[Editor’s note: This post is excerpted from this week’s forthcoming NORML weekly media advisory. To have NORML’s media advisories delivered straight to your in-box, sign up for NORML’s free e-zine here.]
Researchers worldwide have performed 37 separate clinical trials assessing the therapeutic safety and efficacy of inhaled cannabis and marijuana-based medicines since 2005, according to a review published online last week in the journal Cannabinoids: The Journal of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM).
Investigators from Leiden University in the Netherlands and the nova-Institut in Germany conducted a systematic review of recent clinical trial data pertaining to the medical use of whole smoked marijuana and cannabinoids.
Authors identified 37 controlled studies since 2005 evaluating the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids. The trials involved a total of 2,563 subjects.
Of the 37 clinical trials that have been recently conducted, eleven assessed the drug’s impact on chronic neuropathic pain – a difficult to treat type of pain resulting from nerve damage. Other studies assessed the efficacy of cannabinoids to treat multiple sclerosis-associated spasticity (nine separate studies); HIV/AIDS (four); experimental pain (four); intestinal dysfunction (two); nausea/vomiting/appetite (two); schizophrenia (two); glaucoma (one); and ‘other indications (two).
Authors concluded, “Based on the clinical results, cannabinoids present an interesting therapeutic potential mainly as analgesics in chronic neuropathic pain, appetite stimulants in debilitating diseases (cancer and AIDS), as well as in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.”
Last Wednesday investigators from the California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research released the results of a series of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials that determined that cannabinoids could be “a first-line treatment” for patients suffering from neuropathy.
Commenting on the review, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: “The safety and efficacy of marijuana as a medicine has now been established by the ‘gold standard’ of clinical study. Further, over 2,500 patients have used cannabinoids in controlled clinical trials over the past five years alone. This is a far greater total than the number of subjects that would likely be administered any other new drug pending United States FDA approval, and is a large enough population to once and for all establish marijuana’s objective value as a medicine.”
Meanwhile,the ONDCP is pushing marinol,again at their website,and surprise,surprise,they have issues with any recent studies done on marijuana. Of course it has nothing to do with the fact that the majority of their 15 billion dollar budget is justified and qualified with marijuana policy.
Add that to the hole they have dug themselves into with their out and out lies to the American public for the last 35 years and figure out how many paper towels it will take to clean all that egg off their face.
America’s leaders politicize crystal-ball issues, ignore facts, and substitute their own fear-based realities.
FDA blah blah
bought and owned by Big Pharma!
There is no God only Zuul.
This, for me, is encouraging, and depressing at the same time. I am hoping to read a study done on cannabinoids ability to treat skin cancer. To date I have found none. I E-Mailed CMCR about this, and am awaiting a response. I personaly have used cannabis oil to treat Basal Cell Carcinoma, and have achieved notable success.
It is time to update the compilation of pro-cannabis science that was given to Congress. At least send each of them an addendum of the scientific evidence since last publication.
I am proud to live at a time that the veil of misinformation is being lifted off this miracle drug. Rather ironic, huh?
I just wish it had happened in the 70’s when the populace negan to wake up on the subject. Keith started getting the word out in what? ’72? Damn! Going on 30 years.
You go NORML! Not much longer now…
and people STILL think this is the devils weed. gonna be at least another 5 years till we destroy this “drug war” mentality.
everyone send this to your local newspaper and say you want more news on marijuana!!! peace
As more and more research is done we will all have better lives through cannabis. Better medicine, better food, and better textiles and better paper and cleaner energy. Oh yea will some one explain to me again why this plant has been prohibited.
Great! …now what?
As long as there are people like this guy , the prohibs will ignore all studies and outcrys from the people to continue thier war on the American people. Guys like this need our help. Guide him in the right direction folks , he thinks there are cocain poppies among other things.
http://www.chicoer.com/ci_14460342?source=rss
Heres a little story over at CCM . If our government does things like this with alcohol and cannabis..makes one wonder what else they do.
http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/content/2010/02/24/Chemists-War
“Researchers worldwide have performed 37 separate clinical trials assessing the therapeutic safety and efficacy of inhaled cannabis and marijuana-based medicines since 2005”
and then it goes on to say 37 in the last 15 years
just curious if that was something I didn’t read correctly
Glad to see things here are improving. Now if we can get our government to let go of the “Three wise monkeys” policy on anything they don’t like, we might end the civil war.
[Paul Armentano responds: Thanks for spotting the typo.]
