NationStates Jolt Archive

Would it be possible for you as delegate to support a proposal to the UN that has been made by Phil IV, a member from Europa? This proposal can easily found by going to "List proposals" and then typing "Medicinal" in the searchfield. We would greatly appreciate your support.

~ Orioni (2)
Medicinal Marijuana

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.
Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Phil IV

Description:
OBSERVING that this proposal has the aim of legislating the production and growth of the marijuana plant (Cannabis Sativa) and using its properties in a controlled manner for the treatment of many dehabilitating diseases.

OBSERVING that research has shown that smoking cannabis can help to alleviate muscle trauma in patients with MS (Multiple Sclerosis); other patients have also reported reduced pain and easier movement of joints after mild doses of cannabis or cannaboids.

VOUCHING that independent studies in California, New Mexico, Michigan, Tennessee and Georgia have proven that marijuana smoking is a very effective Antiemetic (relieves nausea and vomiting), and that it has also proved superior to current drugs, such as Torecan, Compazine, and even the synthetic THC pill.

CONFIRMING that a legalisation of marijuana for recreational use is neither implied nor requested by this proposal, the drug will ONLY be used in medical situations where it would provide the most effective treatment.


RECOGNIZES that medcinal marijuana has signficant beneficial effects and no serious adverse ones; we propose that marijuana is legalised in all member states for medicinal purposes ONLY.

CONCLUDES that we believe this resolution will reduce the suffering of many of the worlds terminally ill patients, and therefore is an issue that all nations should take a positive interest in.

Approvals: 41 (Thatlandia, Orioni 2, Fentitia, JS Nijmegen, Yelda, La Commune Quebecoise, Danitoria, Meekerland, Nikolaos The Great, Texas and Missouri, DragonSpeartopia, Unlimited, Squallas, Aylandlandfive, WZ Forums, Archoz, The Fallen Fairies, Ofidouissa, 1 Infinite Loop, Perchance, Beta Centaury, Bum Wipe, Baribeau, Tiber City, Dos Locos, The Dancing Butterfly, DougIsGodLand, Squirrelmania, SuperVegeta, Andorista, Reverbera, Fungai, Finaco, Nethala, Metal Poets, The Bruce, Alexein, Master Tom, Clint the mercyful, East Czechoslovakia, Killtron)


Voting Ends: Fri Dec 24 2004

VOUCHING that independent studies in California, New Mexico, Michigan, Tennessee and Georgia
Where?

Giordano,
UN representative,
The Black New World

Here you go, sir. New Mexico: This study involved 250 patients.The study compared marijuana to THC capsules. The research protocol was approved by the FDA in 1978. In order to participate in the research the patient had to be referred by a physician and had to have failed on at least three other antiemetics. Patients were permitted to choose marijuana or the THC pill.

Both objective (e.g., frequency of vomiting, amount of vomiting, muscle biofeedback, blood samples and patient observation) and subjective measures were made to determine the effectiveness of the drug.

The study concluded that marijuana was not only an effective antiemetic but also far superior to the best available conventional drug, Compazine, and clearly superior to synthetic THC pill." The study found that [m]ore than [90] percent of the patients who received marijuana . . . reported significant or total relief from nausea and vomiting." The study found no major adverse side effects. Only three patients reported adverse reactions, none of these reactions involved marijuana alone. The 1984 report concluded . . . the data accumulated over all five years of the program's operation do show that marijuana smoked resulted in a higher percentage of success than does THC ingested."

California: California conducted a series of studies from 1981 through 1989. Annual reports were submitted to the FDA, state legislature and Governor. Each year approximately 90 to 100 patients received marijuana. The California research was described as a Phase III trial."

The study protocol preferred THC pills by making it much easier for patients to enter that portion of the study. Patients who received marijuana had to be over 15 years of age (the THC pill patients had to be over 5 years of age); had to be marijuana experienced, use the drug on an in-patient basis (patients could only use marijuana in the hospital and not take the medicine home) and had to be receiving rarely used and severe forms of chemotherapy. Thus, the design of the study did not favor marijuana.

Even with this built in bias against marijuana, the study consistently found marijuana to be an effective antiemetic. In 1981 the California Research Advisory Panel reported: "Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried." In 1982, a 78.9 percent effectiveness rate was found for smoked marijuana. By 1983 the report was conclusory in its findings stating:

The California Program also has met its research objectives. Marijuana has been shown to be effective for many cancer chemotherapy patients, safe dosage levels have been established and a dosage regimen which minimizes undesirable side effects has been devised and tested.

The California Research Advisory Panel continued to review data on marijuana until 1989 with similar results.

Michigan: The Michigan research compared marijuana to Torecan. It involved 165 patients. Upon admission to the program patients were randomized into control groups with some randomized on the conventional antiemetic Torecan and the remainder randomized to marijuana. When failure on the initial randomized drug occurred, patients could elect to crossover to the alternate therapy. This procedure allowed the Michigan Department of Health to evaluate how well patients responded to both drugs and allowed patients to register their preference.

