Cannabis Facts Trump Fiction

[Medical Marijuana]

Several recent letters argue that cannabis isn't medicine.

1974, Medical College of Virginia, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, found instead that THC slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice -- lung and breast cancer, and a virus-induced leukemia.

1988, Francis Young, DEA administrative law judge, calls cannabis "the safest therapeutic substance known to man."

The five remaining patients in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program receive about half a pound of medical cannabis cigarettes each month from their pharmacists, provided by the U.S. government, grown at the University of Mississippi.

The Missoula Chronic Clinical Cannabis Use Study was conducted by Dr. Ethan Russo to study the patients in the CIND program. His results showed:

Cannabis smoking provided effective relief of pain and muscle spasms, and reduced intraocular pressure elevations in the selected patients.

The patients were able to reduce or eliminate their other prescription medicines and accompanying side effects.

Clinical cannabis provides these patients an improved quality of life.

Facts trump fiction anytime.

Allan Erickson

Drug Policy Forum of Oregon

Eugene, Ore.

Source: Modesto Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Modesto Bee
Contact: letters@modbee.com
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