Medical Cannabis~ Medical Updates

Cannabis Oil and Alzheimer's ....W H O A man

2016-01-24T12:40:00.001-08:00

Study: Cannabis Oil Mitigates Symptoms Of Alzheimer's-Induced Dementia

Ramat-Gan, Israel: The administration of liquid cannabis extracts containing THC is associated with the mitigation of various symptoms of Alzheimer's related agitation and dementia, according to observational trial data published online ahead of print in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Israeli investigators assessed the use of cannabis oil as an adjunct pharmacotherapy treatment in ten Alzheimer's disease patients over a period of several weeks.

Researchers reported that drug administration was associated with a significant reduction in patients' symptom severity scores. Specifically, cannabis oil ingestion corresponded with decreased levels of aggression, irritability, apathy, and delusions.
Investigators concluded, "Adding medical cannabis oil to Alzheimer's disease patients pharmacotherapy is safe and a promising treatment option."

The administration of dronabinol (oral synthetic THC in pill form) has previously been reported to reduce Alzheimer's-induced agitation, while preclinical studies have theorized that cannabinoids may be neuroprotective against the onset of the disease.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Safety and efficacy of medical cannabis oil for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: An open label, add-on, pilot study," appears in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

NORML and the NORML Foundation: 1100 H Street NW, Suite 830, Washington DC, 20005
Tel: (202) 483-5500 • Fax: (202) 483-0057 • Email: norml@norml.org

http://norml.org/news/2016/01/21/study-cannabis-oil-mitigates-symptoms-of-alzheimer-s-induced-dementia

Cannabis Improves Opioid-Dependent Treatment

2015-12-04T12:28:00.001-08:00

Study: Cannabis Improves Outcomes In Opioid-Dependent Subjects Undergoing Treatment

New York, NY: Cannabis use is associated with improved outcomes in opioid-dependent subjects undergoing outpatient treatment, according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Researchers at Columbia University assessed the use of cannabinoids versus placebo in opioid-dependent subjects undergoing in-patient detoxification and outpatient treatment with naltrexone, an opiate receptor antagonist.

Investigators reported that the administration of oral THC (dronabinol) during the detoxification process lowered the severity of subjects' withdrawal symptoms compared to placebo, but that these effects did not persist over the entire course of treatment. By contrast, patients who consumed herbal cannabis during the outpatient treatment phase were more readily able to sleep, were less anxious, and were more likely to complete their treatment as compared to those subjects who did not.

"One of the interesting study findings was the observed beneficial effect of marijuana smoking on treatment retention," authors concluded. "Participants who smoked marijuana had less difficulty with sleep and anxiety and were more likely to remain in treatment as compared to those who were not using marijuana, regardless of whether they were taking dronabinol or placebo."

The findings replicate those of two prior studies, one from 2001 and one from 2009, reporting greater treatment adherence among subjects who consumed cannabis intermittently during outpatient therapy.
Population data from states where medicinal cannabis is permitted report lower rates of opioid-abuse and mortality as compared to those states where the plant is prohibited.

Clinical data and case reports also indicate that the adjunctive use of cannabis may wean patients from opiates while successfully managing their pain. Survey data of state qualified medical cannabis patients indicate that subjects with access to the plant often substitute it for opioids because they perceive it to possess fewer adverse side effects.

Overdose deaths involving opioids have increased dramatically in recent years. While fewer than 4,100 opiate-induced fatalities were reported for the year 1999, by 2010 this figure rose to over 16,600 according to an analysis by the US Centers for Disease Control.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "The effects of dronabinol during detoxification and the initiation of treatment with extended release naltrexone," appears online in Drug Abuse and Dependence.

http://norml.org/news/2015/12/04/study-cannabis-improves-outcomes-in-opioid-dependent-subjects-undergoing-treatment

Daily Cannabis Use Is Safe For Chronic Pain

2015-10-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Study: Daily Cannabis Use Is Safe, Effective For Chronic Pain

Montreal, Canada: Chronic pain patients who use herbal cannabis daily for one-year report reduced discomfort and increased quality of life compared to controls, and do not experience an increased risk of serious side effects, according to clinical data published online ahead of print in the Journal of Pain.

