http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/0...dont-know/
EXCERPT: My opinion about medical marijuana has been fairly consistent. First, the claims made by its advocates for it far exceed the evidence for its benefit [...] it is herbalism in that medical marijuana advocates make grandiose claims for using their favorite “drug” in its plant form rather than doing the standard thing that modern medicine does with natural products and try to isolate the active compounds, in this case a class of molecules known as cannabinoids.
Second, although medical marijuana might have some minor utility in relieving the symptoms of chemotherapy in cancer patients, contrary to the claims of people like Rick Simpson promoting hemp oil as a cancer cure, his believers who provide anecdotes, and a large number of advocates who believe it is the next big thing in treating cancer, cannabis does not cure cancer.
The bottom line: Purified cannabinoids have some promise for medicinal uses, but medical marijuana itself has little evidence to support its use and serves mainly as a politically palatable “foot in the door” for advocates to get their favorite drug legalized, and I say this as someone who thinks that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use.
I hate to say, “I told you so,” but I told you so. No, wait. I love to say “I told you so,” at least when the evidence is on my side. This time, it comes in the form of a systematic review and meta-analysis hot off the presses yesterday in JAMA looking at medical marijuana.....
EXCERPT: My opinion about medical marijuana has been fairly consistent. First, the claims made by its advocates for it far exceed the evidence for its benefit [...] it is herbalism in that medical marijuana advocates make grandiose claims for using their favorite “drug” in its plant form rather than doing the standard thing that modern medicine does with natural products and try to isolate the active compounds, in this case a class of molecules known as cannabinoids.
Second, although medical marijuana might have some minor utility in relieving the symptoms of chemotherapy in cancer patients, contrary to the claims of people like Rick Simpson promoting hemp oil as a cancer cure, his believers who provide anecdotes, and a large number of advocates who believe it is the next big thing in treating cancer, cannabis does not cure cancer.
The bottom line: Purified cannabinoids have some promise for medicinal uses, but medical marijuana itself has little evidence to support its use and serves mainly as a politically palatable “foot in the door” for advocates to get their favorite drug legalized, and I say this as someone who thinks that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use.
I hate to say, “I told you so,” but I told you so. No, wait. I love to say “I told you so,” at least when the evidence is on my side. This time, it comes in the form of a systematic review and meta-analysis hot off the presses yesterday in JAMA looking at medical marijuana.....