Cannabis News Media Awareness Project
  Cannabis 'No Better Than Codeine' for Headaches
Posted by FoM on July 05, 2001 at 19:50:00 PT
By Michael Durham, Health Correspondent 
Source: Independent 

medical Cannabis should not be legalised for most pain relief because it is no more effective than codeine painkillers and could lead to severe side-effects, doctors report today.

But the doctors, from Britain and Switzerland, call for more research on using cannabis for chronic pain. They say, in the British Medical Journal, that cannabinoids ­ the active substance ­ have no benefit for people suffering headaches and post-operative pain.

Dr Fiona Campbell, a consultant in pain management at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, said: "This doesn't mean we don't support research into cannabis. We should not be concerned with the general market of headaches. But for chronic and intractable pain there is not much else that works." The study will inflame controversy over proposals to legalise the use of cannabis by patients with illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, nerve damage, spina bifida, spinal injuries and muscle spasms.

Researchers at the pain relief unit at Queen's Medical Centre studied nine clinical trials involving more than 200 patients given cannabinoids in tablet form or by injection. Dr Campbell said cannabinoids were no more effective than codeine in eight of nine trials. Although cannabis may be effective for chronic pain, side-effects were common and sometimes severe.

However, in a second study the Swiss team found evidence that cannabis helped patients overcome the side-effects of cancer treatment by quelling the nausea often caused by chemotherapy.

In all cases the cannabinoids were taken in tablet form or by injection. Patients preferred the cannabinoids to conventional anti-nausea drugs. But there were also potentially serious side effects, including dizziness, depression and hallucinations.

In a British trial, GW Pharmaceuticals is administering cannabis extract by spraying it under patients' tongues. Because of the low dose, patients do not experience the "high" associated with smoking or eating the drug. Participants in the trial suffer from multiple sclerosis, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal injuries and other sources of chronic pain. A GW Pharmaceuticals spokesman said they "are clearly gaining benefit" from the drug.

Newshawk: Jack D.
Source: Independent (UK)
Author: Michael Durham, Health Correspondent
Published: July 6, 2001
Copyright: 2001 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact: letters@independent.co.uk
Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/


Reuter's News Article


Scientists Stub Out Cannabis As Wonderdrug

Cannabis is no better than codeine at controlling pain and a series of undesirable side effects means it has no place at present in mainstream medicine, scientists said on Friday.

After trawling through 39 past clinical studies on its use in easing pain and nausea, two groups of researchers writing in the British Medical Journal poured cold water on the idea that cannabis was a neglected wonderdrug.

``It hasn't turned out to be a great success. There are, at the moment, much better alternatives,'' Eija Kalso, associate professor in the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Helsinki University Hospital, told Reuters.

Future research might provide better cannabinoids -- the active substances in cannabis -- which could help treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and nerve damage pain, but current information suggested adverse effects outweighed the benefits, she said.

``On current evidence cannabinoids can be recommended only for use in controlled clinical trials in carefully selected conditions for which there is no effective treatment,'' Kalso concluded in an editorial in the magazine.

Interest in the therapeutic use of cannabis has grown recently, and patient groups in a number of countries have called for freer availability. Thousands of MS sufferers are already breaking the law by buying the drug from street dealers.

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc, a recently listed British company which aims to develop the world's first cannabis-based medicines, is currently conducting trials to try to prove the value of cannabis extracts in treating MS and cancer pain.

Side Effects

Fiona Campbell of the Pain Management Centre at Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, England -- who led the study on pain -- said cannabinoids compared poorly with modern medicines in controlling acute pain.

Furthermore, there were many adverse effects -- including cognitive impairment, psychosis, blurred vision and palpitations -- which limited its use.

Campbell said carefully selected cannabis derivatives might yet help some MS patients or those with complex pain, but more research was needed before it was put into clinical use.

``You can't have the process in reverse -- you cannot introduce something into clinical practice and then see whether it's helpful afterwards,'' she said in a telephone interview.

Martin Tramer of Hopitaux Universitaires in Geneva, head of the second research group, had slightly more encouraging results in looking at treatment for chemotherapy-related sickness.

