Study: Scant evidence that medical pot helps many illnesses

[webfact]

Study: Scant evidence that medical pot helps many illnesses
By LINDSEY TANNER

CHICAGO (AP) — Medical marijuana has not been proven to work for many illnesses that state laws have approved it for, according to the first comprehensive analysis of research on its potential benefits.

The strongest evidence is for chronic pain and for muscle stiffness in multiple sclerosis, according to the review, which evaluated 79 studies involving more than 6,000 patients. Evidence was weak for many other conditions, including anxiety, sleep disorders, and Tourette's syndrome and the authors recommend more research.

The analysis is among several medical marijuana articles published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. They include a small study suggesting that many brand labels for edible marijuana products list inaccurate amounts of active ingredients. More than half of brands tested had much lower amounts than labeled, meaning users might get no effect.

Highlights from the journal:

THE ANALYSIS

The researchers pooled results from studies that tested marijuana against placebos, usual care or no treatment. That's the most rigorous kind of research but many studies found no conclusive evidence of any benefit. Side effects were common and included dizziness, dry mouth and sleepiness. A less extensive research review in the journal found similar results.

It's possible medical marijuana could have widespread benefits, but strong evidence from high-quality studies is lacking, authors of both articles say.

"It's not a wonder drug but it certainly has some potential," said Dr. Robert Wolff, a co-author and researcher with Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd., a research company in York, England.

EDIBLE PRODUCTS

Researchers evaluated 47 brands of medical marijuana products, including candy, baked goods and drinks, bought at dispensaries in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

Independent laboratory testing for THC, marijuana's leading active ingredient, found accurate amounts listed on labels for just 13 of 75 products. Almost 1 in 4 had higher amounts than labeled, which could cause ill effects. Most had lower-than-listed amounts. There were similar findings for another active ingredient. Products were not identified by name.

Johns Hopkins University researcher Ryan Vandrey, the lead author, said he was surprised so many labels were inaccurate. The researchers note, however, that the results may not be the same in other locations.

MARIJUANA LAWS

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. have laws permitting medical marijuana use. Approved conditions vary but include Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, kidney disease, lupus and Parkinson's disease.

An editorial in the journal says approval in many states has been based on poor quality studies, patients' testimonials or other nonscientific evidence.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law and some scientists say research has been stymied by government hurdles including a declaration that marijuana is a controlled substance with no accepted medical use.

But in a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register, the Department of Health and Human Services made it a little easier for privately funded medical marijuana research to get approved. The department said that a federal Public Health Service review of research proposals is no longer necessary because it duplicates a required review by the Food and Drug Administration.

THE FUTURE

Colorado, one of a few states where recreational marijuana use is legal, has pledged more than $8 million in state funds for several studies on the drug's potential medical benefits, including whether it can reduce veterans' symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. That study may begin recruiting participants later this year, said Vandrey, one of that study's leaders.

Vandrey said there's a feeling of optimism in the research community that "we'll start to get a good science base" for the potential medical uses of marijuana.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS

The editorial by two Yale University psychiatrists suggests enthusiasm for medical marijuana has outpaced rigorous research and says widespread use should wait for better evidence. Federal and state governments should support and encourage such research, the editorial says.

"Perhaps it is time to place the horse back in front of the cart," Drs. Deepak Cyril D'Souza and Mohini Ranganathan wrote in the editorial.

They note that repeated recreational marijuana use can be addictive and say unanswered questions include what are the long-term health effects of medical marijuana use and whether its use is justified in children whose developing brains may be more vulnerable to its effects.
___

Online:

JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org

National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://tinyurl.com/axxzhrj


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-24

[sdanielmcev]

Oh, wow! Man! I better roll me a doobie. Just for the sake of relief of the nausea from chemo should be worth legalizing marijuana. Anybody got some Oreos?

[Seastallion]

Far better to study the ill-effects of marijuana. The only reason to try to find the lack of efficacy of it is to try to discredit it....why discredit it if it is harmless?

They are destroying it's placebo effect, which is a shame.

[kaorop]

Jointly funded by the Alcoholic beverage and Pharmaceutical companies

[Ulysses G.]

I have always suspected that it was mostly the placebo effect, but it should still be legal.

[Seastallion]

I reckon one illness for which marijuana would not be just a placebo would be anorexia.

[pedro01]

I had a friend with MS, he's long since passed.

He would shake uncontrollably all of the time - until he smoked a joint. At that point the shaking would stop completely.

This was in the UK in the mid 90's and his mother had to go out and buy weed for him. He lived in a Leonard Cheshire home & they turned a blind eye to it.

So for MS, it's not just for muscle stiffness. I also know of people undergoing chemo that used it to help with they symptoms.

The fact is though - medical weed in places like LA has developed into a coffee shop culture where you can walk into a head-shop in Venice beach see a quack, tell him you are stressed and walk out with a get out of jail free card.

I would guess this is where the backlash is coming from.

[phuketsub]

I don't see how it would be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease...I think it could be easily proven that smoking marijuana causes short-term memory loss.

I also don't understand why so many people here dress up with clothes covered with images of marijuana leaves...if they are really so into smoking it you'd think they would be a

a little more low-key about it.

Anyway, people who are into it are going to smoke it no matter what, so I think it should be decriminalized.

The cops have enough extortion tools a their disposal already.

[stevenl]

No conclusive evidence does not mean it is not effective.

[F430murci]

It certainly works wonders in the Snoop Dog communities of creating brilliant minds and hard workers.

[Credo]

I know that it really isn't effective for those who suffer from paranoia.

I agree that more research needs to be done. I have a friend who has been conducting research on the stuff since he was 15.

[F430murci]

I know that it really isn't effective for those who suffer from paranoia.

I agree that more research needs to be done. I have a friend who has been conducting research on the stuff since he was 15.