Researchers at McGill University in Montreal assessed the long-term health of 216 medicinal cannabis patients with chronic non-cancer pain who consumed a standardized, daily dose (12.5 percent THC) of herbal cannabis compared to 215 controls (chronic pain suffers who did not use cannabis). Subjects in study were approved by Health Canada to legally use medicinal cannabis and consumed, on average, 2.5 grams of herb per day, typically via inhalation or vaporization.
Investigators reported that daily cannabis consumers possessed no greater risk than non-users of experiencing "serious adverse events."

Specifically, researchers identified no significant adverse changes in consumers' cognitive skills, pulmonary function, or blood work following one-year of daily cannabis consumption. Medical cannabis consumers did report elevated risk of experiencing "non-serious adverse events" (e.g., cough, dizziness, paranoia) compared to controls; however, authors classified these effects to be "mild to moderate."

Pain patients who used cannabis reported a reduced sense of pain compared to controls, as well as mitigation of anxiety, depression, and fatigue.

"Quality-controlled herbal cannabis, when used by cannabis-experienced patients as part of a monitored treatment program over one year, appears to have a reasonable safety profile," authors concluded.

The study is one of the first to ever assess the long-term safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis. A prior health review of patients receiving cannabis monthly from the US federal government as part of the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program similarly reported that it possesses therapeutic efficacy and an acceptable side-effect profile.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Cannabis for the Management of Pain: Assessment of Safety Study," appears in The Journal of Pain.

http://norml.org/news/2015/10/01/study-daily-cannabis-use-is-safe-effective-for-chronic-pain

Patients Replace Prescription Drugs With Cannabis

2015-09-11T11:38:00.001-07:00

Study: Patients Replace Prescription Drugs With Cannabis

Mesa, AZ: Patients with legal access to medical marijuana reduce their consumption of conventional pharmaceuticals, according to a demographic review of patient characteristics published online in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

Investigators affiliated with the Medical Marijuana Research Institute in Mesa surveyed responses from 367 state-qualified patients recruited from four Arizona medical cannabis dispensaries. Respondents were more likely to be male, in their mid-40s, and daily consumers of cannabis.

Respondents most often reported using cannabis therapeutically to treat symptoms of chronic pain, muscle spasms, nausea, anxiety, arthritis, depression, headaches, insomnia, and stress. Patients typically said that cannabis provided "a lot of relief" or "almost complete relief" of their symptoms and that its efficacy was greater than that of more conventional medications.

Patients also reported reducing their use of pharmaceuticals. Over 70 percent of respondents reported using other medications "a little less frequently" or "much less frequently" for 24 of the 42 conditions specified. Over 90 percent of those who reported consuming cannabis to mitigate symptoms of nausea, headache, muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, bowel distress, and chronic pain acknowledged using pharmaceuticals less frequently once they had initiated cannabis therapy.

Previously published survey data of medical cannabis patients similarly report subjects' willingness to substitute cannabis for prescription drugs, particularly opioids. A study published in July by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a non-partisan think-tank, reported, "[S]tates permitting medical marijuana dispensaries experience a relative decrease in both opioid addictions and opioid overdose deaths compared to states that do not."

Data published in 2014 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine similarly reported, "States with medical cannabis laws had a 24.8 percent lower mean annual opioid overdose mortality rate compared with states without medical cannabis laws."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Medical cannabis in Arizona: Patient characteristics, perceptions, and impressions of medical cannabis legalization," appears in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

http://norml.org/news/2015/09/10/study-patients-replace-prescription-drugs-with-cannabis

Cannabis Heals Broken Bones !

2015-09-02T14:58:00.002-07:00

Is there no end to the helpfulness of this awesome plant !

Those trait blazing scientists in Israel are at it again. Let me hear a 'whoa man' !

They have treated broken bones with the non-psychotropic part of the plant(CBD) and have discovered that these bones are healthier and stronger after being treated with CBD.

This is another incredible scientific fact and another reason for us to question, what exactly are governments so hysterical about? Over and over it is proven that the plant has amazing healing qualities with little if any negative side effects.

We want sick people to access the plant, we want injured people to access the plant and we want health conscious people, who want a safe and healthy alternative to alcohol to access the plant. Our governments are behaving in a criminal fashion. You can’t make something that is healthy for the human body illegal, that is insane. If we don’t act together, the insanity will continue until we are all threatened.

