Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 Source: Missoulian (MT) Copyright: 2010 Missoulian Contact: http://www.missoulian.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/720 Author: Rick Rosio FACTS SHOW MARIJUANA BENEFITS OUTWEIGH COSTS While it is obvious problems exist with Montana's medical cannabis law, these issues do not indicate that our model of compassionate access is itself a failure. The use of cannabis, be it for recreational or medicinal reasons, has been relocated to the back alleys and shadows of our society for more than 80 years. This past prohibition creates an array of issues - most tragic being the association of our ill with society's criminal element. Unfortunately, when any economy evolves from a complete prohibition to an open market model there will be an awkward phase of assimilation. Individuals who were once drug dealers prior to the implementation of the Montana Medical Marijuana Act will, and do, seek the shelter of Montana's compassionate access law - thankfully, the mechanisms to deal with these potential abuses are already in place. Capitalism and free-market economics, long-cherished American traditions, "weed" out those who attempt to exploit Montana's ill, while criminal activity is easily addressed through our existing law enforcement infrastructure. We hear concerns voiced about the number of people with medical cannabis cards in Montana, yet the reality remains that currently 2 percent of our population is licensed to possess and consume cannabis. We hear about the 18-year-old with the bad back, and are told that the "circus-like atmosphere" of traveling clinics, with the inherent ease of access they afford, is reason enough to scrap the MMMA. If someone has lied to get his medical marijuana card, or if standards are violated, then these issues should be addressed in the same manner as patients fraudulently obtaining narcotics, or doctors wantonly prescribing these drugs for profit. We hear of a proliferation of marijuana in Montana's high schools, and the imminent risk this poses to our youth. However, it's important to remember we are discussing the medical applications of cannabis, not recreational use among teenagers. Teenagers do experiment - some abuse prescription medication, some drink alcohol, and it may be a shock, but teenagers were actually smoking pot before Montana had a medical marijuana program. It is then the responsibility of educators to explain the potential liabilities of recreational use, and law enforcement's obligation to work with medical cannabis providers to prevent diversion and misapplication. Our society wouldn't consider telling the woman dying from stage four carcinoma, in incredible pain, that she could not have her conventional analgesic medication because it may wind up in the hands of a teen. We don't do that because in Montana we are compassionate, rational people. So why do we experience this hysteria and controversy? The answer is simple; throughout our lives, we have been taught that marijuana has no benefit whatsoever, yet through compassionate access many Montanans have found this sentiment patently untrue. The state of California itself funds the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, releasing several studies demonstrating smoked cannabis is effective as a general analgesic, reduces muscle spasticity in those suffering from multiple sclerosis, and specifically addresses acute neuropathy in association with HIV infection. The results of completed studies are published on the center's website, www.cmcr.ucsd.edu. The active projects are outlined there as well. Further illustration comes from the University of Milan, which found that CBD, only one of the chemical components of cannabis, "produce[s] a significant anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus suggesting a possible application of CBD as an antineoplastic agent." (Nov. 2003, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Fast Forward). A quick internet search of marijuana's effect on tumor reduction alone generates several credible, international studies - the evidence is here and, unlike our detractors, you don't have to take my word alone. Medical cannabis will continue to be a "hot topic" in Montana; as such, I encourage all citizens to educate themselves regarding the realities of cannabis prohibition, and the actual quantifiable benefits of its many medical applications. Look into the facts yourselves - it was the American Medical Association that strenuously opposed the prohibition of cannabis in the first place, finding no credible evidence that this plant is actually dangerous. Montanans are savvy people - we can do the research, we can read the facts and through hard work and compromise we will find solutions that suit all citizens. Rick Rosio of Missoula is president of Montana Pain Management, a division of Cannabis Science INC. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt