Marijuana and the Dilemma of its Benefits
On August 18, 2008 A La Times medical reporter interviewed a group of doctors that were researching the benefits of medical marijuana. Depending on the audience, marijuana is just as dangerous a drug as PCP and heroin and therefore should be kept illegal, or it's a wonder herb that is just bursting with unknown benefits and is being suppressed by the government--or perhaps its a little bit of both: a plant with tremendous benefits as well as drawbacks, yet worth looking into.
As the political campaigning over medical marijuana continues, a small group of scientist are investigating the effects on how inhaled marijuana treats nausea, pain, and muscle spasms
Doctors have long understood that all drugs come attached with risk--in most American homes the medicine cabinets are stuffed with aspirin, antihistamines, and pain killers. What Doctors try to do is balance out the risk versus the benefits of what the medicine can do--some argue this should be the same approach when it comes to looking at marijuana.
The truth, say researchers, is that marijuana has medical benefits that assist with those living with cancer pain, multiple sclerosis, nausea associated with chemo therapy, and chronic pain syndromes. Research has shown that the risks associated with marijuana are real but generally small. Newer medical discoveries of the medicinal benefits of marijuana have been since hindered the research team says.
Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of hematology and oncology at San Francisco General Hospital and professor of clinical medicine at UC San Francisco, says he sees patients experiencing nausea and vomiting from treatment, cancer patients in pain, not eating or sleeping well, and being depressed about their general situation.
Dr. Abrams also is happy that he lives in California where medical marijuana is permitted by state law--this even with federal authorities who continue to raid cannabis dispensaries in California as well as scrutinize Doctors who choose to prescribe marijuana to their patients as a form of therapy.
"I can talk to patients about medicinal cannabis [and] I'm often recommending it to them for these indications," Abrams says.
The medical use of marijuana has gone on for thousands of years. In the days before the bible, the plant was used as a medicinal tea in China, and in India it was used as a stress formula and pain reliever--All throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Africa marijuana was use for earaches, childbirth, and many other remedies.
recently, there have been studies to test the effect on how marijuana treats people with spinal injuries, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety.
As the political campaigning over medical marijuana continues, a small group of scientist are investigating the effects on how inhaled marijuana treats nausea, pain, and muscle spasms
Doctors have long understood that all drugs come attached with risk--in most American homes the medicine cabinets are stuffed with aspirin, antihistamines, and pain killers. What Doctors try to do is balance out the risk versus the benefits of what the medicine can do--some argue this should be the same approach when it comes to looking at marijuana.
The truth, say researchers, is that marijuana has medical benefits that assist with those living with cancer pain, multiple sclerosis, nausea associated with chemo therapy, and chronic pain syndromes. Research has shown that the risks associated with marijuana are real but generally small. Newer medical discoveries of the medicinal benefits of marijuana have been since hindered the research team says.
Dr. Donald Abrams, chief of hematology and oncology at San Francisco General Hospital and professor of clinical medicine at UC San Francisco, says he sees patients experiencing nausea and vomiting from treatment, cancer patients in pain, not eating or sleeping well, and being depressed about their general situation.
Dr. Abrams also is happy that he lives in California where medical marijuana is permitted by state law--this even with federal authorities who continue to raid cannabis dispensaries in California as well as scrutinize Doctors who choose to prescribe marijuana to their patients as a form of therapy.
"I can talk to patients about medicinal cannabis [and] I'm often recommending it to them for these indications," Abrams says.
The medical use of marijuana has gone on for thousands of years. In the days before the bible, the plant was used as a medicinal tea in China, and in India it was used as a stress formula and pain reliever--All throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Africa marijuana was use for earaches, childbirth, and many other remedies.
recently, there have been studies to test the effect on how marijuana treats people with spinal injuries, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety.
About the Author:
For the past three plus decades, Dr. Myriam Rosshauckler has studied the medicinal effects that marijuana seeds have been used in history. She currently has a web site full of information on the marijuana seed and the many uses it has had throughout man's civilization.
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