Tag Archives: medical marijuana

Federal Government Reports Marijuana Effective in Combatting Certain Cancers Reports ADSI – NBC News

Posted on by
Reply

“LOS ANGELES, March 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The following is a statement by Advocates for the Disabled and Seriously Ill:

In a recent report, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), stated that marijuana “inhibited the survival of both estrogen receptor–positive and estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer cell lines.” The same report showed marijuana slows or stops the growth of certain lung cancer cells and suggested that marijuana may provide “risk reduction and treatment of colorectal cancer.”

Referring to the NCI report, Patient Rights attorney Matthew Pappas said, “The Federal government’s continuing attack on people prescribed medical cannabis by their doctors is hypocritical considering the benefits reported by its own National Cancer Institute.” Pappas represents patients in defending their right to reasonably obtain medical marijuana. The patients contend the Federal government and various municipalities are trying to prevent them from obtaining cannabis for medical purposes in direct contravention of state laws. “Cities that ban dispensaries are denying patients the ability to obtain a medicine the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health says fights cancer and they’re doing it with the Obama Administration’s help.” Recently, the City of Los Angeles repealed its ban of medical marijuana collectives after Bill Rosendahl, a member of its city council diagnosed with cancer and prescribed medical marijuana said to fellow council members about the ban, “You want to kill me? You want to throw me under the bus?”

The NCI report also examined whether patients who smoke marijuana rather than ingesting it orally are exposed to a higher risk of lung and certain digestive system cancers. According to the government, 19 studies “failed to demonstrate statistically significant associations between marijuana inhalation and lung cancer.” The report also identified a separate study of 611 lung cancer patients that showed marijuana was “not associated with an increased risk of lung cancer or other upper aerodigestive tract cancers and found no positive associations with any cancer type.” In the area of prostate cancer, the NCI report was inconclusive and suggested further research was necessary. In its report, the National Cancer Institute also identified a “study of intratumoral injection of delta-9-THC in patients with recurrent glioblastoma” that showed tumor reduction in the test participants.

Despite the Federal government sanctioned and authorized NCI report, Pappas said Congress and the Obama Administration have continued to thwart marijuana research. In an announced effort to displace state medical marijuana laws, the Office of National Drug Control Policy described “medical” marijuana as a “myth” fueling “troubling misconceptions” in documents found on its website. The Federal government appears to be focused on creating more chemical drugs, many of which are the subject of various attorney television commercials seeking out those adversely impacted by those drugs. Pappas said both the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of National Drug Control Policy continue to assert marijuana lacks any medicinal value despite the research showing cannabis reduces certain cancer risks and inhibits the growth of tumor cells. He also commented that the Federal government’s anti-marijuana position contributes to and encourages prejudice and public misconception about the legitimate use of medical cannabis as treatment for seriously ill patients.

In addition to anti-cancer properties, separate research reported marijuana appears to have “profound nerve-protective and brain-enhancing properties that could potentially treat many neurodegenerative disorders.” In its report, the National Cancer Institute stated cannabis effectively treats insomnia and referenced a placebo-controlled study in cancer patients showing increased quality of sleep and relaxation in those treated with tetrahydrocannabinol, an active component in marijuana.

Responding to a White House statement that only a small percentage of patients prescribed medical cannabis under state laws use it to treat cancer, Pappas said “marijuana isn’t just for cancer or AIDS patients – it can also treat, for example, sleeplessness.” Although generally not a life threatening condition, Pappas referred to insomnia as a health issue regularly treated with prescription drugs zolpidem (brand name Ambien) and eszopiclone (brand name Lunesta). According to their manufacturers’ websites, zolpidem and eszopiclone have been shown to cause severe side effects including aggressiveness, hallucinations, confusion, or suicidal thoughts. Pappas noted that, unlike those drugs, studies on insomnia similar to those reported by the National Cancer Institute show medical marijuana effectively treats insomnia at a far lower cost and with fewer side effects. Marijuana has also been prescribed for glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and a variety of other physical and mental conditions.

