Expectations for Physicians Prescribing Marijuana

Pharmacists and the future of cannabis medicine

“…Despite limited rigorous studies, medical cannabis has been state-approved for a variety of conditions including Alzheimer disease, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn and ulcerative colitis), glaucoma, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, Tourette syndrome, autism, cachexia, chronic pain, migraine headaches, nausea/vomiting, seizure disorders, and muscle spasticity. 14,15 Cannabis advocates argue that there is evidence to support the use of cannabis or its components for a variety of conditions and that it is relatively safe because of the ability to selftitrate and few reported deaths. 14,[16][17][18][19] Those opposed to medical cannabis argue that there is a paucity of randomized trials to evaluate safety and efficacy, a lack of standardization of product quality and potency, deleterious adverse effects, and the potential for dependence or addiction.…”