New Report Shows Drug Czar Wrong About Marijuana
(Publisher's note -- it is always wrong to manipulate or falsify medical evidence. Apparently the government has done that for over thirty years. Now a landmark report is setting the record straight.)
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT
Drug Czar Proven Wrong: Marijuana's Medical Benefits Supported by Scientific Evidence
Washington, D.C. -- The long-awaited Institute of Medicine (IOM) report presents ample scientific evidence confirming that marijuana has therapeutic value for patients with certain conditions. IOM is a private, non-profit organization that was commissioned two years ago by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to perform a "comprehensive review" of marijuana's medical benefits and health effects.The IOM report was hailed by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the seriously ill people MPP represents. "The scientific evidence in the IOM report shows that marijuana is a relatively safe and effective medicine for many patients," said Chuck Thomas, co-director of MPP, an advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. "In light of this report, patients who are already using marijuana should not be arrested and sent to prison."
The IOM report provides a blueprint for additional research into marijuana's medical uses. The report also recommends that while new drug development proceeds, seriously ill people should have legal access to marijuana in the meantime. "We acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting," the IOM report states on page ES.9.
"For patients who do not respond well to other medications, short-term marijuana use appears to be suitable in treating conditions like chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, or the wasting caused by AIDS," said IOM co-principal investigator John Benson, dean of the Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine, in IOM's news release.
The report's findings debunk the claims of ONDCP Director Barry McCaffrey and other federal officials. "There is not a shred of scientific evidence that shows that smoked marijuana is useful or needed," said Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey on August 16, 1996, in The San Francisco Chronicle. In his efforts to oppose the medicinal marijuana initiatives in California and other states, McCaffrey has made dozens of statements that have unequivocally denied marijuana's medical uses.
Some of the important findings in the IOM report:
- Smokable marijuana works as a medicine for some people.
- Patients are already using medicinal marijuana despite its illegality.
- Marijuana does not present significant health risks relative to medicines that are legally available.
- No evidence was presented in the report that indicates that prison is better for patients than marijuana.
- While more research should be conducted into marijuana's medical uses, patients should be permitted to use marijuana in the meantime.
"Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation." [page ES.11]"Except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications." [page ES.6]
"This report effectively debunks the government's favorite marijuana myths," said MPP's Chuck Thomas. "The report shows that using marijuana does not actually cause hard drug use, and it is not seriously addictive."
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Want more information? Try the Marijuana Policy Project's web site at www.mpp.org
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