Revolution anyone???

http://praguepot.com/2015/07/17/cannabis-heals-broken-bones/

Angioedema Responds Favorably To Inhaled Cannabis

2015-08-26T12:29:00.002-07:00

Case Report: Patient With Life-Threatening Angioedema Responds Favorably To Inhaled Cannabis

Beersheba, Israel: Inhaling cannabis is associated with the remission of refractory idiopathic angioedema, according to a clinical report published in the journal Case Reports in Immunology.

Angioedema is a condition characterized by rapid swelling under the skin in regions around the face and throat, which may result in airway obstruction or suffocation.

Investigators from the Soroka University Medical Center in Israel reported on the progress of a 27-year-old male patient with life-threatening, recurrent angioedema of unknown origin. Doctors placed the patient on a regiment of 20 grams of inhaled cannabis monthly after he failed to respond favorably to prescribed steroids and antihistamines.

Authors reported: "The use of inhaled cannabis resulted in a complete response, and he has been free of symptoms for 2 years. An attempt to withhold the inhaled cannabis led to a recurrent attack within a week, and resuming cannabis maintained the remission, suggesting a cause and effect relationship."

They concluded: "This is the first report in which a cannabis product for the treatment of refractory idiopathic angioedema was associated with an excellent clinical response. ... More research into the exact mechanism of action of cannabis products in cases of idiopathic angioedema and on the modulation of the immune response in general is indicated."

The Israeli government has authorized the limited production and distribution of marijuana as a medical treatment since 2011, and preparations of the plant are expected to be available in pharmacies imminently.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the report, "Life threatening idiopathic recurrent angioedema responding to cannabis," appears in Case Reports of Immunology.

Marijuana stops AIDS/HIV from progressing !

2015-08-05T11:43:00.002-07:00

A group of researchers from Louisiana State University published a study last week in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses which suggests that cannabis/marijuana can help stop the progression of the AIDS/HIV disease, and its associated symptoms of chronic pain, nausea, fatigue, and more. The specific compound that halts the spread of HIV compounds into other healthy cells is none other than tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or the principle psychoactive constituent in cannabis plants.

Millions of people suffer HIV/AIDS, but as if this weren’t enough, they often are ostracized from the community and treated with disdain, as artfully demonstrated in the latest blockbuster movie, The Dallas Buyers Club.
The research supporting this claim has only been conducted on primates thus far, but it is incredibly promising. AIDS causes an immunodeficiency syndrome which attacks your own immune system. Scientists treated a group of infected primates with as much as 0.64 mg/kg of THC per day for 17 months, and:

“Tissue from monkeys treated with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) expressed fewer signs of HIV.”

Tissue samples were also taken from the gut, since this is a very important part of our immune response, accounting for up to 80% of our total immunity.
The study abstract reports:

“Our studies have demonstrated that chronic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) administration results in a generalized attenuation of viral load and tissue inflammation in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected male rhesus macaques. Gut-associated lymphoid tissue is an important site for HIV replication and inflammation that can impact disease progression…Our results indicate that chronic THC administration modulated duodenal T cell populations, favored a pro-Th2 cytokine balance, and decreased intestinal apoptosis. These findings reveal novel mechanisms that may potentially contribute to cannabinoid-mediated disease modulation.”
“These findings reveal novel mechanisms that may potentially contribute to cannabinoid-mediated disease modulation,” Dr. Patricia Molina, the study’s lead author, wrote. The report goes on to explain that while HIV spreads by infecting and killing off immune cells, the monkeys that received the daily THC treatments maintained higher levels of healthy cells.

It looks like cannabis can help with cancer, Alzheimer’s and now, AIDS/HIV, among 40 other diseases. This truly is a miracle plant.

This article was written by CHRISTINA SARICH and first appeared on Natural Society.

http://inspireamaze.com/thc-in-medical-marijuana-helps-stop-the-spread-of-hivaids/

Cannabis Use and Diabetes

2015-05-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

Study: Cannabis Use Inversely Associated With Diabetes

East Lansing, MI: A history of cannabis use is inversely correlated with diabetes mellitus, according to an epidemiological review published online ahead of print in the journal Epidemiology.

Investigators at Michigan State University, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics performed a meta-analytic study assessing cannabis use and diabetes in the general population.

