Pubdate: Thu, 10 Oct 2002
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Jack Boland

STUDY CHECKS IF POT AFFECTS AIDS

Toronto researchers have launched a pilot project to study how marijuana 
helps ease the pain incurred by HIV/AIDS sufferers.

The two-year study, announced yesterday, was launched by Community Research 
Initiative of Toronto (CRIT), St. Michael's Hospital, Canadian HIV trials 
network and Health Canada, said CRIT spokesman Derek Thaczuk.

"The amount of smoking will be left up to their own discretion," Thaczuk 
said. "We want to duplicate real-life situations. A lot of people will use 
it at a puff or two a time -- to maybe three or four times a day."

The hospital plans to recruit 32 candidates to study short-term exposure to 
marijuana, how it interacts with other HIV medications and how it deals 
with nausea, pain, mood and neurocognitive functions.

"This pioneering research project is to create scientific knowledge about 
the safety and efficacy of smoked marijuana and its ability to increase 
appetite in patients with HIV/AIDS," said Dr. Kevin Cough, St. Mike's 
medical director of HIV service.

The study will use marijuana with varying strengths of THC.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Alex