Medical Marijuana - 2/5

Apr 20, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Marijuana Use Relieves the Pain of Social Exclusion (Study)

Newly published research suggests that Marijuana use can relieve the intense discomfort of social exclusion.

Marijuana has been used to treat physical pain, and the current findings suggest it may also reduce emotional pain. – Research team led by University of Kentucky psychologist Timothy Deckman

Deckman and his colleagues are building on two lines of recent research: One that shows the pain of social exclusion is more intense than previously believed, and another revealing that physical pain and emotional pain travel similar pathways in the brain.

The Studies

The first incorporated data on 5,631 Americans, who reported their level of loneliness, described their marijuana usage (if any), and assessed their mental health and feelings of self-worth. Not surprisingly, the researchers found a relationship between loneliness and feelings of self-worth, but it was significantly weaker for regular pot smokers.

Another experiment, featuring 537 people, found those who were experiencing social pain were less likely to have suffered a major depression in the past year if they smoked pot relatively frequently.

The Results

Those who smoked marijuana relatively frequently felt less threatened than those who smoked it less frequently, or not at all.

Together, these studies show that “marijuana use consistently buffered people from the negative consequences associated with loneliness and social exclusion,” Deckman and his colleagues conclude. But buffers are of limited usefulness.

In that sense, avoiding social pain by smoking pot does not necessarily address its root cause. It does work, at least for a while, but it’s also a way to avoid dealing with the underlying issue.

If you are dealing with social exclusion, I recommend consistent meditation and an open, honest inner dialogue. This has helped me find the true cause of underlying issues I was unaware of consciously. A psychedelic trip under the right conditions and with a positive inquisitive mind-set was also very helpful.

In the end remember to do whatever feels right for you, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

> Pot Relieves Loneliness | PS Mag

Apr 6, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Most Potent Form of Medical Cannabis is the Whole Plant – The Entourage Effect (Video)

How chemicals in cannabis interacts with the brain

Cannabis and the Entourage Effect

Raphael Mechoulam, a heavily decorated scientist determined the structure of cannabidiol (CBD) in 1963, an important component of cannabis. A year later, he became the first person to isolate delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Over the ensuing decades, Mechoulam and his team continued to isolate numerous compounds from the cannabis plant.

In 1999, Mechoulam wrote a paper describing something known as “the entourage effect.”

Think of it like this: There are more than 480 natural components found within the cannabis plant, of which 66 have been classified as “cannabinoids.” Those are chemicals unique to the plant, including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiols. There are, however, many more, including: Cannabis Chemicals

— Cannabigerols (CBG)
— Cannabichromenes (CBC)
— other Cannabidiols (CBD)
— other Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC)
— Cannabinol (CBN) and cannabinodiol (CBDL)
— other cannabinoids (such as cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabielsoin (CBE), cannabitriol (CBT) and other miscellaneous types).

Other constituents of the cannabis plant are: nitrogenous compounds (27 known), amino acids (18), proteins (3), glycoproteins (6), enzymes (2), sugars and related compounds (34), hydrocarbons (50), simple alcohols (7), aldehydes (13), ketones (13), simple acids (21), fatty acids (22), simple esters (12), lactones (1), steroids (11), terpenes (120), non-cannabinoid phenols (25), flavonoids (21), vitamins (1), pigments (2), and other elements (9).

Mechoulam, along with many others, said he believes all these components of the cannabis plant likely exert some therapeutic effect, more than any single compound alone.

While science has not yet shown the exact role or mechanism for all these various compounds, evidence is mounting that these compounds work better together than in isolation: That is the “entourage effect.”

Isolating Compounds of Medical Cannabis

To better understand the concept of the entourage effect, Dr. Sanjay Gupta traveled to the secret labs of GW Pharmaceuticals, outside London. In developing Sativex, a cannabis-based drug to treat multiple sclerosis, the company’s chairman, Dr. Geoffrey Guy, told Gupta that the company ran into some obstacles.

More than a decade of experiments revealed that a whole plant extract, bred to contain roughly the same amounts of THC and CBD in addition to the other components in the plant, was more effective in reducing the pain and spasms of MS than a medication made of a single compound.

