Smoked Marijuana has no medical value.......

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by JoeVullion13254, Apr 28, 2013.

  1. “Opium has medical value, and it is called morphine. Marijuana has medical value, too - but just as we don't smoke opium to receive beneficial effects, we need not smoke marijuana to get its medical value.” - Project SAM

    We don't have to smoke the stuff. Really.

    Over the past two decades, the idea of marijuana as medicine has become increasingly popular. Citizens of several U.S. states, beginning in 1996, voted by referenda to allow the use of smoked marijuana as medicine. Countries such as Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Israel, Portugal and Spain also have some form marijuana as medicine regulation.
    It is important to distinguish between the whole marijuana plant material and individual components within the marijuana plant. Some constituents of marijuana, including THC, are available today in pill form (dronabinol, or Marinol® is man-made THC); some synthetic mimics of those constituents are also available (nabilone, or Cesamet®).

    The whole marijuana plant material, on the other hand, has thousands of unknown and carcinogenic components that have not been accepted by scientific and medical authorities as medicines. Medicines are rarely, if ever, smoked, and an exhaustive review in 1999 by the U.S. Institute of Medicine concluded that smoked marijuana should “generally not be recommended for medical use.” Additionally, smoked marijuana's effective dose varies, due to individual differences in absorption and metabolism in the liver, as well as puff frequency, depth of inhalation and retention of inhaled smoke.[ii]

    That smoked marijuana is not medicine doesn't mean we should not pursue cannabis-based medicines in the form of pills, mouth-sprays, injections, patches and other acceptable routes of administration.

    In some countries, marijuana-based medicines - meaning medications that aren't smoked - have been approved to treat neuropathic pain related to cancer and spasticity related to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These products include nabiximols (Sativex®), which contains THC and another cannabinoid called cannabidiol (CBD). This mouth spray allows for proper titration of dosage and eliminates the major health consequences of inhaling smoke. The presence of CBD also tends to lessen the intoxicating effects of THC.



    Researching and developing
    marijuana-based medicines the right way
    It is clear that for some people, marijuana helps with chemotherapy-induced nausea, appetite enhancement and pain relief. But since smoking or ingesting the whole plant is undesirable, other methods should be developed for receiving the benefits of the drug. A possible solution would be to speed up research into marijuana's components.

    From 2007 to 2011, the National Institutes of Health provided more than $14 million for cannabinoid research (both clinical and preclinical) into the following diseases and conditions:
    pain, addiction (marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, opiate), cancer (lung, breast, prostate), diabetic neuropathy, Tourette's syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis,
    brain damage, organophosphate toxicity, depression, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Autoimmune Hepatitis, ALS, viral infection, liver disease, cardiotoxicity,
    HIV/AIDS, emesis, itch, schizophrenia, sleep, Crohn's Disease, bipolar disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anorexia nervosa, fibromyalgia, graft vs. host disease, cervical dystonia, and trichotillomania/OCD.

    The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has funded another 18 studies involving smoked, oral, IV or vaporized marijuana for addiction (marijuana, opiates), schizophrenia, wasting due to HIV/AIDS, neuropathic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy and cancer-related pain.[ii]
    This demonstrates that if a proposed study has a high-quality trial design and an experienced investigator, the research is very likely to be approved, and perhaps even funded. It is important to understand that the people who decide whether a study is approved for funding are skilled researchers, not government officials.




















    What do you think about this?
    Cannabis-Based Medicines | SAM

     
  2. It is certainly possible that individual or more limited combinations of the chemical components could be better for certain things.

    Also standardizing certain treatments probably has some value for ensuring people receive exactly what they need for their condition.

    But to say the whole plant has no benefits seems patently false, and disingenuous to me.
     

  3. Maybe there are other better ways where marijuana's health benefits can be tapped better.
     
  4. The whole marijuana plant material, on the other hand, has thousands of unknown and carcinogenic components that have not been accepted by scientific and medical authorities as medicines.

    As opposed to the carcinogenic compounds that medical science will gladly cram you full of when they get you in the system.There are no confirmed deaths from cannabis use alone,so any claims to the contrary are bullshit.

    That smoked marijuana is not medicine doesn’t mean we should not pursue cannabis-based medicines in the form of pills, mouth-sprays, injections, patches and other acceptable routes of administration.

    Apparently the efficacy of smoked cannabis for cancer,glaucoma,AIDS,Crohns,IBS patients is pure placebo but if they can put cannabis into an "acceptable" form (which they can make lots of money from) is all good.

