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 veggie
Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 5,795
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 American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection
#7608990 - 11/07/07 09:37 PM (9 months, 24 days ago) |
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November 7, 2007 - mpp.org
American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection
Unanimous Vote Signals Growing Acceptance of Medical Marijuana
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a unanimous vote, the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association has approved a strongly worded statement supporting legal protection for patients using medical marijuana with their doctor's recommendation.
The APA action paper, which must be approved by the APA Board of Trustees when it meets in December, notes that 12 states now have medical marijuana laws, and states, "The threat of arrest by federal agents, however, still exists. Seriously ill patients living in these states with medical marijuana recommendations from their doctors should not be subjected to the threat of punitive federal prosecution for merely attempting to alleviate the chronic pain, side effects, or symptoms associated with their conditions or resulting from their overall treatment regimens. ... [We] support protection for patients and physicians participating in state approved medical marijuana programs."
This and a second action paper calling on the government to facilitate "well-designed clinical research into the medical utility of marijuana" were adopted Saturday with no dissenting votes by the APA Assembly, which represents the group's 74 district branches and 16 allied professional organizations.
"This vote is a landmark, and a proud day for our profession." said Abraham L. Halpern, M.D., professor emeritus of psychiatry at New York Medical College and past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. "As physicians, we cannot abide our patients being subject to arrest and jail for using a physician-recommended treatment that clearly relieves suffering for many who are not helped by conventional treatments."
"This unanimous vote shows the growing acceptance of medical marijuana by organized medicine," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "Members of Congress who have opposed efforts to protect patients from federal prosecution have tried to portray medical marijuana as a fringe issue. But the APA Assembly vote, along with other recent endorsements including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, shows that it's those who want to arrest the sick and suffering who are on the fringe."
With 40,000 members and 16 allied organizations (including the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association for Social Psychiatry, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, and the American Association of Emergency Psychiatrists), the American Psychiatric Association is the main professional organization for psychiatrists in the United States.
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 Riboflavin
Humanologist
 
Registered: 03/05/05
Posts: 613
Loc: Midwestish
Last seen: 4 days, 5 hours
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: veggie]
#7609200 - 11/07/07 10:36 PM (9 months, 24 days ago) |
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Cool, there's a step in the right direction. 
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The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.
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a_guy_named_ai
Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 750
Last seen: 3 months, 7 days
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: veggie]
#7609472 - 11/07/07 11:43 PM (9 months, 24 days ago) |
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That's one big step.
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andyspof
Stranger
Registered: 10/10/05
Posts: 36
Last seen: 9 months, 24 days
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: a_guy_named_ai]
#7611600 - 11/08/07 03:07 PM (9 months, 24 days ago) |
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this really the nail in the coffin for the marijuana is not medicine argument made by groups like 'dare' or 'above the influence' i would love to send this article to them as a reply to there statement that no legitimate medical organizations call marijuana medicine.
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kindadank
Registered: 07/14/03
Posts: 683
Last seen: 1 day, 6 hours
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: andyspof]
#7611676 - 11/08/07 03:24 PM (9 months, 24 days ago) |
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Well, this would matter if the federal government actually listened to scientists, doctors, and anecdotal evidence. Sadly they do not seem to care and there are no signs of them letting up one bit.
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johnm214
Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 6,009
Loc: Americas
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: kindadank]
#7612013 - 11/08/07 04:51 PM (9 months, 23 days ago) |
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the dea will bury themselves with their insistance against contrary evidence...
I'm really surprised this happened though... I've heard lots of psychiatrists bemoan the psychiatric effects of marijuana.
I'm not sure this is really a big deal though...
When does a psychiatrist prescribe marijuana? Not really in their scope of practice, so largely symbolic.
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a_guy_named_ai
Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 750
Last seen: 3 months, 7 days
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Re: American Psychiatric Association Assembly Backs Medical Marijuana Patient Protection [Re: kindadank]
#7614277 - 11/09/07 09:44 AM (9 months, 23 days ago) |
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How is it out of their scope of practice? Psychiatrists can prescribe medication can't they? Not that I really agree with their all around methods. But this will really mean something to my mom. She loves psycholigists and that ilk.
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