Medical Marijuana for Alzheimer’s

On December 3, 2018, Jan Malcolm, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health, issued a statement indicating that Alzheimer’s disease was being added to the list of medical problems that were approved for treatment with medical marijuana. This brings the list of approved illnesses to 13. (See the MDH full report which also lists the approved illnesses.)

Dr. George Komaridis, ASC senior psychologist, has served on the Medical Cannabis Review Panel for the last three years, an advisory board to the Commissioner charged with evaluating and recommending illnesses for approval for medical marijuana treatment. In this time, he and the other panel members have studied the properties and effects of marijuana on a variety of human functions, as well as reviewing scientific literature and hearing testimony on the effects of marijuana on specific medical illnesses. In addition to recommending various illnesses to the Commissioner for approval, the panel has concluded that cannabis has enough medical curative potential to warrant full-scale research and evaluation for its possible benefit to people who suffer from various medical illnesses that are not adequately treated with traditional therapies and medicines. (For more information, call (507) 345-4679.)

Because cannabis has been classified as an illegal Schedule I drug by the DEA, and the US Government in general, for many years, anyone caught using or selling the drug was subject to criminal penalties, and research of the drug was basically prohibited by the fact that the government has not allowed any funds to be available for his scientific study. As our society has become more enlightened regarding the potential benefits of cannabis, more requests have been made for research of its potential curative effects. Our newly elected governor in Minnesota is among those who have called for such research. While serving as a legislative representative from southern Minnesota in Washington, Rep. Tim Walz led a call from a group of senators and representatives to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs and the president of the US that the VA eliminate existing barriers and allow for research into medical marijuana for its possible use in the treatment of veteran problems. (See January 16, 2018 press release by Tim Walz.)

The Mankato Free Press ran an article from the Washington Post on Monday, November 12, 2018, about veterans using medical marijuana in defiance of longtime federal policy. It said, the veterans “are pushing a reluctant Uncle Sam to catch up with overwhelming public opinion that favors allowing cannabis for medical use.” These reactions are part of a growing tide of people favoring the decriminalization of marijuana, especially as a medicine for various problems. (See The Washington Post article.)