    Corporate greed masquerading as science. Remember,the official stance of the feds is that cannabis has no medicinal value. So any statement coming from any federal agency has to be taken with a huge grain of salt.
     
  5. From Granny Storm Crow's List,




    [FONT=&quot]SMOKED CANNABIS AS A MEDICATION[/FONT]


    CANNABIS AND MARINOL IN THE TREATMENT OF MIGRAINE HEADACHE (full - undated) Cannabis and Marinol in the Treatment of Migraine Headache

    Antiemetic efficacy of smoked marijuana: subjective and behavioral effects on nausea induced by syrup of ipecac. (abst - 2001) Antiemetic efficacy of smoke... [Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2001 Jul-Aug] - PubMed - NCBI

    The Role of Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Pain Management (full – 2002)
    http://www.humanhemphealth.ca/Russo-AAPM_chapter.pdf

    A Dramatic Response to Inhaled Cannabis in a Woman with Central Thalamic Pain and Dystonia (full - 2002) Elsevier

    Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program
    (full - 2002) http://www.maps.org/mmj/russo2002.pdf

    Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program
    (abstract & comments - 2002) AAMC: Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program

    The effects of smoked cannabis in painful peripheral neuropathy and cancer pain refractory to opiods. (abst - 2003)
    Clinical Studies and Case Reports

    Epilepsy patients are smoking pot (news - 2004) ASA : Medical marijuana

    Marinol vs Natural Cannabis (full - 2005)
    http://www.norml.org/pdf_files/NORML_Marinol_vs_Natural_Cannabis.pdf

    Smoked cannabis therapy for HIV-related painful peripheral neuropathy: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. (abst - 2005)
    Clinical Studies and Case Reports

    Medical use of cannabis in sickle cell disease (news - 2005)
    [FONT=&quot]Medical use of cannabis in sickle cell disease[/FONT]

    Dose-dependent Effects of Smoked Cannabis on Capsaicin-Induced Pain and Hyperalgesia in Healthy Volunteers. (full - 2007)
    Dose-dependent Effects of Smoked Cannabis on Capsaicin-induc... : Anesthesiology

    Smoked Cannabis Proven Effective In Treating Neuropathic Pain (news - 2007)
    Smoked Cannabis Proven Effective In Treating Neuropathic Pain

    Marijuana gives relief from chronic pain for AIDS sufferers (news - 2007)
    Marijuana gives relief from chronic pain for AIDS sufferers

    Smoked Cannabis Reduces Foot Pain Associated With HIV In Placebo Trial
    (news - 2007) Smoked Cannabis Reduces Foot Pain Associated With HIV In Placebo Trial

    A Randomized, Placebo Controlled Cross-Over Trial of Cannabis Cigarettes in Neuropathic Pain (full - 2008) http://cmcr.ucsd.edu/images/pdfs/Wilsey_2008.pdf

    Medicinal Marijuana Effective For Neuropathic Pain In HIV, Study Finds
    (news - 2008) Medicinal Marijuana Effective For Neuropathic Pain In HIV, Study Finds

    Marijuana May Be Effective For Neuropathic Pain (news - 2008)
    [FONT=&quot]Marijuana May Be Effective For Neuropathic Pain[/FONT]

    Cluster attacks responsive to recreational cannabis and dronabinol. (abst - 2009)
    Cluster attacks responsive to recreational cannabis... [Headache. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

    Smoked cannabis for chronic neuropathic pain: a randomized controlled trial
    [FONT=&quot](full - 2010) [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Smoked cannabis for chronic neuropathic pain: a randomized controlled trial

    [/FONT] Cannabis Inhalation Associated With Spontaneous Tumor Regression (news - 2010)
    Cannabis Inhalation Associated With Spontaneous Tumor Regression, Study Says | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

    Study: Smoking pot may ease chronic pain (news - 2010)
    Study: Smoking pot may ease chronic pain - CNN.com

    Smoking cannabis relieves chronic pain (news – 2010)
    Smoking cannabis relieves chronic pain - Health & Families - Life & Style - The Independent

    Marijuana better than pharmaceuticals at treating chronic pain, improving mood
    (news - 2010) Marijuana better than pharmaceuticals at treating chronic pain, improving mood

    Chronic Pain Improved by Cannabis Smoking (news – 2010)
    Chronic Pain Improved by Cannabis Smoking - Softpedia