His team, analysing studies involving more than 1,300 patients, found cannabinoids were more effective than some conventional drugs but concluded that potentially serious side effects would limit widespread use.

``The really important point is that where we have good alternatives, we should not use cannabis, which is not as effective and also causes adverse effects,'' said Kalso.

Newshawk: Ryan P.
Source: Reuters
Author: Ben Hirschler, European Pharmaceuticals Correspondent
Published: Thursday, July 5, 2001
Copyright: 2001 Reuters Unlimited

Related Articles & Web Sites:

British Medical Journal
http://www.bmj.com/

Introduction To Cannabis-Based Medicines
http://www.gwpharm.com/cann_index.html

Pot of Gold - Daily Telegraph (UK)
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10140.shtml

Cannabis-Grower GW to Float with £175m Tag
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10124.shtml

CannabisNews Articles - GW Pharmaceuticals
http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=GW+Pharmaceuticals


Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help

 
Comment #20 posted by brandon e on July 28, 2001 at 20:29:48 PT
i'm using codeine
i'm using codeine because i had fractured my wrist in football. i'm 14 years old. and this stuff makes me sick to my stomach on a good day. but does help the pain go away tremendously.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #19 posted by New Mexican on July 06, 2001 at 22:22:55 PT
Opiates vs. Cannabis
My experience: After falling asleep at the wheel, (the day I finished installing a spiral staircase in Paul and Lindas'
Arizona home), I guess I had burnt the candle at both ends,
Dominos' delivery at night, construction by day. Anyway, I hit the concrete base at the bottom of a large sign dead on at 50+ mph. After breaking every bone in my face, collarbone, crushed wrist, rib, lacerated liver, etc. my music loving surgeon took a keen interest in my experimental facial reconstruction. As a graduate medical doctor, he took me off the morphine and onto codeine/tylenol
and then cannabis. The morphine was great for pain, but did little as my collarbone knitted. Constipation was the worst side effect and of course, withdrawals. The codeine minimized any withdrawals and as my mouth was wired shut for 3 months, they didn't want me vomiting. After a few renewals of my codeine script, he suggested cannabis. Fortunately he had access to the best and the rest is history. I healed completely and quickly! Twenty years later, I have yet to see a doctor for anything. (I do go to my chiropractor 2 or 3 times a year) My surgery was succesful (they made me look the same way I did before the accident) and my recovery complete, with the help of a compassionate physician and Lady Cannabis, I experienced the miracle of Gods healing gift to mankind.
Of course, I knew of it's powers before my 'accident', but it was nice to have a medical professional prescribe the medicine that was best for me. Don't be fooled, doctors already know the benefits of cannabis and have for years, but you know how the gravy train goes! I wish I still had that copy of my chiropractic grandfathers' book of healing herbs. When I was sixteen, I looked up cannabis indica, and cannabis sativa, and it listed all the uses...the ones that stand out in my mind now are the ones for children and pregnant mothers. Colds, flus, menstration, headaches, sight, poultices for infections are just a few of the remedies listed. That day changed my life as I now knew the truth though a publication from the early 1900's. All the Sonny and Cher anti-pot/acid films were to me the same then as they are to the kids of today...pure lies and hogwash!
Cannabis is superior medicine period and I don't need to find out from a study... I am the research subject and I know through my own subjective research shat the effects are and that is enough for me. Codeine sucked by the way, morphine eliminated the pain but I couldn't wait til I didn't need it so my body could continue its normal functions. My body loves Cannabis though, as does my mind and soul. But that's me! Just thought I'd share that!


[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #18 posted by FoM on July 06, 2001 at 16:07:37 PT
Codeine
Has anyone ever even thought of taking a prescription codeine pill if you were nauseated? It makes me feel sick just thinking about it. Codeine has it's place but so should cannabis.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #17 posted by John Masterson on July 06, 2001 at 15:46:50 PT:

Lack of superiority no reason to discount cannabis

No "approved, legal drug" needs to demonstrate superiority in order to be approved by the medical establishment. It need only show effectiveness with tolerable side effects.

Cannabis clearly fits these criteria.


