An Addiction Science
Network
Resource
Medical
Marijuana
This
page is a working draft provided for those who would like to check our
progress
on this project. While we’re under construction, please visit the links
to DrugScience.org, NORML, and other resources listed below
for information
about medical marijuana. And please check back later or e-mail to request
notification
when the page is revised.
Position
Statement
The
ASNet specifically:
(1.)
endorses the medicinal use of
marijuana for
compassionate use including non-terminal but chronic illnesses such as
multiple
sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions involving neuropathic
pain
unresponsiveness to conventional medications,
(2.)
firmly disagrees with the National Institute on Drug Abuse
(NIDA), the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA),
and other government agencies that purport marijuana to be a highly
addictive
substance similar to cocaine and heroin (in fact, we consider this
assertion to
be particularly irresponsible and call upon these government agencies
to soften
their rhetoric regarding marijuana and to recognize its actual status
as a
‘soft drug’),
(3.)
supports the decriminalization of
marijuana and
applauds progressive state legislative bodies such as that seen in our
home
state of
(4.)
while not advocating the recreational use of marijuana presently
withholds opinion on this popular activity, and
(5) the ASNet does
not endorse the legalization of
marijuana at this time.
You can comment on our
position at the ASNet
Discussion Forum.
Background
The
scientific evidence overwhelmingly favors the medical use of marijuana.
The
evidence has been compelling for a long time. In fact, several
Presidential
Committees spanning several decades have uniformly concluded that there
is
substantial evidence for medicinal effects from marijuana, and
heightened
interest in the past decade has prompted considerable study both
empirical and
theoretical. The overwhelming conclusion remains the same as purported
over
three decades ago with added emphasis on decriminalizing small
quantities of
marijuana for personal use. As a result of the growing scientific
evidence and
of the grass-roots support, an increasing number of States now
recognize the
medical use of marijuana although technically it remains illegal under
Federal jurisdiction.
Applicable
Medical
Conditions
We
are generally in agreement with the conclusions drawn by NORML
regarding the
conditions for which there is substantial evidence of a significant
medicinal
effect of marijuana and need not duplicate here their extensive listing
of
applicable conditions. (A link to their summaries is provided on the
graphic
below.) We further emphasize the use of marijuana for conditions
involving
neuropathic pain for which available medications are simply inadequate.
We also
underscore the potential value of marijuana in palliative care where
patient
comfort is difficult to achieve.
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Important off-site sources of information about the medicinal
use of marijuana:
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Graphics
courtesy of National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). |
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The Risks
Increased
availability of a substance seems to invariably lead to increased use
of that
substance. This is true for both hard and soft drugs. Marijuana use is
already
very high (the most popular illicit drug world wide), and its
popularity is
likely to increase somewhat but probably not dramatically. Because the
actual
addiction liability of marijuana is relatively low, this is likely to
lead to
only a small increase in the number of problem users of marijuana.
Although
even a small increase in this number is undesirable, this is a rational
cost
for the millions more that would benefit from the medicinal use of
marijuana.
It is worth noting that those presenting marijuana-use problems are
most likely
comorbid for another psychological disorder
that
might have eventually emerged independent of marijuana use. Indeed, the
marijuana use may unmask an underlying psychological problem that,
although
subclinical prior to sustained marijuana use, the remediation of which
could
cause an overall improvement in the individual’s quality of life. (Now,
take a
deep breath . . . exhale. We’re not really suggesting that marijuana
should be
used to unmask clinically significant underlying psychological
disorders but
only pointing out that the marijuana abuse that undoubtedly occurs in
some
individuals [specifically the problem drug use involving dual
diagnosis] might
have a positive benefit provided that proper psychological care is
available.)
The Benefits
The
primary benefit is increased availability and decreased stigmatization
of a substance
that has desirable medicinal effects for a variety of illnesses. Some
secondary
benefits include:
- decreased
cost to consumers,
- decreased
cost to society for criminal prosecution while freeing up valuable law
enforcement, judicial, and penitentiary resources for more serious
problems including those related to hard drugs,
- regulation
of purity, quality, and safety, and
- consumer
education including information provided by the government and the
mainstream medical community.
Why Dronabinol
Isn’t Enough
A
synthetic version of the primary active ingredient in marijuana (THC)
has been
available for a while through prescription. It is argued by the Food
and Drug
Administration that this suffices for medicinal use in situations where
natural
cannabis might be beneficial. Indeed, dronabinol
(Marinol) does have application in some of
the sundry
conditions where marijuana is useful but it fails in many others. There
are two
likely reasons for this. First and most obvious is the fact that
cannabis
contains several active ingredients in addition to its best known
constituent
THC. More to follow . . .
Should
Marijuana Be
Legalized?
Ah,
at last the real can of worms gets opened!
Related Topics
Distinguishing Drug Abuse from Drug Addiction
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