If we do not do something quickly to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, our dieing patients will in fact...die. We also need to radically speed up the legalization in order to save our country. The seeds and stems of cannabis can be an extremely effective tool to solve a lot of Americas problems. such as our oil problem, an alternative to our trees. with out trees there is no oxygen and the stems and seeds can be used to build a house, make a shirt, paper, oil extracts, rope, and yes even FOOD! One SINGLE plant can solve our environmental problems. If we don't protect and cultivate cannabis, we wont be able to protect ourselves.

Maybe if marijuana was legalized, people wouldn't have to pretend to fake cannabis cards. We all experience pain and sometimes it's too dificult to handle on your own. I support medical use of marijuana as well as personal use. Too much of anything is harmful, which is why it's good to have a balance.

Stephanie says -> "In California there are thousands of thousands people walking around with medical marijuana cards who are not ill, but desiring to walk through life every day high". There is always going to be people who abuse drugs for recreation, including pharmaceuticals. So what's your point? Does abuse eliminate the efficacy of a medication? Please! The facts are in… cannabis has efficacy for many health issues and should be readily available to those it brings relief regardless if there is period of euphoria attached (like euphoria doesn't come along with many pharmaceuticals). Have you ever though it is that feeling of well being specifically provided by cannabis that a person requires to cope with an otherwise grim existence due to a medical problem? And people... quit bringing up Marinol as a drug that can replace natural cannabis for ALL it's applications. It simply does not work for ALL things helped by whole cannabis! The APC has recognized this. I have tried both for my {manic depressive disorder type-(1 manic sever} and Marinol just doesn't provide the positive mood stabilizing effect that cannabis provides. Even if Marinol did work for me… how about you paying for it at $18 a pill. Try that 4 times a day for inferior results. If you have a medical issue and want to treat it with synthetic pharmaceuticals have at it. As for me, vaporized cannabis works better than any pill I have taken (and I've tried many) without the intolerable side effects that come along with psychotropic pharmaceuticals. I choose to be a happier, more productive person with the use of cannabis then a catatonically depressed couch bound lump or a sleepless maniac loaded down with stupefying pharmaceuticals. Cannabis works best for me and many others with my disorder becuase we and our DR.'s say it does, PERIOD! End of discussion.

It appears unfair and mean spirited that we continue to imprison people seeking releif from pain because some people will abuse their medicine. This while cigarettes being used as they are supposed to be kill more people than all other substances (alcohol and other drugs) combined. This while alcohol, which is not regarded as a helpful medicine by anyone, which does organ damage and has a lethal dose is legal, but cannibus which can be used or misused, is regarded wrongly as an illegal "narcotic" despite its total lack of relation to opiates. Follow the money. The so-called drug war employs all of the people put out of work when prohibition was repealed and many more. Big pharma does not want to compete with a medication that anyone could grow for free. We don't make cigarettes illegal because some people have wisely decided to quit and we learned that the prohibition or alcohol only marked up prices and leads to violent criminal networks, just as is happening with illicit drugs today. Legalize cannibus for those who need it. Regulate it like we do alcohol for those who want to use it recreationally as it is safer by far than alcohol or tobacco.

We've clarified the headline of this summary by appending the word "Research" (it previously read "American College of Physicians Backs Medical Marijuana"). -- Eric Helmuth, Join Together.

Marinol has always been available, and without all the harms associated with smoke (including the protection of public air). The entire legalization argument attempts to cover up the fact that this exists, and that research already is ongoing about THC (and this is fine). Let the researchers do what they do best, but don't hide behind the skirts of "medicine" if, in fact, you are a legalizer. And shame on JT for its misleading headline for this article!

I am a drug and alcohol counselor and deal with the abuse of marijuana daily. That having been said, I have a family history of cancer that is horrible. Thsi question should be allowed to be settled onc and for all. Anecdotal reporting has been the driving force for most legalization efforts. I can't think of another example of sciednce beomg replaced by personal observation or subjective interpretation as this. If the value is there, establish it and follow scientific protocol. The issue of control isn't unique to marijuana and abuse isn't going to accelerate if a medicinal value is established. Its already moving a a neck-break pace. But illumniation of what is real can't helpl but dispel some of the urban legends over the properties of THC. Put this in the hands of our scientists and out of the influences of politicians and special interests groups.

Congratulations ACP!! There is much current state-of-the-art research available that supports the efficacy of therapeutic cannabis/marijuana. I urge all physicians and healthcare professionals to attend The Fifth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics which will be held on April 4-5, 2008 in Pacific Grove, CA. This accredited conference is sponsored by UCSF School of Medicine and Patients Out of Time. The agenda, faculty and registration information is available online at www.medicalcannabis.com. I encourage all to come and learn from researchers and clinicians around the world

The use of marijuana for medical purposes should include the use of dronabinol (generic-- brand name Merinol)as a legitimate and legal alternative. Dronabinol is a pharmaceutical which is synthesized THC. The many advantages are immediately obvious-- it is free of possibly unknown adulterants, it is legally prescribed in predetermined dosage, it doesn't have to be smoked (and is free of the many toxins present in marijuana smoke)and it works much the same way as THC in pot. Legalization proponents do not like to talk about dronabinol, because it takes the wind out of their sales re justification. Make no mistake-- abuse of dronabinol can induce a buzz much the same as pot, but then many pharmaceuticals are capable of that. Some argue that dronabinol doesn't work as well as pot-- translation: the user doesn't get high. While not risk-free, it is a much more acceptable and safe alternative, and should be promoted, accordingly.

IAAM, the International Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, a California 501-C non-profit corporation applauds and joins APC in asking our government to follow a more logical and science-based approach to marijuana. We do so in the hope that this will also lead to more common-sense treatments for diseases - rather than the present emphasis on (often excessively toxic, w. unacceptable side-effects, highly over-priced) pharmaceutical company drugs. For people who may disagree with us, we urge them to read OVERDO$ED AMERICA: The Broken Promise of American Medicine, by John Abramson, M.D . A Harper-Collins Book and Marcia Angel, "How the pharmaceutical companies deceive us." Ms. Angel, former NEJM senior editor, is now at Harvard Medical School. IAAM has no financial interest in any of those two books.

I leave it up to the scientists and doctors to determine the medical value of cannabis and other drugs. In California, cannabis is considered a medicine if recommended by a doctor for an ailment or disease. Since cannabis is treated differently in how it's prescribed and dispensed, the system's not as streamlined to prevent abuse. There's abuse of all prescription drugs that have euphoric side effects - pain killers, anti-anxiety meds, etc. The solution isn't to ban these drugs; it's to educate people and ensure the system works. John, I too am in recovery, but I'm also a "legalizer." Just because I have a problem with opiods doesn't mean that a chronic pain patient shouldn't have access. Similarly, just because some people use marijuana recreationally and some even misuse or abuse it, that doesn't mean a patient with cancer, HIV, MS, or any other pertinent problem should be denied relief. Way to go, ACP! And thanks to JT for reporting on drug policy reform news.

I feel that any person over the age of 21 should be able to use marijuana for any reason they choose. It is right and just that our Doctors be allowed to properly research the medical benefits. Marijuana has been incorrectly judged. Perhaps our Doctors will be able to educate and help our sick..and uneducated. I hope I have not offended any one. It is only my opinion.

If you read the article it says non-smoked marijuana. We already have this as a presciption medication. Stephanie is right that in California we have a bunch of stoners who claim they are sick. I just celebrated 22 years of recovery and I was told by the medical marijuana groups that I could get a suggestion to smoke marijuana from a so called doctor for $200 (cash only no trail, no bounced checks,and no IRS )to address the stress of staying clean. It's time to stop the leagilizers.

Marijuana should then be distributed via pharmacies like all other prescriptions. In California there are thousands of thousands people walking around with medical marijuana cards who are not ill, but desiring to walk through life every day high.