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #16 posted by SWAMPIE on July 06, 2001 at 14:42:08 PT
VIKIES/DOOBIES.....
I MUST BE THE---MAAANNN--IINNNN----THE----JAARRRR!!!!!!! ALEX HARVEY,RIP SWAMPIE

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #15 posted by Dan Hillman on July 06, 2001 at 12:00:42 PT
Marijuana is as good as codeine for headaches.
...is another way to look at this article.

"No better than"? Hell, opiates are the pre-eminent pain reliever known to medicine.

This is high praise for the cannabis plant!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #14 posted by Doug on July 06, 2001 at 09:10:04 PT
Injection?
In this study they injected cannabis, but I wonder how. Back in the Nineteenth Century morphine became the pain reliever of choice over cannabis because it was water soluble and could be injected, whereas cannabis was fat-soluble (which is why its byproducts stay around in the body for a long time). So I wonder what they had to do to cannabis to make it injectable, and how that alteration effected the results.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #13 posted by kaptinemo on July 06, 2001 at 07:38:51 PT:

Many thanks for the kind words
The way I figure, if we can't laugh at the insanity we are stuck in, the antis have won. By turning us into the same mentally-deficient, humorless, bitter, alcoholic, work-work-work industrial drones that they have allowed themselves to become, and demand others follow suit.

But if you've ever seen a rabbit stricken with tularemia, you'll know that my analogy was even more apt. It's an awful sight.

And that antis think they can pass off the scientific equivalent as being legitimate research is doubly sickening. Not to mention insulting to the intelligence of everyone who has an IQ above room temperature.

Ah, but then we must consider the source, right?



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by Dan B on July 06, 2001 at 06:30:35 PT:

My Surgery Experience
Personal Testimonial: Three years ago I had a surgery to correct a reproductive problem. It was a fairly invasive outpatient surgery, and as it was my first such surgery (I had a tracheotomy as a baby, but don't remember it, and this was far more invasive than a simple tonsillectomy), it was quite painful after the general anesthesia wore off.

The doctors gave me hydrocodone for the pain. I tried it for about a day and a half, found that it had little effect, and opted for plan B: cannabis. The cannabis worked, and I believe I know why. While the hydrocodone was designed to relieve pain (it did not) without elevating mood (that evil euphoria); the cannabis both relieved my pain and elevated my mood. It made me more confident to begin my recovery--which consisted of first standing, then walking, then walking more. I was on my feet and teaching at the university, abeit gingerly, within a week, and I recovered fully. The surgery, by the way, was a success.

So, from my own experience, I know that cannabis works better than the little pills they give you at the doctor's office. Others have told me that people actually sell hydrocodone on the black market. I can't for the life of me figure out why. As far as I can tell, it's a synthetic opiate (not an actualy distillate like codeine, but intended to work similarly), and not a very good one at that. Cannabis works far better.

Dan B

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by m segesta on July 06, 2001 at 06:17:59 PT:

Oh, Capt. Also..............
I was so into my fantasies of rabbits driving the Elmer McFudd-like anti's of this world crazy, I forgot: You make an excellent point as injection of cannabis does seem on odd route of administration, even in a medical study.

While I am willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt and assume injection was used because the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics that result from such a route more closely approximate those produced by smoking, which no respectable physician would allow in these days of the "Safety Nazis", I think you're right here about the indisious and likely subconscious association with the stereotypical "drug addict" who simply would not be himself, in our culture, without a needle or two.

Wouldn't a fair minded researcher, or a reporter discussing the researcher's findings, at least mention that injection is a very atypical way of using cannabis or its extracts?

I don't know. It's all very mentally taxing, so I am going to sit down a smoke a giant.....a giant, er, carrot?

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by m segesta on July 06, 2001 at 06:05:41 PT:

O My captain........
Captain --

What wonderful muse has inspired thee today, to pen such mellifluous prose - words that magically transform the anti under your hat into a rabbit, albeit a tularemic one? I love the way this sounds, the images it evokes, and the oh-so-apt metaphor of a bunch of antis as a den (or sickroom?) of infected rabbits. It's all just so....well, so fitting.

