List date(s) this work was published or aired.
MARCH-APRIL 2011 issue (available March 1, 2011)
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Advocates say marijuana can treat everything from pain and nausea to glaucoma and Crohn’s disease. Looking at the latest research, this article tells which conditions and diseases show high potential, strong promise, questionable promise, false promise and negative effects from marijuana treatment. Neuropathic pain control, easing cancer therapy side effects and treating MS-related spasticity top the list with high potential from marijuana treatment; negative brain abnormalities from long-term marijuana use are at the bottom.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Medical journals such as The Journal of Pain, BMC Neurology, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Journal of Neuroscience, Lancet, Archives of General Psychiatry, several studies from the National Institutes of Health, JNCI; interviews with medical doctors; an AARP magazine survey; interviews with marijuana users.
Explain types of human sources used.
Marijuana users and medical doctors
Results:
There have been no reportable results from the publication of this piece.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Though this is a straight health story, reliant on studies and interviews with researchers at esteemed universities, I also learned a lot talking to marijuana users. Their experiences were used for deep background only, but the smokers opened my eyes to many more health possibilities for marijuana, those which haven’t yet been corroborated by the extant studies. Perhaps someday soon the science will catch up.