Make room in Minnesota for medical marijuana

American Medical Student Association
"The American Medical Student Association strongly urges the United States Government ... to meet the treatment needs of currently ill Americans by restoring the Compassionate IND program for medical marijuana, and ... reschedul[ing] marijuana to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act, and ... end[ing] the medical prohibition against marijuana."
Reference: AMSA House of Delegates Resolution #12 : adopted March 1993

EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING SOME EPILEPTIC SEIZURES:

“Clinical experience and emerging research further indicate that marijuana can help control epileptic seizures.45 Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the primary (and nonpsychoactive) cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant, appears to be of particular benefit, allowing patients who ingest it at certain times to avoid seizure activity. Some epileptics who cannot tolerate other antiseizure medications have been able to use marijuana to successfully control their seizures, without experiencing debilitating side effects.”

45 Lords Report § 5.31, at 24..
46 See Jomar M. Cunha, Chronic Administration of Cannabidiol to HealthyVolunteers and Epileptic Patients, 21 Pharmacology 175 (1980); R. v. Parker, supra note 22, at *3 (holding that epileptic who suffered “frequent serious and potentially life-threatening seizures” and for whom surgery and conventional medications were unsuccessful is entitled to take marijuana to control seizures notwithstanding the prohibition of medicinal marijuana use under Canadian drugcontrol statutes at that time).

AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION (to the point):

"...marijuana is effective in treating muscle spasticity."

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE (IOM):

"Current treatments for painful muscle spasms .
.. have only limited effectiveness and their use is complicated by various adverse side effects."

medical support wrote:

To Smoke or not to Smoke
When considering the pros & cons of marijuana as a MEDICINE, it is important to keep in mind there are many delivery methods or delivery "systems," other than SMOKING, including a relatively new technology called a vaporizer.
A vaporizer is a great alternative to smoking for patients who need the immediate effects of smoking, but are concerned about the potential respiratory implications. A vaporizer heats the cannabis to a temperature range -- below the burning point -- where the beneficial vapors are released, without the carcinogens associated with smoking.
Other possible delivery methods include cannabis tinctures or extracts; cannabis butters and oils to cook with; rubs and balms; teas and smoothies; candy and chocolate; patches and suppositories; and even pills (with real cannabis not fake THC/Marinol).
And though long-term smoking of cannabis has been associated with an elevated risk of minor respiratory complications -- including an increase in cough, sputum production, wheezing, and a slight increase in the likelihood of bronchitis -- most of the larger studies surprisingly have NOT been able to find a significant link between lung cancer and cannabis smoking (even long-term, heavy use).
I realize this sounds unbelievable, especially considering cigarette smoking causes an estimated 438,000 deaths each year, according to the CDC.
But here's a two-part interview with noted pulmonary researcher Dr. Donald Tashkin, from UCLA's Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Tashkin's federally-funded NIH work was supposed to establish, once and for all, that smoking marijuana caused lung cancer, just like tobacco.
But Dr. Tashkin discovered that wasn't the case; and he had the scientific integrity to honestly disclose his findings. And this is from one of the federal government’s #1 harm-based researcher of marijuana. TWO PARTS (part 1 is the first one):
http://www.youtube.com/watch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Well put, I for one hope and pray they legalize this drug, so many patients would benefit from this just so they could keep down some food, and other meds so vital to their survival!
Only self centered, selfish people gripe about this. I will vote, donate and do everything I can to help make this legal, no matter how long it takes.
Those people who proclaim to be "former addicts" recovering addicts, or whatever, always seem to think their "life experiences" make them experts. They are sadly mistaken!!
<Medical Support>, keep up the good work, I enjoy reading your posts. Plus I agree with each and every post you respond to. Thank god for level headed people like you!! KUDOS to you!!

Tx a bunch rusirus. Here's a little more from the

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS on VAPORIZERS:

“The development of a vapor route for THC delivery offers promise for the future of medical marijuana research. A recent study found that THC administered through the Volcano vaporizer resulted in higher plasma THC levels compared to smoked marijuana at both 30 and 60 minutes post administration. It also found that exhaled carbon monoxide increased very little after vapor compared with smoking."

"... Vaporization of THC offers the rapid onset of symptom relief without the negative effects from smoking. It allows patients to self regulate their dosage immediately by ceasing inhalation when or if psychoactive effects become unpleasant.”
-“Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana” the ACP's Position Paper on Medical Marijuana (January 2008).

