cannabisnews.com: Cannabis Rx: Cutting Through The Misinformation
function share_this(num) {
tit=encodeURIComponent('Cannabis Rx: Cutting Through The Misinformation');
url=encodeURIComponent('http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/25/thread25935.shtml');
site = new Array(5);
site[0]='http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[1]='http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit.php?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[2]='http://digg.com/submit?topic=political_opinion&media=video&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[3]='http://reddit.com/submit?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[4]='http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
window.open(site[num],'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=620,height=500');
return false;
}
Cannabis Rx: Cutting Through The Misinformation
Posted by CN Staff on September 12, 2010 at 07:16:47 PT
By Andrew Weil, M.D.
Source: Huffington Post
USA -- If an American doctor of the late 19th century stepped into a time warp and emerged in 2010, he would be shocked by the multitude of pharmaceuticals that today's physicians use. But as he pondered this array (and wondered, as I do, whether most are really necessary), he would soon notice an equally surprising omission, and exclaim, "Where's my Cannabis indica?"No wonder -- the poor fellow would feel nearly helpless without it. In his day, labor pains, asthma, nervous disorders and even colicky babies were treated with a fluid extract of Cannabis indica, also known as "Indian hemp." (Cannabis is generally seen as having three species -- sativa, indica and ruderalis -- but crossbreeding is common, especially between sativa and indica.) At least 100 scientific papers published in the 19th century backed up such uses.
Then the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 made possession or transfer of Cannabis illegal in the U.S. except for certain medical and industrial uses, which were heavily taxed. The legislation began a long process of making Cannabis use illegal altogether. Many historians have examined this sorry chapter in American legislative history, and the dubious evidence for Cannabis addiction and violent behavior used to secure the bill's passage. "Under the Influence: The Disinformation Guide to Drugs" by Preston Peet makes a persuasive case that the Act's real purpose was to quash the hemp industry, making synthetic fibers more valuable for industrialists who owned the patents.Meanwhile, as a medical doctor and botanist, my aim has always been to filter out the cultural noise surrounding the genus Cannabis and see it dispassionately: as a plant with bioactivity in human beings that may have therapeutic value. From this perspective, what can it offer us?As it turns out, a great deal. Research into possible medical uses of Cannabis is enjoying a renaissance. In recent years, studies have shown potential for treating nausea, vomiting, premenstrual syndrome, insomnia, migraines, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, alcohol abuse, collagen-induced arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, bipolar disorder, depression, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, sickle-cell disease, sleep apnea, Alzheimer's disease and anorexia nervosa.But perhaps most exciting, cannabinoids (chemical constituents of Cannabis, the best known being tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) may have a primary role in cancer treatment and prevention. A number of studies have shown that these compounds can inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animal models. In part, this is achieved by inhibiting angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need in order to grow. What's more, cannabinoids seem to kill tumor cells without affecting surrounding normal cells. If these findings hold true as research progresses, cannabinoids would demonstrate a huge advantage over conventional chemotherapy agents, which too often destroy normal cells as well as cancer cells.As long ago as 1975, researchers reported that cannabinoids inhibited the growth of a certain type of lung cancer cell in test tubes and in mice. Since then, laboratory studies have shown that cannabinoids have effects against tumor cells from glioblastoma (a deadly type of brain cancer) as well as those from thyroid cancer¸ leukemia/lymphoma, and skin, uterus, breast, stomach, colorectal, pancreatic and prostate cancers.So far, the only human test of cannabinoids against cancer was performed in Spain, and was designed to determine if treatment was safe, not whether it was effective. (In studies