MEDICINAL POT 'NOT HARMFUL'

University researchers have determined that marijuana can make you
dizzy or a bit drowsy.

"What we find is that there are side-effects, but they are not
serious," Jean-Paul Collet of the University of B.C. said yesterday.

Collet, along with researchers from McGill University Health Centre
and McGill University in Montreal, summarized the adverse effects
recorded in 31 studies of ingested, medical cannabis use. Smoking pot
was excluded.

Of the 4,779 adverse effects recorded, 164 were reported as serious,
with the most being a relapse of multiple sclerosis, followed by
vomiting and urinary-tract infections. More than 95 per cent of the
side-effects were everyday ailments such as dizziness and drowsiness.

"People only turn to cannabinoids after they have tried something
else," said Collet. "At this point you can't take it as a first
choice. The medical use of cannabis is often for compassionate means
and our primary motivation was to get precise information regarding
its safety."

Among cannabis-based medications in Canada are Dronabinol, marketed as
Marinol, used for chemotherapy-induced nausea and HIV-associated
anorexia, Nabilone, marketed as Cesamet, used for chemotherapy-induced
nausea and vomiting, and Oromucosal, marketed as Sativex,
conditionally approved for pain. Marijuana is also available through
the government's Medical Marijuana program.