Medical use of marijuana

While nicotine and alcohol are legal for adult use," a person who smokes marijuana — even an adult in the privacy of his or her own home — commits a federal crime." Even a cancer patient, whose own doctor approves of his or her medical use of marijuana, also commits a federal crime."... 

Medical Use of Marijuana United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, No. 00-151, (2001) U.S. v. Rosenthal, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 2003 Raich v. Ashcroft, U.S. Supreme Court, 03-15481 (2003)... 

This ruling suggests that the necessity defense is unlikely to be permitted in federal court, even when bolstered by a local community s or even state s decision to support medical marijuana use. However, substantive constitutional challenges to federal drug regulations may be more successful. See the case of Raich v. Ashcroft, discussed later. In that case the question is whether the constitutional power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce properly extends to local, noncommercial medical use of marijuana. 

November California voters approve the Compassionate Use Act, allowing medical use of marijuana. 

Drugs in Schools, Sports, and the Workplace Medical Use of Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization of Drugs Harm Reduction Strategies... 

Randall, Blanchard, IV. Medical Use of Marijuana Policy and Regulatory Issues. Washington, D.C. Congressional Research Service, 2002. Describes the development of the medical marijuana issue and summarizes and analyzes policy issues. Government regulatory decisions, congressional proposals, and state ballot initiatives are also discussed. 

Albert, Tanya. Nevada approves bill on medical use of marijuana. American Medical News 44 (2001) 13. 

The medical use of marijuana is not new. Five thousand years ago, the legendary Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was said to have prescribed marijuana for ailments such as gout, malaria, rheumatism, and even gas pains. — Until 1937, Americans considered marijuana a recognized medicine in good standing, distributed by leading pharmaceutical firms, and on sale at many pharmacies..—... 

Roger Roffman, author o/Marijuana as Medicine, conducted the first research study on G1 marijuana use in Vietnam and has been the administrator of the Washington State Research Program on the Medical Uses of Marijuana. 

We could provide additional examples, but the important point is that medicinal uses of psychoactive substances (whether folk medicine or more contemporary medicine), medical science, and nonmcdical drug use and abuse will always be closely in-tertw incd. In the past, folk or cultural use of a substance often became incorporated into the practice of medicine. More common today is the incorporation of a substance developed for the practice of medicine into the array of drugs that can be used in nonmedicinal ways. But the reverse can still occur, as shown by the attention being given to the medical uses of marijuana. In any event, keeping the medical and nonmcdical uses of drugs separate is impossible. 

A past evaluation by several Department of Health ami Human Serviees (DHHS) ajjeneict... eoneluded that no sound seientific studies supported medical. use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana forjttfieral medical use. Dicre arc alternative fDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana. ... 

Bruce Mirkcn, Director of Communications for the Marijuana Polic) Project, in Response to the April 20, 2006, FDA Press Release on > Medical Uses of Marijuana... 

Jb Coverage of marijuana s mechanisms of action and the latest information on medical uses of marijuana... 

Blumenthal, M. 1992. Government stops legitimate medical use of marijuana ELer-... 

Cannabinoid research and the use of caimabis products continue to attract significant attention. The current dramatic advances in molecular biology and technology that increased scientific knowledge in cannabinoid research will certainly contribute to a better policy on the medical use of marijuana. For example, preliminary studies with CBR antagonists have contributed to resolving... 

Whether they support medical marijuana use or not, many doctors resent the intrusion of nonmedically trained politicians and law enforcement officials into the debate on medical marijuana. One of the most outspoken critics of the government s medical marijuana policy is Lester Grinspoon, M.D., an associate clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who has written two books on the medicinal use of marijuana and served as an official at NORML. After his son died ftom leukemia (a cancer of the blood system). Dr. Grin-spoon became an avid medical marijuana activist, often recommending marijuana to his cancer and AIDS patients. Speaking about his firsthand experience with the medical use of marijuana, Grinspoon said ... 

In spite of the federal government s position on medical uses of marijuana, 11 states have adopted medical marijuana laws. Only three of these states have... 

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