Pubdate: Fri, 30 Nov 2007
Source: Tennessean, The (Nashville, TN)
Copyright: 2007 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Kent C. Shih, MD, MAR
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)

THERE ARE LEGAL DRUGS THAT BETTER RELIEVE NAUSEA, PAIN

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration issued a report stating 
that there are "no sound scientific studies supporting the medical 
use of marijuana ... and no data to support the safety of marijuana."

The American Medical Association has recommended that marijuana be 
retained as a Schedule I controlled substance which is a drug that 
has high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use, 
and has a lack of acceptable safety. Even former Sen. Bill Frist has 
weighed in on the matter, stating "based on current evidence, I 
believe that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that there are less 
dangerous medicines offering the same relief from pain and other 
medical symptoms."

What the FDA, AMA and many physicians including Frist are saying is 
that marijuana is not better than current FDA-approved drugs, and is 
not safe. Is this really true? Yes. Studies indicate that we have 
better drugs for nausea, appetite and pain.

Even in the worst of chemotherapy regimens, oncologists can control 
up to 90 percent of vomiting with anti-nausea drugs without any need 
of "rescue medicines." With the institution of FDA-approved rescue 
medicines, oncologists can get nearly 100 percent control of nausea 
and vomiting. Furthermore, hormone-related treatments have been shown 
to be better than marijuana for appetite stimulation, and marijuana 
has the pain-relief ability equal to codeine; i.e., we have much 
better pain medicines than marijuana.

Many of our patients have real physical, emotional, social and 
spiritual problems. We have a process to help them address their 
needs, a regimen of medicines and a team of social workers, support 
groups and pastoral counselors. We want our patients to be healthy, 
autonomous people who interact socially, engage with life, and remain 
active. Illegal drugs tend to do the opposite: They make patients 
withdrawn, isolated, less active and engaged. Ultimately, they do 
more harm than good.

Marijuana also puts society at risk for a tragic car accident on the 
way to the office. Politicians do not understand the medical research 
or the clinical risks of marijuana. So why do they continue to push 
for its legalization? Perhaps some are well-intentioned and 
misguided, but perhaps others wish to use this issue as a stepping 
stone to promote a broader drug culture.

In the end, any effort to legalize marijuana for medical purposes is 
an arrogant effort to circumvent the process that keeps citizens like 
you and me safe. This process is overseen by the FDA, and the FDA has 
stated unambiguously that marijuana is not effective and is not safe.

To borrow a line from the Supreme Court, "medicine by regulation is 
better than medicine by referendum." While our regulatory bodies have 
their flaws, they are certainly preferred to a process of drugs by 
vote. Our legislators should not approve a drug that our system of 
clinicians and scientists have deemed ineffective and unsafe. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake