Sequoiacrone
December 10th, 2008, 04:50 PM
Should marijuana be a medical option for patients with a terminal illness and suffering severe pain? PRO (yes)The Institute of Medicine published in its Mar. 1999 report titled “Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base”:
Terminal cancer patients pose different issues. For those patients the medical harm associated with smoking is of little consequence. For terminal patients suffering debilitating pain or nausea and for whom all indicated medications have failed to provide relief, the medical benefits of smoked marijuana might outweigh the harm.
Mar. 1999 - Institute of Medicine http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=207)
IOM Report (1 MB) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/pdficon_small.gif http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/sourcefiles/IOM_Report.pdf)
Consumer Reports, a nonprofit magazine, stated in May 1997:
Consumer Reports believes that, for patients with advanced AIDS and terminal cancer, the apparent benefits some derive from smoking marijuana outweigh any substantiated or even suspected risks. In the same spirit the FDA uses to hasten the approval of cancer drugs, federal laws should be relaxed in favor of states' rights to allow physicians to administer marijuana to their patients on a caring and compassionate basis.
May 1997 - Consumer Reports Magazine http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gifhttp://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=258)
A psychiatrist, wishing to remain anonymous, emailed ProCon.org on Feb. 27, 2002:
Even if it were clear that marijuana caused long term risks to such patients, the risks would be less relevant than immediate relief from their suffering. Because smoked marijuana can give rapid relief from such suffering to some patients, quickly improving such patients' comfort and quality of life, a trial course of smoked marijuana should be a medical option.
Feb. 27, 2002 - Anonymous (name withheld by request) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=499)
For the con argument see here:
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewanswers.asp?questionID=222
ON EDIT: Even in 2002 a professional in the medical field is AFRAID to put their name to this....and yes there is a con argument, which seems kind of pointless, considering we are talking about a TERMINAL patient and in my very very humble opinion, THEIR needs stand taller than a punitive law that enhances their suffering. JUST MY POV. ~Sequoia
Terminal cancer patients pose different issues. For those patients the medical harm associated with smoking is of little consequence. For terminal patients suffering debilitating pain or nausea and for whom all indicated medications have failed to provide relief, the medical benefits of smoked marijuana might outweigh the harm.
Mar. 1999 - Institute of Medicine http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=207)
IOM Report (1 MB) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/pdficon_small.gif http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/sourcefiles/IOM_Report.pdf)
Consumer Reports, a nonprofit magazine, stated in May 1997:
Consumer Reports believes that, for patients with advanced AIDS and terminal cancer, the apparent benefits some derive from smoking marijuana outweigh any substantiated or even suspected risks. In the same spirit the FDA uses to hasten the approval of cancer drugs, federal laws should be relaxed in favor of states' rights to allow physicians to administer marijuana to their patients on a caring and compassionate basis.
May 1997 - Consumer Reports Magazine http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gifhttp://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=258)
A psychiatrist, wishing to remain anonymous, emailed ProCon.org on Feb. 27, 2002:
Even if it were clear that marijuana caused long term risks to such patients, the risks would be less relevant than immediate relief from their suffering. Because smoked marijuana can give rapid relief from such suffering to some patients, quickly improving such patients' comfort and quality of life, a trial course of smoked marijuana should be a medical option.
Feb. 27, 2002 - Anonymous (name withheld by request) http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/images/gstar.gif (http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=499)
For the con argument see here:
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewanswers.asp?questionID=222
ON EDIT: Even in 2002 a professional in the medical field is AFRAID to put their name to this....and yes there is a con argument, which seems kind of pointless, considering we are talking about a TERMINAL patient and in my very very humble opinion, THEIR needs stand taller than a punitive law that enhances their suffering. JUST MY POV. ~Sequoia