As all recreational cannabis users will be aware, cannabis stimulates the appetite, an effect known as gettingthe "munchies." This fact can also be exploited by sufferers of the wasting syndrome of humanimmunodefficiency virus to help maintain their weight. Most of the organisms that cause the diseasesunder the AIDS umbrella are common, but only gain a foothold in people with compromised immunesystems. Maintaining strength through a healthy diet and exercise appears to be one of the keys forprolonging life. It is here that Cannabis can play an important role as an adjunct therapy for peoplewith AIDS.Antiviral drugs, of which the best known is AZT, are used to attack human immunodeficiency virus(HIV). Unfortunately, AZT suppresses the production of red blood cells, decreases the number ofwhite blood cells, and has many damaging effects on the digestive system. It sometimes causessevere nausea that heightens the danger of semi-starvation for patients who are already losing weightbecause of the illness.
About 20 % of AIDS patients develop an infectious disease of the eye that can cause blindness. Adrug called Foscavir is used to treat it, but this too has the side effect of nausea.
In San Francisco there now exists an illegal Cannabis Buyers Club founded by Dennis Peron afterhis partner died from AIDS in 1990. They supply Cannabis to AIDS, cancer and glaucoma patients(you need medical evidence of having such a condition to join), and now have around 3200members.
Cannabis has been used as a medicine worldwide for over 5000 years. It was part of the Britishformulary until 1971 when fears of recreational misuse resulted in it being banned. Cannabis wasvery popular as a medicine in the 19th century, but it fell out of fashion due to the development ofinjectable opiates and synthetic drugs, which were more reliable and faster acting than Cannabispreparations of variable quality. It is the war on drugs which has prevented cannabis from comingback into fashion, even though the synthetic drugs that replaced it are very dangerous.
Cocaine and heroin are available on prescription, why not Cannabis? In a survey carried out byChannel 4 in March '95, 70% of doctors thought cannabis should be availible on prescription. Thismirrored the findings of the BMA's own "panel" of more than 150 doctors. In February '94, 74% ofthem believed that Cannabis should be available on prescription. In early November '95, an incredible98% of callers to a 'phone-in poll during The Time, The Place TV program supported medicalcannabis. In March '95, a survey carried out by the Independent found 70% of the population infavour of medical Cannabis.
Paul Flynn (Lab, Newport west) tabled an Early Day Motion calling for Cannabis on prescription, insummer '95. This resulted in a debate on medical Cannabis in the House of Commons, during whicha government health-minister stated that the government would not support medical Cannabis becausethere was not enough evidence for its effectiveness. There is little evidence because legal supplies arenot available for research studies. Also, in the present climate of the war on drugs no doctor orresearcher wants to risk his or her career to tabloid attacks of being a "pot doc." You can readabout the lack of research here.
However there are millions of people worldwide who illicitly treat themselves with Cannabis, and riskimprisonment because of it. To argue that Cannabis has no medical use is illogical. Why wouldpeople risk so much for and spend so much time and money trying to obtain, a medicine that did notwork?
In the next section we hope to summarise the evidence for and against the medical effectiveness ofcannabis. First and foremost there is the testimony of the patients themselves, more and more ofwhom are speaking out, despite fear of recriminations. Many patients report that Cannabis is the onlysubstance that relieves their symptoms, and that it has none of the harmful side-effects of standardtreatments. They all ask: "Why should I be made a criminal because I seek relief from my condition?"
Many of these testimonies were made available by the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics, whocampaign for medical Cannabis to be made available on prescription in the UK. UK CIA wouldvery much like to gather testimonies from Internet users. If you use Cannabis medicinally, please emailsayoung@glg.ed.ac.uk. All replies treated in confidence.
