In a landmark article in the Journal of Opioid Management, University of Washington researcher Sunil Aggarwal and colleagues document 33 U.S. controlled clinical trials published from 1971 to 2009 confirming that marijuana is a safe, effective medicine for specific medical conditions.

Under federal law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, defining it as having high potential for abuse, unsafe for use even under medical supervision, and lacking currently accepted medical uses in the U.S. “In fact,” Aggarwal and colleagues write, “nearly all of the 33 published controlled clinical trials conducted in the United States have shown significant and measurable benefits in subjects receiving the treatment.” Additionally, the paper documents the growing acceptance of the therapeutic use of marijuana among organized medicine groups and estimates that “in 2008, approximately 7,000 American physicians have made such authorizations for a total of approximately 400,000 patients.”

students.washington.edu pdf

Mehrfach eckte die britische Soulsängerin Joss Stone mit provokanten Äußerungen an. Jetzt sorgte die 23-Jährige erneut für Aufregung, weil sie den Konsum von Marihuana verteidigte. "Was soll daran gefährlich sein?", so die Künstlerin.

spiegel.de
rp-online.de

"Weed has been given this evil stamp, but how is it dangerous? It’s going to make you laugh your arse off? You might go to sleep? I think alcohol is much more harmful. People beat the fuck out of each other on alcohol."

Stone's new album features the track, "4 and 20," and guest performances by Nas, Jeff Beck, Sheila E., Raphael Saadiq and David Sanborn.

The National Drugs Prevention Alliance not happy with Stone's stance. "People like Joss Stone should keep their mouths shut about things like this," says David Raynes. "It is terribly damaging and she clearly hasn't considered the wider effects of the drug, although she clearly didn't get to become a pop star because she is a student of social sciences. We already have a drug culture in the UK and she is simply adding to that."

dailymail.co.uk

4:20 statt Spice

Three drug advisers have dealt the Government a further blow by resigning from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).

Chemist Simon Campbell, psychologist John Marsden and scientific consultant Ian Ragan stepped down following showdown talks with Home Secretary Alan Johnson on Tuesday.

dailypost.co.uk
theregister.co.uk

old news

The American Medical Association voted today to reverse its long-held position that marijuana be retained as a Schedule I substance with no medical value.

The AMA adopted a report drafted by the AMA Council on Science and Public Health (CSAPH) entitled, "Use of Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes," which affirmed the therapeutic benefits of marijuana and called for further research.

Executive Summary of AMA Report pdf
Recommendations of AMA Report pdf
American College of Physicians resolution

AMA Calls for Review of Medical Marijuana’s Legal Status
New Policy Marks Historic Shift From Prior Stance

sfweekly.com
opposingviews.com
latimes.com
Medical Marijuana: American Medical Association Calls for Review of Pot's Schedule I Status

Drugs tests are to be offered to all Italian MPs and senators from tomorrow in a bid to prove their parliament is not an 'opium smoking den'.

The testing of Italy's serving politicians is not obligatory and has been promoted by Carlo Giovanardi, a senator with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party.

dailymail.co.uk

Recht auf Rausch, 30-Stunden-Woche, Verstaatlichung von Konzernen: Am Wochenende verabschieden die NRW-Linken ihr umstrittenes Wahlprogramm. Im SPIEGEL-ONLINE-Interview verteidigt die Bundestagsabgeordnete Sahra Wagenknecht die Forderungen - und rät der SPD, sich mit Kritik zurückzuhalten.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Frau Wagenknecht, gehört ein "Recht auf Rausch" zur freien Entfaltung der Persönlichkeit? So steht es im Programmentwurf der NRW-Linken zur Landtagswahl im kommenden Jahr.

Wagenknecht: Diese Debatte wird völlig hochgespielt. Auch die Grünen haben schon lange gefordert, dass weiche Drogen legalisiert werden. Das heißt nicht, dass wir es toll fänden, wenn möglichst viele Leute kiffen. Die Frage ist, ob man durch Verbote den Konsum einschränkt oder ob man ihn damit lediglich in kriminelle Randbereiche abdrängt.

spiegel.de

Die jährliche Studie zum Drogenkonsum der Europäer
Einmal im Jahr stellt die „Europäische Beobachtungsstelle für Drogen und Drogensucht“ (EBDD) ihren Bericht vor.

Es handelt sich dabei um eine umfassende 120-seitige Studie zum Konsum aller Arten von Drogen in der Europäischen Union. Das Fazit: Nach einem kontinuierlichen Anstieg während der 90er Jahre ist nun eine Stabilisierung des Drogenkonsums zu erkennen, mit leicht rückläufiger Tendenz.

74 Millionen Europäer haben dem Bericht zufolge in ihrem Leben schon einmal einen Joint geraucht.

zeitjung.de