SXSWORLD

3 6 SXS W O R L D | M A R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | SXSW.COM "We just completed a study with the University of Michigan for the last couple of years looking at chronic- pain patients," she explains, "and we were querying (participants) about how they use cannabis and what were they substituting, and it wasn't just opioids, but sleep aids and anti-anx- iety meds like Ambien and Xanax." Sisley also cites another recently completed pilot study. "My team conducted a small trial in Montreal, where (participants) smoked (mari- juana) flower for breakthrough pain in late-stage cancer patients, and compared fentanyl to the smoked flower. And flower was much better." Sisley explains that fentanyl takes about a half-hour for the patient to feel its effects while marijuana, when either smoked or vaped, brings almost immediate relief. Not only that, she observed that cannabis doesn't dull the senses like fentanyl. The opioid, she found, "made patients so sedated, they just had a really poor quality of life … whereas the people on smoked flower were interactive, and they were kind of chill — more optimistic — and their families were bolstered by that … I thought we were insane for trying to go head to head with Fentanyl, but it turned out to be a really good choice," Sisley con- cludes, adding that she does not have "any confidence" in CBD or other isolated cannabinoids until there are controlled clinical trials confirming their efficacy. The irony to anyone exposed to the fear-mongering and criminalization of the past 80 years is that the humble cannabis bud could provide a solu- tion to the current opioid epidemic. Yet national policy is still based on outmoded beliefs often perpetuated by entities who benefit financially from pot's illegality. Influence from the pharmaceutical, law enforce- ment, and private-prison sectors has consistently swayed federal agencies and lawmakers to keep prohibition in place. Meanwhile, patients with cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, PTSD, neuro-spastic disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, and many other medical conditions have been denied poten- tially effective treatment. "There are still elected officials that are hanging onto these antiquated notions about cannabis being highly dangerous and addictive," Sisley says. "But the public has already realized that the government has been lying to them for decades now, and that's why the laws by voter initiative are changing much faster than formal science can keep pace with." Convergence Keynote: Kevin Murphy and John Boehner is on Friday, March 15 at 2pm. Sue Sisley's "Cannabis Research Shackled by Politics Since 1968" presentation, part of the Cannabusiness Track presented by Leafly, will take place Thursday, March 14 at 11am in Salon G at the Hilton Austin (400 E. 4th St.). See schedule.sxsw.com or SXSW GO for more details. continued from p.34 "Too many people in this country want it, and — with respect to medicinal cannabis — unfortunately, too many people need it." Kevin Murphy Dr. Sue Sisley

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