Thanks for leaving me with an image that will make me chuckle all day. Later today, when I am in court listening to some undercover cop perjure himself in the usual fashion -- invoking a formal and stiff argot, full of inappropriate polysyllabic words, as in "he traversed the traffic lane" for "he changed lanes", in an effort to endow his perjury with some credibility -- I will only see big rabbit ears behind the witness box and I will laugh. And when the judge yells at me for chuckling at the officer, I am afraid, my friend, I will have to tell him it's your fault. Maybe then I could offer the cop a carrot?

Is this what the anti's mean when they talk of replacing prisons and absurd mandatory minimums with a "new" approach of a "carrot and stick"?

Or maybe I'll just tell the judge it's the fault of your muse? Only thing is, how should I identify ol' Bugs to his honor?

M

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by kaptinemo on July 06, 2001 at 05:35:36 PT:

One more thing
The Finnish government is not exactly renowned as being open-minded regarding cannabis research, and even less so with regards to it's populace using it. Unfortunately, just like it's Swedish neighbor, the hallmark of it's drug policy is rabidly executed prohibition. To expect a Finnish doctor in the employ of their health system to conclude that cannabis has medicinal value would be the equivalent of Leshner suddenly discovering he has a duty to tell the truth to the American people, and not lie for a paycheck.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #8 posted by kaptinemo on July 06, 2001 at 05:16:27 PT:

Not being a biologist, I have to wonder
But being a political animal, I have no doubts. This is bilge.

It seems that whenever any headway is made concerning re-legalizing cannabis, by some 'twist of fate' - more like a judicious application of bull from our opposition - another 'study' is trotted out purporting to disprove cannabis' medical efficacy. But careful examination of the study reveals typical anti attempts at dissembling.

You might recall not too long ago we were 'graced' with another similar 'study' purporting to prove cannabis' latent addictive abilities. A study blessed by that arch-Lysenkoist Leshner. Monkeys supposedly received cannabinoids via injection - after first becoming addicted to intravenously injected cocaine.

Now, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that an animal addicted to something as cocaine would happily tap whatever lever gave blessed relief from the screamingly raw-edged result of cocaine withdrawal symptoms.

But of course, that tiny, inconsequential detail was buried half-way through the press release. Perhaps they were counting on the fabled short memory span of your average doper to overlook such a glaring fault in their methodology?

No matter; we caught it dead-on.

Just like this one. Injecting cannabinoids? When it's so very obvious that the most common means of administration is inhalation? Hardly sound methodology.

But there is a reason to their madness: the forced and unnatural association between harder injected drugs...and cannabis.

The Observer is far more knowledgable about the mechanics of propaganda than I am. He would know precisely what term to use. But in my estimation what's happening here is the same old gambit: sucker the vast majority of people into believeing that cannabis is as dangerous as more socially unacceptable drugs as heroin, by associating its' means of delivery with them.

Heroin is injected, right?

(Never mind the fact that, thanks to the economic pressures exerted by prohibition, a new, more potent and smokable form of the drug is now available; a form which has caused more people to become addicted to it than ever before. More unintended consequences of poorly thought out drug law. Thanks, you anti dim-wits!)

Well, now, so is cannabis! And if we don't watch out, we'll see dangerous cannabis addicts shooting up and robbing little old ladies of their Social Security checks for, uh, uhm, Twinky fixes! Yeah, that's right! Twinky fixes! (segue to typical Anslingerian propaganda drivel which I won't nauseate you with, but you get the drift.)

I suppose we should be happy, though. Because whenever we strike a nerve, the antis pull this kind of mangey, tularemia riddled rabbit out of their hats. They are scraping the bottom of the barrel so hard, they came up with splinters. Poor antis.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #7 posted by April on July 06, 2001 at 05:16:26 PT:

Stupid People ,,
First off,, we ALL know that CODEINE isn't USED for HEADACHES or MIGRAINS, VICODIN works BEST for the BOTH of those, so why was the money wasted on the STUDIES for that?? Why is our MONEY being spent UNWISELY??