Addressing the White House website statement that medical marijuana should remain criminally illegal under federal law, Pappas said that “with every drug, the doctor must consider the benefits versus any possible side effects. In its 3000-plus year history of medicinal use, there has never been a known, confirmed death caused by overdose of marijuana. To suggest that prescription drugs known to have severe negative side effects are alright and that marijuana can only be used for cancer or AIDS is nonsensical. It demonstrates how the Federal government’s decision to usurp state sovereignty is harming people because burdening citizens with federal criminal records based on medical marijuana provided for under state law is simply wrong. To continue outlawing the use of a drug shown to have life-saving, anti-cancer benefits that has been used safely as a medication for thousands of years is irresponsible.”

Jan., 2013 National Cancer Institute PDQ® report on cannabis:

www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page2

July, 2009 NIH report on cannabis reducing neck and head squamous cell carcinoma:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19638490

Nov., 2012 NIH report on cannabis breast cancer treatment:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776349

Report on study showing smoked marijuana does not cause cancer:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html

Report on neuroprotective benefits of marijuana:

www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/20/researchers-study-neuroprotective-properties-in-cannabis/

White House “Fact Sheet” on Marijuana Legalization:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/Fact_Sheets/marijuana_legalization_fact_sheet_3-3-11.pdf

Office of National Drug Control Policy documents:

www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/marijuana_fact_sheet_3-28-12.pdf and

www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/issues-content/medical_marijuana_information_packet.pdf

For more information, contact Advocates for the Disabled and Seriously Ill at (213) 531-1788.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51148243/ns/business-press_releases/t/federal-government-reports-marijuana-effective-combatting-certain-cancers-reports-adsi/

Medical Marijuana: Sleeping Medicine

Posted on by
1

“The most frequent comment by those ignorant of the medical properties of cannabis or those believing the U.S. Government’s propaganda, is that marijuana patients use it only to get “high” which incidentally can be somewhat like a Starbucks espresso jolt or maybe two or three martinis.

Anybody who knows anything at all about marijuana knows that it causes euphoria or a feeling of well being. After all, isn’t that why we take medicine when we are sick—to feel better?

At any rate, marijuana users, as medical patients of which there are at least 400,000 with legal permits, or as many as ten million “illegal” users who use it instead of alcohol, tobacco, prescription tranquilizers or antidepressants, have found it beneficial for a wide variety of illnesses and diseases.

It is certain that the euphoria or feeling of comfort is very important for all these conditions. If some ignorant people consider that to be getting high, no users will disagree.

Many medical patients use it only in the evening to enable them to sleep. This is true especially with those in chronic pain, which represents about 70 percent of patients. Pain frequently or even most usually prevents sleep and some patients tell me, “if I can get a decent night’s sleep, I can fight alligators all day”.

Sleeping pills are prescribed mostly for those in pain who cannot sleep without those pills. The crazy thing about this is that many or maybe most sleeping pills are as addicting as heroin. Valium, the most prescribed sleeping pill for many years, produced millions of addicts, and there are many valium-like drugs with similar problems.

In my experience with 4,000 plus patients, I was told by hundreds that by using marijuana they were able to cut down or eliminate completely most prescription sleeping pills.

The U.S. Government purports that marijuana is addicting. This is not so. If a person uses it frequently to relieve or control pain, the patient wants relief. Does that mean he is addicted to relief? If one takes aspirin everyday, is he addicted to aspirin? To me, the comparison is valid.

One of the critical signs of addiction is uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Most marijuana users will run out of their medicine once in a while. Do they get withdrawal symptoms? If so, they are very minor, like running out of aspirin.

It is known that very heavy marijuana use (which is uncommon because it costs more than gold) can cause mild withdrawal symptoms, such as disrupted sleep and nervousness (from Merck Manual).

