Question Answered - Cannabis Fights Cancer

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I responded in the comment section following the Baltimore Sun article: Not enough evidence that Cannabis has medical benefits?:

Well, of course there is always truth number 1 - the US blocks major studies wherever it can....

Read for yourself, and ask yourself how you feel about a possible cancer fighter being denied to us. Even if you have never lost someone to cancer, chances are you will, don't you want every option available to battle this insidious disease?

Pot Shrinks Tumors; Government Knew in '74

"In 1974 researchers learned that THC, the active chemical in marijuana, shrank or destroyed brain tumors in test mice. But the DEA quickly shut down the study and destroyed its results, which were never replicated -- until now."

".....The ominous part is that this isn't the first time scientists have discovered that THC shrinks tumors. In 1974 researchers at the Medical College of Virginia, who had been funded by the National Institute of Health to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, found instead that THC slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice -- lung and breast cancer, and a virus-induced leukemia."

The DEA quickly shut down the Virginia study and all further cannabis/tumor research..."

Marijuana cures cancer – US government has known since 1974
"The term medical marijuana took on dramatic new meaning in February 2000 when researchers in Madrid announced they had destroyed incurable brain cancer tumors in rats by injecting them with THC, the active ingredient in cannabis."

"The Madrid study marks only the second time that THC has been administered to tumor-bearing animals; the first was a Virginia investigation 26 years ago. In both studies, the THC shrank or destroyed tumors in a majority of the test subjects."

Unlocking a Cure for Cancer - With Pot
Who could imagine that cannabis might one day offer hope as a cure for cancer? The United States government, that’s who.

For the past 30 years, U.S. officials have willfully ignored clinical research indicating that marijuana can inhibit the growth of certain type of malignant tumors. However, the recent publication of a trio of clinical studies and a pair of scientific reviews have effectively blown the lid off "Cancergate," and revealed that pot’s medical value may be far greater than ever presumed.

THE EMERGING EVIDENCE

Last year, five scientific journals published prominent articles trumpeting cannabinoids (compounds in marijuana) as potential anti-cancer agents.

These include:

• Clinical trial data published in January 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Society of Clinical Investigation that found cannabinoids significantly inhibit skin tumor growth in mice. Investigators of the study concluded, "The present data indicate that local cannabinoids administration may constitute an alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer."
• Clinical trial data published in the March 2003 issue of The FASEB Journal that found that the "local administration of a non-psychoactive cannabinoid inhibits angiogenesis (tissue growth) of malignant gliomas (brain tumors)."
• A clinical review in the October 2003 issue of the prestigious journal Nature Reviews Cancer that concluded that cannabinoids’ "favorable drug safety profile" and proven ability to inhibit tumor growth make them desirable agents in the treatment of cancer. According to the review’s author, tumors inhibited by cannabinoids include: lung carcinoma, glioma, thyroid epithelioma, lymphoma/leukemia, skin carcinoma, uterus carcinoma, breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, and neuroblastoma (a malignant tumor originating in the autonomic nervous system or the adrenal medulla and occurring chiefly in infants and young children).
• Clinical trial data published in the November 2003 issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics that found the administration of the cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) inhibits the growth of human glioma cells both in vitro (e.g., a petri dish) and in animals in a dose-dependent manner. Investigators concluded, "Non-psychoactive CBD produce[s] a significant antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus suggesting a possible application of CBD as an antineoplastic agent (something which prevents the growth of malignant cells.)"
• And finally, a clinical review in the December 2003 issue of the journal Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets that summarized "the demonstrated antitumor actions of cannabinoids," and elaborated on "possible avenues for the future development of cannabinoids as antitumor agents."

AND SUBSEQUENT MEDIA BLACKOUT

Despite these stunning findings, media coverage of them in North America has been virtually non-existent. As noted by Richard Cowan, editor of the website MarijuanaNews.com, "The New York Times, The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times all ignored this story, even though its newsworthiness is indisputable: a benign substance occurring in nature destroys deadly brain tumors."

Why the media blackout? For starters, all of these studies were conducted overseas. And secondly, not one of them has been acknowledged by the U.S. government.

U.S. KNEW IN ’74... AND AGAIN IN ’96!

This wasn’t always the case. In fact, the first ever experiment documenting pot’s anti-tumor effects took place in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia at the behest of the U.S. government. The results of that study, immortalized in an August 18, 1974 Washington Post newspaper feature, were that "THC slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."

