They're not? They allowed this one, did they not? Aren't we discussing a marijuana study allowed (and funded, by the way) by the federal government?
Geez Louise.
"They warned him that despite the California law, if he prescribed marijuana for any of his MS patients, he'd be arrested."
I doubt that. First of all, medical marijuana is not prescribed by physicians -- it is a written recommendation placed in the patient's file. Second, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a physician may not be arrested by anyone for making a recommendation for medical marijuana, nor will he lose his license. Third, marijuana is ineffective at treating symptoms of MS. More than likely, it was the patient's idea to use marijuana not the doctor's. Fourth, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society does not recognize smoked marijuana as medicine.
"I find it very wrong to deny effective treatment to patients"
I understand. But find for me one study or one organization that says that smoked marijuana is an effective treatment for anything that other drugs don't do better or with less side effects than smoking.
What in the hell is the urgency to get this drug approved as medicine? It cures nothing. Every single possible application for this drug is already being addressed by at least 10 other tried and true, FDA approved drugs. Glaucoma? Nausea? MS? AIDS? Cancer? What, we have nothing for these diseases?
Medical marijuana is a scam. The sick and dying are being used a pawns in an effort to get marijuana made legal for recreational use.
No, he was very clear on this - he was warned not to write a recommendation for marijuana for any of his patients. He was not discussing a particular patient, but a general warning. You can doubt that he'd really be arrested, but the threat was made.
Third, marijuana is ineffective at treating symptoms of MS.
Care to back that up? It was my impression no one knows if it's a good treatment for neuropathic pain because the studies haven't been done in MS. As for the ease of doing studies, check out the issues brought up in this freep thread.
Fourth, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society does not recognize smoked marijuana as medicine.
From the National MS Society's web site: "Conflicting results of previous research, coupled with the need for additional therapies to treat symptoms of MS, make it important that more research be done on the potential of marijuana and its derivatives. The National MS Society is funding a well-controlled study on the effectiveness of different forms of marijuana to treat spasticity in MS, and has established a task force to examine the use of Cannabis in MS to review what is currently known about its potential. This task force will make specific recommendations on the research that still needs to be done to answer pressing questions about the potential effectiveness and safety of marijuana and its derivatives in treating MS.Conflicting results of previous research, coupled with the need for additional therapies to treat symptoms of MS, make it important that more research be done on the potential of marijuana and its derivatives. The National MS Society is funding a well-controlled study on the effectiveness of different forms of marijuana to treat spasticity in MS, and has established a task force to examine the use of Cannabis in MS to review what is currently known about its potential. This task force will make specific recommendations on the research that still needs to be done to answer pressing questions about the potential effectiveness and safety of marijuana and its derivatives in treating MS."
What in the hell is the urgency to get this drug approved as medicine? It cures nothing. Every single possible application for this drug is already being addressed by at least 10 other tried and true, FDA approved drugs. Glaucoma? Nausea? MS? AIDS? Cancer? What, we have nothing for these diseases?
It may cure nothing, but it relieves symptoms. Morphine doesn't cure either - want to take that away from people in pain? Ask MS sufferers if the drugs we have are sufficient for MS. I can predict the answer from the people I know with MS - a loud resounding "NO." The drugs we have work well for some people, but not for everyone. It is very rare for ANY drug to work well and be tolerated by everyone.