on humans, such "phase one trials," are focused on establishing the safety of a new drug, as well as the right dosage.) In the Spanish study, reported in 2006, the dose was administered intracranially, directly into the tumors of patients with recurrent brain cancer. The investigation established the safety of the dose and showed that the compound used decreased cell proliferation in at least two of nine patients studied.It is not clear that smoking marijuana achieves blood levels high enough to have these anticancer effects. We need more human research, including well-designed studies to find the best mode of administration.If you want to learn more about this subject, I recommend an excellent documentary film, "What If Cannabis Cured Cancer," by Len Richmond, which summarizes the remarkable research findings of recent years. Most medical doctors are not aware of this information and its implications for cancer prevention and treatment. The film presents compelling evidence that our current policy on Cannabis is counterproductive.Another reliable source of information is the chapter on cannabinoids and cancer in "Integrative Oncology" (Oxford University Press, 2009), a textbook I edited with integrative oncologist Donald I. Abrams, M.D. (Learn more about integrative cancer treatment from Dr. Abrams.)After more than 70 years of misinformation about this botanical remedy, I am delighted that we are finally gaining a mature understanding of its immense therapeutic potential.Andrew Weil, M.D., invites you to join the conversation: become a fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, and check out his Daily Health Tips Blog. Dr. Weil is the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and the editorial director of: http://www.DrWeil.comSource: Huffington Post (NY)Author: Andrew Weil, M.D.Published: September 12, 2010Copyright: 2010 HuffingtonPost.com, LLC Contact: scoop huffingtonpost.comWebsite: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/iSMV9hxXCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
Comment #24 posted by FoM on September 13, 2010 at 11:52:29 PT
Hope
I am glad you are having a good day.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #23 posted by Hope on September 13, 2010 at 11:31:22 PT
By the way...
I feel amazingly good today... in spite of it all.:0)
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #22 posted by Hope on September 13, 2010 at 11:10:42 PT
Chemo tears
They seem bigger and shinier, and they drop harder.It's something to do with having less eyelashes. Eyelashes disperse tears more, I think. Now, a welling of tears will drip right out in big plops.I'm not writing this about when my eyes are weemy and running streams because of irritation from chemo.I'm talking about crying here. Like when the prohibitionists and what they are doing bring me to tears and they've done it plenty of times.Thank you, Storm Crow. I appreciate your effort to comfort me. That means you love. That's a good thing. Thank you.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #21 posted by FoM on September 13, 2010 at 10:37:37 PT
Storm Crow
All fixed.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #20 posted by Storm Crow on September 13, 2010 at 10:19:25 PT
OOPS!
Now why did my fingers spell "they" as "thay"?
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #19 posted by FoM on September 13, 2010 at 10:16:50 PT
Former Anti-Drug Chiefs Seek To Block Legal Pot
September 13, 2010Every past administrator of the 37-year-old Drug Enforcement Administration is calling on the Justice Department to sue California if its voters decide to legalize marijuana in November.Peter Bensinger, who ran the D.E.A. from January 1976 through July 1981, said legalizing recreational use of pot, even in one state, would be a “disaster,” leading to increased addiction, traffic accidents and trouble in the workplace.URL: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/former-anti-drug-chiefs-seek-to-block-legal-pot/
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #18 posted by Storm Crow on September 13, 2010 at 10:15:49 PT
Hope, dearest, that's the way it goes!
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win! - Mahatma GhandiThey have ignored us, They have laughed at us.
The fight is Prop. 19 and all the other cannabis opportunities this fall!And then we WIN!Simple!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #17 posted by Hope on September 13, 2010 at 09:46:02 PT
Joyce? Calvina? Andrea?
How can you keep on and on with your self imposed ignorance and cruelty?How?Have you no conscience at all? No humility? Why can't you see? Why can't you say you were and are wrong?Why?