"Recently active cannabis smoking and diabetes mellitus are inversely associated," they determined. Authors estimated that subjects with a history of cannabis use were about 30 percent less likely to have diabetes compared to non-using subjects.

"Current evidence is too weak for causal inference, but there now is a more stable evidence base for new lines of clinical translational research on a possibly protective (or spurious) cannabis smoking-diabetes mellitus association suggested in prior research," they concluded.

An observational trial published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2013 reported that subjects who consumed cannabis possess favorable indices related to diabetic control compared to those without a history of recent marijuana use.

Separate observational trial data published in 2012 in the British Medical Journal reported that marijuana users had a lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes and possessed a lower risk of contracting the disease than did those with no history of cannabis consumption, even after researchers adjusted for social variables such as subjects' ethnicity and levels of physical activity.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Cannabis smoking and diabetes mellitus: Results from meta-analysis with eight independent replication samples," appears in Epidemiology.

Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana

2015-04-27T09:31:00.002-07:00

URGENT CALL TO ACTION - On April 21st, the PA Senate State Government committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 3 (Sen. Mike Folmer and Daylin Leach), a bill originally intended to legalize medical cannabis in PA. SB3 will go to the Senate Appropriations committee for a vote likely on May 4th, and could get a vote on the Senate floor soon after. Currently, the Senate is not in session so all Senators should be in their District office.

This is a bittersweet moment because at the committee vote last week, an amendment was also passed. We’ve heard for months how this amendment was supposed to fix the problems with SB3 - which, if you remember, was based on the flawed SB1182 that passed the Senate last year. Unfortunately, the amendments failed to live up to expectations, and in many cases actually further degraded the quality of any potential medical cannabis program. It has become so unreasonable that the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, which once enthusiastically testified in favor of it, has publicly pulled its support for SB3.

The other night, a few of us from PhillyNORML met with PA Senator Mike Folmer and discussed ways to fix the bill, because even the sponsors are not happy with the way things are going. The Senate is expected to move on it relatively quickly. Our goal is to turn this bill into one that will create a strong and workable program before it makes its way to the House. To that end, more amendments are being planned which will be introduced at some undetermined point before the final Senate floor vote.

Please call your Senator during business hours this week! We must be persistent in contacting our elected officials and pushing a number of points if we want these amendments to succeed. In addition, we must work on ensuring that the Senate Republican Leadership (Sen. Jake Corman and Sen. Joe Scarnati) get on board with pushing these positive and necessary changes. Use the talking points below to help make your case.

#1 - We need vaporization added as an allowed form of ingestion. Vaporization allows the medicine to be safely consumed by a patient without any toxic by-products that might be produced by smoking. It enables patients to obtain relief faster and in a format that can be easily measured and controlled. Most importantly, it allows them to titrate their dosage, something other methods do not. Titration means patients can take their medicine until they feel the medical effect they require without using too much - they use the right amount of cannabis in a consistent manner. Many conditions covered by the bill require a rapid delivery method like vaporization, including epilepsy. When a person becomes unresponsive during a seizure, it’s easier to get them to inhale vaporized cannabinoids.

#2 - SB3 as written will not allow any new conditions to be considered until July 2017, and many patients don’t have that kind of time to wait. Legislators should not be playing doctor. Thirteen conditions are presently covered by the bill, but it is not enough. It needs to at least cover Crohn's disease, diabetes, depression and anxiety, and comprehensively cover pain management for the myriad diseases which result in chronic pain in addition to the ones that it already includes. The very best path is to allow doctors to decide with their patients if a condition warrants medical marijuana; however, if the bill must have a list of allowed conditions then it needs to be comprehensive enough to cover all the conditions which have shown to be treatable with cannabis.

#3 - SB3 should include a medical necessity defense. Given that patients may not receive medical cannabis ID cards from the Commonwealth until sometime in 2017, they continue to risk arrest, prosecution, jail time, and potentially losing their kids to child services. We need to ensure that a patient with a legitimate medical condition can use that as a defense if they ever see the inside of a court room, if they are acting within the bounds that SB3 sets forth.

#4 - Reiterate that marijuana is the safest therapeutic substance known to mankind, that there are thousands of scientific studies showing its efficacy and safety, and that over 85% of Pennsylvanians consistently poll in favor of compassionate and inclusive medical cannabis laws.

