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Knowing that 36 states have passed legislation recognizing
marijuana's therapeutic value; [9,10] and
Also knowing that the only available access to legal
marijuana which was through the Food and Drug
Administration' s Investigational New Drug Program has been
closed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services since
1992; [11] and
Understanding that while synthetic Tetrahydrocannibinol
(THC) is available in pill form, it is only one of approximately
60 cannabinoids which may have medicinal value individually
or in some combination; and
Understanding that marijuana has an extremely wide
acute margin of safety for use under medical supervision and
cannot cause lethal reactions; [6, 32, 34] and
Understanding that marijuana has been reported to be
effective in: a) reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma;
[12,13]  b) reducing nausea and vomiting associated with
chemotherapy; [14-16], c) stimulating the appetite for patients
living with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and
suffering from the wasting syndrome; [17-19] d) controlling
spasticity associated with spinal cord injury and multiple
sclerosis; [20-25] e) decreasing the suffering from chronic
pain; [26-28] and f) controlling seizures associated with
seizure disorders; [29-31] and
Understanding that marijuana seems to work differently
than many conventional medications for the above problems,
making it a possible option for persons resistant to the
conventional medications; [32,33] and
Being concerned that desperate patients and their families
are choosing to break the law to obtain this medicine when
conventional medicines or treatments have not been effective
for them or are too toxic; [34,35] and
Realizing that this places ill persons at risk for criminal
charges and at risk for obtaining contaminated medicine
because of the lack of quality control, and
Realizing that thousands of patients not helped by
conventional medications and treatments, may find relief from
their suffering with the use of marijuana if their primary care
providers were able to prescribe this medicine; and
Concluding that cannabis/marijuana was wrongfully
placed in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances depriving
patients of its therapeutic potential;
Recognizing that APHA adopted a resolution (7014) on
Marijuana and the Law which urged federal and state drugs
laws to exclude marijuana from classification as a narcotic
drug; [36] and
Concluding that greater harm is caused by the legal
consequences of its prohibition than possible risks of medicinal
use; therefore
* Encourages research of the therapeutic properties of
various cannabinoids and combinations of cannabinoids; and
* Encourages research on alternative methods of
administration to decrease the harmful effects related to
smoking; and
* Urges the Administration and Congress to move
expeditiously to make cannabis available as a legal medicine
where shown to be safe and effective and to immediately allow
access to therapeutic cannabis through the Investigational New
Drug Program.
References:
1.   Abel EA: Marihuana: The First Twelve Thousand Years.
     New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1982.
2.   Mikuriya TH, Ed: Marijuana: Medical Papers 1839- 1972.
     Oakland, CA: Medi-Comp Press, 1973.
3.   Bonnie RJ, Whitebread II, CH: The Marihuana Conviction:
     A History of Marihuana Prohibition in the United States.
     Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1974,
4.   National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (RP
     Shafer, Chairman): Marihuana: A Signal of
     Misunderstanding. New York: The: New American
     Library, Inc., 1972.
5.   Controlled Substances, Act of 1970 (Pub.L. 91-513,
     October 27, 1970, 21USC801 et seq.).
6.   In the Matter of Marihuana Rescheduling Petition, Docket
     86-22, Opinion, Recommended Ruling, Findings of fact,
     Conclusions of Law, and Decision of Administrative Law
     Judge, September 6, 1988. Washington, DC; Drug
     Enforcement Agency, 1988.
7.   Randall RC: Marijuana, Medicine and the Law.
     Washington, DC: Galen Press, 1988.
8.   Randall RC; Marijuana, Medicine and the Law. (Volume
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