We’ve all heard the claims before – from federal officials, police groups opposing state medical marijuana bills, etc. – that there is no evidence that marijuana is a legitimate medicine. Readers of this blog know that’s nonsense, but there’s been a need for an article in the peer-reviewed scientific literature that lays out the scientific case in a clear, tightly-focused way.
Recently, a group of scientists published a review article in the Journal of Opioid Management that does just that. The article, “Medicinal Use of Cannabis in the United States: Historical Perspectives, Current Trends, and Future Directions,” is one every medical marijuana activist should keep handy.
The authors, led by Sunil Aggarwal of the University of Washington, walk readers through the massive body of medical evidence for marijuana’s safety and efficacy, including “the 33 completed and published American controlled clinical trials with cannabis.” They note that “nearly all of the 33 published controlled clinical trials with cannabis conducted in the United States have shown significant and measurable benefits in subjects receiving the treatment.”
They also point out that the federal government has conducted only one long-term study of medical marijuana, the IND program that still provides marijuana to four patients. But it’s a study in name only, as “no clinical response data in the patient cohort have ever been systematically collected or disseminated.”
Translation: If officials don’t know that marijuana is a safe, effective medicine, it’s because they don’t want to know.
Unfortunately I am finding that more and more Republicans do not follow the core beliefs of the party.
Absolutely right Darth. If the Republican Party behaved according to its stated principles, I would happily join their ranks. But when I look at the part, I see GW Bush, I see Sarah Palin, I see Rush Limbaugh. These people are not concerned with a principled approach to individual freedom; they are concerned with moralizing and consolidating power.
Same goes for the Democrats, of course.
…and yet we’ll continue to vote for the lesser of two evils. Am I right?
As it stands, does anyone around here think we can afford to allow Republicans to rule the white house again anytime soon? After all, states are making progress under Obama’s watch, whereas we wouldn’t see the kind of progress we’re seeing now under another Bush-type administration.
Yeah, agreed. Lesser of two evils is our only choice, and I’m not sure there’s any better example of evil incarnate than Sarah Palin.
How about the entire GOP? I can’t think of anything more frightening than a party as corrupt as theirs.
@ Dayadog
I am for legalization. I don’t believe there should any penalties for buying, selling or consuming a drug. No force is initiated on anyone. It’s not a grey area for me, however I am not sure where the harder drugs would be sold. The free market would figure it out although no doubt it would be the Government dictating how it’d work.
Ex-drug abusers should have no say in what I do with my body. I do not need to take a drug to know what it does to me, there is plenty of information available. The majority of us already do this and stay away from destructive drugs. Would things have been different for you if your doctor could have recommended marijuana?
Pfizer just got caught doing their usual illegal drug pushing, and it wasn’t their first time.
End this insane war on Cannabis NOW.
I should rephrase my statement on #58.
Pfizer got caught again pushing drugs illegally by bribing doctors.
Big pharma at it’s best again. This is why I will not buy LEGAL drugs. I will continue to smoke my meds while THEY pay over 2 billion. Who gets all the fine money anyway, our goverenment? Why don’t we get to share in the windfall? Oh, that cannot happen because the money will probably go to politions to keem in big pharma pockets. NOTHING has changed except for the greedy fucks in office!
Full text of article: students.washington.edu/sunila/JOM_5-3-03.pdf
We have the measure to change the laws. We just need to convince enough voters to see cannabis as it is rather than what the govt. has spent years and Billions(possibly trillions over all) of $ telling them it is.
I have seen some of the most intelligent comments come from pot smokers that post here.
I have to agree that a real change in drug policy will not happen without a civil uprise or a revolution of some sort. Our government has long forgotten it’s purpose, which was always to serve the people of this country.
Our government has long turned into a war machine trying to destroy any kind of individuality or independent thinking, whether it’s in this country or abroad. Our country has long turned into a prison state where our civil liberties are violated and we are being stripped of our basic human rights.
I have said this before and I will say it again.
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.
We need to stop whatever we doing, stop complaining and stand up for our rights. We need to come up with a date and have every pot smoker come out and protest on that date.
Our strengths is in numbers, and the truth is on our side.
Fight for your rights. Free The Weed. Free The People.
Get a date set and I will gladly protest and I will get anyone I can to protest right along with me.
I wish a Big Pharma guy/gal could see me on my hands and knees at 5am puking my ass off whilest on 480mg of oxycontin for chronic pain.Marijuana saved my life as I went from an obese 410lbs to 234lbs by vomiting daily.I was scripted Marinol but it made me paranoid and cant swallow it while puking.If it were not for pot,I’d be dead-plain and simple.Free the Weed for those who Need!
FreeTheWeed I completely agree with you. It is our numbers that will make change happen if we just sit back and push policies and such they will just tell us to be patient. We have been patient prohibition has been going on for long enough. It is up to us as the people to stand up for our rights.
If you look back on the history of major changes within government policies they didn’t just happen. There were activist just like us organizing, raising awareness, parading, protesting, and empowering others to stand up for their rights. We can’t just keep playing it safe we have to do something.