Despite these favorable preliminary findings, U.S. government officials banished the study, and refused to fund any follow up research until conducting a similar – though secret – study in the mid-1990s. That study, conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program to the tune of $2 million concluded that mice and rats administered high doses of THC over long periods had greater protection against malignant tumors than untreated controls. However, rather than publicize their findings, government researchers shelved the results – which only became public one year later after a draft copy of its findings were leaked in 1997 to the journal AIDS Treatment News, which in turn forwarded the story to the national media.

Nevertheless, in the nearly eight years since the completion of the National Toxicology trial, the U.S. government has yet to fund a single additional study examining pot’s potential as an anti-cancer agent.

SCIENCE IGNORED NO MORE

Fortunately, researchers at Madrid, Spain’s Complutense University, School of Biology have generously picked up where U.S. researchers so abruptly left off. In 1998, the research team – led by investigator Manuel Guzman – discovered that THC can selectively induce program cell death in brain tumor cells without negatively impacting the surrounding healthy cells. Then in 2000, Guzman’s team reported in the journal Nature Medicine that injections of synthetic THC eradicated malignant gliomas (brain tumors) in one-third of treated rats, and prolonged life in another third by six weeks. A commentary to the study noted that the results were the first to convincingly demonstrate that cannabis-based treatments may successfully combat cancer. Read the whole article by Paul Armentano on Lew Rockwell. ~

Cannabis is the only medicine that needs special permission from the DEA to study in the US (Law Enforcement making medical decisions?). Read about the fight Dr. Lyle Craker has had to go through with the DEA.

For tonnes more proof that Cannabis is indeed medicinal, please read the articles: "International Researchers Reveal Medical Cannabis Breakthroughs!" (October 12, 2009) which actually ends with "I can only hope the mainstream media picks up on these scientific breakthroughs and lets the public know." and "The Miracle of Cannabis".

I have a stake in this fight, my Mother is battling Cancer, it started in her lung and has now travelled to her brain. I am furious and heart broken that her life, as well as the lives of millions of others are deemed worthless by our governments, all so they can continue the lies started in the 20' and 30's that "Marijuana (Anslinger's term - not mine, the proper medical term for the plant is Cannabis sativa L) is bad".

Yesterday I mentioned Medical Cannabis to someone, who immediately stated that she didn't agree with it because "it puts holes in your head". It saddened me that the prohibition propaganda machine is indeed working, but I will continue to write and rally and petition for the legalization of Cannabis, because someone I LOVE more than life itself deserves to have her life SAVED. She deserves to have every medicine, even if it is not a Big Pharma synthetic in her arsenal, and if a natural plant can help her then whatever ignorant words and laws politicians say and enact is non-existent in my consciousness.


"The Holy Grail of Cancer Research"

Addendum: Read more, educate yourself about cannabis research and also how to spot propaganda when you see and hear it.

To learn more about Cannabis fighting Cancer check out:

Google search "Cannabis inhibits cancer"

Published Study Shows How Cannabis Inhibits Brain Cancer

Medicinal Cannabis, Cancer and Rick Simpson by Jeffrey Dach MD

Cannabis Use with Cancer - : "... The real excitement comes with the growing evidence that cannabis may actually treat cancer by acting as a perfect chemotherapy medication which kills the cancer cells but not the healthy ones. Back in 1974, researchers at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond inadvertently found the THC slowed the growth of cancer cells in mice with cancer of the lung, breast and a virus-induced leukemia. Their funding ended since the original goal was to determine its harmful effects to the immune system. In 2000 Guzman and his research team in Madrid, Spain demonstrated that injected THC could shrink or destroy brain cell tumors (Glioma) in rats. The 1974 studies were never published and in recent years there has been little coverage in the U.S. about Guzman's work."...

Inhibition of Breast Cancer Aggressiveness by Cannabidiol

Marijuana and Lung Cancer: Another Marijuana Myth Goes Up in Smoke
Epidemiological data presented last May at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) concluding that smoking marijuana, even long-term, is not positively associated with increased incidence of lung-cancer, is just the latest in a long line of government claims regarding the alleged dangers of pot to go – pardon the pun – up in smoke.

Cannabis chemicals stop prostate cancer growth

Active Ingredient in Marijuana Kills Brain Cancer Cells

Pot Shows Promise as Cancer Cure

"Not familiar with clinical research about marijuana's potential anti-cancer properties? You're not alone."

