Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jun 2004 Source: Capital Times, The (WI) Copyright: 2004 The Capital Times Contact: http://www.captimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/73 Authors: Sridhar V. Vasudevan, M.D. chair, Task Force on Chronic Pain Management, Wisconsin Medical Society; June Dahl, Ph.D. professor of pharmacology, UW-Madison consultant, Task Force on Chronic Pain Management, Wisconsin Medical Society Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n808/a03.html DOC GROUP NOT 'BEHIND ON MEDICINAL POT' Dear Editor: The Wisconsin Medical Society is not "behind on medicinal pot" as is implied in the June 1 letter from Gary Storck. The society adopted a comprehensive position statement calling for "adequate and well-controlled studies of smoked marijuana" and for increased federal funding for such research. Marijuana was not included in the recent pain guidelines from the society because there is insufficient scientific and medical evidence for its effectiveness and safety as an analgesic. As Mr. Storck wrote, opioids can cause side effects, but most of these diminish within a few days; otherwise they can be treated. When opioids are needed for relief of chronic pain, effective analgesia with minimal side effects can best be obtained by combining them with other pain medicines of proven effectiveness. There are interesting preliminary reports of the analgesic effects of oral cannabinoids (chemicals similar to the active ingredient in marijuana); it is our hope that additional studies will prove their benefit in the management of certain chronic pain problems. Sridhar V. Vasudevan, M.D. chair, Task Force on Chronic Pain Management, Wisconsin Medical Society June Dahl, Ph.D. professor of pharmacology, UW-Madison consultant, Task Force on Chronic Pain Management, Wisconsin Medical Society - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake