What conditions can cannabis treat?

• People undergoing cancer chemotherapy have found smoked cannabis to be an effective anti-nauseant - often more effective than available pharmaceutical medications.

• Cannabis is also smoked by thousands of AIDS patients to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with both the disease and AZT drug therapy. Because it stimulates appetite, marijuana also counters HIV-related "wasting," allowing AIDS patients to gain weight and prolong their lives.

• Many people suffering neuro-muscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Parkinsons, paraplegia and tetraplegia, phantom limb pain, and arthritis report significant improvements in motor control and spasms from their use of cannabis.

• The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, has been shown to be effective at limiting brain damage from stroke, halting the growth of usually-fatal glioma brain tumours, and is more effective than morphine for the relief of chronic pain.

• NZ Medical Cannabis Users Group: www.greencross.org.nz
• UKCIA Medical Cannabis Information: www.ukcia.org/medical
• NSW Working Party Report on Medicinal Uses of Cannabis: www.druginfo.nsw.gov.au/druginfo/reports/medical_cannabis.html
• Alliance of Cannabis Therapeutics: www.marijuana-as-medicine.org
• How to use medical marijuana: www.cures-not-wars.org/nycbc.html

Unless stated otherwise, copyright © 1998-2005 by NORML New Zealand: working for marijuana law reform

Published on: 2003-03-05 (7106 reads)