Important Marijuana Study Needs Chronic Pain Patients; Travel and Payment Included

Important Marijuana Study Needs Chronic Pain Patients; Travel and Payment Included


November 1, 2008

Dear NORML Supporters,

Renowned medical researcher Donald Abrams, MD (and the Positive Health
Program of the UCSF Medical Service @ San Francisco General Hospital) is
seeking a few more patients for a government-funded study that features
patients who consume cannabis.*

Patients accepted into the research program will have travel to San
Francisco covered and receive cash payments. This research program is part
of a continuum of medical cannabis-related research performed by Dr.
Abrams and his staff.

The goal’s study is to assess whether using vaporized marijuana affects
the safety of prescribed opiods in patients treated for chronic pain.

*To Join This Study You Must:

-Have Ongoing Chronic Pain
-Be 18 or older
-Be on a stable twice-daily dose of sustained-release oxycodone
(Oxycontin) for at least 2 weeks before enrollment
-Be willing to give up marijuana for a month prior to entering the study
-Not be a cigarette and/or cigar smoker, or be willing not to smoke for 2
weeks before starting the study
-Meet some additional criteria

If You Are Eligible You Will:

-Spend 5 days and nights in a clinical research center at San Francisco
General Hospital
-Have blood tests and other measurements done
-Inhale vaporized medicinal marijuana three times a day

If you’re interested in participating in this important medical research,
and qualify for the necessary research protocols, please directly contact
415-476-9554 (x315).

Absent these kinds of well constructed scientific research programs to
better understand and determine the medical utility of cannabinoids and
cannabis, the federal government will continuously oppose patient access
to whole-smoked cannabis, therefore this kind of research takes on an even
greater sense of concern and scope than just how a specific therapy
interacts with patients.

Cannabem liberemus,

-Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
NORML / NORML Foundation
director [at] norml.org