Cannabis extract makes brain tumors shrink, halts growth of blood vessels
"Researchers in Spain have discovered that a cannabis extract makes brain tumors shrink by halting the growth of blood vessels that supply the tumors with life. Cannabis has chemicals called cannabinoids, these are the chemicals that could effectively starve tumors to death, say the researchers. "

Cannabis Cures Cancer - "Run From The Cure" The Rick Simpson Story

Post Updated March 12th, 2010.

Science Trumps Ideology

The comment I left after the article:

Mental health fears over cannabis may be ‘misguided’

From: International Researchers Reveal Medical Cannabis Breakthroughs!

Excerpts from:

International Association for Cannabis as Medicine
IACM 5th Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine
2-3 October 2009, Cologne
Program and Abstracts Copyright by
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine
Am Mildenweg 659602 Rüthen Germany
www.cannabis-med.org


METABOLIC ABNORMALITIES, ABNORMAL STRESS RESPONSE AND CHRONIC
INFLAMMATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA – POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR
CANNABINOID MEDICINES?

In recent years much concern has arisen over the possibility that cannabis smoking in adolescence may be a risk factor for schizophrenia in adult life, although this remains a controversial issue. In contrast, considerable interest in the potential role of the non-psychoactive naturally occurring cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) as an anti-psychotic medicine has also developed. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of both THC and CBD are well established. A systematic literature review has suggested the intriguing possibility that habitual cannabis use may protect cognitive function in schizophrenia patients, and CBD has been shown to improve a marker of this in healthy subjects.

There are preliminary data to suggest that cannabinoids may have beneficial effects on abnormal stress reaction, metabolic dysfunction and dyslipidaemia. Since the mechanism of action for the anti-psychotic effects of CBD and other cannabinoids almost certainly differs from all existing agents, synergistic combinations withboth typical and atypical antipsychotics are a possibility. Taken overall, these observations lead to the hypothesis that an appropriately formulated medicine containing a combination of selected cannabinoids may have the potential to target all the major components of the schizophrenia syndrome and thereby significantly reduce the need for polypharmacy. (Read More: http://maryjanecannabian.blogspot.com/2009/10/international-researchers-reveal.html)

In Layman's terms, Cannabis can help the symptoms of schizophrenia and cuts down the number of prescription drugs a person has to take.

As much as politicians love to use the "Tough on Crime/War On Drugs" platform because it resonates with the sheeple, the unmistakable reality is that drug policy will only be its most successful if we let those experts most knowledgeable about drugs guide our drug policy. Science, along with addressing the root causes of addiction (such as poverty, mental illnesses, lack of education and health services and being a victim of sexual abuse) are the pillars of successful solutions to reduce drug abuse (because all users are not abusers, we don't call people alcoholics because they like to have a few beers on a Friday night) and the crime that results from prohibition.

Illegality automatically inflates prices for drugs which of course attracts organized crime and causes violence in a black market. We learned this valuable lesson during the prohibition of alcohol. Prohibition will never be the answer. Taking drugs is a personal decision and people will use them regardless of law. Most people regulate their behavior due to personal belief, we don't steal or murder not because it is against the law, but because we personally think its wrong. If drugs were legal it would be the same, those who want to experiment will, and those who don't, won't. Regulation will also make it harder for kids to get because proof of age will be required to buy - news flash parents - drug dealers don't ask your kids for ID!

And just imagine, all those police officers that must waste their time, energy and resources chasing down plants will now be able to focus on preventing and solving violent crime. Taxpayers should also be happy to know that it costs less for rehab programs than it does to maintain overflowing prisons. And people who beat addiction will contribute to the economy through employment, whereas released convicts can't get a job easily with a criminal record leading to increasing rates of recidivism.

Thank You, Professor Nutt, for being brave and speaking the truth, you are right, the people are on your side and support you. We need science and compassion based drug policy and governments around the world must put their ideology aside and recognize that prohibition is unrealistic and harms society more than actual drugs ever could. Education and regulation is the key.

Update ~ CBC aired a "Let's Scare the Bejeezus out of Parents"" documentary about "super strong pot" and schizophrenia. Here's my response as well as additional valuable info:

I went right to the RCMP website to find that THC content really isn't as high, pardon the pun, as many people would like us to believe. According to the RCMP the the average levels of THC in cannabis grown in Canada is 9.96-10.25 per cent. (2005/06) I also read the 4 studies that were used as evidence for the documentary. The recurring theme in all research was that they were not all "Cannabis only users" - many people also used amphetamines, alcohol, nicotine, etc. and many had a predetermined genetic link to schizophrenia (psychosis liability) a history of childhood trauma and/or other environmental factors.

