AMA waffles on compassionate use of marijuana

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AMA waffles on compassionate use of marijuana

CHICAGO, Jun 20 (Reuters Health) - The American Medical Association (AMA)

does not explicitly endorse the compassionate use of medical marijuana, but

it does not think that patients should be sent to jail for following a

doctor's orders.

The AMA's Council on Scientific Affairs asked the AMA to endorse the

compassionate use of medical marijuana, but the AMA's House of Delegates

decided to delete that recommendation from a Council report. After making

the deletion, the delegates approved the policy.

In an interview with Reuters Health, Council member Dr. Melvyn Sterling of

Orange, California, said that previous AMA policy opposed compassionate use.

The new policy, although not all that the Council wanted, " is silent, so

that does allow compassionate use, " Sterling said.

At a press conference after the vote, AMA trustees Drs. Palmisano and

Herman Abromowitz said that there is no science to support the medical

efficacy of marijuana, although there are numerous anecdotal reports of its

efficacy for the pain and loss of appetite associated with cancer. " The AMA

is always in favor of science. We are a science-based organization, "

Abromowitz said.

Palmisano added, however, that the AMA " is not in favor of the

criminalization of the practice of medicine. " Another AMA trustee, Dr. Duane

Cady, said that the house did approve policy that calls for " free and

unfettered exchange of information on treatment alternatives. " He said that

no one should go to jail for following a doctor's advice.