Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jan 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 Gail Pundsack
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Gail Pundsack
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n041/a01.html

STUDYING POT'S MEDICAL BENEFITS

Re: "State pushes $7M in grants to test claims of pot cures," Jan. 11
news story.

Kudos to Colorado's health director, Dr. Larry Wolk, for proposing
state investment in serious research on medical benefits of marijuana.
Patients and their families, including many who are receiving or
considering marijuana derived treatments for epilepsy, deserve the
best answers that medical science can deliver.

We know that it is possible (though not easy) to do high-quality
research on medical marijuana in the U.S. For example, Dr. Orrin
Devinsky of New York University has recently obtained FDA approval for
a rigorous study of Epidiolex, a British cannabis-based medication
with no THC (the psychoactive component of marijuana) with epilepsy
patients. Other promising but not yet rigorously tested medical
marijuana treatments should receive similar attention, and we hope Dr.
Wolk's recommendation will help to make such research happen faster.

Gail Pundsack,

Centennial The writer is executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation
of Colorado.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D