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cannabis plantWeed as Medicine
(Weed = Cannabis, Marijuana.)picture
cannabis plant
Isn't it illegal?
People with a wide range of complaints have successfully applied and have been granted special licenses from various governments in countries worldwide on medical grounds - allowing legal status to posses and use marijuana as medicine legally and without fear of arrest.
Typical usage:
Many people around the world suffer innumerable painful illnesses, some symptoms of which can be helped immensely by the use of alternative medicine, -Weed (marijuana) is one of the most effective and versatile medicines in the world. Marijuana has long been used to relieve complaints such as arthritis, chronic-pains and high blood pressure to name a few. It can be ingested (eaten), prepared hot or cold as tea, or smoked if preferred.
Medicinal Marijuana (cannabis)
Cannabinoids are molecules unique to the cannabis plant.
There are over 60 such cannabinoids in the plant including 9
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 9-THC Propyl Analogue (THC-V), Cannabidiol (CBD),
Cannabidiol Propyl Analogue (CBD-V), Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabichromene (CBC),
Cannabichromene Propyl Analogue (CBC-V) and Cannabigerol (CBG).
THC is the cannabinoid that has to date received most attention both from the
scientific community and the general public. However, THC and other
cannabinoids have been shown to have analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-convulsant,
anti-tremor, anti-psychotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic and
appetite-stimulant properties. Research is ongoing into the neuroprotective
and immunomodulatory effects of cannabinoids.
Therapeutic Cannabis Users & the Law
There have recently been a number of high-profile cases involving the
prosecution of therapeutic users of cannabis: the memorandum by the Alliance
for Cannabis Therapeutics (ACT) (p. 26) has highlighted a number of them. The
decision to prosecute, taken by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), does not
seem to be consistent from region to region. Moreover, in some cases, juries
have acquitted therapeutic users who do not deny the offence, but plead
therapeutic use in mitigation; in other cases, defendants have been found
guilty and sentenced.
Ministers sought to deny that therapeutic cannabis users were subject to
"postcode prosecuting". They stressed that the number of therapeutic
users who were prosecuted was extremely small when compared to the total of
89,000 cases involving cannabis in 1998.[10] He also said that the variation
in the outcome of cases for therapeutic users was less than for other
offences, including the recreational use of cannabis. The number of cases of
therapeutic users of cannabis being prosecuted is certainly small. Exact
statistics are difficult to obtain, however, as the Home Office does not
maintain a record of those prosecuted for cannabis use who claim therapeutic
use as a defence.
The Minister further said that he had no intention of changing the current
position, whereby the decision whether or not to prosecute for
cannabis-related offences is made locally by the Police and the CPS. He did,
however, emphasise that discretion could be exercised at three levels of the
prosecution process: by the Police; by the CPS; and by the Courts. Guidelines
issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on dealing with
cannabis offences specifically refer to therapeutic use, and recommend that a
caution is usually appropriate; the CPS guidelines require that any
prosecution should be in the public interest; and the Court of Appeal issues
guidance that the possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use can
often be met by a fine.
(Therapeutic
Uses of Cannabis - March 2001)
AIDS Wasting Syndrome
Arthritis
Brain Injury/Stroke
Multiple Sclerosis
Nausea associated with cancer Chemotherapy
Anti-Tumor Effects
Asthma
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Schizophrenia
Migraine
Eating Disorders
General Pain
AIDS Wasting Syndrome
AIDS wasting syndrome, a common and often fatal outcome of HIV infection, is
defined as the involuntary loss of 10 percent of body weight or more that is
not attributable to other disease processes. It is critical for HIV and AIDS
patients to maintain a healthy appetite and body weight to avoid opportunistic
infections. Medical cannabis appears to help counter the appetite loss,
nausea, and pain associated with HIV and AIDS and their commonly prescribed
medications. Presently, medical organizations specializing in AIDS research
are some of strongest advocates for legalizing medical cannabis, calling it
"potentially lifesaving medicine".
Arthritis
Arthritis refers to any more than 100 inflammatory joint disorders
characterized by pain, swelling, and limited movement. Arthritis involves the
inflammation and degeneration of cartilage and bone that make up the joint.
Experts estimate that more than 31 million people in the United States alone
suffer from various degrees of the disease. Common forms of arthritis are
osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Emerging evidence implies that
cannabis can help alleviate symptoms of both conditions.