When you contact your Senator and State Representative, you might get a staff member - that’s fine. Tell them you are a constituent calling to ask the senator/representative to support further amendments to fix Senate Bill 3, the compassionate use of medical cannabis act. Tell them that you'd like the first three points above to be included in the bill and then for them to vote “Yes” on its final passage. Be respectful and thank them for listening.

This is a turning point for PA! We still have a chance to pass useful legislation if we act now. In addition to directly calling your State Senator, you can help by writing a letter-to-the-editor of your local newspaper, calling your local morning radio show and educate your friends and other fellow listeners, or going bringing a group of people to lobby the Legislature in Harrisburg. Lets mobilize and make this happen. Remember, if they say they don't support medical cannabis legalization, they are wrong, and need to be told why. They work for us.

Thank you,
- The PhillyNORML Team

PS - If you take action, send us an email and let us know how it went! The more information we have, the more likely we are to have positive impact. You can email your report to phillynorml@gmail.com. We will be following up as more developments arise. Stay tuned!

Visit us online at PhillyNORML.org.
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Vaporized Cannabis Mitigates Treatment-Resistant Diabetic Neuropathy

2015-04-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Study: Vaporized Cannabis Mitigates Treatment-Resistant Diabetic Neuropathy

San Diego, CA: Vaporized cannabis mitigates pain intensity in diabetic subjects in a dose-dependent manner, according to clinical trial data published online ahead of print in The Journal of Pain.

Investigators at the University of California, San Diego assessed the efficacy of inhaled cannabis versus placebo in 16 patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Authors reported: "This small, short-term, placebo-controlled trial of inhaled cannabis demonstrated a dose-dependent reduction in diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain in patients with treatment-refractory pain. ... Overall, our finding of an analgesic effect of cannabis is consistent with other trials of cannabis in diverse neuropathic pain syndromes."

A series of clinical trials conducted by investigators affiliated with the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California, San Diego previously reported that the inhalation of whole-plant cannabis is efficacious in the treatment of various types of treatment-resistant neuropathic pain, including HIV-associated neuropathy and spinal cord injury.

According to the findings of a 2014 clinical trial published in the Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, "At least 10 randomized controlled trials, lasting for more than 1000 patients, have demonstrated efficacy of different types of cannabinoids for diverse forms of neuropathic pain."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Efficacy of inhaled cannabis on painful diabetic neuropathy," appears online in The Journal of Pain.

http://norml.org/news/2015/04/09/study-vaporized-cannabis-mitigates-treatment-resistant-diabetic-neuropathy

The Death of Marijuana Prohibition (by Leaf Stoner)

2015-04-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, 'ol Harry J. Anslinger is surly spinning in his grave. It seems that there isn't a day that goes by that a country of the world or a State of the US isn't either pondering the decimalization, the legalization of medical marijuana or an out-right legalization of what he called the 'Demon Weed.'

So if you happen to be in the Altoona area in central Pennsylvania Blair County, Pennsylvania, be sure to stop by the Calvary Cemetery and put your ear to that stone. You're likely to hear him spinning or crying, or both. I was going to say leave a doobie there but don't waist it. Rather sit and spark it with a friend and just leave the roach. You could plant some seeds around the stone but again this seems a bit waist full to me. Or don't bother dropping by at all, his spirit is long gone and soon his prohibition as well as his mentality will be as far gone in the past.

It seems a pity to me that a person of his intellect and standing in the government would give most of his life to conjuring up lies about a plant just because of his racial hatred. Not only is it sad for the many thousands, if not millions, of people's lives he was instrumental in ruining, and still ruining, but think of the legacy he has left for his family. You might as well never hear the name 'Anslinger' again. Wouldn't you change it if you were born with it?

This blog post is a continuation of this hub page:

http://johnwindbell.hubpages.com/hub/The-Legalize-Virus-is-FREE

CBD Enhances Skeletal Healing !

2015-04-06T07:34:00.004-07:00

Study: CBD Administration Enhances Skeletal Healing

Jerusalem, Israel: The administration of the non-psychotropic cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) leads to improvement in bone fracture healing, according to preclinical data published online ahead of print in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

Investigators at the Hebrew University Bone Laboratory assessed the ability of CBD administration to promote healing in rats with mid-femoral fractures. Researchers reported, "CBD markedly enhanced the biomechanical properties of the healing femora after 8 weeks."

