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Bulletin .

A newsletter about cannabis and cannabinoids as medicine

2003
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    IACM-Bulletin of December 21, 2003

    🌐 USA — A federal appeals court ruled that the medical use of cannabis is allowed under certain circumstances

    In a landmark decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in support of both people who use medical cannabis and the constitutional principle of federalism. On 16 December the court ruled that the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which outlaws the use of marijuana may not apply to sick people with a doctor's recommendation in states with medical marijuana laws.

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    IACM-Bulletin of December 7, 2003

    🏷️ IACM — 2004 Conference on Cannabinoids in Oxford

    The 3rd IACM Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine will be hold at Somerville College Oxford, UK, on 10-11 September 2004. A call for papers will be published in January 2004 in the IACM Bulletin.

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 23, 2003

    🏷️ Science — THC reduces agitation in Alzheimer's disease in phase II study

    Results from a multi-centre study show that THC (dronabinol), the pharmacologically most important ingredient in cannabis, reduces agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In addition, researchers concluded that reduced agitation may result in relief of caregivers. The findings were presented at the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists' 34th annual meeting on 12-15 November, San Antonio, USA.

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 9, 2003

    🏷️ Science — Cannabis reduces symptoms of multiple sclerosis, large British study shows

    The biggest study of the use of cannabis and THC (dronabinol) to relieve symptoms of multiple sclerosis produced mixed results but doctors said there is enough evidence to warrant licensing the treatment for the illness.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 26, 2003

    🌐 USA — Doctors are allowed to recommend the medical use of cannabis to patients

    On 14 October the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot revoke the prescription licenses of doctors who recommend medical marijuana to their patients. Without any comment, the justices rejected an appeal of the Bush administration to a court ruling that bars the government from punishing a doctor because of a recommendation that a patient use marijuana.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 12, 2003

    🌐 Canada — Cultivation of medical cannabis by private persons facilitated

    The Ontario Court of Appeals ruled on 7 October that businesses and individuals be allowed to grow and supply large amounts of medical marijuana. The ruling makes it easier for medical marijuana users to safely get a good supply of the drug. But the court reinstated the law against everyone else possessing small amounts of cannabis for recreational use.

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 28, 2003

    🏷️ IACM — News at the 2nd IACM Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine (II)

    Here are some more study results presented at the IACM Cologne Conference on 12-13 September at the Medical School of the University of Cologne. Erroneously the poster abstracts by Dr. Rudolf Brenneisen et al., Dr. Zlatko Mehmedic et al., and Dr. Miriam Schneider and Dr. Michael Koch had not been included in the first reader. Please find online the updated reader with both lecture and poster abstracts on the IACM web site (www.cannabis-med.org).

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 14, 2003

    🏷️ IACM — Dr. Raphael Mechoulam elected as new chairman

    The General Meeting on 11 September in Cologne, Germany elected Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, discoverer of THC in 1964 and anandamide in 1992, as new chairman. Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen of the Cologne based nova-Institute remains the executive director. As proposed by the Italian ACT (Associazione per la Cannabis Terapeutica) Dr. Vincenzo Di Marzo was elected as a new member of the IACM Board of Directors, which comprises 10 members now.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 31, 2003

    🌐 Holland — Patients receive cannabis from pharmacies

    Dutch patients with a doctor’s prescription will be able to obtain cannabis from chemists starting from 1 September. Pharmacies will offer two sorts of cannabis, with the cheapest batch priced at 40 EUR per five grams, and the other variant 50-55 EUR per five grams. But the pharmacy association KNMP said patients will have to pay for their cannabis themselves because the drug is not yet included in the ziekenfonds health insurance scheme as a claimable reimbursement.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 17, 2003

    🌐 New Zealand — Report of a parliamentary committee on cannabis

    On 8 August the Health Committee of the New Zealand Parliament issued an 80-page report on health strategies related to cannabis and its appropriate legal status. In its recommendations it advocates a relaxation of cannabis laws and that clinically tested cannabis based medicines should be made available in New Zealand.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 3, 2003

    🌐 UK — Further indications to be investigated by GW Pharmaceuticals

    In an interview Geoffrey W. Guy, founder of GW Pharmaceuticals in 1998, talked about further illnesses and symptoms, against which cannabis shall be tested by GW in future clinical trials.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 20, 2003

    🌐 Canada — Government forced to provide cannabis to patients

    On 9 July 2003 the Canadian government announced an interim plan that will provide cannabis on a regular basis to 582 people who are authorized by the government to use the drug for medical reasons.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 6, 2003

