Pubdate: Thu, 28 Feb 2008
Source: Flor-Ala, The (AL Edu)
Copyright: 2008, University of North Alabama
Contact: http://www.florala.net/main.cfm?include=submit
Website: http://www.florala.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2820
Author: Julia Harte
Referenced: The American College of Physicians policy statement 
http://drugsense.org/url/RTJp0V7l
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/American+College+of+Physicians
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)

PHYSICIAN GROUP URGES MARIJUANA RESEARCH

PHILADELPHIA - The second largest group of physicians in the United 
States sees evidence that marijuana can relieve severe pain and 
supports its medicinal use, according to a recently issued position paper.

This paper from the Philadelphia-based American College of Physicians 
urges the federal government to acknowledge and sanction research 
into the plant's medicinal uses.

The federal government currently classifies marijuana as a drug with 
"no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, 
and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance 
under medical supervision," according to the Office of National Drug 
Control Policy's Web site.

But a 1999 Institute of Medicine study -- conducted at the ONDCP's 
behest -- found that "scientific studies support medical use of 
marijuana for treatment in the United States."

The ACP paper "builds very substantially on that report," said ACP 
President David Dale. "We're just supporting good science."

In light of marijuana's scientifically demonstrated therapeutic 
properties, the ACP paper urges the government to reclassify the plant.

Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, lauded the ACP.

"They are pointing out some very important problems with government 
policy that have long needed to be pointed out," he said. "The 
federal government has essentially been lying to us."

Twelve states already allow marijuana to be used medicinally, and the 
ACP paper further advocates that the federal government not penalize 
physicians who prescribe medical marijuana -- or patients who use it 
- -- as their state permits.

Many potential medicinal uses of cannabinoids, the chemical compounds 
that make up marijuana, may be yet undiscovered, according to the ACP 
paper. However, the authors say, research is often hampered by the 
federal government's refusal to acknowledge the medicinal properties 
of marijuana.

"Drug discovery is a very important part of modern society," Dale said.

Mirken agreed and added that scientists have already deemed marijuana 
a safe and effective pain reliever.

"So the ACP is asking the 21st-century questions, while our 
government is stuck in 1937," he said.

The ACP paper also calls for more research into the best dosage and 
mode of ingesting the herb, "for conditions where the efficacy of 
marijuana has been established."

Those conditions include loss of appetite, nausea, convulsions and 
extreme nerve pain - the kind suffered by victims of AIDS and 
multiple sclerosis.

According to Mirken, nerve pain is particularly resistant to the 
existing legal pain relievers. Those options "don't work for 
everybody, and they don't work for every condition," he said.

The ONDCP, which has been critical of the ACP paper, did not return 
repeated calls for comment for this article.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake