGill University researcher will be seeking scientific evidence that pot really works to relieve chronic pain. "Finally, a chance to tackle cannabis as a medicine, not just something to make you giggle," said Dr. Mark Ware of the McGill pain clinic at the Montreal General Hospital. Ware will be conducting the first Canadian clinical study on marijuana and pain. The year-long pilot study, financed by Health Canada, is expected to start in January. Ware will investigate well-known but anecdotal claims about marijuana smoking and its effects on severe pain. 
"It's a real vindication of what's been three years' work for me," Ware said after the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, a branch of Health Canada, gave its approval to the study. Sparked by stories from his own patients, Ware applied unsuccessfully for similar research grants twice before. "They say that this stuff works. As a doctor, I have to listen to that," said Ware, who researched sickle-cell disease in Jamaica, where ganja is used in a common folk remedy. "It makes perfect sense to look at possible medical benefits of cannabis," he said. "If you're retching your guts out after chemotherapy and you take cannabis and stop retching and feel better - that's strong anecdotal evidence, but it's not a clinical study." Ware's pilot project is the first step toward making cannabis a legitimate medicine, to be prescribed and sold like any other. Also, it's the first outpatient study involving weed, which means it will look at the effects of pot smoking in a natural environment like the patient's home, rather than a clinical setting like a hospital laboratory. But don't go knocking on Ware's door. "Please don't get on a flight and come to Montreal expecting to be involved in this study," Ware said. Most trial subjects will be recruited from patients at the McGill pain clinic suffering from moderate to severe chronic pain caused by nerve damage. Candidates must first get a referral to the pain clinic from their doctor. The 32 recruits will be given enough marijuana to smoke three times a day for one month. "We'll ask them to take it as directed," Ware said. That means no sharing with friends. And no extra "substances" allowed. The marijuana is expected to be imported from a U.S. grower who can provide standardized content of the active ingredients. "We still have paperwork, licenses and regulatory approvals to secure for cannabis as a new drug in humans - ironic as that may sound," Ware said. The new study pleases compassion clubs that provide pot on humanitarian grounds. Club members have long pleaded for government funds to pay for medical marijuana. About 250 Canadians have exemptions to smoke pot for medical purposes. "I have patients who tell me the same thing they're telling the compassion clubs," Ware said. " 'Where can I get some cannabis? Because it makes me feel a lot better than anything else.' "We've got many more trials that need to be done before that answer can be given definitively. "But this is a start." - Other information on medicinal use of marijuana can be found at: http://www.rxmarihuana.com/- Charlie Fidelman's E-mail address is: cfidelma thegazette.southam.caComplete Title: Ottawa Funding Pot Study McGill Researcher To Test Grass's Medicinal BenefitsSource: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)Author: Charlie Fidelman, The GazettePublished: Thursday, July 26, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.Contact: letters thegazette.southam.caWebsite: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmPharmacists Willing To Distribute Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10358.shtmlCanadians To Get Licenses To Smoke Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10229.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Canadahttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=canada 
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Comment #4 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on July 26, 2001 at 10:09:15 PT:
Frustration Mounts
I share the frustration expressed in prior comments, and hear it every day from my patients.For what it's worth, I know Mark Ware, and he is fine guy with good motivation to do what is right, and what will advance the cause of getting patients the medicine they need. He faces the same hurdles any physician/scientist does in this situation: an unresponsive and unsympathetic bureaucracy that often complicates the process.Fortunately, in Canada, they are far in advance of the USA and truly are attempting to do the studies, and change the laws. Is it too slow for most of us? You bet, but Canada, the UK and others are leaving the USA in the dust on the issue.
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Comment #3 posted by Patrick on July 26, 2001 at 09:23:19 PT
Study my arse
For thirty years, maybe longer, I have been hearing the need to study pot! "We need to study it more to determine its effects." There is no proof of this or that. "We need to study the effects to determine if there is a medical need."Well hell, why study it at all??? The black robes gave the answer recently..."There is no legitimate medical use for marijuana.Sheesh, can you say "cough" Bullsh t. If we studied polio vacine as long as we haven't studied marijuana, we all would be crippled. How many studies were conducted to conclude that cigarette smoking was safe enough to be a legal form of slow death. How many years before prohibition ended did we study that alchol is safe enough to drink while operating an automobile.Face the facts people, the powers that be got a bug so far up their collective  ss about marijuana that only spraying toxic chemicals on congress could be bring about a serious change in drug policy. Oh, never mind my last comment. I would be stooping as low as the minds I wish to change. I'll shut up now and go smoke a joint to unscientifically study its effects at bringing a little peace of mind. of course this may take several years.
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Comment #2 posted by Rambler on July 26, 2001 at 08:12:36 PT
How Absurd
"A McGill University researcher will be seeking scientific evidence that pot really works to relieve     chronic pain."Think about it. It would seem rather strange,if we had a studyto seek "scientific evidence" that sawing off ones arm was actuallypainful. After all,just because someone says it is painful,.where'sthe proof?How the f#*k can you measure pain relief except by asking a personwhether or not it still hurts?Perhaps they will hook them up to a Painamometer,and if a good hitof pot doesnt make the pain level meter go down,then they will knowthat all these pro pot people are just a bunch of liars and fakers whojust pretend that it helps with pain,but their secret evil plan,is just that they like getting stoned.
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on July 26, 2001 at 07:54:03 PT:
'Standardized'...as in reliably s****y
"The marijuana is expected to be imported from a U.S. grower who can provide standardized content of the active ingredients.As in U of Miss schwag weed. When in their own country they have some of this planet's very best. Shame, shame, shame.
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