The IOM study of medicinal use of marijuana has been misinterpreted and exploited by pro-legalization groups, as well as the U.S. media in general. The report concludes that "the future of cannabinoid drugs lies not in smoked marijuana, but in chemically-defined drugs that act on the cannabinoid systems that are a natural component of human physiology." This news is nothing new to the medical community who have long understood the potential value of THC in treating pain, nausea and appetite loss in AIDS and cancer patients. THC has been available for treating these ailments in liquid form (Marinol) for some time.

    Proponents of numerous state referenda to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes have sought to
do so primarily to justify the use of smoked marijuana cigarettes under the guise of medication. The IOM report clearly warns against marijuana cigarette use for a number of reasons, including the fact that many other harmful chemicals are introduced into the body along with the THC, and actual THC doses are impossible to manage when administered through smoking the drug. Therefore, the IOM report is actually bad news for marijuana cigarette users who have been using the medical model as subterfuge for their real agenda, i.e. the rescheduling and decriminalization of marijuana in all forms, particularly cigarettes. The IOM correctly recommends clinical trials of cannabinoid drugs "with the goal of developing rapid-onset, reliable, and safe delivery systems." The choice of words here actually sends a sobering message to pot smokers. Smoking pot does not meet any of these criteria and cannabis clubs have not been established to sell THC inhalers, which are perhaps, what the IOM has in mind.

    Most astounding about the release of this report is the way in which the media went about misreporting it to the public. The Reuters News Service entitled, "U.S. report strongly backs medicinal use of marijuana" is a case in point. The very title of this story is misleading, as the IOM recommended further study into the effects of cannabinoids in treating certain ailments already described and only short term use of smoked marijuana (less than six months) for some terminally ill patients, or those with debilitating symptoms, "Until a non-smoked, rapid-onset cannabinoid drug delivery system becomes available..."

    Pro-marijuana groups like NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) were quick to jump on
the report, finding portions to bolster their case to legalize reefers. What none of these groups
acknowledged, was the fact that the report equally acknowledged the dangers of smoked marijuana,
including notably, that "for some patients, particularly older patients with no previous marijuana
experience, the psychological effects are disturbing." This finding implies that the drug was found to
be more effective on patients WITH previous marijuana experience. Clearly then, there is more research needed on the psychology of marijuana use among various patients.

    Lastly, the propaganda (media spin) and posturing (including attacks on Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey
by the MPP), do a great disservice to the process of finding out the facts about how THC works and its potential to help people who are suffering. I doubt the majority of "High Times" subscribers actually give a hoot about the pain and nausea of non-pot smoking cancer patients. Drug Czar McCaffrey actually commissioned this report to find out the facts, and he should be given credit for that. The use of marijuana (THC) in a controlled fashion as recommended by the IOM report does not give Carte Blanche to every teenager suffering from depression to go out and light up. You would think if you had watched CNN or many other news casts today that smoking a joint is actually good for you. This is the message our children get when facts are not reported accurately and only one side is reported.

    The fact remains that this report really concerns a very small number of terminally ill people suffering
from symptoms for which there is no readily available treatment. The report confirms that THC has some potential value for some of these patients. The report does not strongly recommend smoking marijuana cigarettes for these people (as the Reuters story implies), but concedes for some, it may be of short term benefit. For those of us who work hard to prevent substance abuse among young people, this type of reporting is irresponsible and extremely harmful, especially when the media is so reluctant to hear from the other side. Young people who are being pressured to use marijuana and other drugs each day are easily influenced by the popular press, networks and cable TV. The IOM study story could just as easily have been titled "IOM study confirms harmful effects of smoked marijuana," but it wasn't. The media does have a responsibility to provide unbiased and truthful news.

    In the case of the marijuana cigarettes as medicine, it appears that once again, the media has opted to extol the benefits for a few at the expense of the many.