It could be that multiple individual compounds play a role, or it could be due to their interaction in the body; it could also be combination of both, Guy said.

Now, maybe this all sounds obvious. After all, eating real fruits, vegetables and other plants provides better nutrition than just taking vitamin pills with one nutrient or mineral in each. Science is showing us that we can likely say the same about cannabis.

Unlike other drugs that may work well as single compounds, synthesized in a lab, cannabis may offer its most profound benefit as a whole plant, if we let the entourage effect flower, as Mechoulam suggested more than a decade ago.

> Medical marijuana and ‘the entourage effect’ | CNN

Mar 31, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Stoners Have Better Cognitive Skills Than Non-Tokers (Study)

Despite popular belief, new findings from a team at the University of Minnesota suggest marijuana use at an early age may not be detrimental to cognitive skills.

The study, published March 12 in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, found that college students who used marijuana scored better on tests of processing speed and verbal fluency.

Marijuana users were high functioning, demonstrating comparable IQs to controls and relatively better processing speed. – Research Team

The study compared the performance of 35 non-users with 35 daily marijuana users who began using marijuana before the age of 17.

Marijuana use during this age span has been most strongly associated with cognitive impairment. – Research Team

All participants were university students between 18-20 years of age, and were told to abstain from using any substances for at least 12 hours before the study.

Interestingly, the two groups showed no significant differences in tests of working memory and verbal learning.

However, contrary to their better performance on other tests, marijuana users scored slightly lower on tests of motivated decision making, engagement and verbal memory.

Overall, the team concludes that the study provides “a comprehensive cognitive profile of college-aged daily marijuana users.” But they also warn that the results suggest a few “discrete” impairments associated with marijuana use.

The researchers say more studies should be conducted to pinpoint underlying factors.

> Marijuana Users Have Better Cognition | Leaf Science

Mar 27, 2014Jan 24, 2018

Cannabis Madness – Patients Vs Politicians (Video)

CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigates the politics of cannabis in Weed 2: Cannabis Madness.

Gupta takes a look at U.S. federal laws that consider marijuana a drug with no medicinal value and serious scientists who say they’re wrong. It is the politics of cannabis – the politicians vs. the patients.

This is Gupta’s second CNN Special on cannabis, showing the clear proven medical benefits of high CBD marijuana and why marijuana should not be classified as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance by the U.S. Government.

History books may one day draw a parallel between this chapter of medical marijuana and the story of David and Goliath. Playing the role of David’s slingshot, which ultimately brought Goliath to his knees, would be a 2-year-old girl named Vivian Wilson.

She inspired her father to challenge the system in a spectacular way that caused a nation to stop for a moment and take note. – Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Doubling Down on Medical Marijuana

Mar 13, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Jamaica Returning to Ganja Roots By Freeing Cannabis (Video)

Jamaica’s first medicinal marijuana company, Medicanja, launched at the start of 2014 against a backdrop of reinvigorated debate around ganja law reform among leading policymakers.

The renowned Jamaican scientist Dr. Henry Lowe, a leader in THC studies for medical purposes, is running the company with the University of West Indies and the University of Technology jointly funding the facility. In addition to studying the scientific benefits of marijuana, Dr. Lowe says the company will produce CBD-based medical products, which fall under legally accepted medicinal use of the ganja plant. Lowe says the plant extract can be used to treat psychosis and severe pain, as well as mid-life crises in men.

Mar 9, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Our Government Holds a Patent for Medical Cannabis, Why is it Illegal? – Dr. Gupta

It’s been eight months since I last wrote about medical marijuana, apologizing for having not dug deeply into the beneficial effects of this plant and for writing articles dismissing its potential.

I apologized for my own role in previously misleading people, and I feel very badly that people have suffered for too long, unable to obtain the legitimate medicine that may have helped them.

There is emerging science that not only shows and proves what marijuana can do for the body but provides better insights into the mechanisms of marijuana in the brain, helping us better understand a plant whose benefits have been documented for thousands of years. This journey is also about a Draconian system where politics override science and patients are caught in the middle.

The Undeniable Medical Value of Cannabis

Since our documentary “Weed” aired in August 2013, I have continued to travel the world, investigating and asking tough questions about marijuana.