Cannabis' pain reducing properties are well documented and emerging evidence
indicates that it holds anti-inflammatory qualities. Dale Gieringer, author of
the paper "Review of Human Studies on the Medical Use of Marijuana,"
cites three animal and laboratory studies documenting cannabis' potential
anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, a 1988 study by an British research
team found the cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) ameliorated inflammation in mice.
Brain Injury/Stroke
Emerging research indicates that cannabinoids possess neuroprotective
properties (1,2). Researchers at the National Institutes for Mental Health (NIMH)
demonstrated in 1998 that the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are
potent anti-oxidants in animals. (3) Doctors rely on anti-oxidants to protect
stroke and head trauma victims from exposure to toxic levels of reactive
molecules, so-called "free radicals", that are produced when the
brain's blood supply is cut off. Head injuries and strokes cause the release
of excessive glutamate, often resulting in irreversible damage to brain cells.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease affecting the central nervous system. MS
exacerbations appear to be caused by abnormal immune activity that causes
inflammation and the destruction of myelin (the protective covering of nerve
fibers) in the brain, brain stem or spinal cord. Common symptoms of MS include
muscle spasms, depression, and incontinence (involuntary loss of urine) or
urinary retention.
In a 1998 review article published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review,
Drs. Linda Growing et al. observed that the distribution of cannabinoid
receptors in the brain suggests that they may play a role in movement control.
The authors hypothesized that cannabinoids might modify the autoimmune cause
of the disease. If so, it is possible that cannabis may both relieve symptoms
of MS and retard its progression.
Nausea associated with cancer
chemotherapy
A large body of clinical research exists concerning the use of cannabis and
cannabinoids for chemotherapy- induced nausea and vomiting. A review of the
medical literature reveals at least 31 human clinical trials examining the
effects of cannabis or synthetic cannabinoids on nausea, not including several
U.S. state trails that took place between 1978 and 1986. In reviewing this
literature, Hall et al. concluded that "… THC
[delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol] is superior to placebo, and equivalent in
effectiveness to other widely-used anti-emetic drugs, in its capacity to
reduce the nausea and vomiting caused by some chemotherapy regimens in some
cancer patients".
Anti-Tumor Effects
Emerging research indicates that cannabinoids may help protect against the
development of certain types of tumors. Most recently, a Spanish research team
reported in Nature that injections of synthetic THC eradicated malignant brain
tumors - so-called gliomas - in one-third of treated rats, and prolonged life
in another third by as much as six weeks. Team leader Manuel Guzman called the
results "remarkable" and speculated that they "may provide a
new therapeutic approach for the treatment of malignant gliomas". An
accompanying commentary remarked that this was the first convincing study to
demonstrate that cannabis-based treatment may combat cancer. Other journals
have also recently reported on cannabinoids' anti-tumoral potential.
Asthma
Asthma is a breathing disorder caused by inflammation and swelling of the
small airways (bronchioles) that afflicts some 10 million Americans, killing
more than 4,000 annually. When the bronchioles become inflamed, swollen, and
filled with mucus, the airways constrict and patients have difficulty
breathing. Asthma attacks are typically treated with "bronchodilators,"
drugs that relax and open the bronchioles, or anti-inflammatory steroids to
reduce swelling.
The Australian National Task Force on Cannabis determined, "Smoked
cannabis, and to a lesser extent oral THC, have an acute bronchodilatory
effect in both normal persons and persons with asthma". A handful
of human studies demonstrate this effect, including one that showed smoking
even low THC cannabis produced bronchodilation nearly equivalent to a clinical
dose of isoproterenol. The House of Lords 1998 "Ninth Report" on
cannabis acknowledged that cannabinoids seemed to work as effectively as
conventional asthma drug treatments. Experiments using oral THC produced a
smaller bronchodilator effect after a substantial delay, and proved to be a
bronchial irritant when administered as an aerosol.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that afflicts nearly 2.5 million
Americans. Patients suffering from epilepsy experience periodic, recurrent
seizures triggered by the misfiring of certain brain cells. These seizures
occur in various forms, ranging from mild to severe convulsions and loss of
consciousness. Standard treatment for epilepsy involves anti-convulsants.
While there are several studies and references by the Institute of Medicine,
House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, Australian National Task
Force on Cannabis, and others regarding cannabis' anti-convulsant properties,
there are few human studies specific to epilepsy.
A double blind controlled study on the effects of the marijuana compound
cannabidiol (CBD) on epilepsy yielded favorable results. "Fifteen
patients suffering from secondary generalized epilepsy with temporal focus
were randomly divided into two groups. Each patient received, in a
double-blind procedure, 200-300 mg daily of CBD or placebo. … All patients
and volunteers tolerated CBD very well and no signs of toxicity or serious
side effects were detected on examination. Four of the eight CBD subjects
remained almost free of convulsive crises throughout the experiment and three
other patients demonstrated partial improvement on their clinical
condition".
