The Utah medical association has initiated an interesting dispute after releasing a statement claiming that there is no such a thing as medical marijuana. Huh?
Yes, you heard right, the medical association of Utah disputes the existence of medical marijuana. ABC News reported on this “interesting” conclusion.
The Utah medical association not only opposes the legalization of medical marijuana, but it also claims there is no such thing and wants the terminology banned.
The term “medical marijuana” might have been confusing to the association, but it is not that difficult to understand. It basically means marijuana is used as a medicine as it has been for hundreds and hundreds of years across the globe.
The problem the association might have is a lack of understanding of the fact that people do find relief for many ailments and conditions in the marijuana plant. However, it seems these doctors aren’t up to date on advances in medical cannabis research. How else could they draw such a conclusion?
Patients claim it helps
Patients such as Christine Steinquist, who suffers from a brain tumor, claim that medical marijuana helps for the pain and nausea. This has been supported by research. But the doctors of the medical association of Utah argue anecdotal stories like these don’t make marijuana “medical.”
These doctors say that if studies proving the efficacy of medical marijuana are not completed, patients such as Steinquist should be threatened with penalties. Penalties could include the loss a person’s house, bank account and child custody being placed under threat.
So, what about research on:
Seizures?
Maybe these doctors should go knocking at Dr. Elizabeth Thiele’s door and have a chat with her to see how many hours she and her colleagues have put into saving children from devastating, life-threatening, and debilitating seizures when no researched, pipelined, trialed medicine could do anything for them except shut their organs down.
Pain?
This association must have been part of the reason Governor Weinholtz’s wife Donna was arrested for using medical marijuana for pain. Would they prefer the opioid epidemic to claim more victims, or would they agree with scientists looking into managing pain with cannabinoids without side effects or addiction?
Cancer?
How many cancer patients got through cancer treatments with the help of medical marijuana for vomiting and other side effects of chemotherapy?
Multiple Sclerosis?
Even a panel of scientists tasked with evaluating the health benefits of medical marijuana to compile a federal advisory report agrees that medical marijuana is of benefit to MS patients.
Concussion?
Medical marijuana shows neuroprotective effects. A study by Tel Aviv University showed that cannabis could help protect brain cells and preserve cognitive functions after a head injury because of these neuroprotective qualities.
Medical marijuana or CBD?
CBD oil, which is seen as medical marijuana in some states, has brought patients with all these conditions relief. There are studies that have supported these statements. If research and trials are lacking, it is because there has been no marijuana to do research on. For seven decades, it has been prohibited and classified as a schedule 1 drug with no medicinal value.
It’s quite possible that medical marijuana in the form of whole plant extracts could prove to be more effective than pharmaceuticals based on cannabinoids. Yes, we do need research, but it would be wrong to demonize people seeking relief through medical cannabis.
Primary source: http://wjla.com/news/nation-world/utah-medical-association-says-there-is-no-such-thing-as-medical-marijuana
