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Red tape delays study on marijuana and AIDS

Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Canada Web), 06/25/03

AUDIO LINK: http://www.cbc.ca/clips/ram-newsworld/petty_thaczuk030625.ram CBC Newsworld's Kathleen Petty speaks with Derek Thaczuk about prescribing marijuana for medicinal purposes (Runs 4:44)

 

TORONTO - A contract review is threatening to close down a groundbreaking study on the medical use of marijuana by AIDS patients.

The Community Research Initiative of Toronto has spent the past three years organizing the trial at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Health Canada has given the group about $800,000 to study how marijuana helps AIDS patients control nausea and weight loss.

Researchers have set up a laboratory and smoking rooms to to finish testing 32 volunteers. That would extend the study by 18 months.

But Health Canada is looking at the costs of the project.

That's expected to be done in a month. The research group says it can't wait that long and will have to cancel the study.