Pubdate: Thu, 17 Apr 2014
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2014 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Sue Rusche
Note: Sue Rusche is president and CEO, National Families in Action
Page: A12

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA NEEDS STUDY

Americans are confused about medical marijuana.

On the one hand, research shows some of marijuana's components may
become useful medicines. Two, Marinol and Cesamet, already are. Both
are synthetic versions of THC, marijuana's psychoactive component.
Doctors prescribe them to reduce chemotherapy-related nausea and AIDS
wasting in patients when nothing else works.

Two more, Sativex and Epidiolex, are undergoing U.S. clinical trials.
Sativex is equal parts THC and cannabidiol. If it is approved by the
Food and Drug Administration, doctors will prescribe it to treat
advanced cancer pain, muscle spasticity and neuropathic pain caused by
multiple sclerosis. Epidiolex is purified cannabidiol that contains no
THC. It is just beginning clinical trials here to treat seizures
caused by Dravet and LennoxGastaut syndromes.

Twenty states have legalized marijuana for medical use. Like the
patent medicine makers of the 19th century, entrepreneurs are selling
a number of marijuana products as medicines. Not one has been tested
for safety or efficacy. Not one has been approved by the FDA. Not one
can be prescribed by doctors. But that hasn't stopped the "green rush"
from cashing in on a variety of "medicines."

Marijuana strains are sold to patients by "budtenders," the person at
a medical marijuana dispensary who tends to patients' needs. That
person helps you decide what will be the ideal medicine for you to
purchase and in what quantity. Budtenders are not required to be
trained in medicine or pharmacology.

Marijuana edibles are marijuana-infused food products such as
chocolate chip cookies, fudges, chocolate bars, caramels, gummy bears,
ice cream bars, cakes and so on. Emergency rooms are treating Colorado
toddlers and preschoolers who ate edibles and overdosed. A Wyoming
college student who ate one of these cookies died of a combination of
marijuana intoxication and a fall from his Colorado hotel balcony.

Marijuana concentrates leach THC out of plant material with solvents.
The waxy substance that results is 75 percent to 100 percent THC and
can be vaporized. Similar to e-cigarettes, e-joints enable patients to
inhale the THC vapors.

One of the most worrisome aspects of medical marijuana is
contamination. Independent, certified labs routinely find that
marijuana contains mildew, mold, pesticides, and sometimes even E.
coli and other pathogens. No state requires marijuana medicinemakers
to test for contaminants. Colorado, for example, which legalized
medical marijuana in 2000, won't require such testing until later in
2014.

Advocates are lobbying many states this year to legalize a Colorado
cannabidiol oil for children with epilepsy. Georgia rejected this path
and chose to go down the research road to protect them. Thanks to the
wisdom of Gov. Nathan Deal, the knowledge of state Rep. Sharon Cooper,
and the passion of Rep. Allen Peake, Georgia will be the first state
to provide safe, legal, pharmaceutical cannabidiol to these children.
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MAP posted-by: Matt