I think the final coup de grace is also given by the Merck Manual “any drug which causes euphoria and diminishes anxiety can cause dependence” (not addiction—my comment).”-

Dr. Phillip Leveque

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june272007/marijuana_sleep_62707.php

Can Medical Marijuana Help With Sleep Apnea

Posted on by
Reply

“A medical disorder characterized by frequent interruptions in breathing of up to 10 seconds or more during sleep, sleep apnea, is associated with many physiological disorders, including fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, and stroke…

In the June issue of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Journal, researchers at the University of Illinois, Department of Medicine reported that sleep apnea in rats that received cannabinoids (natural chemicals of cannabis) was deleted. Doses of delta-9-THC and stabilized polyamide breathing during sleep and blocked serotonin-induced exacerbation of sleep apnea. Many patients who have used the ratio of medical cannabis improved sleep quality and less fatigue the next day.”

More: http://marijuanacalifornia.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/can-medical-marijuana-help-with-sleep-apnea/

Nuvilex Reports Cannabinoid-Based Pancreatic Cancer Treatments to be Developed by Its Subsidiary, Medical Marijuana Sciences, Inc.

Posted on by
Reply

“Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), international biotechnology and clinical stage provider of natural products and cell and gene therapy solutions for the treatment of diseases, announced today its subsidiary, Medical Marijuana Sciences, Inc., is planning to develop treatments for pancreatic cancer based on cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa.

In 2006, in a publication in the prestigious scientific journal Cancer Research, cannabinoids were reported to cause the death of pancreatic cells in laboratory and animal studies; these results were also seen with human pancreatic cancer cells implanted in mice whose immune systems were suppressed. Since then, laboratory studies have shown that when gemcitabine (Gemzar®), the only drug approved by the FDA as a single agent for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer, was combined with three different cannabinoids (each used singly), the growth inhibition was more than additive for six different pancreatic cancer cell lines. When these studies were done with human pancreatic cancer cells in immunosuppressed mice, the antitumor effectiveness of gemcitabine was greatly enhanced. These results, combined with those from other studies not mentioned here, indicate the important potential for developing treatments for pancreatic cancer that include the use of cannabinoids.”

More: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/nuvilex-reports-cannabinoid-based-pancreatic-cancer-treatments-to-be-developed-by-its-subsidiary-medical-marijuana-sciences-inc-20130220-00761

Cannabis could provide relief for Parkinson’s pain

Posted on by
Reply

Woman smokes a marijuana cigarette [illustrative]

“As many as eight out of every 10 of those with Parkinson’s disease suffer from inexplicable pains that until now have been left untreated because they were thought to be an inevitable part of the progressive and eventually fatal neurological disease. Parkinson’s, a brain disorder that leads to tremors and difficulty with walking, coordination and movement, usually develops after age 50 and is one of the most common nervous system disorders of the elderly.But new research at the Rabin Medical Center- Beilinson Campus has found that genetic factors explain such Parkinson’s pain, and that the new understanding will make unique treatments possible. Eight genes known to be involved in pain were examined in 237 Parkinson’s patients, according to a research paper published recently in the European Journal of Pain, and the observed variations were connected to functions of cannabis-like substances (cannabinoids) in the brain.

Research project head Prof. Ruth Djaldetti, a senior physician in the neurology department and head of the movement disorders clinic, said that the results support the treatment of Parkinson’s patients with medical marijuana.

Djaldetti encourages more research into the use of cannabis for pain relief.

There are some 20,000 people with Parkinson’s in Israel, and about 50 percent to 80% of them suffer from this previously unexplained and untreated pain. Djaldetti expects that in the future, gene mapping will make it possible to suit personalized medication to these patients.”

 

Form of medical marijuana won’t get you high, but it’s creating a buzz

Posted on by
Reply

“The one-armed man loitered in the waiting room for much of the morning, flipping through magazines with impressive dexterity, quietly waiting for word that the doctor would see him. Now.

