Cannabis News The November Coalition
  New Studies Destroy the Last Objection To MMJ
Posted by CN Staff on May 02, 2007 at 05:24:55 PT
By Bruce Mirken, AlterNet 
Source: AlterNet  

medical USA -- Anyone who advocates for medical marijuana sooner or later runs into arguments about smoking: "No real medicine is smoked."

"Smoking is bad for the lungs; why would any doctor recommend something so harmful?" It's a line of reasoning that medical marijuana opponents have used to great effect in Congress, state legislatures, and elsewhere. Indeed, the FDA's controversial 2006 statement opposing medical marijuana was couched in repeated references to "smoked marijuana."

But new research demonstrates that all those fears of "smoked marijuana" as medicine are 100 percent obsolete.

The smoking argument was the closest thing to a scientifically meaningful objection to medical marijuana. While marijuana smoke, unlike tobacco, has never been shown to cause lung cancer, heavy marijuana smoking has been associated with assorted respiratory symptoms and a potentially increased risk of bronchitis. That's because burning any plant material produces a whole lot of substances such as tars, and carbon monoxide that are not good for the lungs.

Nevertheless, inhalation is clearly the best method for administering marijuana's active components, called cannabinoids. Cannabinoids such as THC are fat-soluble molecules that are absorbed slowly and unevenly when taken orally, as in the prescription THC pill Marinol. This means that Marinol typically takes an hour to two hours to work, and dose adjustment is nearly impossible. Patients often report that when it finally kicks in, it hits like a ton of bricks, leaving them too stoned to function.

For that reason, The Lancet Neurology noted a few years ago, "Smoking has been the route of choice for many cannabis users because it delivers a more rapid 'hit' and allows more accurate dose titration." Because the effect is nearly instantaneous, patients can simply take as many puffs as they need, stopping when they've achieved the needed effect without excessive intoxication.

So far, no pharmaceutical product -- not even Sativex, the much-touted marijuana spray now marketed in Canada -- achieves this combination of rapid action and simple, accurate dose adjustment.

Back in 1999, the Institute of Medicine's White House-commissioned report on medical marijuana conceded marijuana's medical benefits, saying that what is needed is "a nonsmoked rapid-onset cannabinoid drug delivery system."

The new studies -- one from the University of California, San Francisco, and the other from the University at Albany, State University of New York -- confirm that such a system is here. It's called vaporization, and has been familiar to medical marijuana patients for many years, but few outside the medical marijuana community know it exists. Unlike smoking, a vaporizer does not burn the plant material, but heats it just to the point at which the THC and the other cannabinoids vaporize. In the Volcano vaporizer tested at UCSF, the vapors are collected in a detachable plastic bag with a mouthpiece for inhalation.

The UCSF study, conducted by Dr. Donald Abrams and colleagues and just published online by the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (to appear in the journal's print edition on May) compared a commercially available vaporizer called the Volcano to smoking in 18 volunteers. The subjects inhaled three different strengths of marijuana either as smoked cigarettes or vaporized using the Volcano.

The researchers then measured the volunteers' plasma THC levels and the amount of expired carbon monoxide, which is considered a reliable marker for the unwanted combustion products contained in smoke.

The two methods produced similar THC levels, with vaporization producing somewhat higher levels, and were judged equally efficient for administration of cannabinoids. The big difference was in expired carbon monoxide. As expected, there was a sharp increase in carbon monoxide levels after smoking, while "little if any" increase was detected after vaporization. "This indicates little or no exposure to gaseous combustion toxins," the researchers wrote. "Vaporization of marijuana does not result in exposure to combustion gases, and therefore is expected to be much safer than smoking marijuana cigarettes."

A second study, by Dr. Mitch Earleywine at the University at Albany, State University of New York, involved an Internet survey of nearly 7,000 marijuana users. Participants were asked to identify their primary method of using marijuana (joints, pipe, vaporizer, edibles, etc.) and were asked six questions about respiratory symptoms. After adjusting for variables such as age and cigarette use, vaporizer users were 60 percent less likely than smokers to report respiratory symptoms such as cough, chest tightness or phlegm. The effect of vaporizer use was more pronounced the larger the amount of marijuana used.

"Our study clearly suggests that the respiratory effects of marijuana use can be decreased by use of a vaporizer," Earleywine commented. "In fact, because we only asked participants about their primary means of using marijuana, it's likely that people who exclusively use vaporizers will get even more benefit than our results indicate, because no doubt some in our study used vaporizers most of the time but not all of the time."

In a rational world, the government officials objecting to medical marijuana based on the health risks of smoking would greet this research with open arms. They would join with groups like the Marijuana Policy Project in spreading the word about this important, health-enhancing technology.

Don't hold your breath.

Bruce Mirken is communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project.

Note: New research on "vaporization" has demonstrated that all those fears about the ill effects of smoking marijuana are 100 percent obsolete.

