North of the (US) border it’s possible to get medical marijuana from the government if you have a “grave or debilitating disease.”
Here’s a report on a group of such patients who reported relief from smoking or taking marijuana by mouth.
Category Archives: Marijuana (Cannabinoids)
Cannabis and the risk of panic attacks
Cannabis (marijuana) dependence is associated with an increased risk of panic attacks.
More than 4000 Colorado adults participated in a study of the lifetime associations between cannabis use, abuse, and dependence, and the risk of panic attacks.
Marijuana and morning sickness
The message couldn’t be clearer.
- Smoking during pregnancy puts mother’s and baby’s life at risk.
- If all pregnant women stopped smoking, there would be an estimated 10% reduction in infant deaths.
- Complications of smoking during pregnancy include ectopic pregnancy, placenta previa, and placental abruption.
- Smoking increases the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and severe vaginal bleeding.
Yet, somebody in The Vancouver Compassion Society thought it was a good idea to conduct a study of marijuana smoking to treat morning sickness.
Study disputes the role of marijuana on subsequent drug abuse
The “gateway theory” says that each type of drug is associated with certain specific risk factors that can lead to subsequent drug abuse. For example, cigarettes or alcohol lead to marijuana, which leads to cocaine, etc.
A study by Dr. Ralph Tarter from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that environmental factors have a stronger influence on which type of substance is used. For example, if it’s easier for a teens to get marijuana than beer, then they will be more likely to smoke pot.
Continue reading Study disputes the role of marijuana on subsequent drug abuse
A synthetic cannabinoid might improve fertility in some smokers
Most tobacco smokers have a decline in fertility. In some the decline is significant.
A study presented during the 2006 American Society of Reproductive Medicine meeting reported that for smokers who can’t quit, a synthetic cannabinoid called AM-1346 might improve their fertilizing capacity.
Here’s what they did.
Continue reading A synthetic cannabinoid might improve fertility in some smokers
An alternative delivery system for tetrahydrocannabinol
The Food and Drug Administration issued a statement in April that no sound scientific studies support the medicinal use of marijuana for treatment. This lead to a seemingly endless list of editorials and articles assailing the FDA for political bias – here, here, here, here, and here.
You get the message.
Back on earth…
Continue reading An alternative delivery system for tetrahydrocannabinol
A little known fact in the marijuana debate
Our very unscientific survey suggests so far that the second most commonly requested entry to this site is marijuana. Believe me, I’m looking.
In the mean time, here’s a “little known fact” about marijuana from Medical Marijuana ProCon.org.
Continue reading A little known fact in the marijuana debate
Negative effects of marijuana on young adulthood
The use of marijuana early in life increases the risk of less adequate performance on some developmental tasks that are important to becoming an independent young adult.
More than 1000 African American and Puerto Rican young people completed questionnaires in their classrooms. Five years later they were each interviewed.
Early users of marijuana were more likely to have the following experiences.
Continue reading Negative effects of marijuana on young adulthood
Effect of sublingual cannabinoids on glaucoma
Six people with early primary open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were treated with a single dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 5 mg (Delta-9-THC), cannabidiol (CBD) 20 mg and 40 mg, and placebo placed under the tongue on separate occasions.
Here are the results.
Continue reading Effect of sublingual cannabinoids on glaucoma
Good news about marijuana
Cannabidiol not effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia
Here is another in our ongoing series on recent marijuana-related medical research.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major product of the marijuana plant. It lacks marijuana’s psychological effects, and it has been suggested that CBD might be effective as an antipsychotic. The aim of this study was to investigate the response to CBD in treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Continue reading Cannabidiol not effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia
Lack of a direct association between marijuana and lung cancer
A newly published review in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms what has been known since 1988. Epidemiological and clinical data do not show a direct cause and effect relationship between marijuana smoking and the development of lung cancer.
Possible reasons that studies detect lung damage but not cancer in marijuana smokers include the young age of the smokers studied, the small number of people included in each study, and the lack of long-term monitoring.
What was found in marijuana smokers included the following:
- The lungs are exposed to tar (the solid residue of tobacco smoke containing byproducts of combustion)
- The macrophage cells in the alveoli (the oxygen exchange cells) that should protect against noxious substances do not work properly
- There is increased oxidative stress
- Cells in the bronchi (the air passages) show an increase in abnormal and precancerous findings
Since some bronchial cell changes appear to be precancerous, an increased risk of cancer among frequent marijuana smokers is possible.
7/15/06 14:20 JR
Cannabis club banned at Fisherman’s Warf
This site reported previously about the growing resistance to medical cannabis clubs in San Francisco. Apparently, it is having an effect.
Now, The New York Times reports, “Marijuana cannot be sold alongside the cracked crab and souvenirs of Fisherman?s Wharf, the San Francisco Planning Commission decided late Thursday.” One commissioner stated, “the neighborhood was adamantly opposed to the dispensary?.
The cracked crabs will appeal.
7/14/06 09:30 JR