As we get closer to implementing the AZ Medical Marijuana Act in mid-April, I thought it might be a good idea to post some information that may be helpful to physicians and prospective qualifying patients.  Over the last weeks, I’ve been sent a number of articles and sources of information about the medical use of marijuana.  Probably the most comprehensive and well researched (and readable) reports I’ve seen was published in 2000 from the Institutes of Medicine called Marijuana as Medicine-The Science Beyond the Controversy. This book is based on the 1999 IOM report Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base and is basically a lay version of the initial report.  The Institute of Medicine is part of the National Academy of Sciences and reviews policy matters about the health of the public.

Until recently, I had thought that the report was only available to the public for purchase ($14), but I recently found links to the full report allowing folks to read the book online.  The report basically examined research on marijuana effects in the body and its ability to treat medical conditions. The team also compared the effectiveness of using marijuana versus approved medicines to treat numerous specific disorders.  It looks to me like the best available study for folks that want scientifically sound medical information on marijuana.

Anyway I thought that this material may be helpful for Arizona physicians and prospective qualified patients to become better informed about marijuana as a new legal treatment option (beginning in mid April) as they make decisions about managing debilitating medical conditions.  Here’s the full report called Marijuana as Medicine-The Science Beyond the Controversy