William Courtney, MD, offered the chair to the right of the desk, the one occupied during regular office hours by a steady stream of patients seeking a doctor’s recommendation for marijuana. In California, such a recommendation means an adult may grow, buy and smoke marijuana, all while remaining safely within the confines of state law.

The singular peculiarity of Courtney’s “pot doc” practice here in Northern California is what he recommends: Don’t smoke the stuff, he tells patients. Eat it.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/31/AR2010053103231.html

Juicing Raw Cannabis for Greater Health

Posted on by
Reply

“If you find yourself in the doctors chair at the office of Dr. William Courtney, Willits, California you will be advised; we shouldn’t be smoking our marijuana, we should be eating it!  After I read the story in the Washington Post, “Form of medical marijuana won’t get you high but is creating quite a buzz” written by Karl Vick,  I decided to look into it more.

CBD (Cannabidiol), one of the main constituents of the cannabis plant has been proven medically to relieve convulsion, inflammation, anxiety and nausea, as well as inhibit cancer cell growth.  Recent studies have shown it to be an effective atypical anti-psychotic in treating schizophrenia.  CBD also interferes with the amount of THC your brain processes, balancing the psychotropic effect of marijuana.”

Read more: http://berkeleypatientscare.com/2010/09/18/juicing-raw-cannabis-for-greater-health/

Israeli Study Finds Patients with Chronic Disease Benefit from Marijuana

Posted on by
Reply

“A new study out of Israel looks to change that. Led by Zach Klein, a specialist in medical marijuana policy and the director of the documentary Prescribed Grass, researchers at Tel Aviv University tested medical marijuana on 19 nursing home residents. Patients were treated with cannabis in the form of powder, oil, vapor, or smoke three times daily over the course of a year.

 Seventeen of the 19 patients regained lost weight, and symptoms of pain, stiffness, tremors, insomnia, and PTSD decreased drastically. Their moods and communication skills also improved, and they had fewer nightmares and flashbacks, according to Klein.

“After I found this, everything has been better,” Moshe Rute, a Holocaust survivor stricken by nightmares and the effects of a stroke told the Times of Israel. “I’m still a Holocaust child, but I’m finally able to better cope.”

The 80-year-old Hadarim resident is one of 11,000 Israelis with permits from the government to use marijuana for medical purposes, a number that is growing rapidly.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s the future,” Klein said to the Times. “This is God’s doing, and it’s marvelous in our eyes.”

Perhaps as important as the improvement in pain management and quality of life was marijuana’s ability to replace some of the medication taken by the patients. By the end of the study, 72 percent were able to reduce the number of drugs they were taking daily. This includes medication for Parkinson’s disease, pain relievers, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers, many of which can have debilitating and severe side effects.

“We know how to extend life, but sometimes it’s not pleasant and can cause a great deal of suffering, so we’re looking to alleviate this, to add quality to longevity,” head nurse Inbal Sikorin told the Times. “Cannabis meets this need. Almost all our patients are eating again, and their moods have improved tremendously.”

The country that discovered tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, in the 1960’s doesn’t have the stigma attached to marijuana that the United States does, as even senior rabbis have no qualms with its use or spread.

Klein is working on a new study at Israel’s Reuth Medical Center, in which he hopes to establish a connection between medical cannabis and improved swallowing. One of the biggest concerns with chronically ill patients is food intake, and Klein believes that cannabis, which can stimulate regions of the brain associated with swallowing reflexes, will have a positive impact.”

http://americannewsreport.com/nationalpainreport/israeli-study-finds-patients-with-chronic-disease-benefit-from-marijuana-8818444.html

The pharmacologic and clinical effects of medical cannabis.

