Dr Sanjay Gupta Talks about Marijuana
Saturday, 20 June 2009 11:24
Earlier this year President Obama offered Dr. Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a neurosurgeon and correspondent for CNN and CBS. Dr. Gupta was recently interviewed on CNN AC360 by Anderson Cooper about Marijuana.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is chief medical correspondent for the health and medical unit at CNN. Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery, plays an integral role in the network's medical coverage. This includes lead reporting on breaking medical news, regular health and medical updates for American Morning, anchoring the half-hour weekend medical affairs program "House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta," and reporting for CNN documentaries. For more on Dr Gupta see http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/gupta.sanjay.html.
Below is a CNN transcript of Dr Gupta's interview by Anderson Cooper on CNN AC360.
COOPER: Sanjay, let's get at it. Are there benefits to medical marijuana? Is there a case for its use, because the patients we talk to swear by it?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the answer is yes. I mean, there are some medical benefits to marijuana, and this is more than just anecdotal evidence now, Anderson. There are some studies to sort of back that up.
We know that there are receptors in the brain, cannabinoid receptors. And they control things like your pain levels, your hunger levels, things related to your mood. And therein lies some of the possible benefits, medically, of marijuana.
For example, someone who's having terrible malnourishment or terrible nausea as a result of chemotherapy or being infected with HIV/AIDS, using marijuana could stimulate appetite.
Neuropathic pain, Anderson, something I deal with quite a bit as a neurosurgeon. It's that lancinating nerve pain that's often caused by trauma or some sort of injury or surgery. Sometimes it can be very refractive to pain medications. Marijuana can help there, as well.
Multiple sclerosis, something else that I treat: that's something that can cause significant tremors, for example. Marijuana can help.
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Ohio Poll shows Strong Support for Medical Marijuana
Tuesday, 12 May 2009 02:08
Medical marijuana won the most favorable support in University of Cincinnati Institute for Policy Research's social issues poll. COLUMBUS, OHIO — Medical marijuana was supported by 73% of Ohioans in the recent University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research's social issue poll. Some highlights from that poll, in addition to the 73% overall support, are that 77% of Catholics, 77% of middle age Ohioans (age 46 to 64), 65% of Republicans, 64% of those over 65 years old, and even 58% of conservatives support medical marijuana. There are Ohio patients who are struggling with their medical conditions and Ohio laws at the same time. The most atrocious incident was with a gentleman by the name of Randy Brush who was sentenced to 3 years in prison for 4 plants. Brush had no prior criminal history. Unfortunately, Brush met a judge who publicly stated his goal was to sentence a million man hours before his retirement from the bench. More recently was retired social worker Susan Stevens, who had a few plants in her backyard. Stevens was fortunate that local law enforcement executed a flawed search and the case was eventually dismissed. Currently ongoing is the case of Addie J. Cyrus, who also has no criminal record, not even a traffic ticket. Cyrus has the full support of her doctors, but will not be permitted to bring that fact into the courtroom. In 1996 three states passed medical marijuana laws, two by ballot, and one by the legislators. California and Arizona voters passed medical marijuana ballot initiatives. The third state was Ohio, whose state legislators passed a law permitting patients charged with a marijuana offense to submit medical evidence into court. Senator Voinovich, then the Governor, made it a priority bill the next year to rescind that legislation. Now Ohio patients who are charged with a marijuana offense are not even allowed to introduce evidence that their doctors support using marijuana as part of their medical treatment. Ohio Patient Network is working with state legislators to change Ohio laws concerning medical marijuana. This is fully supported by Ohio citizens as evidenced by this recent poll by the University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research's poll data.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 11:13
Grand jury returns indictment against another Medical Marijuana Patient
Monday, 13 April 2009 22:29
