Pubdate: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 Source: Florida Today (Melbourne, FL) Copyright: 2014 Florida Today Contact: http://www.floridatoday.com/content/forms/services/letters.shtml Website: http://www.floridatoday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/532 Author: Paul Armentano REFUTING OPPOSITION TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA The objections raised by Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey and Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos in the recent FLORIDA TODAY article, "Brevard sheriff, physician: 'No' to medical marijuana," are primarily political in nature. The available science in regard to the safety and therapeutic efficacy of cannabis is clear. Cannabis possesses an extensive history of human use dating back thousands of years, thus providing us with ample empirical evidence as to the plant's relative safety and efficacy. The marijuana plant is one of the most studied biologically active substances of modern times. A search on PubMed, the repository for all peer-reviewed scientific papers, using the term "marijuana," yields nearly 20,000 scientific papers referencing the plant and/or its constituents, nearly half of which have been published within the past decade. Among this extensive body of literature are well over 100 randomized controlled studies, involving thousands of subjects, evaluating the safety and efficacy of cannabis or individual cannabinoids. A recent review of several clinical trials assessing cannabis, published in The Open Neurology, concludes, "Based on evidence currently available, the Schedule I classification (for cannabis) is not tenable; it is not accurate that cannabis has no medical value, or that information on safety is lacking." At a minimum, we know enough about cannabis to allow for physicians to recommend it as a potential therapy for their patients. Further, we also know enough about the failures of cannabis prohibition to cease arresting adults who consume it responsibly. Paul Armentano, Deputy director, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Washington, D.C - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom