Marijuana as Medicine

[DougF]

I found this link today and it doesn't sound for the home team. :eplane:

 

1 pot joint as bad as 5 cigarettes - Addictions - MSNBC.com

Smoking marijuana damages lungs' airways' date=' study finds[/b']

London - Smoking one cannabis joint is as harmful to a person’s lungs as having up to five cigarettes, according to research published on Tuesday.

 

Those who smoked cannabis damaged both the lungs’ small fine airways, used for transporting oxygen, and the large airways, which blocked air flow, the researchers said.

 

It meant cannabis smokers complained of wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness, the study by experts at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand found.

 

The researchers tested 339 people — those who smoked only cannabis, those who smoked tobacco, those who smoked both and non-smokers.

 

The study found only those who smoked tobacco suffered from the crippling lung disease emphysema, but cannabis use stopped the lungs working properly.

 

“The extent of this damage was directly related to the number of joints smoked, with higher consumption linked to greater incapacity,” said the authors of the report published in the medical journal Thorax.

 

“The effect on the lungs of each joint was equivalent to smoking between 2.5 and five cigarettes in one go.”

 

The British government is considering whether cannabis should be reclassified as a more serious drug because of the dangers associated with stronger strains.

 

The danger cannabis poses to respiratory health is consistently being overlooked,” said Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation.

 

“Smoking a joint is more harmful to the lungs than smoking a cigarette and we have just banned people from doing that in public places because of the health risks.”

 

Last week British researchers said using marijuana increased the risk of developing a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia.

 

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

[Michaelangelica]

Compared to prescription and OCR drugs marijuana is probably about as dangerous as sugar.

Look up the deaths due to all three. (Adverse Drug Reactions ADRs =usually (euphemistically) = death)

Consequently very few medicines are effective for everyone, and it has been estimated that less than 20 % of the medication prescribed is effective.

On the other hand, many drugs may cause adverse drug reactions (ADR) leading in some cases to death. In the US alone more than 100.000 patients die because of ADR each year, thereby making ADR to the fourth leading cause of death, representing 5 % of all hospital admissions.

Pharmaco-Gendia | Pharmacogenetics

See also my posts on Adverse Drug Reactions in Darwin revisited.

Under Pharmacogenetics. I'd direct you too it but the Hypography search engine does not work for me.

 

Some late breaking canadian nes

Health Canada approves cannabis-derived pain drug

 

Updated Wed. Aug. 8 2007 8:31 AM ET

 

Canadian Press

 

TORONTO -- A cannabis-derived drug that's been on the market for two years in Canada to relieve pain in multiple sclerosis patients is now approved for use by certain patients with cancer.

 

Health Canada has approved Sativex as an added pain relief treatment for adults with advanced cancer who have moderate to severe pain when using the highest tolerated dose of strong opioid therapy, said a statement Tuesday from Bayer Inc.

 

Patients can self-administer Sativex by spraying it into the mouth - under the tongue or on the inside of the cheek.

CTV.ca | Health Canada approves cannabis-derived pain drug

[Queso]

Found an ad in the SF Metro:

 

:shrug:

[Michaelangelica]

here is your chance

 

PhD Scholarship - Cannabis use, memory function & brain imaging

Scholarship Description

 

Newly funded NHMRC project to be based at the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, in collaboration with ORYGEN Research Centre, The University of Melbourne and The University of Wollongong. Full time PhD scholarship ($23,125 per annum) based in Melbourne available in the area of cannabis use, memory function and brain imaging (MRI) to commence in 2007 or 2008. Open to students who have acheived or expect to attain Honours 1 or equivalent. The student will work with an interdisciplinary research team in cognitive neuroscience, psychiatry, substance use, & neuroimaging to investigate memory processes and brain function in adolescent and adult cannabis users. Please send applications, inclusive of academic transcript, to Dr Nadia Solowij. To be undertaken at The University of Melbourne.

Reference Number: 3234

Study Subject: Cannabis Use, Neuroimaging, Memory, Adolescence

Web Address: Home : Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre : The University of Melbourne

Provided By: The University of Melbourne, University of Wollongong.

Level: Post Graduate (Research)

Availability

 

This scholarship is offered to one person. Open for applications from August 10, 2007 until September 7, 2007.

Payment Information

 

The value of this scholarship is AUD23125 (total amount). This award is to be used for living expenses. This scholarship is paid monthly for the period of 3 years.

Research Information

 

This scholarship is for one of the following fields of research: BEHAVIOURAL AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES or MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES.

Eligibility

 

This scholarship requires you to have achieved Honours 1 or equivalent.

Application Details

 

To apply for this scholarship you must refer to scholarship description.

Main Contact

Dr Nadia Solowij (Lecturer / Research Fellow)

School of Psychology

Email: [email protected]

Address:

University of Wollongong

Wollongong

NSW, Australia

2522

[Moontanman]

Everyone wants to step on the grass, in these studies do they take into account that stronger marrijuania is smoked in much smaller amounts than tobacco or are they comparing equal weights of both? with really good pot and a good bong you can smoke as little as 1/4 the weight of a ciggarette and get all the pain relief you need. I've actually weighed the two and a cigarette is much bigger than the average joint or bong hit. a pack of cigarttes weigh at least an ounce and most people smoke two or more a day. a 1/8 ounce of cannibus can last two weeks if you don't stay stoned all the time. I know smoking isn't good for you if it's corn silk or loco weed but one thing is for sure. Cannbus isn't anywhere near as addictive as tobacco if it's addictive at all. I used to smoke quite heavily when I was young, I never noticed any lung problems and I ran several miles a day and scuba dived regularly. Of course i didn't smoke two ounces a day either.

 

Michael

[Michaelangelica]

Smoking Pot Won't Make You Crazy, But Dealing with the Lies about It Will

 

a closer look at the evidence reveals that there's less here than the headlines imply.

 

First, there is no new study. The paper published in The Lancet is a meta-analysis -- a summary of seven studies that previously appeared in other journals, including some that were published decades ago. Second, the touted association between cannabis and mental illness is small -- about the same size as the link between head injury and psychosis. Finally, despite what some new sources suggest, this association is hardly proof of a cause-and-effect relationship between cannabis and psychosis,

 

So why the sudden fuss?

. . .

. . .

 

Despite this evidence, we'd like to spread the word that cannabis is not for everybody. Teens should avoid the plant. Folks with a predisposition for mental illness should stay away, too. This potential for health risks in a few people, however, does not justify criminal prohibitions for everyone. (We wouldn't pass blanket prohibitions against alcohol simply to protect pregnant women, for example.)

AlterNet: DrugReporter: Smoking Pot Won't Make You Crazy, But Dealing with the Lies about It Will

[Michaelangelica]

Antique Cannabis Book / A Price Guide to Antiques

 

History of Cannabis

Chapter 1

 

THE HISTORY OF MEDICAL CANNABIS

 

1.0 - MEDICAL CANNABIS, A SHORT GRAPHICAL HISTORY

This is a short (graphical) history of Medical Cannabis (the traditional and scientific name for Medical Marihuana), from the Neanderthals to the Reefer Madness era.

 

This site was created for use mostly by newspaper reporters and others who want a short but well documented history of the subject. As such we have endeavor to (A) keep it short and ( to document as much as possible for ready reference. Example; we all know that the ancient Assyrians made use of Medical Marihuana, but have you ever seen a clay table that actually says so? You will here.

 

However, because the idea is to provide the reader with a "short" overall of history, many sections had to be left out. Example, very little is said about Hindu or Mohammedan medicine, NOT because it is not important, but just because it doesn't fit into the time line very well.

 

If needed the museum can provide more detail/complete pictures in either "jpg or gif" formats.