People throughout China, India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and South America have used marijuana (cannabis) as a MEDICINE for millennia.

Though first written evidence of cannabis’ therapeutic value dates back to 2800 B.C, cannabis was formally included in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) in 1854. By 1900, more than 100 papers on the therapeutic benefits of cannabis already had appeared in the western medical literature; and cannabis had become the third leading active ingredient, behind alcohol and opiates, in U.S. patent medicines.

Well known pharmaceutical companies -- like Eli Lily, Merck, and Squibb -- manufactured tinctures or extracts of cannabis that were used by tens of thousands of patients, without one single overdose!(At the time of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, there were close to 30 different commercial tinctures/extracts of cannabis that were many times stronger than any marijuana strain today. If abused, these tinctures could put someone to sleep for a while, but they always woke up... The fact that these cannabis extracts were non-fatal was a HUGE PLUS).

Despite strong objections from the American Medical Association, a few racist and crooked politicians forced the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 through Congress, blindly and foolishly eliminating one of the safest and most versatile medicines from the U.S. medical repertoire.

If today’s patients had options to non-fatal medicines, like cannabis, how many of the annual 100,00 deaths from FDA-approved medications would be prevented?

It is illogical and appalling our federal government continues to withhold such a safe medicine, like cannabis, and PUSH such deadly medicines, like Vioxx.

It's time to set the record straight.

PLEASE CALL AND/OR WRITE YOUR LAWMAKERS AND POLITELY ASK FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

For those interested in learning more about "Marijuana's History as a Medicine," here's a 'must see' link to expert testimony written for 2005 DEA hearings, by Lester Grinspoon, M.D.

http://www.maps.org/mmj/grinspoon_history_can...

According to the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE):

“Dr Grinspoon served for 40 years as Senior Psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston. A Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychiatric Association, he was the founding editor of both the Annual Review of Psychiatry and the Harvard Mental Health Letter. He is the author or coauthor of over 160 journal articles or chapters and 12 books. A major area of interest has been 'illicit' drugs. In 1990 he won the Alfred R. Lindesmith Award of the Drug Policy Foundation for 'achievement in the field of drug scholarship.'

His first book, Marihuana Reconsidered, originally published in 1971 by Harvard University Press, was recently republished as a classic. His latest book, Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine, co-authored with James B. Bakalar, was published by Yale University Press in 1993 (revised and expanded edition, 1997) and has now been translated into ten languages."

ON THE DISCOVERY OF AN ENDOGENOUS (inside us/from within) CANNABINOID SYSTEM (Gregory T. Carter, MD - Department of Rehabilitation Medicine University of Washington School of Medicine):

"The discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, with specific receptors and ligands, has
progressed our understanding of the therapeutic actions of cannabis from folklore to valid science. It now appears that the cannabinoid system evolved with our species and is intricately involved in normal human physiology -- specifically in the control of movement, pain, reproduction, memory, and appetite, among other biological functions. In addition, the prevalence of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and peripheral tissues suggests that the cannabinoid system represents a previously unrecognized ubiquitous network in the nervous system.

Cannabinoid receptor sites are now known to exist in the nervous systems of all animals more
advanced than hydra and mollusks. This is a result of at least 500 million years of evolution. The
human body&#697;s neurological, circulatory, endocrine, digestive, and musculoskeletal systems have now all been shown to possess cannabinoid receptor sites. Indeed, even cartilage tissue has
cannabinoid receptors, which makes cannabis a prime therapeutic agent to treat osteoarthritis.
Cannabinoids have been shown to produce an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the production and action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and other acute phase cytokines, which also makes them ideal compounds to treat the autoimmune forms of arthritis.

It is now suggested by some researchers that these widely spread cannabinoid receptor systems are the mechanisms by which the body maintains homeostasis (the regulation of cell function), allowing the body&#697;s tissues to communicate with one another in this intricate cellular dance we call &#698;life.&#698; With this knowledge of the widespread action of cannabinoids within all these bodily systems, it becomes much more easy to conceptualize how the various forms of cannabinoids might have a potentially therapeutic effect on diseases ranging from osteoarthritis to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Another one of the exciting therapeutic areas that cannabis may impact is chronic pain. Cannabinoids produce analgesia by modulating rostral ventromedial medulla neuronal activity in a manner similar to, but pharmacologically distinct from, that of morphine. This analgesic effect is also exerted by some endogenous cannabinoids (anandamide) and synthetic cannabinoids (methanandamide). Ideally, cannabinoids could be used alone or in conjunction with opioids to treat people with chronic pain, improve their quality of life, and allow them to return to being a productive citizen."

