In the ongoing battle between the DEA, farmers, patients, and scientists there has been nothing but contradictory information. It looks like with a couple new pieces of news that the pro-marijuana (the medical kind) people might be coming out ahead.
For researchers studying marijuana, it's been a very good week. In one of the most careful studies to date, marijuana was found to relieve pain. And a judge ruled in favor of an agronomist who has has been trying for six years to overcome one of the problems of marijuana research: the lack of an adequate supply of the drug for experiments.The new study, published in Neurology, involved 50 patients suffering from intense foot pain associated with H.I.V. infections. Some patients smoked marijuana cigarettes three times a day; another group smoked "identical placebo cigarettes with the cannabinoids extracted."
Check out the original article over at Tierney Lab.
Comments
I'm amazed. I thought medical pot was accepted in the US. Or possibly anaethma to the Feds but accepted at the state level?
Here in Canada the government saw the coming wave of medical marijuana and said "well let's keep it controlled".
They set up a pot farm in an old mine, and proceded to grow the worst-quality hemp ever seen in Canada. Medical pot patients would apparently supplement the Government Grow with homegrown and other weed, easily and cheaply available on many street corners.
Eventually the government got its head out, and decided not to ask about source and supply. Here in BC, some pot growers are actually licensed by the province to provide for pot patients.
And as for recreational use, hell, I can't think of the last time I read of anyone being arrested for it. The cops like a little weed as much as anyone.
Not only does it make no sense to treat HIV and cancer patients as criminals, but it makes little sense to waste billions struggling against a drug that, compared to alcohol and tobacco, seems relatively harmless.
Let's hope this is the early signs of someone in power showing some sense about this.
Posted by: Metro | February 15, 2007 3:41 PM
"Let's hope this is the early signs of someone in power showing some sense about this."
Sadly... I wouldn't count on it.
Posted by: steve | February 15, 2007 3:46 PM