Complete Title: New Studies Destroy the Last Objection to Medical Marijuana

Newshawk: Dankhank
Source: AlterNet (US)
Author: Bruce Mirken, AlterNet
Published: May 2, 2007
Copyright: 2007 Independent Media Institute
Contact: letters@alternet.org
Website: http://www.alternet.org/
DL: http://www.alternet.org/story/51277/

Marijuana Policy Project
http://www.mpp.org/

CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives
http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml


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Comment #14 posted by whig on May 02, 2007 at 19:24:33 PT
Speaking of vaporizers
I find the best setting on the Volcano is about level 8, which should approximate 420 degrees Fahrenheit.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #13 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 13:27:23 PT
Press Release From The Drug Policy Alliance
Guest Column: Vaporizer Update

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/050207mitch.cfm

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 11:46:42 PT
Had Enough
Yes that is my web site. I don't have a way to upload to my FTE like Ron's web site. Ron keeps my Freedom To Exhale web site for me.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #11 posted by Had Enough on May 02, 2007 at 11:31:51 PT
Website

Freedom to Exhale??? I thought that was yours.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 11:28:50 PT
Had Enough
It isn't my web site. It's Ron Bennetts. I can't be sure but I don't think he minds.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #9 posted by Had Enough on May 02, 2007 at 11:26:07 PT
Pictures

Pictures taking have already started:).

FoM. You mentioned a while back about posting pictures. Is that your website to post them to?

If so I will post some there. However I need to get another Email address. I won’t be back here until later. I will make arrangements then, if I can.

Dogs – Truly mans best friend.

Cyber Licks 4 all

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #8 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 11:21:04 PT
Had Enough
Enjoy your joy. She sounds perfect.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #7 posted by Had Enough on May 02, 2007 at 11:11:21 PT
Diamond…

sends a cyber kiss to her new extended CNews family.

Her fur is soft and silky, and a joy to hold.

This morning I picked her up and held her against my chest. I could feel her heartbeat. I hope she felt mine; I’d like to think she did. Oh what a feeling…

Bride is floating 3 feet off the ground. I haven’t seen her this happy in a while. That too my friends, is a cool sight to behold.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 11:10:11 PT
Had Enough
That is an interesting name. I hope you take lots of pictures of her because she will grow so fast.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #5 posted by Had Enough on May 02, 2007 at 10:32:44 PT
Names
Her ‘official’ name is…(has to start with 'U')

ULRIKA Gender: Female

Origin: Old English

Meaning: Wolf Ruler

another definition...

ULRIKA Gender: Feminine Usage: German, Scandinavian Pronounced: uwl-REE-kah (German) [key] German and Scandinavian feminine form of ULRICH. This was the name of two queens of Sweden.

and another…

The girl's name Ulrika \u-lri-ka, ul-rika\ is pronounced ool-REE-kah. It is of Scandinavian origin, and its meaning is "wealthy ruler".

Feminine form of Ulric, a ninth-century saint's name.

*******************

But here we will call her Diamond. Diamond in the Ruff.

Diamonds start out as shiny black coal, over a period of time they become Diamonds… and you know what they say about diamonds.

I gave Bride a small Ruby & Diamond ring when we met almost 30 yrs ago. She wore it until the stones fell out and the metal was worn. She never received a replacement. She says this is her Ruby and Diamond. That’s the name she wanted, and that is the name she will have.

The girl we got her from is super cool, and knows her stuff.

We got a booklet from her, that she wrote and put together herself, and in it she states as follows…

Breeding quality show and working dogs is very expensive but I prefer to spend money on my dogs, instead of fancy clothes, jewelry or expensive cars.

My kinda people… This girl is exceptional. She has been breeding Shepards since the 60’s.

I just happened to be at the right place at the right time for this opportunity. And we just let it happen.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by Hope on May 02, 2007 at 10:11:25 PT
Congratulations, Had Enough!
That's so cool!

Joy like yours is so good for a person, I think.

(Cyber petting to Bride...You sweet little woolie, soft, sweetie puppy you. You're a lucky little puppy dog.)

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #3 posted by FoM on May 02, 2007 at 09:55:09 PT
Had Enough
That is wonderful.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by museman on May 02, 2007 at 09:51:45 PT
Had Enough
Congrats! May you an Bride get many years of joy from your new family member.

What's her name?

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by Had Enough on May 02, 2007 at 09:45:47 PT
It Happened!!!

8 pm last night a black pickup truck pulled into the driveway.

The door opened, Bride stepped out holding Solid Jet Black 8 wk old German Shepard pup, female.

Handstands, Cartwheels, Somersaults………….

It feels so cool having a pup around again.

Really off topic, but I felt a need to share this here.

All comes to he who waits. We waited, it happened. Cool…

Have a cigar. It’s a Girl!!!

[ Post Comment ]


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