The Michigan study reported 71.1 percent of the patients who received marijuana reported no emesis to moderate nausea. Ninety percent of the patients receiving marijuana elected to remain on marijuana. Only 8 of 83 patients randomized to marijuana chose to alter their mode of antiemetic therapy. This was almost the inverse of patients randomized to Torecan, there more than 90 percent - 22 out of 23 patients - elected to discontinue use of Torecan and switched to marijuana.

Very few serious side effects were found related to marijuana use. The most common side effect was increased appetite - reported by 32.3 percent of patients - this was a positive effect. The most common negative effects were sleepiness, reported by 21 patients and sore throat, reported by 13 patients.

Tennessee: This study involved an evaluation of 27 patients. The patients had all failed on other forms of antiemetic therapy including oral THC. The study found an overall success rate of 90.4 percent for marijuana inhalation therapy. In comparison it found a 66.7 percent success rate for THC capsules. In the under 40 age group, the study found a 100 percent success rate for marijuana inhalation therapy.

The report concludes:

We found both marijuana smoking and THC capsules to be effective anti-emetics. We found an approximate 23 percent higher success rate among those patients administered THC capsules. We found no significant differences in success rates by age group. We found that the major reason for smoking failure was smoking intolerance; while the major reason for THC capsule failure was nausea and vomiting so severe that patient could not retain the capsule.

New York: In describing the purpose of the marijuana research program the New York Department of Health stated: [t]he program is a large-scale (Phase III) cooperative clinical trial . . . ." The central question addressed is [h]ow effective is inhalation marijuana in preventing nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy in patients . . . who have failed to respond to previous antiemetic therapy?"

By 1985, the New York program had extended marijuana therapy to 208 patients through 55 practitioners. Of that, 199 patients were evaluated. These patients had received a total of 6,044 NIDA-supplied marijuana cigarettes which were provided to patients during 514 treatment episodes.

In percentage terms the results were stunning:

North Shore Hospital reported marijuana was effective at reducing emesis 92.9 percent of the time;
Columbia Memorial Hospital reported efficacy of 89.7 percent;
Upstate Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital and Jamestown General Hospital reported 100 percent of the patients smoking marijuana gained significant benefit.
The report concludes: "Patient evaluations have indicated that approximately ninety-three (93) percent of marijuana inhalation treatment episodes are reported to be effective' or highly effective' when compared to other antiemetics." The New York study reports no serious adverse side effects. No patient receiving marijuana required hospitalization or any other form of medical intervention. See, Evaluation of the Antiemetic Properties of Inhalation Marijuana in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy Treatment," New York Department of Health, Office of Public Health (Annual Reports).

Georgia: The Georgia program evaluated 119 patients. It compared THC to standardized smoking of marijuana and with patient-controlled smoking. To enter the program a patient had to have failed on other antiemetics. Patients were randomized to either patient-controlled smoking of marijuana, standardized smoking of marijuana or THC pills.

The report found that both THC and marijuana were effective in providing antiemetic relief for patients who were previously unresponsive to antiemetics. The rate of success was 73.1 percent. Patient controlled smoking of marijuana was successful in 72.2 percent, standardized smoking was successful in 65.4 percent and THC was effective in 76 percent of the cases. In comparing the reasons for failure between marijuana and THC the report found:

The primary reasons for failure of THC capsules were due to either adverse reaction (6 out of 18) or failure to improve nausea and vomiting (9 out of 18). The primary reason for failure of smoking marijuana were due to smoking intolerance (6 out of 14) or failure to improve the nausea and vomiting (3 out of 14).

Where?
I believe you missed the intent of that question ...
Originally posted as Before you make a proposal... (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=282176)
4. Real-Life Proposals
George W Bush, John Ashcroft, Tony Blair and so on don't exist here. Feel free to argue for or against their actions on the General forum, but don't try to get the UN to sanction or promote them.

[Moderator Edit - Cogitation, Thursday, October 14, 2004]You may not, under any circumstances, quote real-life studies or reports to bolster your arguments. First, NationStates is not real life, so studies of real-life do not necessarily apply. Second, this is easier (and faster) to enforce than allowing some real-life documents and prohibiting others; allowing some real-life documents, but not others, places an added analytical burden on our part we don't feel that this is worth any potential benefit. [/modedit]
This proposal is illegal as written.

Thanks Frisbeeteria.

Giordano,
UN representative,
The Black New World

Plus, what about nations which have legalised recreational marijuana use?

the drug will ONLY be used in medical situations where it would provide the most effective treatment.

...

marijuana is legalised in all member states for medicinal purposes ONLY.

This would force _Myopia_ to illegalise recreational marijuana use - in fact your proposal would place us in the position of having more liberal laws on herion and cocaine than on marijuana. Please state in your proposal text that nations are free, if they choose, to have recreational marijuana use legal as well as medicinal use.

Plus, what about nations which have legalised recreational marijuana use?



This would force _Myopia_ to illegalise recreational marijuana use - in fact your proposal would place us in the position of having more liberal laws on herion and cocaine than on marijuana. Please state in your proposal text that nations are free, if they choose, to have recreational marijuana use legal as well as medicinal use.

I agree - this would also put the Allied States of the Decent in the same position - merely highlighting the absurdity and intolerance of this (already illegal, see above) proposal.