I have met with hundreds of patients, dozens of scientists and the curious majority who simply want a deeper understanding of this ancient plant. I have sat in labs and personally analyzed the molecules in marijuana that have such potential but are also a source of intense controversy.

I have seen those molecules turned into medicine that has quelled epilepsy in a child and pain in a grown adult. I’ve seen it help a woman at the peak of her life to overcome the ravages of multiple sclerosis.

I am not backing down on medical marijuana; I am doubling down.

I should add that, although I’ve taken some heat for my reporting on marijuana, it hasn’t been as lonely a position as I expected. Legislators from several states have reached out to me, eager to inform their own positions and asking to show the documentary to their fellow lawmakers.

One place where lawmakers saw a long clip was Georgia, where the state House just passed a medical marijuana bill by a vote of 171-4. Before the legislative session started, most people didn’t think this bill had a chance.

Federal Hypocrites

Along the way, the public has become intensely engaged. Our collective society has paid closer attention to this issue than ever before, and with that increased education, support for medical marijuana has only grown, including in some unexpected places.

Pete Carroll, the coach of the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks, said the NFL should explore medical marijuana if it helps players. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t dismissed the idea, saying that if marijuana is reconsidered by the medical establishment, the league would treat it the same as any other medicine. Goodell also says the NFL is following the science that suggests marijuana may help recovery from concussions.

Recently, I had the chance to tell him that the United States already holds a patent on medical marijuana for that very purpose. Patent No. 6630507: Cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke or trauma.

However, this particular issue still bothers me: How can the government deny the benefits of medical marijuana even as it holds a patent for those very same benefits? Members of the Food and Drug Administration declined my repeated requests for an interview.

Weed Vs Government Approved Drugs

This past year, President Barack Obama told the New Yorker magazine, “I don’t think (marijuana) is more dangerous than alcohol.” And yet, as alcohol remains available to any adult, the president has not moved to remove marijuana from the list of the most tightly controlled substances in the country.

Since I started my reporting on this topic, I have mostly resisted temptation to inject a subjective moral equivalency into this discussion, such as pitting alcohol against marijuana or reminding you that cocaine and methamphetamine are actually more available than marijuana to patients, physicians and medical researchers: They are Schedule II drugs, with recognized medical uses. Or telling you that on average, a person dies every 19 minutes in this country from a legal prescription drug overdose, while it is virtually unheard-of to die from a marijuana overdose.

> Dr. Gupta: ‘I am doubling down’ on medical marijuana | CNN

Mar 2, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Medical Marijuana Laws Reduce Traffic Deaths (Study)

A study by the University of Colorado Denver and Montana State University shows that laws legalizing Medical Marijuana have resulted in a nearly 9 percent drop in traffic deaths and a 5 percent reduction in beer sales.

The study is the first to examine the relationship between the legalization of Medical Marijuana and traffic deaths.

Our research suggests that the legalization of medical marijuana reduces traffic fatalities through reducing alcohol consumption by young adults. – Daniel Rees, Professor of Economics at the University of Colorado Denver, who co-authored the study with D. Mark Anderson, Assistant Professor of Economics at Montana State University.

We were astounded by how little is known about the effects of legalizing medical marijuana, so we looked into traffic fatalities because there is good data, and the data allow us to test whether alcohol was a factor. – Daniel Rees

Anderson noted that traffic deaths are significant from a policy standpoint:

Traffic fatalities are an important outcome from a policy perspective because they represent the leading cause of death among Americans ages five to 34.

The economists analyzed traffic fatalities nationwide, including the 13 states that legalized medical marijuana between 1990 and 2009. In those states, they found evidence that alcohol consumption by 20- through 29-year-olds went down, resulting in fewer deaths on the road.

They noted that simulator studies conducted by previous researchers suggest that drivers under the influence of alcohol tend to underestimate how badly their skills are impaired. They drive faster and take more risks. In contrast, these studies show that drivers under the influence of marijuana tend to avoid risks.

Our results suggest a direct link between marijuana and alcohol consumption. – D. Mark Anderson

“Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities, and Alcohol Consumption” can be found here.

