Risk Comparison of Legal and Illegal Anti-Emetics - Medical Marijuana

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Risk Comparison of Legal and Illegal Anti-Emetics

According to Complete Guide to Prescription & Nonprescription Drugs, Marijuana and Marinol have idendical risks. The risks associated with Compazine, Tigan and Mataclopromide vary (2002 Edition, pages 334-335. Revised and Updated by Stephen Moore, M.D.), as do the risks associated with Zofran and Kytril (obtained from the drug manufacturer as noted below).

Risks	Marijuana	Marinol	Compa- zine	Tigan	Metaclo- pramide	Zofran¹	Kytril²	Dolasetron³
Year approved by FDA	N/A	1985	1980*	2001	1980*	1991	1999	1997
1. Smoking	x	None	None	None	None	None	None	None
2. Rapid, pounding heartbeat (common)	x	x	x	None	x	x	None	None
3. Euphoria (common)	x	x	None	None	None	None	None	None
4. Decreased coordination (common)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	None
5. Red eyes, dry mouth (common)	x	x	x	None	None	None	None	x
6. Dizziness, irritability, drowsiness (common)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
7. Dramatic mood changes (infrequent)	x	x	None	None	None	None	None	None
8. Depression, anxiety, nervousness, headache (infrequent)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
9. Hallucinations (infrequent)	x	x	None	None	x	None	None	None
10. Blurred or changed vision (infrequent)	x	x	x	x	none	x	none	none
11. Fainting (rare)	x	x	none	none	none	none	none	none
12. Frequent or difficult urination (rare)	x	x	x	none	x	none	none	none
13. Convulsions (rare)	x	x	x	x	x	none	none	none
14. Shortness of breath (rare)	x	x	x	none	x	x	x	x
15. Paranoia (rare)	x	x	none	none	none	none	none	none
16. Nausea (rare)	x	x	x	none	x	none	x	none
17. Loss of appetite (rare)	x	x	x	none	x	none	x	none
18. Dizziness when standing or after sitting/lying (rare)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
19. Diarrhea (rare)	x	x	none	x	x	x	x	x
20. Coma	none	none	x	x	none	none	none	none
21. Seizure	none	none	x	x	x	x	none	none
22. Rash	none	none	none	x	x	none	none	x
23. Frequent Vomiting	none	none	none	x	none	none	x	none
24. Chest pain	none	none	none	none	none	none	none	x
25. Constipation	none	none	none	none	none	none	none	x

¹ Information on Zofran obtained from Glaxo Wellcome website 2-27-02
² Information on Kytril obtained from Roche Laboratories website 2-27-02
³ Information on Dolasetron (Anzemet) obtained from official dolasetron website (www.dolasetron.com) 7/17/03