 

 

1.1 - The Neanderthals: --- 40,000 BC:

Cavemen-Cannabis THE NEANDERTHALS: The thought of having a medicine that was in use long before the first humans had even walked on this planet is interesting indeed; one might say it is the stuff of science fiction writers. But unfortunately, while many web sites "hint" at the possibility, there is no . . . [MORE]

 

 

1.2 - Pre-Recorded (Human) History:

Cannabis-Cave PRE-RECORDED (Human) HISTORY: The earliest known surviving Afro-Eurasian medical texts, whether ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls, Mesopotamian clay tablets, Chinese tables etc. All of them speak of its use in the past tense, as if Cannabis had already been in medical use long before . . . [MORE]

. . .

 

1.11 - POST-1937 The Dark Ages (part 2):

KKK The Dark Ages (part 2) Cannabis is unique in one respect; unlike other botanical medicines which were allowed to die a natural death as other better medicines or treatments came along, Cannabis instead was cut down in its prime---literally speaking it was outlawed. . . [MORE]

 

1837 - 1937

The Golden Age of Medical Cannabis

[Michaelangelica]

New Study: Marijuana Might Cure Brain Tumors

Printer Friendly Version Printer Friendly Version Email this Article Email this Article

Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Thu, 10/18/2007 - 7:26pm

 

One of the great ironies in the debate over marijuana's medical applications is that the drug may prove to be vastly more useful than many marijuana activists even realize. As the U.S. government continues to block medical marijuana research, scientists around the world are discovering new and exciting possibilities:

 

Investigators at Bar-Ilan University in Israel report that the administration of THC significantly affects the viability of GBM cells. Glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive form of glioma (brain cancer), strikes some 7,000 Americans annually, and generally results in death within one to two years following diagnosis.

 

"THC [is] an essential mediator of cannabinoid antitumoral action," investigators concluded. [NORML]

 

Or, in layman's terms, THC might stop tumors from killing people. Isn't that great? Now all we have to do is legalize it so people can cure their brains without fear of being raided by the DEA.

 

As evidence of marijuana's potential value in treating various cancers continues to grow, it becomes increasingly vital that we silence marijuana opponents who seek to prevent such discoveries from being made. The more helpful the drug turns out to be, the more deadly and foolish becomes the conspiracy to destroy its reputation and punish its users.

 

Is it really so difficult to conceive of the possibility that this plant, like so many others, exists for a good reason?

New Study: Marijuana Might Cure Brain Tumors | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

[

[Moontanman]

Marijuana as Medicine

 

Perhaps the strongest argument for legalisation lies with the medical uses of cannabis. The British government is on the cusp of allowing its use to treat painful conditions, and in America an eminent medic has come out in favour. Professor Lester Grinspoon from Harvard Medical School believes that cannabis "is likely to be seen as a wonder drug of the 21st century."

 

Cannabis is widely known for its medicinal ability to ease a host of serious conditions:

# cancer: cannabis can suppress nausea brought on by chemotherapy

# AIDS: it can increase appetite and prevent weight-loss

# glaucoma (an eye condition): cannabis can relieve eye pressure

# muscular pain: it can ease muscle spasms and period pains

 

 

In the 19th century, cannabis was widely used to relieve muscle spasms and rheumatism. Even Queen Victoria was given it by her doctor to ease her period pains.

 

It was the invention of the syringe towards the end of the century that marked an end to its widespread medicinal use.

 

Injecting drugs meant they could take effect a lot faster. Cannabis cannot be dissolved in water, so it can't be injected.

 

Only recently have scientists began to scrutinize the chemical more closely, and have started to conduct clinical trials to test its medical effects.

 

Relief for multiple sclerosis sufferers

There are a total of 85,000 people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) in Britain. This incurable debilitating disease manifests itself with a host of symptoms:

# balance problems

# muscle weakness and spasms

# incontinence

# pain

# tremors

 

Although pharmaceutical drugs are available to MS sufferers, the condition is difficult to control. Clinical tests performed by the Multiple Sclerosis Society showed that most patients responded positively to cannabis. The drug especially alleviated spasms, pain, tremor and increased bladder control.