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disorder that results from an imbalance of pressure within the
eye. The condition is characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP)
that progressively impairs vision and may lead to permanent blindness.
Glaucoma remains second leading cause of blindness in the United States.
The aim of glaucoma treatment is to reduce interocular pressure. Several human
studies demonstrate that inhaled cannabis lowers IOP in subjects with normal
IOP and glaucoma. Some animal studies indicate that cannabis can also be
effective when administered topically (e.g. as an eye drop.) Two of the eight
legal U.S. medical marijuana patients have used government cannabis to
effectively maintain their eyesight for more than a decade.
Migraine
Migraine is a type of episodic, recurrent, severe headache lasting hours to
days. Migraine is typically accompanied sensitivity to light, intolerance to
loud noises, and nausea or vomiting. Surveys indicate that 15 to 25 percent of
women and five to 10 percent of men suffer from migraine.
A century ago, physicians commonly prescribed cannabis for migraine. Famed
physician William Osler wrote that it was "probably the most satisfactory
remedy" for migraine in his textbook, The Principles and Practice of
Medicine.
Some patients and physicians are once again showing interest in examining
cannabis' potential to treat symptoms of migraine. A recent article in the
medical journal Pain (Journal of the Association for the Study of Pain)
concluded that "cannabis delivered … in the form of a marijuana
cigarette, or 'joint,' presents the hypothetical potential for quick,
effective, parenteral [non-orally administered] treatment of acute
migraine." The author called cannabis a "far safer alternative"
than many prescription anti-migraine drugs, and reported that a large
percentage of migraine sufferers fail to respond or cannot tolerate standard
therapies.
Schizophrenia
Cannabis' impact on patients suffering from schizophrenia is not well
understood and often disputed. The Australian National Task Force on Cannabis
cites anecdotal clinical evidence that "schizophrenic patients who use
cannabis and other drugs experience exacerbations of symptoms, and have a
worse clinical course, with more frequent psychotic episodes than those who do
not". However, the researchers admit that "very few well controlled
studies" have documented this relationship.
In his book Marihuana The Forbidden Medicine, Dr. Lester Grinspoon (with James
Bakalar) cites a pair of studies that found schizophrenic patients who used
cannabis responded better to the disease than nonusers. One study reported
that patients who smoked marijuana had "fewer delusions and, above all,
fewer of the so-called negative symptoms, which include apathy, limited
speech, and emotional unresponsiveness." The other study concluded that
those who used cannabis had a "lower rate of hospital admissions than
those who used no drugs at all. The paticipants said that cannabis helped them
with anxiety, depression, and insomnia." Grinspoon also notes that in his
own clinical experience, schizophrenics who regularly use cannabis generally
regard it as helpful.
Eating Disorders
Survey data beginning in 1970 demonstrated a strong relationship between
inhaling marijuana and increased appetite. This data also found a majority of
cannabis users reporting that "marijuana made them enjoy eating very much
and that they consequently ate a lot more.") Cannabis is also documented
to enhance the sensory appeal of foods.
Several human trials have established cannabis' ability to stimulate food
intake and weight gain in healthy volunteers. Dr. Leo Hollister of the
Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California presided over two
separate experiments that found "total food intake, as well as reports of
hunger and appetite, are increased … after oral administration of
marihuana." A later trial of 27 cannabis smokers and ten controls
concluded that marijuana smokers ate more and gained more weight than
non-smokers after 21 days in a hospital research ward. The cannabis-smoking
group immediately began eating less after ceasing their marijuana use.
General Pain
Pain is a sensation of physical discomfort, mental anguish, or suffering
caused by aggravation of the sensory nerves. It remains the most common
symptom for which patients seek therapeutic relief. Cannabis has historically
been used as an analgesic, and was commonly prescribed by physicians in
England and America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many researchers now
believe that cannabinoids hold promise as safe and effective pain reducers
with no physical-dependence-inducing properties.
Authors of the 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, "Marijuana as
Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," describe three types of pain that
may be ameliorated by cannabinoids: somatic pain, visceral pain, and
neuropathic pain. Researchers appear most interested in examining cannabis'
ability to relieve neuropathic pain, which results from injury to nerves,
peripheral receptors, or the central nervous system, because it is often
resistant to standard opioids.