Score another one for natural alternatives. A new study published in Clinical Nursing Research validated marijuana as an equally effective alternative to prescription and over the counter medications for symptom management in HIV / AIDS patients.

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 775 participants were recruited from Kenya, South Africa, two sites in Puerto Rico, and ten sites in the United States. They had on average been diagnosed for a decade - the majority (70%) were taking anti-retroviral (ARV) medications and more than half had other medical conditions alongside HIV/AIDS.

Participants using marijuana as a management strategy were spread fairly consistent across all six symptoms, ranging from a low of 20% for fatigue to a high of 27% for nausea. Prescribed medications were used by 45% of those with fatigue, ranging down to almost 18% of those with neuropathy.

Those who did use marijuana rate it as effective as prescribed or over the counter (OTC) medicines for the majority of common symptoms. Given that production costs for the plant are considerably less than that of the common ARV (anti-retroviral) medications - it grows almost anywhere for goodness sakes - "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."

For full details from the publication: http://cnr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/18/2/17