SPOTLIGHT: Medical marijuana controversy continues

After last week's announcement from the FDA that, in contrast to the 1999 Institute of Medicine report, smoked marijuana has no medicinal value, there's more controversy. Much of the medical objections to marijuana are due to it being smoked. Marinol, a drug containing THC the best known active component of marijuana, is already approved in the US. Sativex, a drug that is essentially liquid marijuana, has been approved in Canada. Now a study from Leiden University in the Netherlands concludes that marijuana delivered through a vaporizer can safely deliver the drugs therapeutic effects without the harmful contaminants contained in smoke. Given the FDA and DEA's involvement opposing patients, physicians and states who favor medical marijuana, this study makes their position even more controversial. Abstract

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