American Medical Association House of Delegates - text of medical marijuana proposal 11/10/09

November 11, 10:37 AMCannabis Revolution ExaminerDev Meyers

Previous Next

8 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Cannabis Revolution Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT 14 3 - USE OF CANNABIS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES - Peter C. Amadio, MD, Chair
RECOMMENDATION A:
Mr. Speaker, your Reference Committee recommends that the Recommendation in Council on Science and Public Health Report 3 be amended by substitution to read as follows:

That Policy H-95.952 be amended by insertion and deletion to read as follows:
H-95.952 Medical Marijuana
(1) Our AMA calls for further adequate and well-controlled studies of marijuana and related cannabinoids in patients who have serious conditions for which preclinical, anecdotal, or controlled evidence suggests possible efficacy and the application of such results to the understanding and treatment of disease.
(2) Our AMA recommends that marijuana be retained in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act pending the outcome of such studies.
Our AMA urges that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods. This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product. (New HOD Policy)
(3) Our AMA urges the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to implement administrative procedures to facilitate grant applications and the conduct of well-designed clinical research into the medical utility of marijuana. This effort should include: a) disseminating specific information for researchers on the development of safeguards for marijuana clinical research protocols and the development of a model informed consent on marijuana for institutional review board evaluation; b) sufficient funding to support such clinical research and access for qualified investigators to adequate supplies of marijuana for clinical research purposes; c) confirming that marijuana of various and consistent strengths and/or placebo will be supplied by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigators registered with the Drug Enforcement Agency who are conducting bona fide clinical research studies that receive Food and Drug Administration approval, regardless of whether or not the NIH is the primary source of grant support.
(4) Our AMA believes that the NIH should use its resources and influence to support the development of a smoke-free inhaled delivery system for marijuana or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to reduce the health hazards associated with the combustion and inhalation of marijuana. )
(5) (4) Our AMA believes that effective patient care requires the free and unfettered exchange of information on treatment alternatives and that discussion of these alternatives between physicians and patients should not subject either party to criminal sanctions. (CSA Rep. 10, I-97; Modified: CSA Rep. 6, A-01)
RECOMMENDATION B:
Mr. Speaker, your Reference Committee recommends that the Recommenmdation in Council on Science and Public Health Report 3 be adopted as amended and the remainder of the report filed.
Report 3 of the Council on Science and Public Health (1) provides a brief historical perspective on the use of cannabis as medicine; (2) examines the current federal and state-based legal envelope relevant to the medical use of cannabis; (3) provides a brief overview of our current understanding of the pharmacology and physiology of the endocannabinoid system; (4) reviews clinical trials on the relative safety and efficacy of smoked cannabis and botanical-based products; and (5) places this information in perspective with respect to the current drug regulatory framework. This Report recommends that our AMA urge that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines. This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product.
This is the third report developed by the Council on this topic. In general, strong support was offered for the scientific, regulatory, and policy analysis provided by Report 3. Current AMA Policy H-95.952 recommends that marijuana be retained in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Marijuana for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, and treatment for prevention of disease has not been approved by the FDA, and the federal justification for retaining marijuana in Schedule I has previously been published. The recommendation in Report 3 urges that the Schedule I status of marijuana be reviewed with the goal of facilitating clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines. Other comments noted that smoking is an inherently unsafe system for drug delivery, and therefore smoked marijuana should not be recommended for medical use. Some support was offered for a more declarative statement supporting rescheduling marijuana, and for protecting physicians who prescribe or advise their patients to use cannabis-based products to relieve a serious medical problem in states with medical marijuana laws. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Conant v. Walters recognized that physicians have a constitutionally-protected right to discuss the use of cannabis as a treatment option with their patients and to make an oral or written recommendation for medical marijuana, a policy supported by our AMA. Given the ongoing issues raised by drug approval by state ballot initiative or legislative action, and the current efforts of the pharmaceutical industry to develop cannabinoid-based medicines, your Reference Committee believes that amending currrent policy is the most appropriate action.

For entire Report of Reference Committe K click here