INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE ISSUES REPORT STRONGLY SUPPORTING MEDICAL USE OF
MARIJUANA

Aired March 17, 1999 - 12:03 a.m. ET

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BE UPDATED.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: An advisory panel to the federal government
today issued a report strongly supporting the medical use of marijuana. The
Institute of Medicine said the chemicals in marijuana can not provide a
cure, but are useful in relieving symptoms in patients for whom other drugs
are not effective.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BENSON, OREGON HEALTH SCIENCE UNIV.: For these patients, we found
cannabinoids appear to hold potential for treating pain, chemotherapy
induced nausea and vomiting, and the poor appetite and wasting caused by
AIDS or advanced cancer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: The institute said marijuana is not especially addictive and found
no evidence that its use leads to harder drugs. But it did note that
marijuana can cause respiratory disease and recommended development of a
standardized form of the drug that could be administered in other ways.

Joining us now to discuss these findings and the possible impact medical
correspondent Eileen O'Connor.

Hi, Eileen.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Jeanne.

Well, this is a very significant study because the Institute of Medicine
carries a lot of weight. It is independent and very well respected. Because
it did say that marijuana does have therapeutic benefits in terms of pain
relief, as well as control of nausea and the stimulation of the appetite.
This is a significant report.

But it also does recommend clinical trials to help develop a pill or
inhalant substitute. It does admit, though, that until a non- smoked
rapid-onset cannabinoid drug is available, for some patients, there is no
clear alternative.

MESERVE: What is the administration going to do with this report? A very
ticklish subject here.

O'CONNOR: It is very ticklish. There are some states who have moved to
legalize marijuana for medical purposes. But the administration is pointing
to the findings that more research is needed, and what they are saying is
that they do not think that this is a sign that they should go ahead and
legalize marijuana. They're saying we're -- where we're at is very
comfortable. And they say the future is in research on cannabinoid drugs,
an inhalant or a pill. But that is not satisfying patients.

MESERVE: What about advocates for legalization? What are they saying about
the report?

O'CONNOR: Well, of course, they are angered, and they are saying the calls
for more research are basically just calls for more stalling. And they are
pointing to the research that the IOM has done, saying that it itself
admits that for some patients there is no alternative. They also say that
kids won't get a mixed message if this is treated like any other medicinal
drug, say example like morphine. If parents tell their children this is
only to be used as a controlled substance administered by a doctor -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Eileen O'Connor, medical correspondent, thanks for joining us.