This column, urging the normalisation of medical marijuana, is dedicated to the memory of Dr Chris Cresswell
LIKE many readers, I attended the tangi/celebration of this man whose life was full, though far too short. My own meetings with him were few but meaningful, as he let me know of his passion for the provision of competent healthcare to the whole community, a vision I could share.
It was then at Moutoa Gardens/Pakaitore that I learned how deeply he had affected the entire community and how far that keen intelligence and warmth of spirit had reached across our cultural divisions, building bridges where there might have been walls. A striking effect, and a sign of the endurance of his efforts, has been the determination expressed by many to take up the causes he had championed or to find their own expression of personal and political activism, inspired by his life. This column represents one such determination.
Arguments in favour of medical marijuana are becoming increasingly clear and convincing. The weight of the clinical evidence supports its effectiveness in ameliorating symptoms of parkinsonism or the side-effects of chemotherapy for cancer. Its effectiveness in alleviating the pain of several chronic conditions has been particularly of note, especially lately. As of this writing, in the US, 28 states and the District of Columbia (Washington, DC) have legalised cannabis for medical purposes. In addition, eight states have legalised recreational cannabis.
The argument against medical cannabis is frequently couched in reasonably sounding words, like the need for further study to guard against harmful effect. But the studies have been done. There have been three major studies of cannabis, its potential for medicinal use, and its potential for harm. These are the 1894 Indian Hemp Study (http://bit.ly/2iYLXwo), the 1944 New York Academy of Sciences Study http://bit.ly/2jlYvdI, and the 1972 Shafer Commission Study http://bit.ly/2iwSSsU. The latter, commissioned by President Nixon, infuriated him because it found that cannabis was less dangerous than alcohol, his own drug of choice. All three studies came to similar conclusions: That the harmful potential effects are outweighed by the beneficial effects.
