He is doing research for a pharmeceutical company delving into the medicinal properties of cannabis, now, that doesn't want him posting with the rabble, I think.

We miss him...but wherever he is and whatever he is doing...he is trying to make the properties of the plant...and the plant itself, available to those who need it.

These comments are off topic...

I was vague in my "opinion" of the dangers of legalizing marijuana, and not being under medical supervision. I will be more specific...and more humble..

What are the benefits of a teenager staying on marijuana while weaning himself from hard drugs BUT he's not under a medical supervision team???

Remember he's not under a medical supervision team.

I'm open to reading the pros and cons and learning. (I enjoy research & understand some articles are ridiculously biased.)

warmest regards

I have a friend who suffered with mild depression, which worsened to chronic depression, which turned into bi-polar disease. She admitted herself into a mental institution twice. And, it took two years for the Drs. to stabilize her medication.

The type of adrenal disease I have is the "root problem" to my chronic depression. What with the herbs I'm taking, they will most likely restore & repair the diseased glands and lift the depression.

Yesterday my Dr. told me that Acupuncture immediately relieves depression. I see light at the end of the tunnel.

The statements I made were simply stating some of my concerns. They were statements of opinion and I'm open to learning. I appreciate the feedback you gave me.

warmest regards

That having been said, the effects of cannabis have thus far been found beneficial for treating mental illness including schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar. Different strains have different effects, some are higher in THC and others in CBD, these are the two major identified psychoactive compounds in cannabis. A high THC strain might increase feelings of paranoia if you are prone to it already, whereas a high CBD strain might help you sleep.

If you are currently taking prescribed medications, do not discontinue or alter your dose without consulting with your doctor. Many psychiatric drugs have serious withdrawal risks, including rebound worsening of your condition. They must be tapered carefully when withdrawn, and this should be done only under medical supervision.

Cannabis is an herb, itself.

I never heard that chronic depression could lead to bipolar, either. Some people who are depressed are pretty much always depressed...but they don't get the opposite, manic effect that bi-polar patients have to endure. One doesn't "lead" to the other any more than measles leads to mumps, as far as I've ever known.

Maybe I'm wrong, but what you are saying sounds wrong.

I hope that you can get your health restored.

The so-called "dangers" you associate with cannabis are unsubstantiated and are highly questionable since they just haven't been observed in the real world, despite millions of users over thousands of years.

I hope you get your medicine without threat of jail, but please don't regurgitate government drug war propaganda as fact. It's just going to hurt your ability to get your medicine when you help spread the governments lies.

We used to have the honor of having Dr. Ethan Russo post here. He's one of the leading experts in cannabis as medicine and a Neurologist, and he never talked about these so-called dangers you write about.

No offense, but he knows more than all of us, including you, and I believe him.

Stick around for a while, do a little research on your own, and see if you still feel the way you currently do.

It's very very dangerous to legalize marijuana, without issuing a strong warning, that one must be under a medical Drs. supervision. But I do hope marijuana gets legalized for medical purposes.

I suffer from an adrenal disease (curable). My adrenals are in a chronic state of deterioration and I'm quite ill. I'm under medical supervision, using herbs that will probably restore and repair the adrenal gland - provided that - there aren't any other diseases present. I suffer from chronic bouts of depression, which is extremely debilitating.

I've never smoked marijuana. I'm not comfortable taking a risk in trying various strands of marijuana b'c I don't know how marijuana could possibly have a chemical reaction with my medicinal herbs. Marijuana could lessen the potency of the herbs, which could be detrimental to the healing process time table. And, I just want to get better .. the faster the better...

Also, chronic depression can lead to bipolar. I don't even know if I'm bipolar! This issue hasn't been addressed by my medical doctor and maybe it should be addressed.

All's I know is that I just want to get better...

I empathize with those who are on marijuana and are crying out for compassion...

Marijuana is illegal in my State.

Are there Medical Doctors who comment on this message board?

warmest regards

IMO, these latest claims from the UK are much ado about nothing. It’s well known that CBD has anxiolytic properties and that THC (and it’s primary active metabolite 11-OH-THC) is psychoactive and can at times, be very psychoactive; that’s one of the reason Sativex has a 1 to 1 THC to CBD ratio. It’s also been documented that chronic use of cannabis may have a negative impact on a minority of the population pre-disposed to certain mental illnesses (though I've just got my hands on a new study from the UK, "A comparison of symptoms of family history in schizophrenia with and without prior cannabis use," contradicting this notion), so upon first glance this is hardly alarming "news". Moreover, as I've argued before (See below) such risks, when proven, only add to the argument in favor of regulation:

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6798 Cannabis, Mental Health and Context: The Case For Regulation by Paul Armentano Senior Policy Analyst NORML | NORML Foundation Updated November 1, 2006

“If there does exist a minority population of citizens who may be genetically prone to potential harms from cannabis (such as, possibly, those predisposed to schizophrenia), then a regulated system would best identify and educate this sub-population to pot's potential risks so that they may refrain from its use, if they so choose.

To draw a real world comparison, millions of Americans safely use ibuprofen as an effective pain reliever. However, among a minority of the population who suffer from liver and kidney problems, ibuprofen presents a legitimate and substantial health risk. However, this fact no more calls for the criminalization of ibuprofen among adults than do the Drug Czar's half-baked claims, even if true, call for the current prohibition of cannabis.”

May 1, 2007

Washington, DC -- Totally awesome brain scans freak reporters out. Does sex "damage" the brain too?

While brain scans can contribute a great deal to our understanding of mental illness, addiction and how the brain works ordinarily, their effects on journalists are not so positive. Take the lead of this story by the AP, covering a study of marijuana:

“New findings on marijuana's damaging effect on the brain show the drug triggers temporary psychotic symptoms in some people, including hallucinations and paranoid delusions, doctors say.”

As anyone who has ever smoked marijuana or watched a Cheech and Chong movie could tell you: “Duh!” The fact that marijuana produces paranoia and hallucinations temporarily is not exactly headline-making. And calling this a “damaging effect on the brain” is misleading: damage implies permanent, detrimental changes; the brain scans in question show only a moment in time when the subjects were high, not what happened afterwards. By the same token, eating chocolate, having sex, or going for a run could all be classified as having a “damaging” effect on the brain.

Which is why it’s important to note when covering brain scan-based research that a “change” in the brain isn’t necessarily a bad thing: learning, falling in love, seeing, hearing and virtually any other experience can be expected to cause changes in the brain. If something doesn’t cause a change, it hasn’t been remembered or experienced. The tricky part is determining what brain changes mean.

The study in question did find interesting things about the areas of the brain affected by marijuana. But the AP claimed that it “provides physical evidence of the drug's damaging influence on the human brain,” which is simply not a conclusion that can be drawn from this data. Scanning someone’s brain while they are under the influence of a drug tells us nothing about what that brain is like when they are not under the influence.

This study looked at users while they were high, so it cannot offer any information about after-effects. Only a study that scanned the same people repeatedly over a long period of time could do that. Journalists need to understand what brain scans can and cannot prove, especially as such data moves from the lab into the courtroom and legal system.

It's medication time... How do their precious pharmeceuticls affect the brain?