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #6 posted by Crap on July 06, 2001 at 04:55:16 PT
This article is garbage
I suffer frm severe headaches every day. It sucks. Fortunately that come around noon and leave around 7 so I can live my life, but some days they last all day or even for a few days on end. After numerous trips to the doctor they finally prescribed hydrocodeine (vicodin) for them. I can't even tell you the stupidity of it all. Smoke a couple hits and still feel a little pain or take this pill and get knocked out and incapacitated. This world is backwards when someone wants to get better by helping themselves.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #5 posted by m segesta on July 06, 2001 at 03:57:46 PT:

I DOUBT codeine is as effective as MJ in heajdache
for people who already must use high dose opioids on a chrnonic basis for other pain, i.e., pain clinic patients. We get headaches, even migraines, too, you know? Wonder what Dr. R thinks about this?

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on July 05, 2001 at 22:07:57 PT
Looking good in red, mate!
Hey Swampie, sure look real cool too! Maybe Johnson would join the trend... http://cannabisnews.com/news/register.shtml

Man, injecting anything can kill anyone for that matter!

@least with smoked buds, worse can happen is that you fell asleep! It is interesting to note that the side effect are sure alot better than the side effect from ProzacWeekly!

\/
ff


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 05, 2001 at 21:58:30 PT
My Feelings
Codeine does help serious pain like if you break an arm or are in a serious car accident etc. Pain that is fleeting can be maintained with Cannabis. Codeine is highly addictive. It has a terrible withdrawal. You can stop using Cannabis and maybe get a little fussy but nothing more then that. Cannabis has a way of removing you from your pain. You are aware that you have pain but it makes it seem not so important. You can get on with your life much better. I hope this makes sense.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by SWAMPIE on July 05, 2001 at 21:14:33 PT
CANNADEINE,WHY NOT???
As a longtime cannabis user,I can certainly understand that a first time user could easily hallucinate from an overdose of it,especially if they are being injected with it.They need to vaporize it and let the patient be the one to tell them when they have felt relief from the symptoms.I do not smoke/vaporize every day,am not in any way addicted to it,but used to go through at least an ounce a week.It is not addictive!This is junk-science if these reaserchers do not allow an experienced cannabis user to help them to set up a proper regimen of treatment.Unless the doctor has used cannabis,and knows the strength of the herb that he is giving to the patient,by smoking a sample for himself,he has NO idea what the effect will be!Some will make you sleep,some will make you silly,some will make you want to run around the block!Anyone who has tried a diverse amount of varieties of cannabis can attest to that!Eat one too many brownies,and you'll find a gravity-hole,sure as hell!Most good herb only needs 1-2 inhalations to give the desired effect.How about the equivalent of 10 joints in an injection?I'd be found up on top of the windmill,singin'Zappa tunes,with a bottle of Night Train!You'd have to fly up to get me down!!!!LOLThese doctors don't have a clue......ONWARD THROUGH THE FOG!!!! SWAMPIE

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #1 posted by E. Johnson on July 05, 2001 at 19:58:17 PT
They don't know how to administer it
They gave it by injection or in tablet form -- no wonder it didn't work.

Everyone says smoked cannabis works best, and they're always being proved right by tests like these.

of course the side effects are going to be severe when you have some doctor in a lab coat calculating your dose FOR you and pushing it into your veins with a needle.

Everyone knows that it is very unpleasant to have TOO MUCH THC -- and one way to get too much THC is to have it forced into you by some clueless doctor with a needle full of the stuff with no good idea how much of it you actually need.

The whole point of smoking it is to be able to titrate and get the effective dose.

That way you don't get the side effects. DUH.

[ Post Comment ]


  Post Comment
Name:        Password:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comment:   [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]

Link URL:
Link Title:


Return to Main Menu


So everyone may enjoy this service and to keep it running, here are some guidelines: NO spamming, NO commercial advertising, NO flamming, NO illegal activity, and NO sexually explicit materials. Lastly, we reserve the right to remove any message for any reason!

This web page and related elements are for informative purposes only and thus the use of any of this information is at your risk! We do not own nor are responsible for visitor comments. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings on this site are made available without profit for research and educational purposes. Any trademarks, trade names, service marks, or service names used on this site are the property of their respective owners. Page updated on July 05, 2001 at 19:50:00