cannabisnews.com: AMA Supports Medical Marijuana Studies
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AMA Supports Medical Marijuana Studies
Posted by CN Staff on November 18, 2009 at 18:47:14 PT
By Paul Boerger, Mount Shasta Area Newspapers
Source: Mount Shasta Herald
USA -- The American Medical Association has reversed its long standing opposition to medical marijuana as it has recommended in a recent position paper that marijuana be considered for reclassification from a Federal Controlled Substance Act Schedule 1 drug, where it resides with heroin and PCP as having “no currently accepted medical use.” The AMA is also recommending that physicians be protected from prosecution for recommending marijuana and that further studies be conducted into marijuana's use as medicine.
“Results of short term controlled trials indicate that smoked cannabis reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass, and may relieve spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis,” the report states. “Our American Medical Association urges that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines.”The report is careful, however, not to recommend legalization or to support the various initiatives that allow medical marijuana in 13 states including California.“The patchwork of state-based systems that have been established for ‘medical marijuana’ is woefully inadequate in establishing even rudimentary safeguards that normally would be applied to the appropriate clinical use of psychoactive substances,” the report says. “This [report] 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.”Even though the report does not support the “patchwork” state attempts at making marijuana available to patients, it supports protecting doctors who recommend the drug. “Physicians who comply with their ethical obligations to ‘first do no harm’ and to ‘relieve pain and suffering’ should be protected in their endeavors, including advising and counseling their patients on the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes,” the report says.The report says studies have shown that marijuana has positive medical applications and that further research is warranted for the following conditions:• In HIV-infected patients with cachexia, neuropathy, or chronic pain, or who are suffering adverse effects from medication, such as nausea, vomiting, and peripheral neuropathy, that impede compliance with antiretroviral therapy;• To potentiate the analgesic effects of opioids and to reduce their emetic effects in the treatment of postoperative, traumatic, or cancer pain;• In patients suffering from spasticity or pain due to spinal cord injury, or neuropathic or central pain syndromes; and• In patients with chronic pain and insomnia.The AMA report claims that “approximately 7,000 physicians have authorized the use of cannabis for at least 400,000 patients.”The American College of Physicians has taken similar positions on Schedule 1 reclassification and continuing research, but goes further in supporting legal protections for doctors and marijuana patients.“ACP strongly supports exemption from federal criminal prosecution; civil liability; or professional sanctioning, such as loss of licensure or credentialing, for physicians who prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law,” the ACP says. “Similarly, ACP strongly urges protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws.”The AMA report reviews the history of marijuana as medicine and legal suppression saying that marijuana is “oldest psychotropic drugs in human history,” that “cannabis was promoted for a variety of conditions based on its putative analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic, and anticonvulsant properties” and the federal government began its campaign against marijuana in the 1930s claiming the drug caused “homicidal mania.”The full AMA report can be found on the web at: http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/AMA_Report.pdf The ACP report is available on the web at: http://www.acponline.org/acp_news/medmarinews.htmSource: Mount Shasta Herald (CA)Author: Paul Boerger, Mount Shasta Area NewspapersPublished: November 18, 2009Copyright: 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc.Contact: news mtshastanews.comWebsite: http://www.mtshastanews.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/Ami6yzCXCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by runruff on November 19, 2009 at 00:04:57 PT
Donald Scott!
Donald Scott;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_P._ScottHe found out how dangerous it is to own property during a Asset Forfiture Fever raid!This is what happens when our government loves us so much it doesn't want us to hurt ourselves with the evil weed so they kill us to protect us from ourselves!-HUH
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Comment #3 posted by runruff on November 18, 2009 at 23:56:55 PT
"claiming the drug caused “homicidal mania.”
For once they got it right, cannabis has produced "homicidal mania"!In the DEA!The only thing deadly about cannabis is you might get shot in your sleep for possession of it! 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 18, 2009 at 19:54:24 PT
James
You're welcome.
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Comment #1 posted by James Crosby on November 18, 2009 at 19:40:57 PT
Thx
Thanks for posting! A good read, and I hope the AMA goes further with their thoughts in the future.
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