What I honest to goodness took away from these studies is that the cannabis/schizophrenia link is the genetic predisposition and the subjects were going to possibly develop schizophrenia regardless of cannabis use. While some surmise that cannabis may trigger symptoms of schizophrenia I conclude that if anything what this proves is that if we regulate the sale to adults like we do for alcohol then less young people would have access to it at too early an age, thus delaying a possible eventual onset of schizophrenia.

THC-content in Dutch Cannabis. (aka the "Killer Dutch Bud" Frenzy...)

One of the latest prohibitionist scare tactics is to claim that the THC of Cannabis has increased 10 to 30 times. Some people, (including Australian parliamentarians) were even claiming Cannabis now had 45% THC!! The sub text of this was a desperate appeal to baby-boomer parents who may themselves have smoked Cannabis: "Cannabis isn't the harmless old drug you may have smoked in the sixties at university, oh no, its now mutated into an evil-killer- insanity causing drug that turns good kids bad, splits families and ruins lives... etc, etc".
Into the middle of this debate comes the cold hard light of day... at last.
The following communication was originally posted to the ADCA Update list on Wed, 5 Jul 2000.
Dear reader,
There has been a lot of anecdotal information about the THC-content in Dutch Cannabis products sold in coffee shops. A colleague of mine at the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Dr Raymond Niessink (the renown alcohol and drugs toxicologist and writer of the book 'Drugs of Abuse and Addiction: Neurobehavioural Toxicology') just finished a study about the THC-content in cannabis products sold in Dutch coffee shops.
This is the abstract of his study:
"The policy on cannabis use in The Netherlands is substantially different from that in many other countries. It is based on the idea that separating the markets for hard drugs and soft drugs prevents soft drug users to resort to hard drug use. Over the years so-called coffee shops emerged. Coffee shops are alcohol free establishments where the selling and using of soft drugs is not prosecuted, provided certain conditions are met. Many of the cannabis products sold in these coffee shops originate from Dutch-grown grass called nederwiet.
A number of critics of the Dutch drug policy have recently claimed that the THC content of nederwiet has increased between 10 and 30 times over the last decade. However, the THC content of cannabis products as sold in coffee shops has not systematically been tested. On request of the Ministries of Health and Justice, the potency of cannabis products as sold in coffee shops in The Netherlands was investigated.
The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marihuana and hash as sold in Dutch coffee shops. In addition we wanted to know whether there are differences between the cannabis products originating from Dutch grown hemp (nederwiet) and those derived from foreign hemp. The names and addresses of 50 coffee shops were randomly selected from a list of 845 Dutch coffee shops. For the purpose of this study, 126 samples of nederwiet, 56 samples of foreign marihuana, 18 samples of Dutch hash and 90 samples of hash prepared from foreign hemp were anonymously bought in the selected coffee shops. As a rule samples of 1 gram were bought.
The average THC content of the marihuana samples was 7,5% and that of the hash-samples 12,6%. The average THC content of nederwiet (8,6%) was significantly higher than that of foreign marihuana (5,0%). Hash derived from Dutch hemp contained more THC (20,7%) than hash originating from foreign hemp (11,0%). These THC percentages do not deviate much from the percentages that have been reported by the Dutch Forensic Institute in the middle of the nineties about confiscated marihuana and hash samples.
The prices that had to be paid for nederwiet and Dutch hash were higher than the prices for foreign marihuana and hash. The price for nederwiet in Amsterdam was higher than in the rest of the country. There is a significant correlation between price and THC content of the cannabis products. When the THC concentrations in nederwiet are compared with the THC concentrations in marihuana from foreign studies we must conclude that the concentrations in nederwiet are nothing out of the way.
The THC-content of nederwiet is comparable with the THC content of sinsemilla samples as measured in the US between 1980 and 1997.
Continuation of the systematic collection of data on the THC content of samples of cannabis consumed by regular users should have a high priority. Apart from that, it is necessary to have factual information about the relation between high THC content of cannabis products and the actual body-burden as well as scientific information on acute and chronic toxicity from regular high THC-blood concentrations."
From: Jaap Toet
Trimbos-institute (Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction)
Dept. of Monitoring and Epidemiology Postbus 725 3500 AS Utrecht The Netherlands
And from Essays & Articles, Dr. John Jiggens

Does Cannabis Use Cause Schizophrenia? ~

This study shows that incidence of schizophrenia has not increased with increased numbers of Cannabis users:

"The evidence that schizophrenia levels have remained constant is overwhelming, not just in Australia, but right throughout the world.

