Pubdate: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 Source: PR Newswire Copyright: 1999 PR Newswire URGES DEVELOPMENT OF NON-SMOKED DRUGS 'What Marijuana Legalizers Won't Tell You: Substance Found in Marijuana Can Be Delivered Through Various Legal Means,' Maginnis Says After a thorough analysis of the literature on marijuana, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has determined that crude marijuana is not up to par with other medicines in the United States. The IOM's report released Wednesday rejected the theory that marijuana is a medicine, citing its negative health consequences. "This has been our stance for years," said Robert Maginnis, Family Research Council Senior Director for National Security and Foreign Affairs. "Providing good medicine -- not marijuana -- is the compassionate response to patients' pain and illnesses." The IOM report said, "Because of the health risks associated with smoking, smoked marijuana should generally not be recommended for long-term medical use." Maginnis said, "What marijuana legalizers won't tell you is that a substance found in marijuana can be delivered through various legal means." One substance contained in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is currently available in legal, prescription forms taken orally. Other means of delivering the drug, such as through inhalers, which deliver the drug more rapidly to the bloodstream, are currently being developed. The IOM did recommend strictly limited trials in which those who have attempted and failed every other means of therapy would use crude marijuana in a highly controlled setting for no more than six months. The report said, "The goal of the clinical trials would not be to develop marijuana as a licensed drug, but rather as a first step towards the possible development of nonsmoked, rapid-onset cannabinoid delivery systems." Maginnis said, "Marijuana legalizers are making serious gains across America by using the issue of 'medical' marijuana and the vehicle of compassion to buy sympathy votes. It's time for law-abiding Americans to take account of drug legalizers' gains, their consequences, their future threat, and what must be done to reverse them. "Sick and dying people do not need marijuana. They need good medicine, which our doctors have available for every ailment marijuana allegedly helps." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea