Medical Marijuana – Meritorious Report Card

Investigators from California that offered an update of their research outcomes believe that marijuana shows potential for treating a number of precise, pain-associated medical disorders with mounting substantiation backing marijuana or the components of cannabis being beneficial as an adjuvant therapy of neuropathy. Though whether it could be employed as a vanguard treatment is still unknown, but researchers are hopeful that the outcomes of their studies would elicit bigger-scaled ones involving a wide-ranging populace. Findings of these studies that were put forth to the California Legislature during last week had its share of critics who found the studies erroneous and were apprehensive regarding the long-standing health outcomes of marijuana smoke.

Outlook – Medical Marijuana Study

Several onlookers contemplated that the investigators put forth their details to the California legislature for calling awareness to marijuana studies as a proposal to sanction marijuana for broad usage is likely to be on the California poll during later part of the year.

This was resisted by the investigators who asserted that they forwarded the study details to the California legislature since it was due.

Medical Marijuana – The Study Report Card

The investigators stated in their report that 5 studies printed in peer-evaluated scientific journals reveal the worth of marijuana for pain-associated illnesses.

• Cannabis smoke lowered pain among HIV-inflicted people. During a study, fifty patients allotted to cannabis or placebo completed the study. Though fifty-two percent of those smoking marijuana has a thirty percent or more decline in pain severity, merely twenty-four percent of entrants from the placebo set did. During another study, 28 entrants having HIV were allotted to marijuana or placebo. About 48% of those patients smoking pot cited a thirty percent or more pain alleviation in comparison to eighteen percent of the placebo set.
• Marijuana assisted in assuaging pain in individuals ailing from spinal cord injuries and other ailments. During a study, 38 entrants smoked elevated-dosage or low-dosage marijuana; thirty-two of them concluded all 3 sittings. Reduction in neuropathic pain due to varying reasons was noted to be allayed due to both dosages.
• Another study outcome indicated that intermediary marijuana dosages could allay pain sensitivity. 15 entrants in normal health smoked less, intermediate or elevated marijuana dosages for checking whether it might neutralize the pain created due to a capsaicin (fiery constituent in chilli pepper) shot. There was a proportionate alleviation in pain noted with rise in dosage.
• According to another study, marijuana in vapour state could be safe. During the study, fourteen candidates were allotted less, intermediary or elevated dosages of pot, either via smoking or vaporized release, on 6 varied instances. Safety was noted in the vaporized technique and the entrants appeared to prefer it rather than having to smoke marijuana.
• A sixth unprinted research showed marijuana to have improved outcomes as compared to placebo cigarettes in lessening spasticity and related pain with MS (multiple sclerosis).

Medical Marijuana – Other Views

Though fourteen states have legitimized medical marijuana, California appears to be the sole state that has volunteered to do the study.

A number of critics pointed out that marijuana is not a medication and would fail to ever get the FDA nod. Though they definitely conceded to the point that cannabionoids could be immensely helpful medically, however the peril lies when marijuana is smoked.

A number of critics consider that an ideal strategy would be to isolate the active constituent, that has by now been undertaken, for instance the FDA consented Marinol – a cannabionoid with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as active constituent, analogous to that found in marijuana.

As marijuana has a vast array of compounds, a number of them have not been meticulously classified and some critics believe that all the studies have been short-range. Another limitation was that it was tricky having an accurate placebo while researching marijuana as individuals knew when a psychoactive item was been consumed. Another gaffe was that the patients were permitted to continue taking their pain medications which could have had an effect on the study outcomes.

The researchers defended their point by stating that it was inhumane to wean patients off pain-allaying medications which were offering a certain level of respite.

Several others stated about marijuana not having a palliative outcome and apprehensions riding high regarding the long-standing outcome of marijuana smoking. Critics believe that further studies on finding a safe and effectual delivery system like vaporization is required.