NIDA Refuses To Sell 400 Grams
of Medical Marijuana For FDA Approved Migraine Research.
Giving A Prohibitionist Propaganda Organization A Veto on Medical Research.
Special
to Marijuananews
By Richard Cowan
December 7, 1999
I spoke today with Dr. Ethan Russo of the University of Montana, a leading researcher
on the treatment of migraines.
See
Government Health
Officials Deny Marijuana and Pain Study, Again -- NORML Press Release
Yesterday he was informed that NIDA's special review committee rejected his IRB-and FDA-approved protocol, and that he will not be permitted to purchase marijuana from NIDA for his study. The small amount involved – just 400 grams, less than a pound -- makes the refusal all the more absurd. Half of it would be placebo with the THC removed.
NIDA is the sole approved source for medical marijuana in DEAland. Consequently this
highly politicized prohibitionist propaganda organization that funds 85% of the
world’s "drug research" has an effective veto over any research on the
medical use of cannabis.
See
Drug Czar Issues
Statement On Marijuana For Medical Research:
"Such uses must only be part of clinical studies to expand the body of scientific
understanding."
Helping the Patients Does Not Enter Into It.
Russo was told nothing about why the protocol was rejected and was also told he should
expect to wait a month or longer before receiving any formal notification from NIDA. FDA
gave its final approval to the study months ago.
This action will require a new protocol and a delay of at least six months.
The new HHS guidelines for medical marijuana research permit NIDA to create its own
special review committee to review protocols that have already been approved by FDA and
Institutional Review Boards.
See
HHS Announcement On
New Medical Marijuana Research Rules
Shows It Is The Same Old Game.
This is not required for research on any other drug and is clearly designed to block
research on medical marijuana.
See
The Harsh Reality Of
Clinical Trials
Shows Another Case of The Double Standard For Medical Marijuana.
The Context For "Research." -- 2 Articles
This action makes a mockery of the government’s claim that it wants to do research on
medical marijuana. It also makes clear that making marijuana available for research was
not the real motive for closing the so-called "Compassionate Use IND" to new
patients.
See
The New York Times
Reveals The New Medical Marijuana Research Policy
Is Just A Stalling Tactic That Will Do Nothing To Help Patients,
While The Washington Post Reveals That Frankly It Doesn’t Give A Damn.
– One and A Fraction Articles
See also
New York
Times Does Report That "U.N. Drug Board Urges Research on Marijuana as Medicine"
But Serves It With A Large Dose Of Prohibitionist Propaganda
and
UN Calls For Research
On Medical Marijuana;
And We Learn Nothing About Marijuana, But A Little More About DEAland Media – 3
Articles
and
17 AIDS Organizations Write Drug Czar
Urging Medical Marijuana Not Be Delayed By IOM Report;
"Terminally ill patients cannot afford to wait for years of research
to prove something they already know: Medical marijuana works."
and
The
AP Makes Two Important Discoveries: There Are Respectable People Behind Medical Marijuana,
And The Government Isn’t Doing Any Research --2 Articles