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Marijuana and nutrition; does it really help?
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The great state of Massachusetts this year, with a notable lack of fanfare, decriminalized the posession of small amounts of marijuana. Cannabis has been in the news quite a bit lately as more and more states have initiatives to legalize the bud. During February, National Marijuana Awareness Month (is anyone not aware of marijuana?), we at Examiner are examining what's going on with weed.
For me it's nutrition. So what is all the medical spleef floating around actually doing nutritionally for those who use it?
"The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day." Mar. 26, 2004 - Joycelyn Elders, MD
2001 study at SUNY Buffalo suggested that pot smokers consumed more calories but did not have increased BMI or obesity rates. I wonder if that's the cancer (and other wasting diseases for which weed is used) factor. I couldn't find that information for this study, but it would certainly make the numbers make sense.
Since the medical marijuana issue has been launched, there has been a slew of research on its benefits, and comparisons to other anti-nausea and pain management strategies. I haven't had a client or a friend who uses medical marijuana but, if I believe (even some of) what I read, it's only a matter of time.
Marijuana has an illicit past, so its rehabilitation has gotten a little dicey. I'm sure medical marijuana helps a lot of people. But there's another side to legalizing pot or at least the transition to legalization and I saw some of that on a segment of the MSNBC show Marijuana Inc this week. They're going to do a whole series. Who knew there was so much action around the pot industry?! I bet there isn't, actually. Anyway, at least in the short term as states transition to legalizing the drug, there is and will be some problems in communities that grow and sell a lot of weed. And MSNBC, in their "Behind bars" programming vein will be there to catch every ounce of drama.
"Although I understand many believe marijuana is the most effective drug in combating their medical ailments, I would caution against this assumption due to the lack of consistent, repeatable scientific data available to prove marijuana's medical benefits.
Based on current evidence, I believe that marijuana is a dangerous drug and that there are less dangerous medicines offering the same relief from pain and other medical symptoms." Oct. 20, 2003 - Bill Frist, MD
This debate has the feel of the hippies vs the Man (ie the conservative status quo). I think there may be quite a bit of intergenerational, political angst wrapped up in something that probably does help some very sick folks, though the tide is flowing their way if they want to light up. I'm in favor of all medicinal herbs used wisely. Just keep those wasted love ones safe.
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