    Spontaneous regression of septum pellucidum/forniceal pilocytic astrocytomas-possible role of Cannabis inhalation. (full – 2011)
    http://cannabisclinicians.org/wp-co...nhalation-and-Brain-Tumor-Regression-2011.pdf

    Medical cannabis use in post-traumatic stress disorder: a naturalistic observational study. (abst – 2011) Clinical Studies and Case Reports

    Inhaled Cannabis May Keep Brain Cancer in Remission (news – 2011)
    Inhaled Marijuana May Keep Brain Cancer in Remission

    Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. (full – 2012) Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

    Seizure exacerbation in two patients with focal epilepsy following marijuana cessation.
    (abst – 2012) Seizure exacerbation in two patients with foc... [Epilepsy Behav. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

    Use of cannabis among 139 cluster headache sufferers. (abst – 2012)
    Use of cannabis among 139 cluster headache suffe... [Cephalalgia. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI

    Smoked Cannabis Reduces Some Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (news – 2012)
    Smoked Cannabis Reduces Some Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

    Comparison of the Analgesic Effects of Dronabinol and Smoked Marijuana In Daily Marijuana Smokers. (abst – 2013) Comparison of the Analgesic Effects ... [Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI

    But vaporizing is much easier on the lungs and still provides the almost instantaneous relief smoking brings.
     
  6. Just the right amount of reading material for your morning dump.
     

  7. Point in case, thats more than a placebo.
     
  8. Smoking is just another way to use your medicine, as is having the choice from your doctors prescription to choose between liquid or pill
     
  9. This is no different than the people who think the high needs to be removed to make it medicinal
     
  10. Smoking gives a much better pain relief than vaporizing in my experience so I disagree with this
     
  11. What a joke, lol.
    At the very least it would give relief to those suffering from appetite loss.
     
  12. Of course they want don't want it to be smoked. If they make injections, pills, patches, etc. the only allowed method of administration, Big Pharma can patent and make money off of it. You can't patent a plant. The bottom line is money. That's always what it's been about.
     
  13. Or grow your own and make your own. I make sprays, pills and topicals all on my own
     
  14. And I make tinctures, capsules, cannabis-based hand lotions, and edibles- plus I smoke and vape! One of the nicer things about cannabis is the variety of ways to use it! With tinctures and smoking, you can control your dosage to exactly the level you need, and get almost instant relief!

    Badkittysmiles has provided the "how to" for "repurposing" e-cigarettes (something I wouldn't have a clue for! My List also has the recipe to make THC breath strips, and if you are into it, I even have the patent for THC-hemosuccante rectal suppositories (thank you, Dr. Elsolhy*) and one on how to make nasal sprays, too!

    And although you can not patent "Cannabis sativa", it is quite legal to patent a variety of a plant! Vegetable, flower and fruit varieties are usually patented! So they could patent "Cannabis sativa, var. White Widow" which would have a chemical make-up of "X" amount of THC, "Y" of CBD, "Z" of cannabichromeme, and the following terpines and flavinoids..........blah-blah-blah.

    Granny


    *Dr Elsoly is the top government cannabis researcher at the federal cannabis grow in Mississippi. he holds at least 2 patents on THC-H suppositories. But somehow, they are just not that popular for some reason!
     

  15. I feel that this is a red herring as well.

    While there may not be any FDA approved medicines that are delivered via smoking, there are plenty that are delivered through inhalation (inhalers, nebulizers, etc...). Inhalers and nebulizers may deliver more consistently metered doses, but they are subject to the same variables of "individual differences in absorption and metabolism in the liver, as well as puff frequency, depth of inhalation and retention of inhaled smoke [or vapor in this case]".

    As technology and techniques evolve to allow extraction of essential compounds from cannabis to create concentrates (BHO, absolute amber, Pure Gold) we move closer and closer to medicinalized cannabis that may have standardized (and reproducible) chemistry.

    So how is taking a puff of Pure Gold from a vape pen significantly different than taking a puff of Albuterol from an inhaler, as far as dosage and delivery method is concerned?

    Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating concentrates over whole plant cannabis, or "pharmaceutical" preparations of cannabis over whole plant cannabis. If there was some danger to the public in consuming whole plant cannabis then I probably would, but there is no reason we cannot have both whole plant cannabis and controlled, concentrated cannabis medicines. As long as they don't mess with the plant too much they should both be safe and effective.
     

  16. but you can patent a plant, ask monsanto and dow, and snobby plant breeders lol
     
  17. They do not occur naturally, so its perfectly fine to patent.
     
  18. I think you need to read up a bit more
     

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