Scottish Nurses To Back
Medical Cannabis
"Despite Claims By Some Doctors That It Causes Paranoia And Even Insanity."
See Scotland
on Sunday
British Medical Journal
"Cannabis As Medicine: Time For The Phoenix To Rise?" Some Facts; No Courage
and
British Medical
Association and Government Graciously Allow Sick and Dying Synthetic Cannabis In
2 Years, Maybe
and
Controversial Scottish Bishop Calls for
Legalized Medical Marijuana – Crucified By Prohibitionists
and
More On UK Jury
Acquittal Of Man On Cultivation Charges; Vows To Keep Giving Cannabis To Wife With MS
April 19, 1998
By Sue Leonard, Health Correspondent
NURSES SET TO BACK USE OF CANNABIS
Nurses are joining the fight to get cannabis products prescribed for patients. The move follows concern that people with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and cancer are not getting adequate pain relief from traditional treatments.
A motion calling for patients to be prescribed the drugs has been put forward by the Royal College of Nursing’s Pain Forum and will be debated at the RCN’s annual conference in Bournemouth this week.
Only two cannabis-based products, known as cannabinoids, are currently used therapeutically. One, nabilone, is used in hospitals in Britain to prevent nausea in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The other, tetrahydrocannabinol, is used in the US to improve the appetites of patients with Aids.
(Ed. note: It is frightening to think that a "health correspondent" knows so little about medical marijuana.)
Hundreds of people are thought to be illegally using cannabis to fight their symptoms
despite the risk of prison sentences and claims by some doctors that it can speed up the
heart, causes paranoia and even insanity.
See The
Economist August 16, 1997 Marijuana
as a medicine; A subtle syllogism
Celia Manson, an RCN adviser, said nurses were concerned about the restrictions on current cannabis-derived products which could benefit so many people. "Few doctors are able to prescribe them at the moment. Nurses from the Pain Forum feel there is potential for much greater use and these should at the very least be investigated."
A previous motion to decriminilise cannabis was defeated at the conference a few years ago but this one may well be passed by RCN members on Thursday.
Last year at its annual conference the British Medical Association voted for cannabis derivatives to be legalised for medical purposes. The BMA drew up a report which showed cannabinoids had potential for therapeutic use in a number of conditions including MS, spinal chord injury, stroke and spastic disorders.