cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Laws Too Strict Say Doctors





Cannabis Laws Too Strict Say Doctors
Posted by FoM on November 01, 2000 at 21:27:13 PT
Eight out of 10 doctors would prescribe Cannabis
Source: BBC News 
More than half of doctors believe the laws on cannabis are too strict and one in three want the drug legalised, a survey has found. Eight out of 10 doctors say they would prescribe cannabis to patients with serious illnesses such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or cancer, if they were allowed to. A quarter of the 1,000 doctors questioned said cannabis was less addictive than tobacco, alcohol, prescribed drugs or illegal drugs. 
But they raised concerns about the lack of scientific research into the effects of cannabis on driving and its links with cancer. The survey, carried out by Medix UK - a website for doctors, revealed 54% believe the current law on possessing cannabis is too strict. About a third said cannabis should be legalised now. While 80% said they would prescribe the drug to patients with serious illnesses, many said they would give it to people with other medical ailments. One in five would consider prescribing it for patients with back pain and 16% would consider it as an alternative to traditional anti-depressants. However, some doctors expressed concerns, with half said they knew of patients who had gone on to harder drugs after smoking cannabis. Admissions: The findings come just weeks after Health Minister Yvette Cooper and eight members of the Tory shadow cabinet admitted they had tried the drug. They made their admissions after Tory shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe proposed £100 on-the-spot fines for anyone caught with an illegal drug. She later backed down, after police chiefs and drugs charities criticised the policy. Earlier this month, Professor Tony Moffat, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society predicted that cannabis would be legalised for medical use within two years. Two large scale clinical trials are currently being conducted into the benefits and safety of cannabis compounds. The British Medical Association welcomed the survey findings. It published a report in 1997 which advocated prescribing cannabis to alleviate the symptoms of illnesses like MS. A spokeswoman said: "This survey of doctor opinion fits together very strongly with the BMA's report on cannabis published in November 1997. "Our report identifies a number of hazards associated with smoking cannabis, such as its high tar content, the aggravation of psychotic illness, and other problems such as loss of motivation and libido." But she added: "There are a number of patients who find that cannabis relieves their symptoms in a way that other drugs and painkillers do not. "We believe that for long term clinical use, properly developed medicines containing the beneficial components of cannabis are a better option than simply smoking the raw product." Clare Hodges, a member of the pressure group Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics and an MS sufferer, said the survey findings reflected the fact that patients were telling doctors they were using the drug to alleviate their symptoms. "This confirms our experience that doctors are very supportive of the thousands of patients who are using cannabis to treat themselves. "These results are also a tribute to the patients who have been telling their doctors that cannabis has helped them. "Doctors are now sitting up and taking note, and seeing for themselves that cannabis can be therapeutic." Doctors are very supportive of the thousands of patients who are using cannabis to treat themselves. Clare Hodges, Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics Source: BBC News (UK Web) Published: November 2, 2000Copyright: 2000 BBC Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Feedback: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/ Forum: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/forum/ Related Articles & Web Sites:British Medical Journal: http://www.bmj.com/Royal Pharmaceutical Society: http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/Cannabis as Addictive as Cocaine: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7360.shtmlAlliance for Cannabis Therapeutics: http://www.marijuana-as-medicine.org/alliance.htmCannabis To Be Legal as Painkiller in Two Years: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7342.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 02, 2000 at 16:23:41 PT:
Related Article
Cannabis Laws Too Strict, Say Majority of DoctorsSource: Electronic TelegraphAuthor: Celia Hall, Medical EditorPublished: ISSUE 1987 Thursday 2 November 2000Website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ More than half of doctors think that the laws on cannabis are too strict.In a survey published yesterday, nearly half said that the drug caused fewer serious problems than alcohol, tobacco and prescribed drugs, and a quarter thought it was less addictive. If it was legally available on prescription, more than eight out of 10 would give cannabis to patients with serious illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or cancer.But only 32 per cent of the 1,000 doctors who responded to questions on Medix UK, a medical web site, thought the drug should be legalised. One in five said they would consider prescribing cannabis for minor backache and 16 per cent said they would think about using it as an alternative to traditional anti-depressant drugs if it were legalised.Dr Rino Coladangelo, a GP and founder of Medix UK, available only to registered doctors, said he thought doctors were unlikely to put their full weight behind the lobby to legalise cannabis until more research was available "particularly into the susceptibility of cannabis users to other illegal addictions".Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and health policy at the British Medical Association, said the findings fitted with their own survey of three years ago. She said: "Doctors are generally prepared to look at anything that provides better treatment, particulary for the chronic illnesses that are not well managed."There are concerns about the long-term effects of cannabis and the effects of smoking it. We are interested in cannabinoids, safe products which could be given in well regulated doses." Studies on the use of cannabis products in the treatment of spasm in MS and for chronic pain should be ready in about two years.The Medix UK survey found that in an average month, 64 per cent of doctors saw at least 10 patients addicted to cigarettes or with serious related health problems. According to European Union figures, two in five 15-year-olds in Britain have already tried cannabis.David Willetts, the shadow social security secretary, said yesterday that he was reprimanded by his 12-year-old daughter after revealing he had smoked cannabis. Mr Willetts, 44, dubbed "Two Brains" after being judged to be the most intelligent man in the Tory Party, was one of eight shadow Cabinet ministers who recently admitted to smoking cannabis.He told a Sunday newspaper that he was once offered cannabis at university. He said: "I had two puffs. I didn't like it and I have never had any experience of drugs since." His daughter had since teased him and had even suggested he was still labouring under the effects of the drug.
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