People Living with Psychotic Illness: An Australian Study 1997-98, published as part of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, found that the prevalence for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders in urban Australia was about 3 per 1000 in 1998. This was in the middle range of a world-wide prevalence of 2 to 5 per 1000.

The report commented:

"Epidemiological studies estimating the prevalence of schizophrenic and related psychotic disorders have been conducted since the early decade of this century [i.e.Twentieth Century]. The results of studies carried out at different times and different parts of the world ... suggest that, notwithstanding cultural and biological differences between populations, and the different methods used to ascertain morbidity, the prevalence of schizophrenia is remarkably similar around the world (in the range between 2 and 5 per 1000 according to the majority of studies) and stable over time."

This conclusion—that schizophrenia levels have been stable over place and time for as long as they have been measured—was based on an examination of 28 surveys into the incidence of schizophrenia conducted throughout the world over several decades. One of these surveys was a 1993 World Health Organisation study on the incidence of schizophrenia in which standardised methods of case detection, interviewing and diagnosis were applied simultaneously in 7 countries. Like the other surveys, this found little variation in the incidence rates of schizophrenia across the different populations and cultures.

Countries which had extremely high cannabis use (Jamaica in 1995] had the same schizophrenia rates per 1000 as countries with zero cannabis use (Norway in 1926-1935).

Q: Does cannabis use cause schizophrenia?

A: No. Over the past four decades most countries in the Western world have experienced rapidly increasing cannabis use. None of these countries has experienced any accompanying “Madness” plague. Countries like Australia and Jamaica which have the highest levels of cannabis use have levels of schizophrenia similar to the rest of the world.

We’ve smoked the “Reefer” for four decades, and “Madness” levels have remained steady, not just in Australia, but all over the world. Where does that leave the “Reefer Madness” theory?? --- http://drjiggens.com/does_cannabis_use_cause_schizophrenia.html ~

*****

Along with Science, let's just throw in "Life" too.

While I know Anslinger's "Marijuana drives you insane!" arguement will more than likely continue on as it's literally been embedded into the minds of multiple generations now, I'll leave you with this: I believe correlation does not mean causation. Just because some people may not handle Cannabis well does not mean everyone should be punished for using it.  In comparison with all things we ingest it's totally understandable that Cannabis isn't for everyone and perhaps those with a genetic predispostion for Schizophrenia should not induldge.  Just like diabetics shouldn't dive into the dessert bar at a buffet, or maybe the children of alcoholics should avoid booze. Heck, people with balance problems probably shouldn't attempt gymnastics either.  We must apply common sense.

So many things in life come down to people making personal decisions for themselves. We don't always make the best choices, but such is life, and each experience - great or small, right or wrong, happy or sad - shapes the person we become. Everyone has regrets and can question their actions (did I really wear that top to that party back in grade 11? What was I thinking?!) and hindsight is 20/20. But that is the beauty of life, it's a journey, sometimes it's bumpy and sometimes it's smooth sailing and in the end each of us owns the road we've traveled down. There are different views of "The Meaning of Life", and no two people have the exact same philosophies and I think that's wonderful, otherwise this would be one really boring existence. What would be the point of a life with no individuality and no personal autonomy? The geek in me rejoices that we are not living in Hives of "The *Borg" - I subscribe to a more "Browncoat/Independent/Resist The *Alliance" way o' life.

"The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination." ~ Don Williams, Jr

*The Borg is a collective, meaning that they—or it—possess a single mind. That Borg mind has the single intent of “assimilating” all organic species into the collective. The Borg are utterly without mercy or compassion. In a collective society only the needs of the group as a whole are considered, and in this utilitarian calculation the needs of the unrivaled number of Borg will nearly always override any other considerations.

*The Alliance (from Firefly/Serenity)

A scene at an Alliance school, where a teacher sadly muses that it's hard to understand why the benighted Independents, the secessionists, have resisted the attempt to bring them the gifts of civilization. River Tam speaks the truth:

"We meddle... People don't like to be meddled with. We tell them what to do, what to think, don't run, don't walk. We're in their homes and in their heads, and we haven't the right. We're meddlesome."