Mount Vernon,Ohio - A grand jury released an indictment against 45 year old medical marijuana patient Addie J Cyrus. On February 13th, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, without a warrant, seized marijuana plants weighing 813 grams from Cyrus' residence in Gambier, Ohio. Cyrus is charged with illegal cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana. Her husband, James B. Cyrus, 46, is also charged with possession of marijuana. Knox county prosecutor, Thatcher, indicated he intends to prosecute Cyrus to the fullest extent of the law. Addie Cyrus is a military veteran and has never even had a traffic ticket. She now suffers some health issues and uses marijuana with her doctors knowledge to help maintain her quality of life. Her husband, James Cyrus, owns a trucking company and is in danger of losing the family business they have operated for 20 years due to Ohio's law that takes away your drivers license if convicted of any drug possession. Last year, the Ohio Patient Network introduced a medical compassion bill that would have protected patients like Addie Cyrus from a prosecutor like Mr. Thatcher, who wants to put non-violent citizens like Cyrus in jail. Addie Cyrus faces at least a year in jail, where the state will have to provide medical care. Ohio Patient Network is once again working for a Medical Marijuana bill. In the last year's State Senate hearing on SB343, even Senator Seitz voiced support for the legislation. Senator Seitz from Hamilton County is one of the most conservative and respected State Senators in the Ohio Senate. Addie Cyrus has retained the legal services of defense attorney Dennis Day. Day is a notable marijuana defense attorney and serves on the NORML Legal Committee. NORML is the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
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Former Miss New Jersey supporting medical marijuana
Saturday, 18 April 2009 13:01
One of the questions often asked is about marijuana and smoking. Contrary to public perception there is no relationship between smoking marijuana and lung cancer. This has been established by one of the largest lung cancer studies ever conducted by Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years. You can find the supporting news articles on the Washington Post and WEBMD websites.
One more item of interest is that cannabis (AKA marijuana) can actually help those with asthma. In technical terms marijuana acts as a bronco-dialator. I have personal knowledge of this from my own family member who has used smoked marijuana for asthma relief.
Now Georgine DiMaria, 24, former Miss New Jersey, has stepped in to fight for the legalization of medical marijuana. DiMaria said as a child her asthma was so severe that it left her bedridden, forcing her to be homeschooled. She has said that using marijuana was medically beneficial to her. DiMaria has also been an advocate and promoted lung health for six years and was recognized by the American Lung Association for her outstanding efforts. The Ohio Patient Network suggests that those suffering from asthma who are considering marijuana as an adjunct to the treatment should consider vaporization and inform their doctor.
Former Drug Free America Director Endorses Medical Marijuana
David E. Krahl, former Deputy Director of Drug Free America Foundation, has endorsed medical marijuana this week (March 26th 2009). “Being away from the Drug Free America Foundation allowed me an opportunity to take a fresh look at the issue,” Krahl said. Krahl, a graduate of the University of Akron, now teaches courses in criminal justice. Below is an article he wrote for Medical Marijuana Therapeutics/Research. Ushering in a new level of optimism in Washington, DC and around the country, the Obama Administration recently signaled a sea change in drug enforcement policy. Last month, Attorney General Eric Holder affirmed an earlier commitment by the President to end federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries. Despite the country’s woes, from a worsening economy to a war on several fronts, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has found the time, energy, and resources to continue its nonsensical effort to undermine the duly enacted medical marijuana laws of California and other states. That was, until the Attorney General announced a new approach to the failed war on medical marijuana.
Contrary to scientific opinion, the U.S. government still posits that marijuana has no medical value. Not only has the government used this position to harmfully intrude in the lives of our most vulnerable citizens, it has done so with scorn for the voters and legislatures that enacted state medical marijuana laws. Even though the White House had earlier indicated its intent to end federal raids in medical marijuana states, the yet still-seated Bush Administration officials continued a policy of rabid enforcement based on expediency. For example, even after President Obama took office on January 20, six licensed medical marijuana dispensaries were raided by the DEA.
There was a point in my professional career as Deputy Director of the Drug Free America Foundation when I supported the prohibition of marijuana as medicine. But then, I experienced a change of heart, if you will; a moment of clarity, an epiphany. After seriously investigating the issue, and getting beyond the rhetorical arguments of both sides, I began to realize that the prohibitionist viewpoint against the use of marijuana as medicine largely ignored three things, which are so embedded in the fabric of American society and reflective of our cultural values that their truth is almost self-evident.
See the remainder of this article in OpposingViews where you can comment and see the opposing viewpoint by Barrett Duke. Barrett Duke is Vice President for public policy and research for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
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