DOCTORS DEMOLISH MYTHS ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

[Guest guest]

NORML

Daily News

 

DOCTORS DEMOLISH MYTHS ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

by Dianne Byrum, (Source:Lansing State Journal)

23 Feb 2008

Michigan

 

New Analysis Shows Feds Are Wrong on Pot

 

As Michigan voters prepare to consider a November ballot initiative

to protect seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana from

arrest and jail, one of America's leading medical societies has come

down forcefully on the side of compassion and common sense, in

supporting medical marijuana for seriously ill people. These doctors

have demolished the myths being floated by opponents of medical

marijuana.

 

The American College of Physicians is the nation's largest medical

specialty organization and the second largest physician group in the

United States.

 

Its membership numbers 124,000 doctors - specialists in internal

medicine, cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and

infectious diseases, among others. ACP publishes Annals of Internal

Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the

world.

 

In a just-released position paper, backed up with 10 pages of

scientific documentation and references, ACP says the federal

government is wrong to classify marijuana as unsuitable for medical

use and urges an immediate review of its status, " given the

scientific evidence regarding marijuana's safety and efficacy in some

clinical situations. " ACP specifically calls for " protection from

criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as

permitted under state laws, " such as the one Michigan will soon vote

on.

 

ACP directly takes on the myths already being raised by opponents:

 

ACP cites studies showing that marijuana's active components " may

provide symptom relief not found in any other medication " for

patients suffering from AIDS or undergoing cancer chemotherapy and

experiencing severe pain, nausea and appetite loss.

 

ACP explains that a technology called vaporization removes the

hazards of smoking while maintaining the benefits that patients

prefer.

 

ACP notes that the THC pill called Marinol, touted as a substitute

for marijuana, has " serious limitations " due to " slow absorption " and

side effects that are " more severe. "

 

" Marijuana has not been shown to be the cause of even the most

serious predictor of serious drug abuse, " the doctors write, adding

pointedly, " Opiates are highly addictive yet medically effective ...

There is no evidence to suggest that medical use of opiates has

increased perception that their illicit use is safe or acceptable. "

 

The group representing 124,000 physicians has declared that it's time

for public policy to recognize " marijuana's proven efficacy at

treating certain symptoms and its relatively low toxicity. "

 

Michigan voters should take the doctors' advice this November and

vote to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail.

 

MAP posted-by: Richard Lake

 

Pubdate: Sat, 23 Feb 2008

Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)

Copyright: 2008 Lansing State Journal

Contact: http://www.lsj.com/contactus/ltr_editor.html

Website: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/232

Author: Dianne Byrum

Note: Dianne Byrum is a partner in Byrum & Fisk Advocacy

Communications and a former state legislator.

Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

 

 

© 2006 NORML

NORML and the NORML Foundation:

1600 K Street NW, Suite 501,

Washington DC, 20006-2832

Tel: (202) 483-5500

Fax: (202) 483-0057

Email: norml