    🌐 USA — Surplus in medical marijuana program of Oregon

    Oregon's medical marijuana program is running a financial surplus, and will get rid of it by reducing fees for people with low income.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 22, 2003

    🏷️ Science 🌐 USA — More HIV patients use cannabis for mental than for physical reasons

    A survey of the San Mateo Medical Center in California found that more HIV patients smoked marijuana for mental rather than physical reasons. 252 HIV patients were surveyed, of whom 58 patients admitted to use cannabis in the last four weeks. When asked for the main reasons they used the drug, most cited several reasons. 57 percent say they smoked it to relieve anxiety or depression, 52 percent against nausea and loss of appetite, 28 percent to alleviate pain.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 8, 2003

    🏷️ Science — THC reduces agitation and improves appetite in Alzheimer's patients

    A pilot study suggests that THC (dronabinol) may reduce agitation and lead to weight gain in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The results were presented on 15 May at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 25, 2003

    🌐 UK — Bayer to market cannabis based medicine Sativex in the UK

    German drugs and chemicals group Bayer AG said on 21 May it had agreed with GW Pharmaceuticals to market a cannabis-based multiple sclerosis and pain drug from the British company.

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 11, 2003

    🏷️ Science — THC effective in Tourette syndrome in a 6-week trial

    A double-blind placebo-controlled study with 24 patients suffering from Tourette syndrome was conducted at the Medical School of Hannover, Germany. The 6-week trial confirmed results of two earlier short-term studies by Dr. Kirsten Mueller-Vahl and colleagues that THC is effective in the reduction of tics.

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 27, 2003

    🌐 USA — California city sue the federal government to allow medical cannabis

    The city and county of Santa Cruz, south of San Francisco, joined a federal lawsuit filed on 23 April by the Wo/Mens' Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM) and seven patients charging that the plaintiffs' civil rights were violated by last September's raid of a medical cannabis farm. "This is an opportunity for us to stand behind the people in our community who are the most needy," said Santa Cruz Mayor Emily Reilly.

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 13, 2003

    🌐 USA — Bill on "medical necessity defense" in House of Representatives

    Some lawmakers have launched an effort that would allow defendants from states with legalized medical use of cannabis to use "medical necessity" as a defense against federal drug charges. The "Truth In Trials Act" introduced in the U.S. House on 10 April would give defendants accused of growing or distributing marijuana the right to inform juries that they were acting legally in their state.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 30, 2003

    🏷️ IACM — Second call for papers - IACM 2nd Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine

    The International Association for Cannabis as Medicine in cooperation with the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Cologne and the Department of Anaesthesiology of the University of Cologne invite to a conference on Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Medicine on 11-13 September 2003 in Cologne, Germany.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 16, 2003

    🌐 Canada — Survey on cannabis use among pain patients

    A questionnaire survey was conducted among patients with chronic non-cancer pain at the McGill University Health Center in Montreal to estimate their dose size and frequency of cannabis use. 209 patients were recruited in an anonymous survey. 32 (15%) subjects reported having used cannabis for pain relief, and 20 (10%) subjects were currently using cannabis for pain relief. 18% reported using it recreationally.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 2, 2003

    🏷️ Science 🌐 UK — Cannabis extracts effective in reducing pain and spasticity

    A THC rich cannabis extract, a cannabidiol (CBD) rich extract and a cannabis extract with a CBD/THC ratio of 1:1 were effective in symptoms of 24 patients, of whom 18 suffered from multiple sclerosis, four from spinal cord injury, one from brachial plexus damage and one from limb amputation.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 16, 2003

    🌐 USA — Jurors say cannabis grower did not get a fair trial

    "In an unusual show of solidarity with the man they convicted last week, five jurors in the trial of a medicinal marijuana advocate issued a public apology to him today and demanded that the judge grant him a new trial," the New York Times wrote on 5 February.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 2, 2003

    🌐 Holland — Soon licenses for cultivation of medical cannabis

    A change of the Dutch law on controlled substances (Opium Act) will take effect on 17 March 2003. It includes regulations for applications regarding the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes and guidelines for cultivating cannabis.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 19, 2003

    🌐 USA — DEA attacks single patients who use cannabis under state laws

    A quadriplegic man sued the U.S. government on 13 January, saying the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) illegally seized cannabis that he used medicinally and grew under a license from the state of Oregon.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 5, 2003

    🌐 Canada — Cannabis laws no longer valid, judge ruled

    The federal government’s failure to change its marijuana laws as ordered by an earlier court ruling caused a judge in Windsor, Ontario to drop a possession charge against a 16-year-old boy on 2 January. Judge Douglas Phillips ruled that Canada's law on possession of small amounts of cannabis is no longer valid.

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