callers say they resent being made to feel
like criminals.
the problems of not treating the symptoms in
the first place.
Efficacy and side effects
The risk of becoming dependant on
medicinal cannabis is much smaller than
many conventional medications – let alone
for alcohol and tobacco. As with many drugs,
a small proportion of patients find the
intoxicating effects of cannabis sufficiently
unacceptable to not wish to take it, even if
it’s beneficial for them.
For decades, while attempting to sustain
the prohibition of “recreational”
cannabis, the US government promoted
research into the adverse effects of
cannabis while vigorously obstructing
research into its possible medical
benefits. Only in the last decade has
rigorous clinical research been possible.
Cost and pharmaceutical alternative
Expert consensus is that cannabis is not a
miracle curative drug but it’s very useful
for relieving distressing symptoms.
A recent review of research about
medicinal cannabis use found 82
randomised controlled trials had positive
results while only nine were negative.
The cost and legal supply of medicinal
cannabis remain potential stumbling blocks.
It’s cheapest to grow cannabis at home but
that, as you know, is illegal. And anyway,
many seriously ill people are too unwell and
frail to grow their own cannabis or to
purchase supplies from the black market.
What’s more, at least half a dozen
prestigious
bodies
in Australia, the
United Kingdom, Canada and the United
States have published favourable reviews
of the evidence in the last 15 years.
Both homegrown and black-market cannabis
are of uncertain medicinal quality. To assure
quality, specially prepared botanical cannabis
is provided in some countries on prescription.
And patients are encouraged to use a
vaporiser, which means they will inhale
cannabis vapour rather than smoke.
The consensus is that cannabis is not a
miracle curative drug but it’s very useful
for relieving distressing symptoms,
especially when the most often used
drugs have not proved sufficiently
effective or safe.
Medicinal cannabis is acceptably safe,
with side effects that are uncommon,
generally mild, and outweighed by major
benefits. And, of course, any side effects
have to be compared to those of other
medications such as opioid analgesics, or
Medicinal use of cannabis is now permitted
in more than a dozen countries including
Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands and
Israel. All these countries still prohibit
recreational cannabis use – there’s no reason
that Australia can’t do the same.
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