http://www.leafscience.com/2014/01/28/scientists-hope-treat-alzheimers-marijuana-chemicals/ See bold, emphasis mine: In light of the CBD-brigade that is appearing all over the media, demonizing THC because it has psychoactive effects and may give you the feeling of euphoria... My question is this: If THC acts on/activates (as an agonist) CB1 AND CB2 receptors, while CBD does not (AFAIK the mechanism is still not fully understood, but suspects to act on "other" currently unknown receptors)... Doesn't that highlight the importance of keeping THC as part of the medicine? Likewise, this showcases why CBD-only extracts (likely patented) or CBD-only medical access is a great disservice to all of us. As it stands, the BEST medicine is afforded by utilizing the whole plant, all cannabinoids, terpenoids, flavonoids and hundreds of other compounds. Also, this leads into other important aspects of high THC potency for certain applications... Like if you intend to treat cancer, as demonstrated by the success of RSO. I commented (Derek Wolf)... sometimes leafscience.com posts articles that are clearly in favor of exclusive, patented extracts from companies like GW. Thoughts?
We simply have to get the word out to everyone about Alzheimer's and the cannabinoids! I've been preachin' it for years! Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's (news - 2006) http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/news/20061006/marijuana-may-slow-alzheimers “THC blocks an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which speeds the formation of amyloid plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's drugs Aricept and Cognex work by blocking acetylcholinesterase. When tested at DOUBLE the concentration of THC, Aricept blocked plaque formation only 22% as well as THC, and Cognex blocked plaque formation only 7% as well as THC.†A Molecular Link between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer's Disease Pathology (full - 2006) http://www.ukcia.org/research/AlzheimersDiseasePathology.pdf “It is noteworthy that THC is a considerably more effective inhibitor of AChE-induced A‚ deposition than the approved drugs for Alzheimer's disease treatment, donepezil and tacrine, which reduced A‚ aggregation by only 22% and 7%,respectively, at twice the concentration used in our studies .Therefore, AChE inhibitors such as THC and its analogues may provide an improved therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease, augmenting acetylcholine levels by preventing neurotransmitter degradation and reducing A‚ aggregation, thereby simultaneously treating both the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer's disease.†The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimulates in situ and in vitro beta-amyloid removal by human macrophages. (abst - 2009) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19505450?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=18 "To understand the functional role of these receptors, we tested their role in the process of beta-amyloid removal, that is currently considered as one of the most promising experimental approaches for the treatment of this disease. Our results show that a CB(2) agonist (JWH-015) is capable of inducing the removal of native beta-amyloid removal from human frozen tissue sections" Activation of the CB2 receptor system reverses amyloid-induced memory deficiency. (abst – 2013) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22795792 CB2 Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist Ameliorates Alzheimer-Like Phenotype in AβPP/PS1 Mice. (abst – 2013) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23515018 Natural Cannabinoids Improve Dopamine Neurotransmission and Tau and Amyloid Pathology in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy. (full – 2013) http://iospress.metapress.com/content/4j61942x88175321/fulltext.html While CBD does it own trip on Alzheimer's symptoms in its own little mysterious way! Cannabidiol and other cannabinoids reduce microglial activation in vitro and in vivo: relevance to Alzheimers' disease (full – 2011) http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2011/02/24/mol.111.071290.long Cannabidiol Reduces Aβ-Induced Neuroinflammation and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis through PPARγ Involvement (full – 2011) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230631/?tool=pubmed Cannabidiol Promotes Amyloid Precursor Protein Ubiquitination and Reduction of Beta Amyloid Expression in SHSY5YAPP+ Cells Through PPARγ Involvement. (abst – 2013) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24288245 Dr Gupta is right there with you on the "entourage effect"! Gupta: 'I am doubling down' on medical marijuana (news – 2014) http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/05/health/gupta-medical-marijuana/ Medical marijuana and 'the entourage effect' (news – 2014) http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/11/health/gupta-marijuana-entourage/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular