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This vaporizer is used in some hospitals for patients who need cannabis as part of their treatment.

By Leland Kim

I recently wrote two articles about medical marijuana studies that were completely unrelated to one another. Both got a lot of attention in the media and by marijuana advocates. It also resonated with the average person because it seems people are interested in marijuana whether or not it’s a regular part of their lives.

For me, it was a learning opportunity because, frankly, I knew very little about marijuana. One of the things I learned was about a device called a vaporizer. It looks sort of like your average kitchen blender with a produce aisle plastic bag on top of it.

Using the vaporizer is the preferred method in a health care setting vs. smoking a joint. Inhaling cannabis vapors through this device looks a bit more “legit” than smoking it. Also, the vapors are contained within the bag, so you don’t have the problem of second-hand marijuana smoke.

The two recent findings are fascinating and, not surprisingly, generating renewed debate about the merits and pitfalls of legalizing marijuana.

This scale is used to weigh cannabis to ensure the patient gets the right dosage.

The first study, published in December, suggests patients who suffer from chronic pain could experience greater pain relief if their doctors add cannabis to their opiates-only treatment. It’s a treatment that could be safer since opiates are highly addictive and potentially lethal since opiates can impact the respiratory system.

The second study suggests low to moderate use of marijuana is less harmful to users’ lungs than exposure to tobacco, even though the two substances contain many of the same components. The study focused on lung function, so it did not look at long-term effects of marijuana usage on brain function, which could be a different story.

Either way, two fascinating studies conducted by brilliant researchers at UCSF. Your thoughts on the topic?