[Vision2020] Medical Cannabis: National Academy of Sciences

[Tbertruss at aol.com]

Debbie et. al.

Check info at bottom from Health Care Canada.

Does the quote below read to you as though it means to say, to quote you, "it
doesn't offer strong support for THC in any form but SEEMS (I added caps) to 
say that it
might help some and it might not...?" 

What do the words "no clear alternative" mean in the quote below?

"Until a nonsmoked rapid-onset cannabinoid drug delivery system becomes
available, we acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people
suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking
marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting."

http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/marimed/ch4.html

The quote does NOT say there is NO scientific evidence that indicates 
cannabis will help anyone.  The "might" in the quote indicates that it will help some 
people but not all people.
This is common with many medications.  And the cautions regarding the 
evidence for the effects of cannabis in the info presented by the NAS are similar to 
what you will find regarding many medications on the market, some of which are 
far more dangerous than cannabis, yet they are legal for medical use under a 
doctors care.

Again, what do the words "no clear alternative" in that quote from NAS mean 
to you?  I wonder if we are speaking the same version of the English language 
here?

Have you ever read the contraindications on common medications, even 
nonprescription?
These are enough to scare any reasonable person away from taking many, if not 
most, medications.  How about internal bleeding in the digestive tract for 
ibuprofen?  No thanks! How many people give this much thought when they take 
this common medication?  There are always negative side effects from any 
medication.  And not all medications work on all people with the same efficacy or 
safety.  

It seems you are expecting cannabis to attain a level of harmlessness and 
efficacy that no one in the medical profession expects all medications to attain 
before they are considered of value for medical use under a doctors care based 
on scientific study.

What is your a priori bias, if any, against cannabis use in medicine?  Is 
this related to cultural/emotional issues involving the cultural baggage that 
cannabis currently carries in our culture?

I suspect if it were not for the emotional/legal issues regarding cannabis in 
our culture, this debate regarding whether there is any legitimate medical 
use whatever for cannabis under a doctors care would be regarded as laughable.  
People suffering from extreme pain are allowed morphine under a doctors care, 
a drug that is highly physically addictive and illegal under extreme 
penalties.  Yet we do not see widespread demands for doctors to not have legal access 
to morphine to treat pain because of the potential for abuse.

Why is morphine, a highly addictive and dangerous drug, allowed for legal 
medical use, while cannabis is not?

Consider the info below for more support for medical cannabis.

Do you think the Canadian Health Care systems actual government run cannabis 
growing project to supply cannabis to Canadian citizens for medical use under 
a doctors care is a nonscientific medically unsound effort?

I suppose you are going to tell the Phds and doctors and health care 
professionals in the Canadian Health Care system they need more studies to be 
conducted before they jeopardize the health of their citizens with unscientific 
possibly placebo cannabis treatments?

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/marihuana/about-apropos/faq_e.html

FAQ - Medical Use of Marihuana

The following are the most frequently asked questions regarding the medical 
use of marihuana:


Where does Canada stand on the issue of medical use of marihuana? 
Does this legislation mean that marihuana is a legal substance? 
Who is eligible to obtain an authorization to possess marihuana? 
How does someone apply to possess marihuana for medical purposes? 
Where does Health Canada's supply of marihuana come from? 
Can patients grow their own marihuana? 
Has Health Canada issued a Notice of Compliance? Go to Medical Use of 
Marihuana

***

Where does Canada stand on the issue of medical use of marihuana?

On July 30, 2001, Health Canada implemented the Marihuana Medical Access 
Regulations, which clearly define the circumstances and the manner in which access 
to marihuana for medical purposes will be permitted. The Regulations contain 
three main components: Authorizations to possess dried marihuana; licences to 
produce marihuana, which include Personal-Use Production Licences and 
Designated Person Production Licences; and access to supply of marihuana seeds or 
dried marihuana. 

Does this legislation mean that marihuana is a legal substance? 

No. Marihuana is categorized as a controlled substance. It is not legal to 
grow or possess marihuana except with legal permission by Health Canada. The 
Marihuana Medical Access Regulations allow access to marihuana to people who are 
suffering from grave and debilitating illnesses. It is important to note that 
the Regulations deal exclusively with the medical use of marihuana. They do 
not address the issue of legalizing marihuana. 

Who is eligible to obtain an authorization to possess marihuana? 

The regulations outline two categories of people who can apply to possess 
marihuana for medical purposes. 

Category 1: This category is comprised of any symptoms treated within the 
context of providing compassionate end-of-life care; or the symptoms associated 
with the specified medical conditions listed in the schedule to the 
Regulations, namely: 


Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis; 
Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from a spinal cord injury; 
Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from spinal cord disease; 
Severe pain, cachexia, anorexia, weight loss, and/or severe nausea from 
cancer; 
Severe pain, cachexia, anorexia, weight loss, and/or severe nausea from 
HIV/AIDS infection; 
Severe pain from severe forms of arthritis; or 
Seizures from epilepsy. Applicants must provide a declaration from a medical 
practitioner to support their application.

Category 2: This category is for applicants who have debilitating symptom (s) 
of medical condition (s), other than those described in Category 1. Under 
Category 2, persons with debilitating symptoms can apply to obtain an 
Authorization to Possess dried marihuana for medical purposes, if a specialist confirms 
the diagnosis and that conventional treatments have failed or judged 
inappropriate to relieve symptoms of the medical condition. While an assessment of the 
applicant’s case by a specialist is required, the treating physician, whether 
or not a specialist, can sign the medical declaration.

How does someone apply to possess marihuana for medical purposes?

An application must be submitted in writing to Health Canada. Application 
forms and guidelines are available online or by calling Health Canada toll-free, 
at: 1-866-337-7705. Applicants must provide a declaration from a medical 
practitioner to support the application.

Where does Health Canada's supply of marihuana come from?

In December 2000, Health Canada contracted Prairie Plant Systems Inc. (PPS) 
to cultivate and produce a safe, standardized, homogenous supply of marihuana. 

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V2020 Post by Ted Moffett
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