Update August 2012
 
Cannabis Is Least Harmful Substance in Published British Medical Journal ‘Harm To Self And Others’ Study.
The British Medical Journal on 27th of July 2012 published an extensive study scaling the harm caused to ones self and to others due to substance use. The study looked at the 19 most commonly used drugs both legal and illicit. Heroin was ranked at number  1 whilst Alcohol sat in 4th place and cannabis came bottom being deemed least harmful in all 3 tables.
The Paper titled “Quantifying the RR of harm to self and others from substance misuse: results from a survey of clinical experts across Scotland.” published in the BMJ by a collective of 6 research bodies, five from the UK and one from our common wealth cousins in New Zealand who also operate under a policy of prohibition like ours – The Misuse of Drugs Act. This study was carried out by 292 clinical experts. -

BREAKING NEWS! (That we already knew)  The Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis and Cannabinoids

NORML reports as well: “There Is Now Clear Evidence That Cannabinoids Are Useful For The Treatment Of Various Medical Conditions”
"According to a just published review in the German scientific journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, scientific findings from over 100 controlled clinical trials involving either cannabis or its constituents provide “clear evidence that cannabinoids are useful for the treatment of various medical conditions.”
Investigators from the nova-Institute and the Hannover Medical School in Germany reviewed over 100 controlled trials assessing the safety and efficacy of cannabis and cannabinoids.
Researchers reported: “Knowledge about the therapeutic potential of cannabis products has been greatly improved by a large number of clinical trials in recent years. … There is now clear evidence that cannabinoids are useful for the treatment of various medical conditions,” including chronic neuropathy (nerve pain), multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, and other indications."

And more from the awesome Professor David Nutt mentioned above:


David Nutt's Blog: Evidence not Exaggeration
Smoke without fire? Scaremongering by the British Lung Foundation over cannabis vs tobacco
June 11, 2012

Hypothesising an alternative: Applying the scientific process to drug policy June 29, 2012

From The Economist: Reefer madness Plain speaking on a highly coloured issue
David Nutt Says Legalising Cannabis Would Curb Alcohol Use 'By A Quarter'

Alcohol - not marijuana - is the gateway drug, study shows

International Researchers Reveal Medical Cannabis Breakthroughs!

This is phenomenal news! Even if you are not a doctor or scientist, we can understand the basics. Ahead are some highlights from the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine Conference held in Cologne, Germany. Please give the whole document a read, it's well worth it. Be sure to share it with friends, family, and your physicians too. Everyone should know about the medical benefits of cannabis! Note: After each summary, I've written my own personal layman interpretation in italics, and Bolding is mine.


Excerpts from:

International Association for Cannabis as Medicine
IACM 5th Conference on Cannabinoids in Medicine
2-3 October 2009, Cologne
Program and Abstracts
Copyright by
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine
Am Mildenweg 6
59602 Rüthen
Germany
www.cannabis-med.org

METABOLIC ABNORMALITIES, ABNORMAL STRESS RESPONSE AND CHRONIC

INFLAMMATION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA – POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR
CANNABINOID MEDICINES?

In recent years much concern has arisen over the possibility that cannabis smoking in
adolescence may be a risk factor for schizophrenia in adult life, although this remains a
controversial issue. In contrast, considerable interest in the potential role of the non-psychoactive naturally occurring cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) as an anti-psychotic medicine has also developed. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of both THC and CBD are well established. A systematic literature review has suggested the intriguing possibility that habitual cannabis use may protect cognitive function in schizophrenia patients, and CBD has been shown to improve a marker of this in healthy subjects.

There are preliminary data to suggest that cannabinoids may have beneficial effects on abnormal stress reaction, metabolic dysfunction and dyslipidaemia. Since the mechanism of action for the anti-psychotic effects of CBD and other cannabinoids almost certainly differs from all existing agents, synergistic combinations withboth typical and atypical antipsychotics are a possibility. Taken overall, these observations lead to the hypothesis that an appropriately formulated medicine containing a combination of selected cannabinoids may have the potential to target all the major components of the schizophrenia syndrome and thereby significantly reduce the need for polypharmacy.

In Layman's terms, Cannabis can help the symptoms of schizophrenia and cuts down the number of prescription drugs a person has to take.

ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF CANNABINOIDS

"Based on these findings, the endogenous cannabinoid system may offer a novel target for the treatment of depressive disorders."

Cannabis can help treat depression.

CANNABIS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PAIN: ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY STUDY
(COMPASS)

Discussion
Cannabis use for chronic pain over one year is not associated with major changes in lung,
endocrine, cognitive function or serious adverse events. The increase in non-serious adverse
events is consistent with those for pharmaceutical cannabinoids.

Cannabis is effective to treat pain with little dangerous side effects.