And here's a link to an incredibly informative and well-sourced summary of the most recent published scientific research (2000-2008) on the therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids for 17 separate clinical indications.

1. Alzheimer&#697;s disease
2. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
3. Diabetes mellitus
4. Dystonia
5. Fibromyalgia
6. Gastrointestinal disorders
7. Gliomas
8. Hepatitis C
9. Human Immunodeficiency Virus
10. Hypertension
11. Incontinence
12. Multiple sclerosis
13. Osteoporosis
14. Pruritis
15. Rheumatoid arthritis
16. Sleep apnea
17. Tourette&#697;s syndrome

http://www.norml.org/pdf_files/NORML_Clinical...

The fact that the MN police lobby continues to disseminate blatant lies and outrageous disinformation regarding MEDICAL marijuana is shameful, embarrassing, and unacceptable.

These guys need to get out of the medical field! What part of this don't they understand? What is going on in MN that the police are blatantly interfering with medicine; and this Governor is enabling and encouraging them?!!

The late, great Mr. Rogers taught us that "the neighborhood" works best, when everybody is performing their correct role: police stick to law enforcement, service, and protection; physicians stick to medical care .

I urge Governor Pawlenty to listen to the experts on MEDICAL marijuana -- like the American College of Physicians, the New England Journal of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, and the British Medical Association/Lancet -- instead of listening to an ill-informed and misguided law enforcement lobby.

The implications of MN's police "taking over" MN's VITAL medical care issues are HORRIFIC!

PLEASE WRITE AND CALL GOVERNOR PAWLENTY AND OTHER LAWMAKERS TO URGE THEM TO LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS REGARDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

Let us examine some of the lies/myths perpetuated by the MN police lobby.

LIE # 1 - "Marijuana is a well-known 'gateway' drug."

TRUTH: According to the American College of Physicians,“marijuana has not been proven to be the cause or even the most serious predictor of serious drug abuse. It is also important to note that the data on marijuana’s role in illicit drug use progression only pertains to its non-medical use.”

For MEDICAL marijuana patients, adjunctive therapy with marijuana is a terminus or a way to reduce dependence on more dangerous medications, like morphine.

Marijuana and opiates have a 'synergistic' effect on each other, which means the combined effect of cannabis' and opiates' interaction is greater than the sum of the effects seen when each drug is given alone. By working synergistically with opiates, cannabis helps to reduce the tendency toward a 'spiraling tolerance' that is common with chronic opiate usage. Many MEDICAL marijuana patients find that marijuana use actually helps them to discontinue more dangerous medications altogether.

LIE # 2 - "There is no real medical support for medical marijuana, just a bunch of potheads."

TRUTH - MEDICAL Marijuana has the support of the most prestigious medical organizations and societies in the world.

Recently, the largest medical specialty group and the 2nd largest physician group in the U.S., the American College of Physicians, spelled out the facts:

“A clear discord exists between the scientific community and federal legal and regulatory agencies over the medicinal value of marijuana, which impedes the expansion of research…"

"Evidence not only supports the use of medical marijuana in certain conditions but also suggests numerous indications for cannabinoids...The science on medical marijuana should not be obscured or hindered by the debate surrounding the legalization of marijuana for general use.”
(Reference: ACP position paper on MEDICAL Marijuana, entitled "Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana” Released January 2008:

http://www.acponline.org/acp_news/medmarinews...

The ACP publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the world).

