2 comments on “Health-related marijuana…?”

1. sauve4te on July 5, 2012 at 9:25 am said:

   Unfortunately, I don’t believe you would be able to obtain medical marj because you said in your state it is not legal yet. Also you are only 16 they would probably want you to wait until your 18 since than you are considered a “legal” age. You may only have the option now to buy illegally which of course I cannot recommend lol .lol. Marijuana does NOT have any bad long term side effects contrary to what many people think. A lot of people have been taught and brainwashed to think badly about marij. but any research would more than likely change people’s ideas..

   I would suggest checking out the website: medicalmarijuana.procon.org

   TOTAL DEATHS FROM MARIJUANA = 0

   TOTAL DEATHS FROM 17 FDA APPROVED DRUGS = 10, 008

   I believe this info is from 2005 so I’m sure the deaths from FDA approved meds is a lot higher now.

   Good luck, I know how you feel

   Have to disagree with a so called answer you got. Obviously a very narrow minded idividual. Anyway wanted to share with you the conditions that medical marijuana is now approved for in DC.

   Approved Conditions: HIV, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, cancer, other conditions that are chronic, long-lasting, debilitating, or that interfere with the basic functions of life, serious medical conditions for which the use of medical marijuana is beneficial, patients undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy/

   In Michigan: Approved Conditions: Approved for treatment of debilitating medical conditions, defined as cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, nail patella, cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, epilepsy, muscle spasms, and multiple sclerosis

   HIV, AIDS, Cancer are approved med uses in all states that are medically approved marj states. Each state has their own conditions which are medically approved uses. You can find more information on what each state considers approved med marij usage at procon.org
2. Mathieu on July 5, 2012 at 10:23 am said:

   A couple of things-

   Firstly if marijuana is illegal where you live then you can’t legally use, buy, or posses it regardless of why you are using it. Also nearly all doctors will not officially condone or recommend medical marijuana use by a patient and doctors do have some legal liability if they do.

   Also over-the-counter pain medication is only for MILD pain, if you have a legitimate medical problem causing moderate to severe pain then only prescription medication will be able to alleviate it (OTC drugs did not work because they are useless against severe pain). If your problem is so severe why aren’t you getting treatment or at least symptomatic control? With any type of pain, even in places where medical marijuana is available, it is not going to be used especially if you have only taken drugs like Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil, Motrin (ibuprofen) that is like going from the most minimal to very extreme without stopping in the middle. The cornerstone of pain management is opioid use particularly the full opioid agonists including:

   morphine (MS Contin, Avinza, Kadian, M-Eslon, MS-IR, MST Continus, Oramorph SR)
   oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Oxy-IR, Roxicet, Roxicodone, Tylox, Endocet)
   oxymorphone (Opana, Opana ER, Numorphan)
   hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo, Hydromorph Contin)
   fentanyl (Duragesic, Actiq, Fentora, Onsolis)
   methadone (Dolophine, Metadol, Methadose)

   Typically something like marijuana is used to treat pain WITH opioids, for extreme conditions, in patients refractory to opioid therapy, and especially in patients with terminal conditions (typically AIDS or cancer), cachexia, and chemotherapy induced vomiting refractory to first-line treatment. It is not really your age that is a problem, people at any age with severe pain are treated with the proper medications to control the pain.

   Just to give you an idea of the guidelines and conditions that medical marijuana is typically accepted these are the Health Canada regulations (this is just for generalized information)

   There are two categories of people who can apply to possess marihuana for medical purposes:

   Category 1: This category is comprised of any symptoms treated within the context of providing compassionate end-of-life care; or the symptoms associated with the specified medical conditions, namely:
   Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis;
   Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from a spinal cord injury;
   Severe pain and/or persistent muscle spasms from spinal cord disease;
   Severe pain, cachexia, anorexia, weight loss, and/or severe nausea from cancer;
   Severe pain, cachexia, anorexia, weight loss, and/or severe nausea from HIV/AIDS infection;
   Severe pain from severe forms of arthritis; or
   Seizures from epilepsy.

   Category 2: This category is for applicants who have debilitating symptom (s) of medical condition (s), other than those described in Category 1. Under Category 2, persons with debilitating symptoms can apply to obtain an Authorization to Possess dried marihuana for medical purposes, if a specialist confirms the diagnosis and that conventional treatments have failed or judged inappropriate to relieve symptoms of the medical condition.

   You really need to talk to your doctor and your parents. If you are in significant pain or are having any medical problems is it important to tell your doctor and get appropriate treatment. Also the best course of action is saying “doctor I’m in severe pain, how can we get it controlled?” And then let him do his job to consider, inform, and recommend options for pain control.

   But in the end, at least for now, you simply can’t get medical marijuana and with respect if you have not taken anything except OTC medication then use of medical marijuana is not really considered appropriate.

   Lastly do not believe people who on are the extremes on the issue of marijuana. It is not the terrible drug some would have you believe nor is it a risk-free and perfectly benign substance. ALL drugs no matter if it is smoked, taken as a pill, injected, or is natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic have risk. Marijuana may not have killed anyone but death is not the only risk- other things can happen.

   UPDATE:

   Just to respond to sauve4te I am hardly a “very narrow minded individual.” I have not said marijuana is bad or that it should not be used however responsible doctors don’t take 16 year old patients who have only taken OTC medications and then put them on marijuana. That goes against every medical guideline and common sense. Also most of the conditions marijuana may be prescribed in certain states or countries have NEVER been been proven to be effectively treated with marijuana. The states just put the few conditions proven to be treatable and then add a bunch more that typically is only supported by very little evidence. Notice how each state has different “approved” uses ranging from the proven (cachexia) and in some states, especially California and Colorado it is being prescribed for things like ADHD. Your information said “Each state has their own conditions which are medically approved uses” to me that sounds like there is no consensus. The only things marijuana is currently PROVEN to treat are for 1) AIDS-related anorexia and cachexia 2) severe nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. 3) As an adjunctive analgesic treatment in adult patients with advanced cancer who experience moderate to severe pain during the highest tolerated dose of strong opioid therapy for persistent background pain. 4) As an adjunctive treatment for the symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults.

   For the record I have had severe chronic pain for about half my life, I tried marijuana when I was in university and it did help my pain. I did not use more because I did not like the feeling but I assure you that I understand pain- from patients, studies, and myself. I know what being desperate for relief is like. The problem is that treatments need facts, just because many people (including myself) say marijuana helps pain is not proof. And anywhere you do the proper protocol- to use full opioid agonists as the central medication then add adjunctive treatments (hydroxyzine, orphenadrine, diazepam, clonazepam, methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, gabapentin, amitriptyline, phenobarbital, promethazine, marijuana).

   M.D., C.M. psychiatry, internal medicine (Québec)
   Hons. BSc in pharmacology