Aids Service Organization

With Arizona Medical Marijuana ID Card patients now numbering over 3500, the total US registered legal medical marijuana patient number now stands over one million.

With over 1 million patients using one half to one gram per day of medical marijuana at an average price of $320 per ounce, the quick math equates to a market of $2 to $6 billion each year. The 16 legal states plus DC total close to 28% of the US total population, so figure if medical marijuana was legal everywhere the product market value could equate to well over $10 billion annually.

Some states simply allow medical marijuana patients to grow their own herb, while others have full fledged dispensaries. Adding both of these together, somewhere between 550,000 and 800,000 pounds of medical marijuana are allowed in the US legally.

It needs to be noted that after this milestone being reached and looking at all the dire predictions opponents of medical marijuana laid out, all have gone uproven. In pretty much every state where medical marijuana is legal, workplace accidents have decreased, and numerous states are witnessing their lowest crash fatality rates in many years.

Here are some quick facts.

* In the 16 states plus DC with legal medicinal marijuana, there are over ninety million US individuals (somewhere between twenty five to thirty percent of the US population)

* Patients comprise over three percent of Montana, two and one half percent of Colorado, and two percent of California. Oregon is slightly over one percent.

* 6 states including CA, CO, WA, MI, OR, and MT comprise 98% of the US patients.

* Monthly teen marijuana use is down in every medical marijuana state (except for Maine)

* Incidents of work place accidents and work injuries have been reduced in every medical marijuana state.

* Annual highway fatalities are down in every medical marijuana state except for RI.

The great news is that more and more states each year are legalizing medical marijuana to help debilitated patients alleviate suffering. It is now a great option for quite a few disease conditions and symptoms where traditional prescription medications are either inadequate or intolerable.

Learn more about Medical Marijuana Arizona. Stop by Arizona MMC’s site where you can find out all about obtaining anAZ Medical Marijuana Card and what it can do for you.

Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit substance in the US, with 26 million Americans smoking pot at least once in 2008. Sixteen states now have legal medical marijuana programs as well.

Forty years ago, there were reports claiming that brain damage was caused by smoking marijuana. There were descriptions of marijuana smokers as lazy, apathetic, dull, delusional, irrational, and unproductive, which then gave reason for people to assume smoking marijuana resulted in brain damage.

When modern brain imaging techniques were invented, such as CAT scans, no evidence of brain damage could be seen in very heavy marijuana smokers. Forty years ago at Tulane Medical School, a series of animal studies in monkeys were done administering massive doses of THC. Massive in these studies consisted of doses 100 times the psychoactive dose in humans. Initially, studies showed these massive doses caused large EEG brain changes. Interestingly, these changes reverted back to normal after one hour of the drug being given.

Additional testing with the monkeys was not conclusive. On autopsy, however, there appeared to be some damage to the monkey’s hippocampus. In humans, this area is associated with intellectual function. The assumption then was that smoking marijuana by humans resulted in brain damage.

Some years after the Tulane results, the National Center for Toxicological Research repeated the Tulane study with significantly more animals. There were 4 groups containing sixty five monkeys: 1) High dose THC inhaling 2) Low dose THC inhaling 3) Placebo 4) No inhalation at all. No brain abnormalities were seen in any of the groups.

Previous scientific research could not definitively prove brain damage from marijuana usage. However, some recent research could change that. A new study from late 2010 showed potential for marijuana smoking to reduce cognitive function.

At a Society for Neuroscience meeting, Dr. Staci Gruber, discussed a small study where those who began smoking pot before age 16 performed substantially worse on cognitive function tests than both non-smokers and those who became chronic smokers later.

This will necessitate a larger study, as there could be potential for longer term vulnerability with starting smoking while the nervous system in still immature.

Want to find out more about medical marijuana Arizona , then visit Arizona MMC’s site on how to obtain your Arizona medical marijuana card from one of our qualified doctors.

Many people think smoking marijuana leads to crime and that smokers are aggressive, violent, and irrational. Additionally, these people think marijuana smokers commit more property offenses and felonies than those who do not smoke.

First of all, marijuana possession by itself is federally illegal. Even in the 16 states that have legalized medical marijuana, state law does not trump federal. The discussion here is not whether marijuana in and of itself is illegal, but rather if smoking it leads to illegal and violent activities.

When marijuana first became a public concern in the 1920′s, critics disseminated stories about marijuana use leading to murder and mayhem. Eventually, the New York LaGuardia report concluded using marijuana resulted in “no aggressiveness or violent behavior observed.”