> Medicinal Marijuana Reduces Traffic Fatalities | UC Denver

Feb 20, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Cannabis Prevents Loss of Vision, Blindness (Study)

Retinitis Pigmentosa is a genetic eye disease that leads to severe vision loss and blindness. The disease affects 1 in 4,000 people and worsens as cells in the retina, called photoreceptors, die off.

But a study published in Experimental Eye Research shows the chemicals in cannabis, known as cannabinoids, may slow down this retinal degeneration.

Using a synthetic form of THC, the compound responsible for cannabis’ high, researchers at the University of Alicante in Spain were able to prevent vision loss in rats with the disorder.

The data suggests that cannabinoids are potentially useful to delay retinal degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa patients. – Dr. Nicolás Cuenca, Study’s Lead Author.

At the end of 90 days, rats that received treatment performed better on vision tests and had 40% more photoreceptors than untreated rats. THC also seemed to protect a number of other eye structures, including inner layers of the retina.

Although encouraging, the results were not much of a surprise.

As the team notes, cannabinoids have shown promise in treating a variety of degenerative disorders, ranging from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to Strokes.

They’re even seeing use in other vision related problems, such as Glaucoma.

While the latest study did not look at the mechanisms underlying the benefits of cannabinoids in Retinitis Pigmentosa, the authors conclude that further research is required.

> Marijuana Stops Vision Loss | Smell the Truth

Feb 13, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Medical Marijuana For Kids Instead of Harsh Treatments (Video)

Medical marijuana for kids is a touchy subject at the moment because of cannabis’ history as a schedule 1 drug.

Many people are still informing themselves on the topic but those that are experiencing the wonder first hand know that medical marijuana is a viable alternative to harsh treatments.

The evidence speaks for itself and it will only be a matter of time until science echoes what we already know. These Medical Marijuana success stories are now being covered by mainstream media. and although many doctors don’t agree with the treatment some have made a full 180 on the subject like Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Reduction of Seizures From Using Medical Cannabis

Kyung Lah (CNN) reports on a 6-year-old epilepsy patient who has been suffering fewer seizures since taking medical marijuana.

7 Year Old Girl Uses Medical Marijuana to Treat Cancer

A little girl with a rare form of cancer in Oregon uses medical marijuana as part of her treatment.

Medical Marijuana Used To Treat Autism In Children

Parents decide to use cannabis to treat their autistic son.

Jan 22, 2014Jun 17, 2016

How Cannabis Can Benefit Athletic Performance and Recovery

Many world-class athletes have been penalized for smoking cannabis, but science suggests it could be the smarter choice.

At the start of 2014, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that he might be open to allowing injured players to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal.

A number of top athletes in the NFL, along with various other sports leagues, have been known to enjoy cannabis. And there are many good reasons why athletes should be allowed to use the substance without fear of consequences.

It’s a Safer Way of Managing Pain

Marijuana’s potential to relieve pain has been noted by many players in the NFL, and was also acknowledged by their commissioner.

As former Denver Broncos player Nate Jackson explained to The Denver Post,

NFL players live in a great deal of pain on a daily basis, and marijuana helps with that.

Teams pass out opioid painkillers, which are highly addictive. And that can affect a player long after they are done playing.

Marijuana doesn’t have those types of effects.

It Doesn’t Harm Lung Function

One might wonder why athletes would be okay with smoking cannabis, considering the importance of lung health in professional sports.

But the largest study ever to investigate this effect, published in 2012, helps to explain why.

The 20-year-long study, which involved over 5,000 adults, concluded that regular marijuana smoking (a joint a day for 7 years or a joint a week for 20 years) had no negative impact on lung function.

It May Even Improve Lung Function

On the contrary, the study found evidence of slight improvements in lung capacity for those who smoked cannabis.

The researchers suggest that the traditional method of smoking cannabis, which involves deep inhales, could actually contribute to better lung function over time.

Unlike Alcohol, It Doesn’t Cause Hangovers or Bodily Harm

Banning athletes from using cannabis forces many to turn to alcohol instead, which poses a number of disadvantages.

As former Seattle Seahawks player John Moffitt recently explained:

If you’re an athlete and you’re drinking (alcohol), you’re deteriorating your body far more than if you’re an athlete and you’re using marijuana.