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #16 posted by Hope on September 13, 2010 at 09:41:59 PT
Prohibitionists
are killers.We've always known that, though.They just have more ways of doing their killing and misery infliction than most people realize.I'm so angry, so dismayed, and so grief stricken... and afraid.And people laugh at us... and discount what we're saying and trying to do.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #15 posted by FoM on September 13, 2010 at 06:12:54 PT
MSNBC and Prop. 19
They will soon be talking about Prop. 19. MSNBC is starting to cover this issue fairly regularly now. I am also happy to see that they show beautiful pictures of the cannabis flower too.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #14 posted by DrDunkleosteus on September 13, 2010 at 01:35:04 PT:
Totalrod2
I really enjoyed that video. More people need to be logging their successes with cannabis. Very inspiring.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #13 posted by Totalrod2 on September 12, 2010 at 23:39:26 PT
Cancer
I posted this on my Facebook wall last month. I'm not sure whether it's been posted here already. If not, here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tghUh4ubbg
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #12 posted by Hope on September 12, 2010 at 20:41:12 PT
There would be some wonderful things, I'm sure.
"I can imagine the benefits of essential oil of cannabis."This amazing plant has much to give us.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #11 posted by FoM on September 12, 2010 at 20:26:25 PT
Sinsemilla Jones
Many years ago I went to live news chats on MSNBC or CNN. They had different guests. One of those live moderated chats was with Dr. Weil. I asked about what he felt about essential oils and he answered my question. I really felt lucky that he did since I am big into essential oils. I can imagine the benefits of essential oil of cannabis. That is not an extract but the essential oil of a flower or plant and is often for inhalation or topically applied.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #10 posted by Hope on September 12, 2010 at 19:54:48 PT
"Botanical remedy"
That sounds right.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on September 12, 2010 at 19:41:08 PT
"I think he is one of the best doctors ever!"
I agree, FoM!"It is not clear that smoking marijuana achieves blood levels high enough to have these anticancer effects."I think it's great that Dr. Weil doesn't assume that smoking cannabis doesn't have anticancer effects, and he doesn't feel the need to warn his patients and readers against doing so.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 12, 2010 at 19:19:54 PT
Hope
I wonder if they need to really concentrate cannabis to inject into tumors. Maybe if enough cannabis could be consumed all the time it might help too. This definitely needs to really be researched.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #7 posted by Hope on September 12, 2010 at 18:34:12 PT
"an excellent documentary film"
Trailer for "What If Cannabis Cured Cancer," by Len Richmondhttp://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi1585579545/"What If Cannabis Cured Cancer," by Len RichmondAvailable from Amazon for $19.95.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by Hope on September 12, 2010 at 18:20:26 PT
This again, is something they must be careful with
"It is not clear that smoking marijuana achieves blood levels high enough to have these anticancer effects. We need more human research, including well-designed studies to find the best mode of administration."It may not take as massive an ingestion as they might tend to think.It might not be "weak" just because it's not poison. Perhaps, different manners of ingestion might be easier and more efficient than imagined. Maybe elixirs, concentrates, extractions, mists, vapors, teas, and tinctures are outstanding delivery methods in themselves. Maybe it doesn't really get any better than that.Everything doesn't have to be delivered through a dang needle to be valuable medically.I have no doubt that tablets, or capsules... some sort of vitamin/herbal supplement of cannabis might be of extraordinarily good value and nutrition to the body.It would be amazing if there was something that would cause cancer cells to die, but nourish and protect healthy, normal, non cancerous tissue.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 12, 2010 at 17:58:54 PT
Ekim and Runruff
Thank you Ekim and that's great Runruff.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #4 posted by Hope on September 12, 2010 at 17:35:51 PT
"I will be one of the judges."
Cool, Runruff!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by runruff on September 12, 2010 at 17:34:09 PT
Southern Oregon Cannabis Cup.
I will be one of the judges.November 27, 2010Be there or be ....uh..something but not there?
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #2 posted by ekim on September 12, 2010 at 17:10:26 PT
We need those lost Hemp jobs and products motaever
"Under the Influence: The Disinformation Guide to Drugs" by Preston Peet makes a persuasive case that the Act's real purpose was to quash the hemp industry, making synthetic fibers more valuable for industrialists who owned the patents.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 12, 2010 at 07:17:37 PT
Dr. Andrew Weil
I think he is one of the best doctors ever!
[ Post Comment ]
Post Comment