Authors also evaluated the administration of THC and CBD together, but reported that this combined preparation was "not advantageous" over CBD alone.

They concluded: "CBD alone is sufficiently effective in enhancing fracture healing. ... Multiple experimental and clinical trials have portrayed CBD as a safe agent suggesting further studies in humans to assess its usefulness for improving fracture healing."

Researchers have previously acknowledged that endogenous cannabinoids stimulate bone formation and inhibit bone loss, potentially paving the way for the future use of cannabinoid drugs for combating osteoporosis.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Cannabidiol, a major non-psychotropic cannabis constituent enhances fracture healing," appears in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

Love your plants, man ! (by Leaf Stoner)

2015-04-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw the holy men of India, called the Sadhu, bless their sacrament, before partaking of it, I began to do the same. Don't think, however, that I followed suit and took-up the other rituals they perform in the name of their god, like cannibalism, sacrificing animals and self mutilation; but I certainly wouldn't turn down a chillum if passed to me.

Before they smoked out of it they touched their forehead with it, or made the moves in that general area. The area of the upper most chakra of the body. It is no different than blessing, or being thankful, for the food before we eat it. And one should be thankful and love our plants and bless the seed we put into the soil or other growing medium. We are all alive and all one and all coexist in this symbiotic wonderland. Without one there would be no other and without the other there would be no one.

But, I Leaf feels, that we should not stop there. One should have a communicative relationship with our plants throughout their growing process. It only make sense, they are going to be ingested and become part of your body .... part of your Temple.

In the article, "Buddhist Monks Bless Tea With Good Intention – Here’s What Happened" - http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/02/23/buddhist-monks-bless-tea-with-good-intention-heres-what-happened/ - there is quite a big differenc in the out-come of the consumption of tea that is not blessed with good intentions and love then tea that is blessed.

It all goes along with the premise, "whatever you put out you get back," and if it starts out with love, affection, thankfulness, good intentions and organically grown in the beginning and then followed through during consumption and ingestion, then there's no stopping the benefits of a healthful and spiritual completion. As Hippocrates said, "make food thy medicine," and if you make everything you grow, eat and ingest a holy sacrament it will have no choice but to return the favor to you, for you. Thinking otherwise only destroys mother nature's symbioses.

Here is an excerpt from a book that has become my Bible:

The Secret Life of Plants
Chapter 15
page 240

In the early nineteenth century an American of English descent named Nichols cleared hundreds of acres of rich virgin land in South Carolina, on which he grew crops of cotton, tobacco, and corn so abundant that with the revenue he built a big house and educated a large Family. Not once in his lifetime did he add anything to the soil. When it became depleted and his crops dwindled, he cleared more land and continued his exploitation of the land. When there was no more land to be cleared the family fortunes declined.

Nichols' son, grown to manhood looked at the poverty-stricken acreage and just moved west to Tennesse, where he cleared two thousand acres of virgin land, like his father he planted cotton, corn and tobacco. When his own son was grown to manhood, the land was once again so depleted from having living things taken from it and none returned that he moved on to Horse Creek in Marengo County, Alabama, there to purchase another two thousand acres of fertile soil and raise and family of twelve children on the proceeds, the town became Nicholsville; Nichols became the owner of a sawmillm a general store, and gristmill. This man's son also grew up to see devastation where his father had grown rich. He decided to move further west and settled in Parkdale, Arkansas, where he bought one thousand acres of good land on the bayou.

Four moves in four generations. Multiplied by thousands, this is the story of how Americans raised food on a continent which was there for the taking. The great- grandson of the original Nichols, together with thousands of other farmers, inaugurated a new era. After World War I he began my farming his new acreage, instead of just mining it, adopting the new government-recommended artigicial fertilizers. For a time his cotton crops prospered, but soon he noticed that his pest population was much worse than it had bee. When the bottom fell out of the cotton market his son Joe decided that medicine, not farming, was to be his career.

At the age of thirty-seven Joe Nichols was a full-fledged physician and surgeon in Atlanta, Texas, when he suffered a massive heart attack which nearly killed him. He was so frightened that for weeks he gave up his practice to consider his situation. All All he had been taught in medical school, pluss opinions of his colleagues, suggested his prognosis was extremely doubtful. There was no answer for his affliction beyond nitroglycerin pills, which alleviated his chest pains but caused equally pain headaches. With nothing better to do than to leaf through the ads of a farming magazine, Nichols came across the line, "People who eat narural food grown in fertile soil don't get heart disease."

