Marijuana has therapeutic potential in the treatment of many serious illnesses including AIDS wasting syndrome, spasticity disorders, and glaucoma, and future scientific trials should be funded by the federal government, said a report released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on August 8.
NIH experts agreed that marijuana “looks promising enough to recommend that there be new controlled studies done.” Panelists insisted that future trials should not hold marijuana to higher scientific standards than those applied to other medications or required by law. The report also noted that there are patients “for whom the inhalation route might offer advantages over the currently available capsule formulation.”
NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, Esq. praised the panelists findings, but warned that previous calls for research have gone unanswered by federal health organizations. “The National Academy of Sciences issued similar recommendations in 1982,” Stroup explained. “Unfortunately, the federal government failed to act on their findings.” Presently, research protocols to examine marijuana’s therapeutic value in the treatment of the AIDS wasting syndrome and acute migraines are awaiting NIH approval.
Stroup also said that calls for future research must in no way preclude seriously ill patients from using marijuana medicinally in states that already allow for its therapeutic use. “A lack of conclusive scientific evidence in this area does not warrant arresting patients who are currently using marijuana medicinally nor does it justify harassing doctors who wish to recommend or prescribe marijuana in compliance with state law.”
White House spokesman Mike McCurry told the Associated Press that the administration continues to oppose the use of marijuana to treat sick people. Earlier this year, Clinton administration officials threatened to arrest doctors who recommend or prescribe marijuana in accordance with state law.
“The NIH report is a step in the right direction, but provides little protection to those thousands of seriously ill patients already using medical marijuana,” summarized Stroup. He added that health officials gave no explanation as to why the report was delayed for more than four months.
For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of The NORML Foundation at (202) 483-8751.