USA: REPORT RECOMMENDS MARIJUANA FOR AIDS SUFFERS скачать в хорошем качестве

USA: REPORT RECOMMENDS MARIJUANA FOR AIDS SUFFERS

(18 Mar 1999) English/Nat A report commissioned by the U-S government recommended on Wednesday that patients suffering from serious diseases such as AIDS should be allowed to smoke marijuana to relieve their suffering. The federal advisory panel which drew up the report says the active ingredients in marijuana can help fight pain, and deserve to be tested in scientific trials. And in contrast to claims made by anti-drugs campaigners, the Institute of Medicine found no conclusive proof that marijuana use leads to harder drugs. The report has been welcomed by U-S drugs czar McCaffrey, but despite the new evidence, Washington has no plans to legalise the drug. For many Americans suffering from devastating pain and constant nausea, the only relief they get is from marijuana. But the use of the drug for medical purposes has long been a subject of intense debate in the United States. On Wednesday a scientific report commissioned by the U-S government backed up what medical marijuana users have long maintained - marijuana helps. The report by the Institute of Medicine concludes that the chemicals in marijuana ease pain and anxiety, stimulate the appetite, reduce nausea and vomiting, and can be helpful for people undergoing chemotherapy and suffering from AIDS. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We concluded that there are some limited circumstances in which we recommend smoking marijuana for medical uses. Marijuana should only be smoked in circumstances where the long-term risks are not of great concern, such as for terminally ill patients or those with debilitating symptoms that do not respond to approved medications." SUPER CAPTION: Dr. John Benson, Marijuana Study Investigator Congress has traditionally taken a hard line against medical marijuana. Last year, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution to the effect that it was a dangerous drug and should not be legalised for medical use. One of the reasons behind that ruling was that whilst marijuana is often seen as a "soft" narcotic, many argue that people who use it often move on to more addictive substances. Today's report says, however, that there is no conclusive evidence that marijuana leads to harder drugs. The doctors in charge of the report do say marijuana that can be dangerous for patients, though - but only if it is smoked. Because of their concern about respiratory disease, they are calling for research into other delivery mechanisms, like an inhaler. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We recommend development of a rapid-onset but non-smoking delivery system, such as an inhaler. Something like an inhaler would deliver precise doses without the health problems associated with smoking. We believe that clinical trials of cannabinoid drugs, therefore, should be conducted with the goal of developing an inhaler." SUPER CAPTION: Dr. Stanley Watson, Marijuana Study Investigator Outside the Institute of Medicine in Washington D-C, those who support using marijuana for medicinal purposes welcomed the report. Among them was Cheryl Miller, who has suffered from multiple sclerosis for 30 years. She has been arrested for using medical marijuana, but continues to use it. And to avoid the medical risks connected with smoking, she takes the drug by eating it. Chuck Thomas of the pro-marijuana group Marijuana Policy Project says there are other ways to ingest marijuana without smoking it. He was delighted by Wednesday's report, which he felt was a great victory for common sense. SOUNDBITE: (English) SUPER CAPTION: Chuck Thomas, Marijuana Policy Project SOUNDBITE: (English) Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...