An approach to the medical marijuana controversy

The use of smoked marijuana as a therapeutic agent is presently a matter of considerable debate in the United States. Many people suffering from a var iety of disorders maintain that it is necessary for their adequate treatmen t. Yet, the evidence to support claims is insufficient for FDA approval. An interim solution is proposed which would allow patients referred by their physicians to participate in a 6-month program of legal marijuana availabil ity, similar to the 'compassionate IND' program of a number of years ago. A technique similar to that used for post-marketing surveillance is proposed for obtaining quantitative data for a limited number of potential indicati ons. These are: (1) nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy or other causes, (2) weight loss associated with debilitating illnesses, ( 3) spasticity secondary to neurological diseases, and (4) chronic pain synd romes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.