Marijuana is Medicine? What if it's 'Smoked'? How About in IB?

According to a UCSD Medical Center Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial of the Antinociceptive Effects of Smoked Marijuana on Subjects with Neuropathic Pain as well as the Analgesic Efficacy Study of Smoked Cannabis which can be read here. 

Marijuana is indeed a proven medicine specifically when smoked, acording to UCSD researchers. 

Regarding symptoms of MS, UCSD medical researchers explain; "smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in reducing spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and provided some benefit beyond currently prescribed treatment", according to the report.

I bolded the above American Medical Association quote to highlight the fact that 'smoked cannabis' was found to be a better a treatment than traditional MS drugs, most of which have dangerous side-effects, where cannabis was found by UCSD researchers to have none.

In the above programs of systematic research, highly respected researchers claim they have, "reasonable evidence that cannabis is a promising treatment in selected pain syndromes caused by injury or diseases of the nervous system, and possibly for painful muscle spasticity due to multiple sclerosis."

Here’s a collection of research on the therapeutic use of cannabis on specific conditions;

• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Chronic Pain 
• Gastro-Intestinal Disorders 
• HIV/AIDS
• Issues associated with Aging
• Movement Disorders
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neurological Disorders, Stress, Depression and more coming soon

For those of you who still require convincing, the American Medical Association (AMA) claims; "short term controlled trials indicate that smoked cannabis reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass, and may relieve spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis."

To the federal government, the AMA recommends, "the Schedule I status of marijuana be reviewed with the goal of facilitating clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods."

So, if you thought marijuana was not medicine and you are not smarter than the AMA, then it's time to reconsider your position or provide proof of your intelligence that would compare with the collective works of the AMA, in a comment below.

As far as Imperial Beach goes, sadly, state legal medical marijuana cultivation projects are scheduled to be banned by local officials, against overwhelming opposition by residents, on Wednesday, July 6th at the 6pm city council meeting held at City Hall, 825 Imperial Beach Blvd. in IB. 

Read more about IB's illegal ban  and .