More on the entourage effect- Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. (full - 2011) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/ Terpenoids, ‘minor' cannabinoids contribute to ‘entourage effect' of cannabis-based medicines (news – 2011) http://www.scribd.com/doc/73090396/Terpenoids-%E2%80%98minor%E2%80%99-cannabinoids-contribute-to-%E2%80%98entourage-effect%E2%80%99-of-cannabis-based-medicines-O-Shaughnessy-s-Autumn-2011 Cannabis and Cannabis Extracts: Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts? (full - 2001) http://www.cannabis-med.org/membersonly/mo.php?aid=2001-03-04&fid=2001-03-04-7&mode=p&sid= Natural cannabis 'better than extracts' (news - 2001) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1261737.stm A tale of two cannabinoids:The therapeutic rationale for combining tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol. (full - 2006) http://mcforadhd.free.fr/Russo_Tale_of_Two_Cannabinoids_Med_Hypoth_2006.pdf Granny
It isn't about whether or not It has health benefits. It's about our personal freedoms and rights. Now I know I should be saying this in the "legalization and activism section" and not the "medical marijuana" section, but I just want to stress the fact that it should be legal because it's not up to the government to tell us what we can and can't put in our bodies. It's less harmful than alcohol, the government needs to stop beating around the bush and just legalize for recreational use already. Of course, that will never happen. We're gonna have to wait for each state to legalize on their own and that may take 20 years
Not trying to be a pessimistic asshole. I agree with what everybody is saying about the health benefits and how it should be legal for medicinal use. But it's time to stop talking about medicinal and time to talk about rights, something our government doesn't care about.
Absolutely right. Medical is a start. I remember back when everything was black market and medical started in places like CA and CO, eventually came to AZ where I lived at the time. Boy was I excited, because I actually had a qualifying condition (cancer). But in truth, I was also excited because while the card allowed me legal access, I was a "recreational" user as well and of course wished for full legalization not just medical access. At the end of the day, the push needs to be for full legalization, open access. Like grapes where you can have a vineyard, craft as many barrels of wine as you want, and do not cross any type of regulatory issues until if/when you choose to sell it. I agree that if the fight is only for medical, that may be only what we get. The pharmaceuticals are jumping all over medical and the best-case scenario for them would be to lock up access, pushing out local dispensaries and caregivers. But this isn't a pharmaceutical drug only for medical use, that could only be sold by doctors. To quote Dr. Lester Grinspoon, cannabis offers 3 great benefits: medical, therapeutic, and then enhancement. All 3 are very important to us and moreover, all 3 are entitled to us under the "law of God." All seed bearing plants and their fruits are collectively owned by the people. Medical access is a START as it helps to spread awareness on the legitimacy of cannabis as safe medicine. But medical access is also a game that the FDA, FTC and pharma companies love to lock up through propriety. We need to keep our eye on the real prize, which is rightful open access to all citizens of this country. I would personally be "ok" with allowing every state access up to the "Federal Limit" of 99 plants. Only because each family's medical and recreational use, even if heavy, would likely not outpace the production of 99 months constantly growing. Who knows we may even see a day when the 99 plant limit is removed and there are no federal restrictions. In the meantime, citizens at local levels need to be politically active in supporting measures that protect local access (dispensaries&caregivers) as well as realistic cultivation and possession regulations. It needs to be made crystal clear that people like Chris Christie will be out of a job, as the masses of voters will be refusing to give their votes to such politicians who do not uphold the wishes of the people.
I completely agree with what you're saying. Also sorry to hear about your cancer. I hope it's at a stage now where it isn't life threatening. Must be very scary to live with. But yeah, we need to focus on recreational legalization. It's good for medical use and recreational use and needs to be available to everyone. I've heard that it's more expensive in Colorado than it is on the black market, which means that the black market will live on. It might be so expensive because the government taxed the fuck out of it. It shouldn't be taxed and if it is, it should be a very small tax. The government already taxes fucking everything, why do they need to tax cannabis?