"Pure quackery! Quackery of the worst sore," said Nichols of the magazine, which was Organic Gardening and Farming. He through the magazine away but the line nagged at him. At the local library the librarians were helpful in bringing Nichols books on nutrition. He also scoured the medical liturature , but could find no answer to what constituted natural food.

Now, more than thirty years later, Joe Nichols' thousands-acre farm near Atlanta, Texas, is one of the showplaces of the state; he has never again been afflicted with a heart attack. He ascribes both success to the advice which he took from Sir Albert Howard's book Agicultural Testament and Sir Robert Mc- Carrison"s Nutritional and Natural Health. On his farm, not another ounce of chemical fertilizer went into the land, nothing but natural compost.

Nichols realized that all his life he had been eating "junk food," food produced from poisoned land, food that had led straight to a massive heart attack. He remains convinced that the answer to metabolic disease, whether it was heart trouble, cancer, or diabetes, was indeed natural, poison-free food grown on organic fertile soil.

The Secret Life of Plants: a...

Don't spend your bread on lights, man! (by Leaf)

2015-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

You bet your ass this article of mine wont be picked up by the establishment of marijuana based websites funded by the grow businesses in full germination now from all the legalization. They want you to spend the bread, and spend it every month like clock-work. And even if I was sponcered by one of those businesses I still wouldn't lay the shit on ya man, or my name aint Leaf Stoner.

So, brothers and sisters don't be led to believe you need to do it to have some decent weed or whatever you are growing indoors. It just aint so. And, funny, those special florescent lights always seem to burn-out in around a year or just in time to interrupt your flowering cycle, man. Just aint right. There must be a timing device in those bulbs. It's all for the money these days. But hey, keep smilin, love.

You may want to continue to use your HPS for flowering but it doesn't have to be that high of a wattage. Just keep it at 250 or 500, but certainly not in the thousands, unless you're a mass grower. You can use bulbs for your vegetation and supplement your flowering cycle with fluorescent bulbs bought at .....pssssss, over here by the 'rooting tray' .... Wally World. Other-words known as WalMart. Ya head me right, fellow pot-heads or medical users. (it's all rock'n roll to me) They have a great selection and very inexpensive and they last for years on end.

That's it, I left the proverbial cat out of the bag. You'll probably only hear it here from Leaf. There are two types of CFL bulbs from GE (energy smart) that have super great lumens for indoor plant growth, and both work great.

2700 lumens for $8.77 -good for 5 years
3800 lumens for $12.44 -good for 7 years

You will also need reflectors that come in two sizes. ($6.47 and ones for $10.97) Yes these are also in Wally World. They are two isles down from the bulbs. There is only one thing extra that you have to do is remove the 'screw treads' that connect it together. The bulbs are too thick for the reflectors. The bulbs will end-up resting on the reflectors, but don't worry they will not get too hot in use and will work like a charm for years and years .... or my name aint Leaf ~!

So there ya go loved-ones. Oh and, cough, be careful if you piss there at WalMart, bells and shit will go off if your urine is 'dirty' ....just kidding~!

Don't suck in the fumes, man~! (by Leaf)

2015-02-15T13:04:00.003-08:00

Hope I find you well and stoned, and well and stoned, and well and stoned, and well ...

When I first started to smoke weed I got head-aches. I thought it was the cannabis. I couldn't have been more wrong. What it was was the lighter I was using to spark my smoke. You guessed it, it was a Zippo lighter. Luckely my buddy sent my stoner ass in the right direction. He held the joint and lit it before putting it to his mouth and drawing on it, and, puff-my-gosh, it worked better. It was faint but I could still taste the lighter fluid, but hey, I didn't get a head-ache that time. I never touched the zippo again.

I even use this method with bic lighters, matches or a twig from a camp fire or a fire place. But what worked real well is the hemp twine that is specially dipped in bees wax for us stoners. Here's the link where I get mine. http://www.hemplights.com/products.htm Or you can always make it yourself. This way you taste nothing but the super taste of your god given medical cannabis strain.

So happy smoking loved-ones. Take care.