To “ironman’ very interesting idea, makes sence, hemp limp balm and lotions have always worked so well you use it once then forget you even have it because you’ve only applied it on once and didn’t need to re-coat. Cannabis oil probably restores nail and hair cells too, wouldn’t doubt it.. Id take a shower with some cannabis shampoo 🙂
and follow up to fort worth’s post, yes it takes the population to bombard local and regional news papers with new, relevant and very technical studies on the subject of marijuana. Every time I see one news station airing something about marijuana guaranteed you see it being aired on a rival. Get out there and spread the word my brothas and sistas
#1 claygooding: will anyone ever believe the ONDCP again? there are some legitimately dangerous drugs out there, but if the ONDCP tries to warn people about them, all will remember the decades of outrageous lies about pot. when this legalization happens, i want to hear from barry mccaffery and john walters. lying fucks
Today I get final sentence on cultivation over 5 2nd offense. Plea bargain was for 3 years. IF you don’t see a comment from me later …well you will know where i am!
just wish it was available where i live. it is the only thing that helps with my back pain
Praise Zuul!
Some of my college professors, including those teaching required intro level classes, LOVE talking about what a farce cannabis prohibition is. We even watched reefer madness in class.
I think the teachers and professors will make the difference. They’re the ones who inform hundreds of young people constructively on the subject of prohibition. It really gives me hope to see it discussed in the classroom.
I once had a friend who was border-line schizophrenic that used cannabis, and it seemed to help her more than the medications they were giving her.
But I’m glad that there are so many therapeutic uses for cannabinoids. Some day they will be used world-wide!
Family questions SWAT drug search that led to dog’s death
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/feb/23/family-questions-swat-drug-search-that-led-to/?news
Cannabis is medicine to many people and every week seems to bring more evidence of this to light as study after study affirms this. As far as recreational cannabis I can only speak of my own 40 year history with it. I started using cannabis in Vietnam and it has probably saved my life. I come from a background of alcoholic parents and child abuse. The choice to use cannabis instead of alcohol throughout my life has saved me from enjoying some of the finer aspects of drinking! The addiction, violence, the vomiting, the slurred speech, the stumbling, the black outs, the liver damage…instead, I am a responsible father and husband who has been married for 30 years and has had only one job in my life, 40 years with the same employer and I have never missed a day of work. Put that in your recreational pipe and smoke it! As for a reasonable argument for recreational cannabis read the following: “Our nation can acknowledge the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana while still permitting their use. The only logically and morally consistent argument for marijuana prohibition necessitates the criminalization of all harmful recreational drugs, including alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. We can agree that such an infringement on personal freedoms is as impractical as it is un-American. The time has come to accept that our nation’s attitude toward marijuana has been misguided for generations and that the only rational approach to cannabis is to legalize, regulate and tax it.”
Dr. Nathan, a psychiatrist in Princeton, N.J., is a clinical assistant professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
The FDA and the DEA are causing many problems for the American people,mainly the less fortunate,and in the name of Justice.I really wish we could turn the tables on these Federally funded money pits.
Not having the right to live your life the way you want to is unconstitutional,and a crime against the people.
We need to find a new way to be heard and have cannabis clinical trials all over the United States. Science should mean something!
Unfortunatly it is very very stupid to take anything that grows from the ground and injest it! If it wasnt synthetically processed you have no idea how dangerous it could be! The absolute smart thing to do is make 100% sure that anything you injest food or medicine is somehow chemically derived by a supersmart science guy! For this keeps this nation safe and very healthy! Just look at Avandia(diabetic medicine) responsible for only 500 deaths a month and some 83,000 all together! Just make sure if you do medicate with marijuana that your supplier is not profitting one bit.We need only companies like the maker of Avandia,Bayer, Pfizer and any other super smart drug providers to prosper! Thank You and just do what your told!:(
This is the way your goverment and its followers would have you think?!
reefer was outlawed for the raeson of keeping the mexicans out way back when.if they are here legaly let them grow.we need all the reefer we can get too lower the price
I’ve read a massive amount of anti-cannabis attack articles lately. It’s obvious the prohibitionists are feeling threatened. They know the end of pot prohibition is in sight. How do I know this. It’s been in just the last week that I’ve been talking to everyone who’ll stop what they’re doing for just a second & I ask them what they think we should do about cannabis? Without exception, everyone has just shrugged their shoulders & blandly said, “they just need to legalize it”, & they go on with their business. Isn’t it obvious by now that most adults will simply prefer to buy cannabis a the local store, just like tobacco. And, Americans know that the sky won’t fall when pot is re-legalized. Otherwise law abiding adults just won’t be going to jail for using a little cannabis to relax with after a hard days work. Yes, work. The average cannabis user in the USA is a successful, hard working white male. Now, let’s finally stop 73 years of nonsense & re-legalize adult cannabis use for medicinal & recreational purposes.
i would be interested in a clinical trial for marijuana if there is any out there. i am a new user for chronic pain as well as nausua i have my ommp card and trying to find a program that can help me. Haven’t had any donation of any kind and am in real need of getting the medicine to help me thats why i got my card I don’t know of any program or persons that can help me I have been doing some research and so far i found the website can you help me out please either with infromation about your program or programs in my area thank you loves
I also have a elderly mom that just got here card also that needs the help also