Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jun 2001
Source: Daily News, The (New Zealand)
Contact: +64 6 758 6849
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1056
Author: Greg Soar

MEDICINAL CANNABIS

I WAS most interested to read your recent column regarding the medicinal 
use of cannabis (May 26), in which Dr John Adams of the New Zealand Medical 
Association was reported as saying "cannabis suppresses the immune system".

I suffer HIV and use cannabis to combat the debilitating side-effects of 
both the disease and its treatments. I believe Dr Adams' statement to be 
incorrect.

Professor Leslie Iverson, visiting Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford 
University, states in his book, The Science of Marijuana, that "this 
history of research (sex hormones and reproduction) followed a similar 
pattern to that described for the immunosuppressant effects of 
cannabinoids. An initial, apparently damning, report was followed by a 
great deal of subsequent research that has largely failed to support the 
initial claims".

I put this to Dr Adams for comment and his reply indicated literature 
written in 1988 -- 13 years ago and in contradiction to what Professor 
Iverson says only a few months ago.

I feel that the New Zealand Medical Association needs to more aggressively 
promote cannabis as an alternative to conventional medicine with the 
current scientific knowledge and current world trends. At the very least 
they need to promote up-to-date information.

GREG SOAR
Papatoetoe
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MAP posted-by: Beth