American College of Physicians Calls for Research of Medical Marijuana

On February 8, the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a position paper calling for additional research into the therapeutic role for marijuana. The ACP, a national organization of internists – physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection and treatment of illnesses in adults – is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in the United States.The ACP notes:

Marijuana has been smoked for its medicinal properties for centuries. Preclinical, clinical, and anecdotal reports suggest numerous potential medical uses for marijuana. Although the indications for some conditions have been well documented, less information is available about other potential medical uses.

The position paper makes five position statements including:

Position 4: ACP urges review of marijuana’s status as a schedule I controlled substanceand its reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidenceregarding marijuana’s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions.

It goes on to explain:

The concern that marijuana is a “gateway” drug also hinders opportunities to evaluate itspotential therapeutic benefits. However, the IOM concluded that marijuana is a gateway drugonly in the sense that its use normally precedes, rather than follows, initiation of other illicitdrugs. Marijuana has not been proven to be the cause or even the most serious predictor ofserious drug abuse.

The report conclusion holds that “[e]vidence not only supports the use of medical marijuana in certain conditions but also suggests numerous indications for cannabinoids”.

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