Posted on by
Reply

“Cannabis, or marijuana, has been used for medicinal purposes for many years. Several types of cannabinoid medicines are available in the United States and Canada. Dronabinol (schedule III), nabilone (schedule II), and nabiximols (not U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved) are cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals.

Medical cannabis or medical marijuana, a leafy plant cultivated for the production of its leaves and flowering tops, is a schedule I drug, but patients obtain it through cannabis dispensaries and statewide programs. The effect that cannabinoid compounds have on the cannabinoid receptors (CB(1) and CB(2) ) found in the brain can create varying pharmacologic responses based on formulation and patient characteristics. The cannabinoid Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol has been determined to have the primary psychoactive effects; the effects of several other key cannabinoid compounds have yet to be fully elucidated. Dronabinol and nabilone are indicated for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy and of anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. However, pain and muscle spasms are the most common reasons that medical cannabis is being recommended.

Studies of medical cannabis show significant improvement in various types of pain and muscle spasticity. Reported adverse effects are typically not serious, with the most common being dizziness. Safety concerns regarding cannabis include the increased risk of developing schizophrenia with adolescent use, impairments in memory and cognition, accidental pediatric ingestions, and lack of safety packaging for medical cannabis formulations. This article will describe the pharmacology of cannabis, effects of various dosage formulations, therapeutics benefits and risks of cannabis for pain and muscle spasm, and safety concerns of medical cannabis use.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23386598

Marijuana Oil Cured My Skin Cancer

Posted on by
Reply

“When his cancer came back for a fifth time, Michael McShane was desperate for treatment outside of traditional medicine.

The last time squamous cell carcinoma left lumpy tumors around his mouth, doctors cut it away and reconstructed his bottom lip by turning out a portion of its inner layer.

“You can only do most facial tricks once,” McShane, 51, said. “I needed another option.”

As a qualifying medical marijuana patient, he tried “Simpson oil” derived from cannabis plants by a Canadian named Rick Simpson. McShane bought some from an Oak Park dispensary that has since closed and puts a few drops every day on his face. Over the course of about 10 weeks, the tumors faded and then seemed to disappear.

His dermatologist, Ali Moiin, M.D., has said McShane isn’t cured but his cancer cells have decreased by about 60 percent.

“You still have some residual ones, but the size has definitely decreased,” Dr. Moiin told a WWJ reporter in late August, adding he thinks the results merit further scientific study.

Moiin didn’t return phone calls for an interview for this story. He isn’t the doctor who signed the physician certification form for McShane, who has another qualifying medical problem.

In all, since the Michigan Medical Marijuana Program started in April 2009, 2,215 of the state’s licensed physicians have certified that a patient suffers from one of the debilitating conditions identified in the act, and that the patient may find therapeutic and palliative relief from the medical use of marijuana. A total of 105,458 patient registry cards have been issued in that time period.

An estimated 55 doctors signed 70 percent of the certification forms, according to one review; most of the others aren’t talking about it publicly.

“I imagine it is a fairly sensitive issue because it is politically charged,” said Colin Ford, director of state and federal government relations for the Michigan State Medical Society.

Physicians are cautious because patient privacy is important, he said.

A forbidden cure?

Privacy isn’t as important to McShane as sharing what he considers his latest triumph over cancer without surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, reconstructive surgery and their side effects.

“The marijuana oil replaced all that and reduced the cancer to almost nothing,” he said. “My forehead and mouth were in bad shape in the spring. All of a sudden one morning it was there — a callous-like growth the size of a half dollar on my forehead. Skin cancer is my regular nemesis.”

McShane is one of a growing number of people extolling the healing properties of Simpson oil for everything from cancer, AIDS, Crohn’s disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes to psoriasis, hemorrhoids and warts. They call it a “forbidden cure,” saying the oil that can be used topically or ingested isn’t given enough credit because it would cut into medical and pharmaceutical profits.”

By Catherine Kavanaugh
Daily Tribune Staff Writer

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr8RPjrsYSI