Does Marijuana Offer Health Benefits?
In some circumstances, marijuana may confer health benefits, or contain ingredients that can be used therapeutically:
- Type 2 diabetes Researchers at the University of Nebraska and Harvard Medical School recently analyzed data from a large nationwide survey and found an association between smoking pot and reduced risk for developing diabetes. The pot smokers seemed to process insulin more efficiently than non-smokers. More study is needed to understand and replicate this finding and until then, no one should smoke pot to reduce diabetes risk, stress the researchers.
- Nausea treatment This is the most well-known of pot’s benefits, and a major reason why medical marijuana is legal in 18 states. THC is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), having been shown in controlled clinical trials to relieve nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and stimulate appetite in people who have AIDS.
- Multiple Sclerosis Sativex, a drug that contains active ingredients from the marijuana plant, is available in Canada and several European countries for reducing spasticity in people who have multiple sclerosis. Sativex has not yet received FDA approval for sale in the U.S.
While marijuana may have some medical benefits, notes Dr. Baler, they are best delivered in a pill rather than a joint. “These medicines deliver these drugs in purified forms and consistent doses,” says Dr. Baler. “You can’t measure exactly how much THC you are getting by smoking a marijuana cigarette. The FDA will not approve marijuana in a smoked form as a medication. The potential benefits do not outweigh the risks.”
Replies