 

In addition, a postal survey was conducted amongst patients self-medicating with cannabis in the UK and the USA. More than 90% reported a beneficial effect on their condition. Unfortunately, many patients end up obtaining cannabis illegally.

 

Legal high

Doctors have been allowed to prescribe capsules containing THC, the main active ingredient of cannabis, for years. Nabilone - a synthetically manufactured copy of THC - was licensed in 1982 for prescription use against nausea caused by chemotherapy.

 

 

However, some patients complain of the same side effect that many people state as the drug's main recreational attraction - it gets you stoned. Due to the complex relationship between THC and receptors in the brain, researchers haven't yet managed to separate the active medical ingredients from the brain-bending ones.

 

Cannabis aerosols

Patients taking the drug in capsule form are unable to control the dose as they can with careful inhaling. So the pharmaceutical industry has started developing THC aerosols and inhalers that don't harm lungs. This makes it easier for patients to control their dose and prevents them from getting too disorientated

.

BBC - Science & Nature - Hot Topics - Cannabis - The Lows

 

 

I think I love you, how do you get so many positive articals about Cannibus sativa, a buddy of mine who brews beer is thinking of brewing some marijunia beer. He brewed pumpkin beer for halloween (early I know) and between the two of us (I knew that cannibus can be substituted for hops) we plan to really ring in the new year!

 

Mistral

[Michaelangelica]

Marijuana is an antidepressant at low doses, and parents know when kids use it

. . .

. . .significant majorities recognize that drinking and marijuana smoking are common amongst teens and don’t always require intervention.

. . .

The second study, which looked at the effects of a synthetic analogue of the active ingredient in marijuana on rats, found that low doses had a “potent” antidepressant effect while high doses actually increased depression.

. . .

The new research suggests that like alcohol, marijuana may have some benefits in moderation while doing harm in excess. But I suspect we won’t be hearing much about them from the “drug czar” soon because defense of drug prohibition-- no matter what the science says-- is actually written into his job description

Marijuana is an antidepressant at low doses, and parents know when kids use it - 60 Second Science

[Turtle]

I'm going to...pump you up! :shrug:

 

California Gov. Schwarzenegger Defends His Past Use Of Marijuana, Saying Pot Is Not A Drug | October 31, 2007 | AHN

Los Angeles, CA (AHN)-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger defended his use of marijuana during his bodybuilding days in the 1970s, saying that pot is not a drug during an interview with GQ magazine.

 

Schwarzenegger, a former bodybuilder/actor turned politician, was defending a picture of himself in the 1977 documentary "Pumping Iron," which depicted him smoking a joint, telling the interviewer, "That is not a drug. It's a leaf. My drug was pumping iron, trust me."

 

I Trust Arnold! :evil:

/forums/images/smilies/banana_sign.gif

[HydrogenBond]

Besides the medical arguments, marijuana could be a possible plant for alternate fuel. Besides the fast growing bio-mass, that can grow almost anywhere, which can be broken down into alcohol, some strains report up to 10-20% THC by weight.

 

 

The THC ring can be cracked with catalyst, such as during the processing of crude oil, and to made bio-fuel cheaper than fermentation. One is not starting with sugar and needing to ferment it. One starts with a large molecule that can be to cut into a bunch of smaller pieces. Theoretically one can make gasoline, ethanol or any number of things. Just the tail part of the molecule could make n-octane. The -OH area and -O- areas can be used for ethanol. That rest can make other octane.

 

Picture a chemical plant, surrounded by acres and acres of plants that grow 15-20 feet in only 4-6 months. Huge reapers are cutting them down and filling dump trucks. These trucks are being loaded around the clock, dumping their loads onto a conveyer, which transports the biomass high into a silo. From there it is conveyed into agitation tanks, where the raw oil is extracted using some of product coming out of final process. This sweet oil is then pumped into the cracking towers. The smaller molecules are distilled into a premium grade fuel to make electricity.

[Queso]

There are so many uses for Cannabis that the thought of it being illegal is absolutely ridiculous.

 

F*** you, America. You are so dumb for outlawing this amazing plant.

