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The National Cancer Institute on Cannabis



by Suzanne Wills, Drug Policy Chair

In March another skirmish took place between scientists and politicians over use of marijuana as a medicine. 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), one of 11 federal agencies under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), posted a Physician Data Query (PDQ) summary on Cannabis and Cannabinoids. [http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/] 

The summary describes these points as key.

  • Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years prior to its current status as an illegal substance.
  • Chemical components of Cannabis, called cannabinoids, activate specific receptors found throughout the body to produce pharmacologic effects, particularly in the central nervous system and the immune system.
  • Cannabinoids may have benefits in the treatment of cancer-related side effects.

The website also said, “The potential benefits of medicinal Cannabis for people living with cancer include antiemetic effects, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and improved sleep. In the practice of integrative oncology, the health care provider may recommend medicinal Cannabis not only for symptom management but also for its possible direct antitumor effect.”

By the end of the month, the NCI had changed the second sentence to the much more benign, “Though no relevant surveys of practice patterns exist, it appears that physicians caring for cancer patients who prescribe medicinal Cannabis predominantly do so for symptom management.”  As of this writing the antitumor properties of cannabinoids are still reviewed in the lab studies section of the website.   The NCI also explained that “The summary on Cannabis and cannabinoids does not represent a policy statement of NCI or NIH.” 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) steadfastly maintains
that cannabis "has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the
United States"  allowing Cannabis to be included in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Schedule 1.   A petition to reschedule Cannabis was filed with HHS in 2002.  It has been ignored.   The two largest physician groups -- American Medical Association and American College of Physicians -- have both called for a review of marijuana's status as a Schedule I substance.  They have also been ignored.

Politicians and bureaucrats are the clear and absolute winners in most battles with physicians and scientists.   This round may be a draw.

The League of Women Voters of Texas position on drug policy says, “Laws regarding drug abuse and drug addiction should include no criminal penalties for cannabis (marihuana) possession when recommended by a physician.”  Make sure your state and federal representatives are aware of the NCI’s Physician Data Query (PDQ) summary on Cannabis and Cannabinoids and ask your federal representatives to support the petition to reschedule Cannabis.

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