CANNABINOID:OPIOID PHARMACOKINETIC INTERACTION IN CHRONIC PAIN

Background: Cannabinoids and opioids share several pharmacologic properties, including
antinociception, hypothermia, sedation, hypotension and inhibition of intestinal mobility and
locomotor activity. Data suggest the existence of independent but related analgesic pathways forcannabinoids and opioids such that the two may be synergistic. Cannabinoids may also
ameliorate opioid side effects, particularly nausea and vomiting.

Most patients reported further relief of their chronic pain with the addition of vaporized cannabis; these results will also be fully analyzed and presented.

Conclusions: The complete pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results will be analyzed and presented. Cannabinoids may augment the analgesic effects of opioids, allowing longer treatment at lower doses with fewer side effects.

Grant Support:
NIDA R21 DA020831-01
NIDA N01-DA-3-8829
NCRR UL1 RR024131

Cannabis can help people lower their intake of prescription painkillers that have physical side-effects.

I note the grant support because a portion comes from NIDA - I wonder if they will publish these results on their website?

CANNABIS EXTRACT IN THE TREATMENT OF MUSCLE STIFFNESS AND OTHER
SYMPTOMS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS – RESULTS OF THE MUSEC STUDY

Conclusion The study met its primary objective to show superiority of cannabis extract over placebo in the treatment of muscle stiffness in MS. Secondary efficacy parameters corroborated these results. The profile of AEs in patients treated with cannabis extract was consistent with the known side effects of cannabinoids. No new safety concerns were raised.

Cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for those who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis.

RECENT ADVANCES ON CANNABINOIDS IN GLIOMA

Thus, we have analysed the gene expression profile of a large series of glioma cell lines, and have found a subset of genes with a marked differential expression in THC-sensitive vs. THC-resistant cells. Furthermore, we have identified growth factors such as amphiregulin as likely candidates to mediate the resistance of glioma cells to cannabinoid-induced apoptosis, thereby supporting the emerging notion that targeted inhibition of growth factor-evoked pro-survival signals can improve the efficacy of anticancer therapies. Altogether, these findings may set the basis for future clinical trials aimed at evaluating the potential activity of cannabinoids as anticancer agents.

Cannabis can fight Cancerous Brain Tumors, if this research had been continued from the 70's, Senator Ted Kennedy may well still be alive today.

ENDOCANNABINOIDS – THE WAY AHEAD

Novel therapeutics. The recent demise of SR141716 as an anti-obesity drug probably
indicates that CB1 antagonists that penetrate the blood brain barrier will not open a new
therapeutic area, due to their side effects. However we can expect to see such compounds with
specific peripheral action, possibly as new drugs in liver, gastrointestinal and lung diseases. CB1 agonists are already used in several types of pathological conditions and we can expect their use in post trauma and pain. CB2 agonists should lead to new drugs in pain, inflammation and neurological diseases. A long list of additional approaches can be
visualized – from gastrointestinal to bone diseases. And we should not forget cannabidiol, which seems to act on too many disease states (anxiety, inflammation, cardiac conditions, schizophrenia etc) and yet has no major side effects.

Cannabis can be used to treat a myriad of diseases, ailments, and obesity safely.

GENETIC BASIS OF MARIJUANA USE

A major breakthrough in marijuana-cannabinoid research has been the discovery of a previously unknown but elaborate endogenous endocannabinoid system (ECS) composed of endocannabinoids and the enzymes for their biosynthesis and degradation with genes encoding two distinct cannabinoid (CB1 and CB2) receptors (CBRs) that are activated by endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and marijuana use. Physical and genetic localization of the cannabinoid receptor CNR1 and CNR2 genes have been mapped to human chromosome 6 and 1 respectively. A number of variations in CBR genes have been associated with human disorders including osteoporosis, ADHD, PTSD, drug dependency, obesity and depression. The ubiquitous abundance and differential distribution of the ECS in the human body and brain along with the coupling to many signal transduction pathways may explain the effects in most biological system and the myriad behavioral effects associated with smoking marijuana. The remarkable progress in understanding the biological actions of marijuana and cannabinoids have provided a much richer than previously appreciated cannabinoid genomics and raised a number of critical issues on the molecular mechanisms of cannabinoid induced behavioral and biochemical alterations.

Our data also indicate a number of polymorphisms and sub-type cannabinoid receptor specificity indicating that marijuana use may not only be coded in our genes but may be exploited in disorders associated with disturbances of endocannabinoid system.

