Marijuana Rivals Mainstream Drugs for HIV/AIDS Symptoms Research Published in Clinical Nursing Research

Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC (May 29, 2009) – Those in the United States living with HIV/AIDS are more likely to use marijuana than those in Kenya, South Africa or Puerto Rica to alleviate their symptoms, according to a new study published by SAGE in Clinical Nursing Research. Those who did use marijuana rate it as effective as prescribed or over the counter (OTC) medicines for the majority of common symptoms, once again raising the issue that therapeutic marijuana use merits further study and consideration among policy makers.

According to the research, a significant percentage of those with HIV/AIDS use marijuana as a symptom management approach for the six most common symptoms: anxiety, depression, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, and peripheral neuropathy. Members of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) International HIV/AIDS Nursing Research Network examined symptom management and quality of life experiences among those with HIV/AIDS in the US, Africa, and Puerto Rico, to gain a fuller picture of marijuana’s effectiveness and use in this population.

The study evaluated self-care management strategies, as well as quality of life and whether HIV/AIDS sufferers adhered to prescribed medications or not. One key finding was that nine tenths of the marijuana users live in the US and the other ten percent were from Puerto Rico. No African participants said they used it.

The question of the use of marijuana for symptom management when legal drugs are available remains a practice and policy issue. “Given that marijuana may have other pleasant side effects and may be less costly than prescribed or OTC drugs, is there a reason to make it available?” asks study leader Inge Corless. “These are the political ramifications of our findings. Our data indicate that the use of marijuana merits further inquiry.”

“Marijuana Effectiveness as an HIV Self-Care Strategy,” by Inge B. Corless, Teri Lindgren, William Holzemer, Linda Robinson, Shahnaz Moezzi, Kenn Kirksey, Christopher Coleman, Yun-Fang Tsai, Lucille Sanzero Eller, Mary Jane Hamilton, Elizabeth F. Sefcik, Gladys E. Canaval, Marta Rivero Mendez, Jeanne K. Kemppainen, Eli H. Bunch, Patrice K. Nicholas, Kathleen M. Nokes, Pamela Dole and Nancy Reynolds is published in the May 2009 issue of Clinical Nursing Research (Volume 18, No. 2). The article will be free to access online for a limited time at: http://cnr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/18/2/172

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