In the 1930′s, the murderous bandito stereotype was put forth by those promoting the prohibition of marijuana. The Bureau of Narcotics Director at the time promoted the notion that smoking marijuana resulted in a life of crime. In a 1937 American Magazine article, Anslinger warned of the “many murders, suicides, robberies, criminal assaults, holdups, burgleries, and deeds of maniacal insanity” caused by marijuana.

This myth has been disproved time and time again. In 1972 the Shafer Commission examined this assertion and stated that “In most cases, the differences in crime rates between users and non-users are dependent not on marijuana per se but on other factors.”

Those who are delinquents and adult criminals do tend to smoke marijuana more frequently than the general population. When researchers control for these factors, over and over again the association between marijuana use and crime disappears.

Marijuana appears to actually have a calming and sedative effect, instead of violence. It was actually the association with alcohol intoxication noticed back in the 1930′s was causing violence rather than marijuana causing violence.

At any rate, marijuana causing violence is a myth and a better stereotype would be a laid back hippie.

Want to find out more about AZ Medical Marijuana, then visit Arizona MMC’s site on how to obtain your Arizona medical marijuana card for your debilitating condition.

There have been writings that marijuana is harmful. Thankfully, that assertion cannot be backed up with scientific evidence, so it really is a myth. Significant evidence backs up the medicinal benefits of mariuana, which is why people can now obtain an AZ Medical Marijuana ID Card. A person needs to visit an AZ marijuana doctor prior.

In 1970, Congress convened the Shafer Commission at a cost of $1 million dollars to evaluate the science of marijuana to see if there was any evidence of harm. Multiple physicians, lawyers, and Congress members were involved. They found no convincing evidence of marijuana causing sexual promiscuity, insanity, crime, or lack of motivation.

In addition, the commission did not see any evidence of marijuana being a stepping stone to drugs that were harder. They evaluated numerous studies showing that marijuana does not lead to withdrawal or physical dependence even with long term, high dose use.

Upon looking at the significant amount of research the commission concluded that cannabis did not constitute a threat to the public health. They recommended eliminating state and federal criminal penalties entailing marijuana possession and usage. They did not, however, recommend extending legality to the cultivation and sale of cannabis.

Later, many national organizations agreed with the Shafer Commission’s assessment including the The National Education Association, the American Medical Association, the National Council of Churches, and The American Bar Association. In 1982, over 10 years later, committees from both the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine reviewed the current and previous research on marijuana. They found no evidence of psychological impairment, biologic harm, or social dysfunction from marijuana.

A Dutch government committee in 1995 stated “Everything we now know… leads to the conclusion that the risks of cannabis use cannot in themselves be described as ‘unacceptable’.”

And in that same year, the British Medical Journal Lancet’s editors stated “the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health.” Consider the myth debunked.

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Marinol was approved by the FDA as a synthetic medical marijuana THC. It comes in oral form to reduce chemotherapy nausea and in addition assists with increasing appetite in AIDS sufferers. The debate between smoking natural marijuana versus utilizing oral Marinol is robust. This article’s purpose is to give the basics on the FDA approval process using Marinol as an example.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration decides if a drug is safe for human consumption in the marketplace. How does it get there? A clinical trial is conducted and is typically sponsored by the drug sponsor.

Typically, the sponsor is a big drug company. Some people consider drug companies poorly because of the monies they make, but it truly costs a ton to pay for a clinical studies. A large amount of drug breakthroughs emanate from clinical trials, including chemotherapy breakthroughs along with less important breakthroughs like Viagra or Cialis.

Commercial development of medications also occurs through NIH grants for severe diseases like AIDS, epilepsy, MS, ALS, and Cancer. The NIH assisted in the commercial development of Marinol with one of these programs

Prior to testing drugs in humans, they are often tested in animals. Animal activists hate this research, but it is reality. If you had a significant other or relative with cancer, you might appreciate a life extending drug that originated with a rat study. The preclinical drug phase is when animals are researched.

Let’s consider a research doctor is looking at appetite in mice. This may include a disease in mice that reduces appetite. In the research the mice are either given the Gold Standard drug at the time or the investigational drug. The the investigational drug works, the company turns in and Investigational New Drug application to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA can contest the application within 30 days, and if not the drug company can start human testing

Usually 3 clinical trials occur. Phase 1 entails giving the drug to healthy volunteers who do not have the disease to determine safety. Phase two involves a small number of patients being treated who have the condition under investigation. Side effects and safety profile is established. Phase 3 looks at a large number of patients to gain statistical significance on effectiveness.

How long does all this take? On average, an unbelievable 5 years. If it is a complicated experimental drug, it may take longer. Also, if the condition is rare, it may take a while to enroll enough patients.

How many drugs make it through? About one in five drugs that start the process secure FDA approval. Considering the cost of all 3 phases runs anywhere from $200 million to $600 million, these trials are very risky.

