Marijuana May Ease AIDS Patients' Foot Pain

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Fifty patients, mostly men, took part in the research. Half smoked marijuana three times daily for five days. The other half smoked a weakened form of marijuana. The patients were then asked to rank their pain on a scale of one to 10.

The patients who smoked the full-strength marijuana reported a 34 percent reduction in pain, compared to 17 percent among the other smokers. Half of the full-strength smokers reported more than a 30 percent reduction in pain, while just 24 percent of the placebo smokers did.

The side effects were minor, said Abrams, who noted that "most of these people smoked marijuana to begin with." All had smoked marijuana at least six times in their lives; the researchers wanted to make sure they were familiar with pot smoking and its effects.

The patients did get high, although Abrams said the marijuana was a weak type -- just 3.56 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in pot. "We did measure their level of high, and it didn't seem to necessarily correlate with their pain relief."

Abrams discounted the possible risk of lung cancer for the marijuana smokers, saying some research has suggested that they actually have a lower risk than others. He added that researchers are looking into possible ways to vaporize marijuana, which could "deliver a similar amount of THC with less potential for toxicity."

According to Abrams, it's not clear how marijuana works to lower pain, but it may reduce inflammation. Other research has linked substances in marijuana to pain reduction.

David Murray, chief scientist at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, wasn't convinced by the study, which he said was small and didn't account for the possibility that the patients who got the placebo marijuana would know they weren't smoking the real thing.

He added that the drug poses risks for AIDS patients in particular, because their immune systems are compromised, and he questioned the risk of smoking a "combustible weed that has bacteria and fungus" in it.