June 23, 1999

By Rep. Patsy T. Mink (D-Hawaii), the ranking member of the Government Reform subcommittee on criminal justice, drug policy and human resources. 

Policy Briefing: Crime & Public Policy

Should the federal government study the effects of medical marijuana?

Marijuana Research Must Be Continued By Rep. Patsy T. Mink

I believe it is important that the federal government continue its research and study of the effects of marijuana.

Last month, the Institute of Medicine published a report on Marijuana and Medicine at the request of the White House Office of National Drug Policy which concluded that research should proceed in several areas regarding marijuana use for medicinal purposes, currently the topic of considerable debate.

See
Will The Titanic Of Marijuana Prohibition Be Sunk By The Ice Cube Of The IOM Report?
-- Analysis.

The question that needs to be definitively analyzed is whether there is scientific evidence that there are health benefits from the use of marijuana by people who are suffering from debilitating illnesses.
(Marijuananews note: From the IOM report: "There is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting.")

Voters in California and Arizona passed referenda that permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In six states—Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington—voters passed ballot initiatives in support of medical marijuana.
(Marijuananews note: Why no mention of the District of Columbia?)

See
Democracy In Limbo: The Court Still Hasn’t Ruled On The D.C. Medical Marijuana Vote

Clearly there is much support in these communities and perhaps in others to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
See
Gallup Poll Shows 73% Favor Medical Marijuana;
29% Favor Outright "Legalization"!
So What Are The Politicians Really Afraid Of?
and
Hawaiian Legislature Considers Medical Marijuana
As Organized Medicine Continues to Support State Terrorism Against Their Patients;
Hawaii Catholic Conference Supports Persecution Of Sick And Dying

The recent Institute of Medicine report made six recommendations based on its review of this topic.

THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, but not all effects of marijuana are due to THC. Most of the effects of marijuana, according to the report, were due to actions on the brain, but little information was found about how THC acts on the brain.

In addition, the report could not offer scientific insights into the harmful or therapeutic effects of marijuana.
See
Column By Authors of the IOM Report On Medical Marijuana
Shows Why The Public Does Not Trust The Medical Establishment –
And Why They Should Not! With Analysis by Richard Cowan

The Institute of Medicine report did conclude that cannabinoids "likely have a natural role in pain modulation, control of movement and memory." The report, however, stated that the role of cannabinoids in immune systems remains unclear.
(Marijuananews note: What it actually said was, ""the short-term immunosuppressive effects are not well established but, if they exist, are not likely great enough to preclude a legitimate medical use.")

The report recommended that research on these matters should continue. The report states that while effects of cannabinoids on symptoms are generally modest and in most cases there are more effective medications, there are likely subpopulations of patients who do not respond well to these medications and therefore could be helped by marijuana for certain chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting and AIDS wasting.
(Marijuananews note: What it actually said was, "There is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting.")

The report concludes that smoked marijuana has negative implications and is in any event a crude THC delivery system that delivers harmful substances. The report states that smoking cannabis—smoking any plant material—is carcinogenic and toxic to the lungs.

Notwithstanding the above, one of the report’s recommendations is to support further studies to define "the individual health risks of smoking marijuana."

The report points out that for patients who have been deemed terminal, additional health risks from smoking are not relevant as the life expectancy is likely shorter than any risks to health.

The report states that clinical trials of marijuana use for medical purposes should be conducted under limited circumstances such as for no longer than six months, under conditions approved by institutional review boards and with conditions where there is reasonable expectation of efficacy.

It noted that these trials should be for patients with debilitating symptoms, such as intractable pain or vomiting, where usual medications failed to provide relief.

I strongly support the conclusions and recommendations of this report by the Institute of Medicine. I also support the new procedures announced by the Department of Health and Human Services providing for further scientific research on the medical use of marijuana to better understand the benefits and risks entailed in such use.

Clearly further research will answer the questions whether there are real health reasons for the use of marijuana.