{"article":{"id":17422,"heading":"Long-Term Pot-Use Study: No Ill Effects","author":"Peter Gorman, Special To HighWitness News","created":"2002-06-30 22:50:04","modified":"2005-08-15 00:59:32","last_modified":"Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:59:32","article":"

Van Gogh & Gauguin\n\n\n\nfunction LoadFrames(url1)\n{\n\tlocstr = new String(frames.content.location);\n\tif (locstr.indexOf(\"home\/intro.html\") != -1 || locstr.indexOf(\"home\/intro_nl.html\") != -1)\n\t{ \n\t\tloc = (url1);\n\t\tframes.content.location.replace(\"\/home\/content\/content_frameset.html\");\n\t}\n\telse\n\t{\n\t\tframes.content.frameset.location.replace(url1);\n\t}\n}\n\nfunction LoadLang(lang)\n{\n\tif (lang == \"nl\")\n\t{ \n\t\tframes.topnav.location.replace(\"\/home\/nav\/topnav_nl.html\");\n\t\tframes.content.location.replace(\"\/home\/intro_nl.html\");\n\t}\n\tif (lang == \"en\")\n\t{ \n\t\tframes.topnav.location.replace(\"\/home\/nav\/topnav_en.html\");\n\t\tframes.content.location.replace(\"\/home\/intro.html\");\n\t}\n}\n\nisNS = document.layers ? true : false\nisIE = document.all ? true : false\nrowsize = 100;\nleft = 48;\nright = 50;\n\nif (isNS) {rowsize = 106};\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('n');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\ndocument.write('');\n\n\n\nIn the first study of its kind, four recipients of federally provided\r\nmedical marijuana were examined for the health effects of their long-term\r\ncannabis use-and none showed any serious adverse effects.
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\r\nThe Missoula Chronic Clinical Cannabis Use Study-headed by Montana neurologist\r\nDr. Ethan Russo and Virginia nurse Mary Lynn Mathre, cofounder of Patients\r\nOut of Time-investigated \"the therapeutic benefits and adverse effects\" among\r\npatients receiving cannabis through the department of Health and Human Services'\r\nCompassionate Investigational New Drug program.
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\r\nThat program was closed to new applicants in 1991, but continues to supply medical marijuana to seven patients.
\r\nThe four patients studied-one with glaucoma, one with chronic musculoskeletal\r\npain, one with spasm and nausea, and one with spasticity from multiple sclerosis-were\r\nrun through a battery of tests, including magnetic-resonance-imaging brain\r\nscans, chest X-rays, and neuropsychological, immunological and pulmonary-functions\r\ntests. The study provided the first opportunity to investigate the long-term\r\nphysical effects of cannabis-smoking on patients who used a \"known dosage\r\nof a standardized, heat-sterilized, quality-controlled supply of low-grade\r\nmarijuana for 10-19 years.\"
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\r\nThe results, which will be published in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics\r\nin January 2002, showed \"all four patients are stable with respect to their\r\nchronic conditions, and are taking many fewer standard pharmaceuticals than\r\npreviously.\" Mild changes in pulmonary function were found in two of the\r\nfour, but no cancer cells were detected. No other negative functions were\r\ndiscovered.
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\r\nThe study, conducted at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula, Montana, was\r\nsponsored by Patients Out of Time and funded by outside individuals.
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\r\n\"This is a positive result using a poor-quality medicine. What could we expect\r\nusing a better quality cannabis?\" Al Byrne, Patients Out of Time's other\r\ncofounder, told HT. Asked whether he thought the study would result in a\r\nreopening of the Compassionate IND program, Byrne bristled. \"No. I don't\r\nthink it will, but it should. I think the study's effect on the government\r\nwill be that they will no longer be able to say that long-term therapeutic\r\ncannabis use is bad for you. But will the federal government pay it any heed?\r\nProbably not.\"
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\r\nWhen asked why it took a nonprofit to organize the study rather than the\r\ngovernment, Byrne noted that \"I suppose because they suspected the result\r\nof the study would be positive and the government does not want anything\r\npositive said about cannabis use as medicine. That's the bottom line.\"
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\r\nNote: The government says smoking pot is bad for your health, particularly\r\nin the long run. But four of the seven people it supplies have been looked\r\nat from every angle, and researchers conclude that their marijuana use hasn't\r\nhurt them a bit.
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\r\nNewshawk: Ethan Russo, MD
\r\nSource: High Times (US)
\r\nAuthor: Peter Gorman, Special To HighWitness News
\r\nPublished: August 1, 2001
\r\nCopyright: 2001 Trans-High Corporation
\r\nContact: letters@hightimes.com\r\n
\r\nWebsite: http:\/\/www.hightimes.com\/ \r\n
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\r\nRelated Articles & Web Site:
\r\n
\r\nPatients Out of Time
\r\nhttp:\/\/www.medicalcannabis.com\/ \r\n
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\r\nMissoula Chronic Cannabis Use Research Study
\r\nhttp:\/\/www.maps.org\/mmj\/russo.4-2001.html \r\n
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\r\nJournal of Cannabis Therapeutics
\r\nhttp:\/\/cannabisnews.com\/news\/thread8466.shtml \r\n
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\r\nHerbal Answers
\r\nhttp:\/\/cannabisnews.com\/news\/thread8337.shtml \r\n
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\r\nCannabisNews Search - Ethan Russo M.D.
\r\nhttp:\/\/cannabisnews.com\/thcgi\/search.pl?K=ethan+russo \r\n
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\r\n<\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"http:\/\/www.cannabisnews.com\/news\/thread10533.shtml","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"In the first study of its kind, four recipients of federally provided medical marijuana were examined for the health effects of their long-term cannabis use and none showed any serious adverse effects.","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/2002\/06\/marijuana.html","filesize":"6.5 kibibytes","article_url":"\/news\/2002\/06\/17422.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}