Yes, that just said that using marijuana may be a conditioned part of who we genetically, physically are and we can use it to benefit medical treatment. I wonder, could it be that the reason there is so much disease and health problems in our world is due to our bodies being deprived of Cannabis for over 70+ years now?

THE NEUROPROTECTIVE POTENTIAL OF CANNABINOIDS IN BASAL GANGLIA
DISORDERS

Cannabinoids have been proposed as promising medicines for the treatment of Parkinson’s
disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD) and other basal ganglia disorders, given the abundancy of elements of the cannabinoid signaling system in these structures and the relevance of their effects in the healthy basal ganglia but also in conditions of malfunctioning and/or degeneration.

CB2 receptor agonists may also exert a protective effect by limiting the toxicity of
reactive microglia for neurons typical of most neurodegenerative disorders.

Lastly, antioxidant cannabinoids may also serve to attenuate oxidative damage, another important cytotoxic event involved in the pathogenesis of most neurodegenerative disorders.

Cannabis has the potential to fight Parkinson's, Huntington's (which my uncle died of after years of painfully wasting away and losing all physical control of his body and speech, it was heartbreaking) and may also serve to protect us from these diseases.

CANNABIS, MUSIC AND ALTERED TEMPORALITY

Cannabis induced reframing of acoustic events may be of benefit for people
with hearing impairment.

Cannabis can help people hear!

WHAT ARE THE MAIN PROBLEMS FACED BY PATIENTS WHO TAKE
CANNABIS-BASED MEDICINES?

Ethan Russo1, 2
120402 81st Avenue SW, Vashon Island, WA 98070 USA
2GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury SP4 0JQ UK

Introduction: Risks of cannabis usage have been debated for centuries, but despite such claims, it has been used therapeutically by humans for all of recorded time. Common concerns include pulmonary damage, increased cancer risk, dependency, cognitive changes, and mental health sequelae.

Methods: The author’s files and current literature were reviewed.

Results: Chronic use studies in recreational users in Jamaica, Greece, and Costa Rica in the
1970s-1980s documented minor pulmonary changes without significant neuropsychological or
other sequelae. The Chronic Use Study of 4 subjects employing high daily intake of cannabis
therapeutically over a long interval in the USA Compassionate Use Investigational New Drug
Program similarly demonstrated slight pulmonary function changes, with minimal executive
function effects, but no endocrine, immunological, neurophysiological or anatomical changes.
Surveys of therapeutic cannabis usage and adverse event recording from clinical trials of
cannabis and cannabis-based medicine document pulmonary complaints (from smoking) and
primarily CNS events such as nausea, dizziness, somnolence, or intoxication-type symptoms,
often of a transient nature. Problems claimed in relation to recreational cannabis usage, such as induction of cancer, depression, psychosis, suicidal ideation, addiction, etc., have not been reported to any significant degree in a therapeutic context to this point in time. Sativex was
tested as having a drug abuse liability equal to, or less than that of Marinol.

Conclusion: The pre-eminent risk of smoked cannabis in a therapeutic context is pulmonary,
including chronic cough and bronchitis. These problems can likely be minimized or eliminated
by alternative delivery systems such as vaporization, oral, or oro-mucosal administration. There is no current compelling evidence to support that cannabis increases risks of carcinogenesis, and it may induce a protective effect for some cancers (lung, head and neck). Long-term cognitive effects of cannabis in therapeutic applications seem to be within acceptable limits as compared to other medications employed to treat serious diseases and symptoms. Similarly, the drug abuse liability of cannabis-medicines seems relatively benign, especially when extra-pulmonary administration is utilized. Cannabis usage remains subject to criminal sanction in many jurisdictions, but apart from this, medical risks associated with such usage appear quite low. Suitable caution is advised in pediatric and adolescent populations.

Basically, this means that Humans have used Cannabis for thousands and thousands of years and the worst side effect may be chronic cough and bronchitis, it doesn't cause the physical damage that has been reported and may in fact protect us from certain cancers and diseases. The prohibition of Cannabis is unnecessary when compared to any physical detriment it may cause. To avoid any harms from smoking it, we can Vaporize it, eat or even drink it. And just like we do for prescription medications, alcohol and cigarettes we can regulate its sale to adults to hinder minors from obtaining it.

After reading about all of the medical conditions that cannabis can help from these top researchers from around the world I can only hope the mainstream media picks up on these scientific breakthroughs and lets the public know. Alternately, I wonder if Gil will even acknowledge the obvious facts from this conference - that cannabis is indeed showing great promise as a safe and effective medicine!