Since marijuana has been illegal for so long (60 years as
of 1997!), it has been quite difficult to attain much scientific
information on its effects. Since it is a very widely used drug, both
recreationally and medicinally, much of the information concerning the
effects of its use is anecdotal. The issue of medical marijuana has been
a hot topic for the past couple of years and this has spawned a slurry of
endorsements from a wide variety of people and organizations. There are
AIDS and cancer patients that claim marijuana is what has allowed them to
live longer, happier lives. There are doctors that are outraged that they
cannot provide their patients with a medicine that is safe and effective.
The list is long, but I will include links to only a few of the most
effective and convincing endorsements and policy statements.
The
American Public Health Association Founded in 1872, APHA is the
oldest and largest organization of health care professionals in the world
and is comprised of over 50,000 members.
The
San Francisco Medical Society and The California Academy of Family
Physicians SFMS represents about 2,200 doctors in San Francisco and
CAFP is comprised of about 7,500 more physicians residing throughout
California.
The
Federation of American Scientists FAS is a non-profit organization
that lobbies in an attempt to bring a qualified scientific perspective
into the legislative arena.
Letters within The New England Journal of Medicine Volume
333,
Volume 332 NEJM is one of the most highly respected medical journals
in the world, featuring research articles and peer-reviewed letters from
the medical community.
Marihuana as Medicine: A Plea for Reconsideration (By Dr. Lester
Grinspoon) Dr. Grinspoon is a professor at the Harvard Medical School who
has one of the most prominent proponents of rescheduling cannabis. He has
written over 140 articles in scientific journals and 12 books on the
topic.
A wide array of articles by Dr.
Tod Mikuriya Tod Mikuriya, MD, is a psychiatrist and former Director
of Marijuana Research for the National Institute of Mental Health.
Dr. Paul Volberding
Director of San Francisco General Hospital's AIDS Program and Director of
the Oncology Division
Californians for Compassionate
Use Web Site This is an organization dedicated to the rescheduling of
cannabis that heavily supported California's Proposition 215 last year.
Their site contains numerous links to related articles and sites.
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