Thank you. Sent a link to the study you cited to my father who suffers from fibromyalgia. Chronic pain is such a burden for the people who have it. It makes normal life almost impossible.

Thanks. This research has to go forward. Rated.

The US government continues to insist that marijuana has no medical value. No comment on the wisdom of that position.

Of course it does! Thank you Rocket Scientists for empirically proving the obvious. Big Pharma will want to try to figure out some way of making it their own now, since one cannot find relief from pain using something that grows for free out of the ground, for heaven's sakes.

(Sarcasm is not my strong suit, but y'all get my drift.)

Not only do they insist marijuana has no medical benefit, but also many other plants with medical benefits that help fill the gaps left by western medicine...
Nice post, there is not enough reporting and too much propaganda being put forth on marijuana and other medically beneficial botanicals.

@Kate, No I don't think so. Granted inhaling anything into the lungs is never a good thing, but there are no studies that show MJ does cause cancer. But with new use methods, like vapor are safe and effective. :)

kateasley: A study at UCLA in '06 found that smoking marijuana does not cause lung cancer, or any other kind of cancer.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html

Now, emphysema, that's a different story...

Hmmm. Kinda makes me wish I had more nerve pain. But that's silly. I was too much of a pothead. I had to give it up. I can't handle it. I can't do drugs. I'm just too prone to addiction. You should see me with a pot of tea. Anything. Got no sense of proportion! But I sure hope weed gets legalized in California.

Julie, good luck to your father. Depending on your father's location, he might look into whether there are some current research studies being carried out in his area. He may try to be a research participant.

Kate, the lung cancer question has been raised repeatedly and remains controversial. It is interesting to keep in mind the work done by Dr. Donald Tashkin from UCLA. In long term studies, he found no association and "even a suggestion that of some protective effect". There was a write up in the Washington Post: Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection:

link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html

Needless to say, the huge pharmaceutical conglomerated would find such data as controversial.

Power to the people

Sheesh! You people are so quick! Carry on... and thank you!

*that should read power to some people, nm - it made sense in my head

Just 23 people? Well, it's a start, if the medical profession doesn't want to accept anecdotal evidence from longtime sufferers of one kind or another. Maybe they'll go on from here to larger studies. I'll volunteer.

There are numerous videos on YouTube with Dr. Donald Taskin discussing his research. They are quite lengthy and I don't have the time at the moment to review them. However, if you are interested, just put "Donald Tashkin" in the YouTube search function.

And I will try to address the low number of subjects for this study when I have a moment, later in the day. [Sorry, I am rushing here.]

sorry...were you saying something? I zoned out...

It seems unethical to make it a crime for people in pain to try something that has been shown to work. Marijuana has been used for centuries as a medicine.

I heard this this morning. Of course it helps chronic pain.
Man these people need a head check. I think they are the ones that are stoned.
Rated with hugs

I recommend eating it. :)

If it helps with chronic pain and is not dangerous, I say: Go for it!
Rated.

i've been researching this for years: i concur.

Wow! My husband has M.S. and got a medical marijuana card here in CO and has been smoking it. I'm glad to see there may be some scientific validation. Glad to hear it!!