The ACP joins the following medical/health organizations supporting IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA:

American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Student Association, American Nurses Association, American Preventive Medical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Arthritis Research Campaign (United Kingdom), Australian Medical Association (New South Wales), Limited Australian National Task Force on Cannabis, Belgian Ministry of Health, British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, British House of Lords Select Committee On Science and Technology (Second Report), British Medical Association, Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs, Dr. Dean Edell (surgeon and nationally syndicated radio host), French Ministry of Health, Health Canada, Kaiser Permanente, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Lymphoma Foundation of America, The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada), The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom), National Academy of Sciences Institute Of Medicine (IOM), National Association for Public Health Policy, National Nurses Society on Addictions, Netherlands Ministry of Health, New England Journal of Medicine, New South Wales (Australia), AIDS Action Council, AIDS Treatment News, Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Dr. Andrew Weil, Alaska Nurses Association, Being Alive: People With HIV/AIDS Action Committee (San Diego, CA), California Academy of Family Physicians, California Nurses Association, California Pharmacists, Association Colorado Nurses Association, Connecticut Nurses Association, Florida Governor's Red Ribbon Panel on AIDS, Florida Medical Association, Hawaii Nurses Association, Illinois Nurses Association, the Lancet (British Medical Journal), Life Extension Foundation, Medical Society of the State of New York, Mississippi Nurses Association, New Jersey State Nurses Association, New Mexico Medical Society, New Mexico Nurses Association, New York County Medical Society, New York State Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, San Francisco Mayor's Summit on AIDS and HIV, San Francisco Medical Society, Vermont Medical Marijuana Study Committee, Virginia Nurses Association, Whitman-Walker Clinic (Washington, DC), Wisconsin Nurses Association....

AND THAT IS NOT a COMPLETE LIST.

Please politely let Governor Pawlenty and your representatives know that this broad medical support for MEDICAL marijuana should not be "brushed aside."

More on the "Gateway" Lie/Myth:

"In the United States, the claim that marijuana acts as a gateway to the use of other drugs serves mainly as a rhetorical tool for frightening Americans into believing that winning the war against heroin and cocaine requires waging a battle against the (medical) use of marijuana. Not only is the claim intellectually indefensible, but the battle is wasteful of resources and fated to failure.” by John P. Morgan, M.D. and Lynn Zimmer, Ph.D.

Check out this summary of more marijuana myths, by Dr. Morgan and Dr. Zimmer. William F. Buckley referred to Dr. Morgan's & Dr. Zimmer's work on marijuana as "a miracle of intelligent concision."

http://www.bisdro.uni-bremen.de/boellinger/ca...

Does anybody know how the dude ....Medical Support and his other personality ....Credible Links, feels on this issue?

" So let`s get this straight: I am against the legalization of marijuana … However, there are cases when marijuana makes sense, like in medicine. There are a host of serious diseases when smoking pot is the best and sometimes the only relief for pain and suffering. There are plenty of people who abuse all sorts of prescription drugs, but law-abiding citizens can still have access if they need them. So, when I read about the Drug Enforcement Agency, the DEA, raiding ten medical marijuana clinics in California last week, totally legal businesses. I have to agree with the critics that call this case, and the DEA, bullies."
— Glenn Beck, August 3, 2007

Cannabis Benefits for Lou Gehrig's/ALS:

"I have spent my entire career in search of more effective treatments for this awful disease [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease)]. We have now found that the cannabinoids, the active ingredients in medical marijuana, work remarkably well in controlling the clinical symptoms of ALS. Even more exciting is that we are now discovering that the cannabinoids actually protect nerve cells and may prolong the life of patients with ALS."

— Gregory Carter, M.D., clinical professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, and co-director, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Center (testimony submitted to Illinois Senate Public Health Committee, March 2007)

" Not everybody needs marijuana for medical illness. But for those who really do, it’s very helpful. As more and more states are taking medical marijuana – New Mexico just did it the other day – eventually it will just be overwhelming. And it will happen. But I’m shocked that it’s taken this long."

— Dr. Thomas Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus of psychiatry at UCLA and member of President Nixon’s National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, "3rd Degree," LA City Beat, March 29, 2007

" I consider the most important recommendation made by the IOM (Institute of Medicine) panel [to be] that physicians be able to prescribe marijuana to individual patients with debilitating or terminal conditions … I believe such compassionate use is justified."

— Andrew Weil, M.D., July 1999

" It [medical marijuana] should be an option for patients who have it recommended by knowledgeable physicians."

— Dr. Jesse L. Steinfeld, former U.S. Surgeon General, July 2003

" The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by illnesses like multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS — or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day."

— former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, M.D., "Myths About Medical Marijuana," Providence Journal, March 26, 2004