It Aids Recovery and Performance

There are many other reasons why cannabis is so popular among athletes. In fact, some researchers argue that it should remain banned as a performance enhancing drug, due to its long list of benefits.

Writing in Frontiers in Psychiatry, a pair of neuroscientists from Brazil’s University of Sao Paulo provided this summary:

Cannabis smoking can be helpful for some activities such as extreme sports, as it improves muscle relaxation, reduces anxiety, and extincts fear memories (e.g., negative experiences) leading to enhanced performance.

It is also worthwhile to note that cannabis smoking improves sleep time and recovery, which may favor performance when an athlete is facing multiple competitions in a short period of time.

The debate on cannabis as a banned substance has led to recent changes in Olympic drug testing rules as well.

> Top 5 Reasons Why Athletes Prefer Marijuana | Leaf Science

Jan 20, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Cannabis Makes CNN Reporter Giggle During Coverage of Colorado’s Weed Legalization (Video)

In a must-see-to-believe segment in CNN’s “Gone to Pot” series covering the historic legalization of recreational cannabis in Colorado, CNN reporter Randi Kaye interviewed pot entrepreneur “Grandma Barbara” and took a tour of cannabis dispensaries with a few weed enthusiasts.

Her report found her in the back of a limo while several people smoked cannabis, and Kaye can be seen getting increasingly silly as she reported.

Kaye and the tour group visited several dispensaries, picking up cannabis on one stop after another. And while the participants got stoned, Kaye asked them about the benefits of cannabis and captured their delight in being able to legally indulge.

Cooper asked her how extensive her research in the back of the limo was, and Kaye, grinning ear to ear, said, “My brain was a little fuzzy by the time I got out of there.”

Anderson interjected to ask, “Really?”

“Oh yeah, I wasn’t thinking right, Kaye responded. “I couldn’t remember even some of the questions that I wanted to ask in the interview, which has never happened to me when I’m reporting in the field.”

“And I found things to be really funny, much funnier than I normally do, so I think we got a little bit of a contact high there,” she added.

Jan 12, 2014Jan 25, 2018

The Science Behind Acupuncture… And It’s Related to Marijuana (Study)

Acupuncture and medical marijuana have been around for thousands of years. However, they didn’t have a shared connection until a group of outside-the-box thinkers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China discovered one.

Their findings, published online by the National Institutes of Health, show how electro-acupuncture – an electrified version of traditional acupuncture used to treat pain – works by increasing activity of natural painkillers in the body called cannabinoids.

The researchers say they weren’t the first to discover that acupuncture causes an increase in the body’s cannabinoids:

According to the latest reports in the American journal of Nature Neuroscience, acupuncture has been found to cause the human body to release some natural painkillers.

They were, however, the first to explain why. Using rat models of arthritis pain, the researchers found that repeated treatment with electro-acupuncture resulted in an increase in cannabinoid receptors in a part of the brain called the striatum.

That’s where it gets complicated, because the striatum is also full of dopamine cells. Previous studies show that marijuana can increase dopamine as well, and the current study seemed to confirm this. The researchers found that electro-acupuncture also led to an increase in dopamine receptors, but whether dopamine played a part in pain relief was not clear.

Overall, the rats appeared to be in less pain after receiving acupuncture – a treatment that the authors say is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for over 40 disorders.

And if cannabinoids are the reason acupuncture works for pain, then perhaps it’s time the WHO endorsed marijuana as well.

Study Notes

The study was conducted by researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and funded by grants from the National Basic Research Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China , Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project, Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation, and Shanghai Famous TCM academic research project.

The Science of Acupuncture Documentary

Video Description

This is an amazing BBC documentary about acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy.

Acupuncture is a collection of procedures which involves the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques, such as penetrating the skin with needles that are then manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation. It is one of the key components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is among the oldest healing practices in the world.

As part of the documentary, you will see a young women having open heart surgery without any anesthetics, just acupuncture. You will also see how it helps to treat migraines and many other conditions. Millions of people have started to believe that acupuncture works better than conventional medicine . This documentary explains the astonishing healing power of acupuncture and its booming market in the western world.

> Scientists Finally Explain How Acupuncture Works | Truth on Pot

Tag: Medical Marijuana