I conducted plenty of research myself at a younger age and through my early 20s. Thanks God my research yielded the wisdom of I ain't gonna be able to do crap with my life if I don stop smoking this crap . . . One can certainly be much more productive on alcohol, opiates or just about any other drug. MJ creates fat butt munchies coach potato 1/2 a brain losers.

[Andrew65]

I know that it really isn't effective for those who suffer from paranoia.

I agree that more research needs to be done. I have a friend who has been conducting research on the stuff since he was 15.

I conducted plenty of research myself at a younger age and through my early 20s. Thanks God my research yielded the wisdom of I ain't gonna be able to do crap with my life if I don stop smoking this crap . . . One can certainly be much more productive on alcohol, opiates or just about any other drug. MJ creates fat butt munchies coach potato 1/2 a brain losers.

I know three brothers who are friends of mine since our schooldays, back in the UK.

Two of them for most of their adult lives have been pot smokers, they have also spent time down & out, and living on the street. The non-smoker brother has had the same job his entire life with no issues.

Also, a few years ago I worked in Germany with a Dutch colleague. Anyway, his girlfriend was a red-hot blonde from Berlin, she looked like a supermodel. Anyway, to my surprise, Alex totally blamed the breakup of their relationship on his pot use.

I think most drugs should be legalized, even though I am not a user myself.

Just don't try convincing me that they are harmless!

[FangFerang]

Sorry, the report is slanted to make everyone just do nothing. I worked in the medical field for years, and doctors regularly tell chemo patients off the record to eat or smoke marijuana, as well as people with MS.....

Using science to fulfill a political agenda by selectively ignoring some data is an old AMA past time.

No, I do not smoke marijuana.

[Oziex1]

I know that it really isn't effective for those who suffer from paranoia.

I agree that more research needs to be done. I have a friend who has been conducting research on the stuff since he was 15.

Oh, a friend Huh?

[jollyrog]

In 1969 I returned from the Vietnam War after 20 month's as a rifleman and machine gunner with the USMC. Without MJ I would not have survived to my current age of 75. We call it self-medicating. There are many of us and war comes in many forms.

[Andrew65]

Now that pot is kind of legal in parts of the States, we could be hearing some interesting things in years to come, both good and bad.

[Steely Dan]

For the sake of argument let's say there are no beneficial medical effects, in which case it makes a pretty good placebo. P.s I smell political agenda here.

[Seastallion]

Now that pot is kind of legal in parts of the States, we could be hearing some interesting things in years to come, both good and bad.

It will be interesting to see the gun death rates in legalised (MJ) states vs criminal (MJ) states.

And the peanut butter or Oreo sales rates

[Guitar God]

I've seen children who suffered from hundreds of seizures a day be able to lead a normal life after being treated with cannabis.

I've seen people with squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma apply Simpson's oil topically and the tumors dissapear within a matter of weeks.

I know people who had prostate cancer and had a PSA in the teens that dropped to 3-5 nanograms/ml after using cannabis oil suppositories and were declared cancer free within months and for years after during follow up checks with their oncologist.

I know people who have chronic pain (no pun intended) whose pain was best treated by using medibles. (Cannabis infused foods). Same with people suffering from neuropathy, and idiopathic myopathy.

Studies published in the Lancet UK medical journal showed cannabinoids to be more effective and safer that conventional antiemetics. For many patients it provides the best relief for nausea from chemotherapy and it was just proven that that cannabinoids kill cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Even if it only provided palliative relief for terminal patients, to restrict access to a drug that's safer than aspirin is nothing short of criminal.

One reason there is less evidence is because the U.S. And other governments prohibited universities from conducting research. When government-funded studies showed it effective and safe, those studies were defunded and covered up.

It's not a panacea or a cure-all but its effectiveness and safety compared to prescription drugs is finally coming out. The truth will be know soon.

Edited June 24, 2015 by Guitar God

[borisloosebrain]

For epilepsy and seizures its brilliant literally stopping them immediately with incidents dropping from hundreds a day to zero. For MS it's very effective. For tumours it's very effective in reducing and in many cases completely eradicating them, including in children. There is ample scientific and anecdotal evidence out there if one looks for it. The U.S. govt even has patents on its use for medical purposes.

There has been too much money wasted looking for non existent or exaggerated harmful effects when it should have been spent studying the endo cannanaboids in cannabis and how they activate the bodies endocannanaboids system. Anyone who thinks it's a placedo effect is dreaming.sure it can turn people into couch potatoes living from one case of munchies to the next but it does zero damage to the body, quite the opposite. Don't take my word for it, ask Willie lol.

Edited June 24, 2015 by borisloosebrain

[whaleboneman]

I don't see how it would be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease...I think it could be easily proven that smoking marijuana causes short-term memory loss.

I also don't understand why so many people here dress up with clothes covered with images of marijuana leaves...if they are really so into smoking it you'd think they would be a

a little more low-key about it.

Anyway, people who are into it are going to smoke it no matter what, so I think it should be decriminalized.

The cops have enough extortion tools a their disposal already.

I'm pretty sure the Thai people wearing the marijuana shirts don't know what they are. When I met my girlfriend, she had a Bob Marley jacket. She liked it because it was green. After I told her what the nice green leaves were, she gave it away.

[DTL2014]

I know that it really isn't effective for those who suffer from paranoia.

I agree that more research needs to be done. I have a friend who has been conducting research on the stuff since he was 15.

re the paranoia-That is debatable - it can have the affect of magnifying paranoia - some would argue that by bringing the paranoia to the "surface" one has a better chance to analyse it and see it for what it is -then adjusting ones behaviour accordingly.Hippies used to refer to this as "kicking out the chocks" in the mind --or freeing the mind (from unwanted behaviour)