“New regulations are in place at the federal and provincial levels in Canada regarding the way medical cannabis is to be controlled. We present them together with guidance for the safe use of medical cannabis and recent clinical trials on cannabis and pain.
“Although cannabis is an illegal drug, ‘medical marijuana programs’ (MMPs) have proliferated (e.g., in Canada and several US states), allowing for legal cannabis use for therapeutic purposes.
While both health risks and potential therapeutic for cannabis use have been documented, potential public health impacts of MMPs – also vis-à-vis other psychoactive substance use – remain under-explored.
MMP participants report improvements in overall health status, and specifically reductions in levels of risky alcohol, prescription drug and – to some extent – tobacco or other illicit drug use…”
“Cannabis sativa is the most commonly used recreational drug, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) being the main addictive compound.
Biotransformation of cannabinoids is an important field of xenobiochemistry and toxicology and the study of the metabolism can lead to the discovery of new compounds, unknown metabolites with unique structures and new therapeutic effects.
The pharmacokinetics of Δ9-THC is dependent on multiple factors such as physical/chemical form, route of administration, genetics, and concurrent consumption of alcohol.
This review aims to discuss metabolomics of Δ9-THC, namely by presenting all known metabolites of Δ9-THC described both in vitro and in vivo, and their roles in the Δ9-THC-mediated toxic effects.
Since medicinal use is increasing, metabolomics of Δ9-THC will also be discussed in order to uncover potential active metabolites that can be made available for this purpose.”
“Public interest in the use of “medical marijuana” for the treatment of childhood epilepsy has burgeoned in the last few years. This has occurred in parallel with a growing interest in “medical marijuana” in general. Physicians and pediatricians must balance their patients’ desire for immediate access to these products with the tenets of evidence-based medicine. This review discusses the biochemistry of cannabis products (the phytocannabinoids) setting this in the context of the endogenous endocannabinoid system. The differing and potentially modulating effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are reviewed. The evidence-base supporting or not the use of cannabis products for the treatment of neurological disease and specifically epilepsy is explored. The potential for adverse effects and particularly of neurotoxicity is addressed. Finally, public health and sociocultural implications are touched upon. Specific recommendations for interested physicians are provided including advocacy for patients and for a change in the “scheduling” of cannabis in order to better foster much-needed high-quality scientific research in this important area.”
“As of September 2015, the cultivation, possession, and/or use of marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law as a Schedule I narcotic; however, it is legal in four states and Washington, D.C. Forty-six states allow some form of medicinal marijuana or decriminalization.
Marijuana has been used medicinally for thousands of years; Marijuana’s regulation by law enforcement in the U.S., rather than the medical community, led to an almost complete halt to academic and scientific research after the 1930s.
The late 1960s saw an upsurge in recreational marijuana use by middle-class youth, the majority of whom experienced minimal adverse effects aside from arrest and attendant legal complications.
Since the mid-1990s, the use of medicinal marijuana for certain conditions has gained increasing acceptance.
In the East, the feeling is primarily that marijuana continue to be proscribed. In the West, where clinicians must face the realities of medicalization, decriminalization, and/or legalization, as well as widespread recreational use, there is more of a movement to minimize adverse effects, particularly on youth.”
“Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
To measure efficacy and safety of medical cannabis oil (MCO) containing THC as an add-on to pharmacotherapy, in relieving behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).
RESULTS:
Ten patients completed the trial. Significant reduction in CGI severity score and NPI score were recorded. NPI domains of significant decrease were: Delusions, agitation/aggression, irritability, apathy, and sleep and caregiver distress.
Adding MCO to AD patients’ pharmacotherapy is safe and a promising treatment option.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26757043
http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/alzheimers-disease-ad/
“One hundred percent of migraine sufferers in a self-report survey said cannabis reduced migraine pain and discomfort.”
“Cannabis treats a wide variety of conditions, but specific formulations are better for some symptoms than others, patients report in a new landmark survey by a medical cannabis industry company Care By Design.
A full 100 percent of respondents with headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and spinal cord injury reported a decrease in pain or discomfort on medical marijuana rich in the molecule cannabidiol (CBD).”
http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2015/09/15/survey-medical-pot-treats-migraines/
http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/headachemigraine/
“No clinical trials are currently available that demonstrate the effects of marijuana on patients with migraine headache; however, the potential effects of cannabinoids on serotonin in the central nervous system indicate that marijuana may be a therapeutic alternative.
Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the effects of medical marijuana on the monthly frequency of migraine headache.
The frequency of migraine headache was decreased with medical marijuana use.
Prospective studies should be conducted to explore a cause-and-effect relationship and the use of different strains, formulations, and doses of marijuana to better understand the effects of medical marijuana on migraine headache treatment and prophylaxis.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26749285
http://www.thctotalhealthcare.com/category/headachemigraine/
“HIV+ MJ users demonstrated lower viral load and higher CD4 count than non-users” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26694807
“This paper explores the interplay between the human rights and drug control frameworks and critiques case law on medicinal cannabis use to demonstrate that a bona fide human rights perspective allows for a broader conception of ‘health’.
This broad conception, encompassing both medicalised and social constructionist definitions, can inform public health policies relating to medicinal cannabis use.
The paper also demonstrates how a human rights lens can alleviate a core tension between the State and the individual within the drug policy field.
The leading medicinal cannabis case in the UK highlights the judiciary’s failure to engage with an individual’s human right to health as they adopt an arbitrary, externalist view, focussing on the legality of cannabis to the exclusion of other concerns.
Drawing on some international comparisons, the paper considers how a human rights perspective can lead to an approach to medicinal cannabis use which facilitates a holistic understanding of public health.”