Medical Cannabis Research

New Study of Medical Cannabis Shows Scientific Value for Patients with Neuropathic Pain

On Monday, February 12th, Neurology published a long overdue study by Dr. Donald Abrams, which indicates that smoked marijuana effectively reduces chronic pain for people living with HIV/AIDS. The study builds on other international evidence and a 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "Marijuana and Medicine, Assessing the Science Base."

Institute of Medicine Report

Responding to the passage of medical cannabis initiatives in California and Arizona, the White House Office of Drug Control Policy (the federal drug czar) commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to review the scientific evidence on the potential health benefits and risks of marijuana and its constituent cannabinoids. In 1999, the Institute released their report, Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. The report emphasizes the need for well-formulated, scientific research on the therapeutic effects of marijuana and its cannabinoid components.

General Research

This section includes general research on the efficacy of medical cannabis. It includes American and international research.

Condition-Based Research

ASA's educational booklets on medical cannabis and aging, arthritis, cancer, chronic pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, HIV/AIDS, movement disorders, and multiple sclerosis.

Additional Resources

This section includes a glossary of medical cannabis terms, a history of medical cannabis, and a database of clinical research.

DEA Administrative Law Judge Rules that Cannabis Research is "in the public interest"

U.S. Department of Justice-appointed Administrative Law Judge Mary Ellen Bittner issued an 87-page ruling today in favor of removing the government obstruction to medical cannabis research in the United States. University of Massachusetts-Amherst Professor Lyle Craker has led a six-year struggle to gain a DEA license to grow research-grade cannabis so that studies can be conducted to determine the full extent of marijuana's medical value.