Re: Marijuana is a useful pain medication


<Codeee01@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:rmimu2tcqcg2mnmu67jbs6fj9b3bjak8uh@xxxxxxxxxx

Your "down and out outlook" isn't unjustified. I live in a state
where it is legal for medical use, but you would never know it.

Doctors are shunning opiates which are perfectly legal for treating
pain, for fear of being red flagged. You can just imagine how
reluctant they are to even entertain the idea of MJ !

maybe in 08 things will get better, the stone age mind set today really
is depressing to say the least, thanks for the thought...Joe




On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 19:24:21 GMT, "Joe_Evil" <Joe_Z@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I believe it would help relieve mild to moderate pain if nothing else, or
at
least help take your mind off the fact your not being treated properly or
correctly for whatever condition you suffer from, it may become legal for
some reason reason but that doesn't mean you'll get a script for it, it
will
most likely be harder to get than pain meds are to get right now IMHO, and
that's a given with all the anti-drug movement brainwashing going on the
last 7 years, it's still a large gamble if there's no money to be made by
gov, I don't see it happening really even though it's legal in a few
states
now, excuse my down and out outlook on this but it's not all that uncalled
for today, maybe 08 will look better for this issue, keep up the good
work...Joe

<sadhant@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1173031410.367340.226620@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's Official
Cannabis Can Reduce Pain

By FRED GARDNER

The journal Neurology on Feb. 13 published an article by UCSF's Donald
I. Abrams, MD, and colleagues establishing that smoked cannabis
relieves neuropathic pain (an intense tingling or burning sensation
usually occurring in the feet). Abrams et al conducted a study at San
Francisco General Hospital with 50 patients whose neuropathy was HIV-
related. (Neuropathic pain can also result from diabetes, trauma, and
other causes.) Another type of pain was induced by applying capsaicin
to a patch of each patient's skin.

The study participants were randomly divided into two groups -one that
smoked cannabis (3.5% THC, provided by the National Institute on Drub
Abuse), and one that smoked placebo joints from which the cannabinoids
had been extracted (also from NIDA). Patients smoked three times a day
for five days. Those getting the real thing reported a 34 percent
reduction in pain whereas the placebo smokers reported a 17 percent
reduction. Capsaicin-induced inflammation was reduced, too. "These
results provide evidence that there is a measurable medical benefit to
smoking cannabis for these patients," says Abrams.

Prospective randomized placebo-controlled trials are considered the
"gold standard" in clinical research, and Neurology is a prestigious
journal. You may be wondering, given this study, how the
Prohibitionists can deny that marijuana has a recognized medical use.
Here's how: "Very promising result but it's just one study... More
research is needed." And more research is on the way.

It didn't take long for Abrams et al's study to get cited. On Feb. 18
Philip A. Denney, MD, wrote the following in support of a Workers'
Comp claim by a retired law enforcement officer:

"I am writing at Patient A.'s request regarding payment for the use of
medicinal cannabis to treat his occupational injuries... Patient A. is
a 55-year-old retired/disabled peace officer who sustained serious
injuries in a work-related motor-vehicle accident in 1998. As a result
he suffers chronic pain in the neck and lower back with radiation into
the left upper and right lower extremities. The pain, particularly in
the right lower extremity, is reported to be sharp and 'electrical' in
nature, consistent with neuropathic pain. My physical findings are
consistent with those reported by Dr. P. in his supplemental Qualified
Medical Examiner evaluation.

"Patient A. has found the modest use of inhaled cannabis to be very
effective for pain control and much preferred to previously prescribed
medications, particularly opiates. Patient A. reports that 14 grams
per week moots his need and denied any adverse effects. He does not
use tobacco, alcohol, or any illicit drugs. This history is very
consistent with that obtained from many patients in our practice with
neuropathic pain syndromes, and a recent study has clearly confirmed
the efficacy of cannabis for the treatment of neuropathic pain. (D. I.
Abrams, et al. "Cannabis in Painful HIV-associated Sensory Neuropathy:
A randomized placebo-controlled trial, Neurology 2007 68 515-521.) "In
summary... medicinal cannabis is an appropriate treatment in this case
and is preferred to Marinol, opiate or other standard drugs. Whole
plant cannabis is more effective, better tolerated, and less expensive
in my experience.

"The California Supreme court has addressed this issue in People v.
Mower (2005) and stated that as long as the statutory conditions are
met, cannabis must be treated as '... any other prescription drug.'"

Dr. Denney says that Patient A, like most other patients with severe
chronic pain, was extremely glad to be able to reduce his intake of
opiates, which cause grogginess and constipation, among other adverse
effects. The remarkable ability of cannabis to substitute for or
potentiate the effect of other drugs has been noted by every doctor
who employs it in his or her practice. As Denney put it in the current
O'Shaughnessy's, "Cannabis allows significant decreased use or
elimination of many prescription medications, particularly narcotics.
Patients usually report decreases of 50% or better."

By coincidence "Genentech Sales Could Take Hit on Lower Dosing," read
a Wall St. Journal headline 2/23. A clinical trial has shown that a
half dose of Avastin, a costly drug given to advanced lung-cancer
patients, is just as effective as a whole dose (15 milligrams per
kilogram of body weight). If doctors prescribe the lower dose,
Genentech and its parent company, Roche, lose $4,400 per patient per
month. Genentech's stock fell 2.5% on news of the study results.
Capitalism can be so crass. For all its pretensions, the class system
is a crass system.

Fred Gardner is a former Public Information Officer for the District
Attorney of San Francisco. He can be reached at fred@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[http://www.counterpunch.org/gardner03032007.html]





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