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1. Name: Institute of Medicine Report: Marijuana and Medicine; Assessing the Science Base
2. Medical Marijuana Position:
Pro to the question "Should marijuana be a medical option?"
3. Reasoning:

"Until a rapid-onset cannabinoid drug delivery system becomes available, we acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting.[...]

Recommendation: Short-term use of smoked marijuana (less than six months) for patients with debilitating symptoms (such as intractable pain or vomiting) must meet the following conditions:

  • failure of all approved medications to provide relief has been documented,
  • the symptoms can reasonably be expected to be relieved by rapid-onset cannabinoid drugs,
  • such treatment is administered under medical supervision in a manner that allows for assessment of treatment effectiveness, and
  • involves an oversight strategy comparable to an institutional review board process that could provide guidance within 24 hours of a submission by a physician to provide marijuana to a patient for a specified use."
    March 17, 1999
    Marijuana and Medicine; Assessing the Science Base
4. Credibility
Ranking:

Reports 
Government statistics, reports and peer-reviewed medical studies or articles
5. Organization  
  A. Description A Government investigation commissioned by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), under the auspices of President William J. Clinton.
  B. Structure: An investigative committee of the U.S. Institute of Medicine
  C. Members /
    Constituents:

Co-Principal Investigators: John A. Benson, Jr., M.D. and Stanley J. Watson, Jr., M.D.

Study Director: Janet E. Joy, Ph.D.

Advisory Panel: Steven R. Childers, J. Richard Crout, Thomas J. Crowley, Judith Feinberg, Howard L. Fields, Dorothy Hatsukami, Eric B. Larson, Billy R. Martin, and Timothy L. Vollmer

  D. Annual Budget: Not listed
  E. Sr. Executives: John A. Benson, Jr., M.D. and Stanley J. Watson, Jr., M.D.
  E. Title: Co-Principal Investigators
  F. Contact Info:
Phone: None - Disbanded   Fax: None - Disbanded
E-Mail:  None - Disbanded
Web Site: http://newton.nap.edu/html/marimed
  H: # of offices: 1
  I: Staff: 10
6. Relevant Affiliations:

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is chartered by the National Academy of Sciences

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