Just recently, the FDA ruled against the medical use of marijuana because there were “no sound scientific studies” to suggest that it worked. Directly contradicting a groundbreaking study conducted in 1999 by a panel of experts, the FDA wrote that smoked marijuana has no accepted or proven medical use here in the U.S, thus it is not a valid medical treatment.
Yet there are many scientists — not to mention patients — who would fundamentally disagree with the FDA’s statement. And, it seems that many state officials would disagree as well, considering there are 11 states that have already legalized the medical use of marijuana.
However, the evidence from the 1999 study is glaring in the face of the FDA’s new ruling. During that year, the Institute of Medicine (part of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences) put together a scientific advisory board to evaluate marijuana’s medicinal potential.
The panel of national experts concluded that marijuana was “moderately well suited for particular conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and AIDS wasting.” The frustrated authors of the report say that the federal government continues to ignore their findings. Their conclusion supports the long-held argument for pro- marijuana advocates. People who live with chronic illness can help improve their quality of life and decrease pain by smoking the plant.
Marijuana is a cannabinoid that is known to have potential use as, first of all, a great pain reliever. All available evidence from studies on humans and animals indicates that cannabinoids have a significant analgesic effect. In all, there are well-known areas where marijuana could be making (and is making) a real difference.
This includes helping ease the effects of chemotherapy, postoperative pain (both include nausea and vomiting), chronic pain of any kind (and associated insomnia), spinal cord injuries, neuropathic pain, AIDS symptoms, unintended weight loss, neuropathy, and any immune- related pain problems.
If we took the time to investigate this controversial treatment more fully, we might find many other areas that it could be helpful with as well. For instance, it can invigorate your appetite, thus providing potential in the treatment of many diseases that can cause a lack of appetite or an eating disorder.
Also, neurologically speaking, marijuana is proposed as a source of relief for muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis or spine injuries, for movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, and for limiting seizures caused by epilepsy.
In all honesty, this might only be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. A few drugs are being created based on marijuana. “Marinol” is approved to treat AIDS-induced anorexia and cancer-induced nausea and vomiting. “Sativex” is made from marijuana and approved in Canada, but not in the U.S.
Despite studies that show the clear benefits of medicinal marijuana, the U.S. remains staunchly opposed to this medicine. Science takes a backseat to ideology when it comes to the topic of marijuana and the patients who could be benefiting are the ones missing out.
One popular argument against cannabis is its risk of being a “gateway” drug that leads users to try more dangerous illegal drugs. The Institute of Medicine, however, concluded that there was absolutely no basis for this.
In Canada, marijuana is approved for medicinal use because federal officials recognize its value. In the U.S., it is not. The New York Times reported that a California doctor performed a rigorous, good-quality study of marijuana smoking in HIV patients and found firm proof that the drug reduced nerve pain. However, the doctor is having trouble getting the study published.
Next Post: Superbug-Killing Compound Found in Wallaby Milk
Previous Post: Diabetes Sufferers Need to Watch Out for Celiac Disease
Tags: alternative health news, chemotherapy, quick weight loss
