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 patients failed to respond to a conventional antiemetic regimen
 and to synthetic THC pills. This requirement of a previous
 treatment failure on at least one other antiemetic drug was a
 common feature among the state-sponsored programs.
 In 1982, David Axelrod_ M.D., New York Commissioner of
 _i_ Health,_discussed the initial results of the program and stated
 that_ #IrE}he early results of the Xnhalation Marijuana Research
 Project are encouraging, and the board wishes to stress the need
 to continue. W2_0/
 Prelimina_ evidence suggests that patients
 using marijuana as an antiemetic have
 experienced substantial benefit relative to
 other [antiemetic3 drugs_ Evaluation of this
 experience is based on comparisons with other
 states, on physician attitudes_ on knowledge
 of the concurrent development of competing
 agents and on underst_ng of known
 procedural obstacles. _
 .... The first cancer patient in New York received marijuana
 I under the state's XND-approved program in January_ 1982. A
 total of twelve hospitals and forty=two physicians were
 i .... registered to participate in the program° The report states:
 Initial results indicated nsubstantial
 patient benefito u In the first 18 patients
 who tried marijuanas 15 benefited. All of
 these patients had previously failed the
 ....... standard antiemetic_ Compazine, and six had
 also failed on THC capsules. Six of the 15
 who benefited characterized the marijuana as
 Uvery effective .... _
 .Along with positive
 results, the early experlence sihows that in
 the hospitals enrolled in the program,
 marijuana is used as a third or fourth line
 antiemetic ....
 2__Q/ _. See letter from New York Commissioner of Healths
 David Axelrod to Governor Hugh L. Carey dated September I_ 1982.
 231/ !__- at Io
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