After Phase 3, a New Drug Application is submitted to the FDA for marketing approval. It then takes an average of 1.25 years for the FDA to complete its review. Since 1992 when the FDA was allowed to charge fees it has allowed more staffing and the time for review has dropped from 2 years to 15 months.

The FDA then approves the drug for a specific indication. If the drug maker wants to add an additional indication, there is another application process. Marinol is the only marijuana based prescription medicine available in the US. Marinol moved from Investigational New Drug status to approval in only two years, much less than average.

The initial approval by the FDA was in 1985 for controlling vomiting and nausea for cancer chemotherapy. Subsequently in 1992, the pharmaceutical company applied for and received additional approval for AIDS wasting.

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At this point, sixteen states along with DC have passed medicinal legal marijuana, despite the fact it remains federally illegal. How do individuals know if they qualify for medicinal marijuana and what is the process for obtaining a medical marijuana patient ID card?

The state of Arizona is a good example. In AZ Medical Marijuana was passed in Nov 2010 for thirteen qualifying conditions and diseases. They include severe vomiting, cancer, chronic pain, HIV and a few others. The acceptable conditions and diseases are not the same in the various states, so the 1st step is to know if your condition qualifies.

The next step is to undergo a visit with a doctor to review your case. The specific kind of doctor that is acceptable to see varies between the legal jurisdictions. In Arizona for example, one can see an MD, DO, Naturopathic Doctor (ND), or a homeopathic doctor.

During the visit with the doctor, a history and physical exam is completed. In numerous states including AZ, doctors must review medical records for the qualifying condition for the previous year.

If the doctor thinks the patient is appropriate to receive a marijuana card, the doctor writes a medical marijuana certification. The word “certification” really refers to a recommendation. The word “prescription” is not used since marijuana is federally illegal.

At that point, the patient then submits the certification to the agency responsible for producing the patient ID cards. In Arizona, that is the Arizona Department of Health Services and the complete process is online. Patients need to sign an additional paper stating they will not divert the marijuana to an unauthorized person or entity.

Within weeks, the medical ID card shows up. Individuals in some states may grow their own plants for personal use up to a certain amount, and in other states there are legal dispensaries where folks may obtain marijuana up to a certain amount. In Arizona that amount is 2.5 ounces every two weeks. The medical marijuana ID card needs to be renewed every year with another recommendation taking place.

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As medical marijuana becomes legal in more states to qualified patients, a question often asked “Is medical marijuana addictive?” With narcotics having addictive qualities if abused along with overdose and withdrawal risks it is important to either confirm marijuana’s addictive qualities or refute the assertion. The concise answer is that medical marijuana may have a psychological dependence but not a true narcotic like physiologic dependence, so not a true addiction.

Studies of marijuana users overall show that a large majority do not become long term users. In the 1990′s, studies showed that although 31% of Americans 12 years and older had tried marijuana at some point, only 0.8 percent of Americans smoked marijuana on a daily or near daily basis.

It is not unheard of for heavy chronic marijuana users to enroll in a drug treatment program for marijuana dependence. There is a significant difference, however, between a dependence on marijuana and a true addiction. Are there any symptoms of withdrawal when a heavy or frequent user stops smoking? The answer is – possibly. Some individuals report nervousness and some sleep disturbance – about 15% of the time. But you do not see the sweating, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, etc that is commonly seen from narcotic withdrawal.

In studies with animals receiving high dose marijuana, it doesn’t matter how much of the drug is given, animals will not self administer marijuana after cessation. Opiates, however, are a different story.

The US Department of Health and Human Services issued a 1991 congressional report which stated “Given the large population of marijuana users and the infrequent reports of medical problems from stopping use, tolerance and dependence are not major issues at present.”

The main point here is that marijuana may cause psychological dependence, but not physical and physiologic dependence. Narcotics cause both and even if a patient is able to overcome the psychologic attachment to the drug, the simple fact that the side effects are harsh may prevent going “cold turkey” or being able to stop at all.

Thankfully marijuana does not act like that. Despite long term use, minimal physiologic reaction occurs upon stopping. Medical marijuana acts on the brain via a different pathway than narcotics. Potentially this may result in medical marijuana being able to decrease the amount of narcotics taken.

Also, medical marijuana produces a psychoactive effect of anxiety reduction and improving patient mood. This varies from opiates, where patients can experience a decrease in pain but also may experience depression. This can explain why so many chronic pain individuals need to take antidepressants along with the narcotics.

Want to find out more about Medical Marijuana Arizona, then visit Arizona MMC’s site on how to choose the best Arizona medical marijuana doctor for your evaluation.