[Moontanman]

Besides the medical arguments, marijuana could be a possible plant for alternate fuel. Besides the fast growing bio-mass, that can grow almost anywhere, which can be broken down into alcohol, some strains report up to 10-20% THC by weight.

 

 

The THC ring can be cracked with catalyst, such as during the processing of crude oil, and to made bio-fuel cheaper than fermentation. One is not starting with sugar and needing to ferment it. One starts with a large molecule that can be to cut into a bunch of smaller pieces. Theoretically one can make gasoline, ethanol or any number of things. Just the tail part of the molecule could make n-octane. The -OH area and -O- areas can be used for ethanol. That rest can make other octane.

 

Picture a chemical plant, surrounded by acres and acres of plants that grow 15-20 feet in only 4-6 months. Huge reapers are cutting them down and filling dump trucks. These trucks are being loaded around the clock, dumping their loads onto a conveyer, which transports the biomass high into a silo. From there it is conveyed into agitation tanks, where the raw oil is extracted using some of product coming out of final process. This sweet oil is then pumped into the cracking towers. The smaller molecules are distilled into a premium grade fuel to make electricity.

 

I'm not sure what to say about this post except I'm sure I'll never see it happen.

 

Michael

[CraigD]

Besides the medical arguments, marijuana could be a possible plant for alternate fuel.

…

Picture a chemical plant, surrounded by acres and acres of plants that grow 15-20 feet in only 4-6 months.

…

Whenever I picture a fast-growing monocrop being grown in a factory fashion, I attempt to picture the flow of its major chemical elements, especially nitrogen.

 

Cannabis isn’t a nitrogen fixing plant, so would have to be grown in rotation with something that is, such as soybeans, or some more exotic solution, such as flooding the fields and cultivating bacteria between planting cycles.

 

In traditional factory farming schemes, this need is satisfied with petrochemical-derived fertilizers at cultivation time. But obviously, a petroleum-replacing crop that requires lots of petroleum isn’t succeeding in its replacement role – a criticism frequently leveled at present-day ethanol-from-corn programs.

 

That said, hemp cannabis is not an ideal choice for a fuel oil-producing plant. According to this table (discussed at greater length in this “What plants might be grown, just for bio-fuel?” thread post), hemp yields 305 kg of oil / ha of land, vs. 145 for corn, 1000 for rapeseed (canola), and 5000 for oil palm.

Besides the fast growing bio-mass, that can grow almost anywhere, which can be broken down into alcohol, some strains report up to 10-20% THC by weight.

Do you have a source for this, HBond?

 

To the best of my understanding, high THC yield and high biomass in outdoor growing are incompatible goals in cannabis growing. Particularly, high THC yield requires the plant to be frequently pruned to produce a resin-bud heavy “bush”, rather than a tall growing, leafy “stalk”.

 

In short, I agree with Michael’s assessment:

I'm not sure what to say about this post except I'm sure I'll never see it happen.

However, I think there are not only political and legal barriers, but objective technical reasons, why it’s unlikely.

[Michaelangelica]

Smoked Cannabis Proven Effective In Treating Neuropathic Pain

 

ScienceDaily (Oct. 25, 2007) — Smoked cannabis eased pain induced in healthy volunteers, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR.) However, the researchers found that less may be more.

 

The study used capsaicin, an alkaloid derived from hot chili peppers that is an irritant to the skin, to mimic the type of neuropathic pain experienced by patients with HIV/AIDS, diabetes or shingles -- brief, intense pain following by a longer-lasting secondary pain

So if your chillies are to hot you know what to do

 

They use very small samples in many US studies.

How do you get your stats. programme around 15 people?

[Queso]

Check this out.

A lot of people get "burned out" from smoking cannabis because it's such a great muscle relaxer.

I've found two amazing remedies to cure this lack of energy.

 

1. Spicy food. Works wonders. (I say this 'cause you said capsaicin, my love)

2. Dancing. Moving around rhythmically and shaking up my cells sweating off all the negativity. It's like shedding skin.