The Surgeon General: "Marijuana Can Be Very Helpful"

2015-02-13T13:05:00.000-08:00

Washington, DC: Newly appointed US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told CBS News last week that he believes that cannabis is a beneficial therapy for some patients.

Speaking on the program 'CBS This Morning,' Murthy said: "We have some preliminary data showing that for certain medical conditions and symptoms that marijuana can be helpful." He added, "I think we have to use that data to drive policy making and I'm very interested to see where that data takes us."

Later that evening, however, Murthy appeared to retreat from his initial public comments. In a Department of Health and Human Services statement attributed to the Surgeon General, Murthy said, "While clinical trials for certain components of marijuana appear promising for some medical conditions, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the standards for safe and effective medicine for any condition to date."

Doctor Murthy was confirmed as US Surgeon General late last year.

Commenting on the Surgeon General's statements, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: "It was predictable that the Surgeon General would try to dial back his initial comments since they were inconsistent with the Schedule I classification of marijuana under federal law -- a scheduling that defines the plant and its organic compounds as possessing 'no currently accepted medical use .... in the United States' and lacking 'accepted safety ... under medical supervision.' Yet, it is obvious from the Surgeon's General's initial remarks that he, like the overwhelming majority of Americans, believes this prohibitive classification is out of step with both modern science and with public opinion."

On Wednesday in Sacramento, a federal judge heard final arguments in a motion challenging the constitutionality of cannabis' Schedule I classification. In October, defense counsel and experts presented evidence over a five-day period arguing that the scientific literature is not supportive of the plant's present categorization.

A ruling on the motion is expected later this year.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.

Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced Bladder Cancer Risk

2015-02-07T14:14:00.002-08:00

Study: History Of Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced Bladder Cancer Risk

"In this multiethnic cohort of 82,050 men, we found that cannabis use alone was associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer"

Los Angeles, CA: Cannabis use is inversely associated with incidences of bladder cancer in males, according epidemiological findings published in the February issue of the journal Urology.

Investigators at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Department of Neurology assessed the association of cannabis use and tobacco smoking on the risk of bladder cancer in a multiethnic cohort of more than 80,000 men aged 45 to 69 years old over an 11-year period.

Researchers determined that cannabis use was associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer. By contrast, tobacco use was associated with an increased risk of cancer. "After adjusting for age, race or ethnicity, and body mass index, using tobacco only was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer (hazard regression 1.52) whereas cannabis use was only associated with a 45 percent reduction in bladder cancer incidence (HR 0.55)," investigators reported.

Subjects who reported using both tobacco and cannabis possessed a decreased risk of cancer (HR 1.28) compared to those subjects who used tobacco only (HR 1.52). The study is the first to indicate that cannabis use may be inversely associated with bladder cancer risk.

Authors concluded: "In this multiethnic cohort of 82,050 men, we found that cannabis use alone was associated with a decreased risk of bladder cancer. ... [M]en who used tobacco alone were 1.5 times more likely to develop bladder cancer when compared with men who did not use tobacco or cannabis. ... However, among men who used both substances, this risk of bladder cancer was mitigated. ... If this represents a cause and effect relationship, this pathway may provide new opportunities for the prevention and/or treatment of bladder cancer."

In 2009, Brown University researchers similarly reported that the moderate long-term use of marijuana was associated with a reduced risk of head and neck cancers in a multi-center cohort involving over 1,000 subjects. Investigators further reported that marijuana use "modified the interaction between alcohol and cigarette smoking, resulting in a decreased HNSCC (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma) risk among moderate smokers and light drinkers, and attenuated risk among the heaviest smokers and drinkers."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Association between cannabis use and the risk of bladder cancer: Results from the California Men's Health Survey," appear in Urology.

AAP For Rescheduling Cannabis

2015-01-31T16:18:00.003-08:00

American Academy of Pediatrics Calls For Rescheduling Cannabis

Washington, DC: An updated policy statement issued this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls for federally rescheduling cannabis in order to better facilitate clinical trial research and to promote its pharmaceutical development.

The new position statement resolves: "The AAP strongly supports research and development of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and supports a review of policies promoting research on the medical use of these compounds. The AAP recommends changing marijuana from a Drug Enforcement Administration Schedule I (controlled substance) to a Schedule II drug to facilitate this (clinical) research."

By definition, Schedule I controlled substances are defined as possessing no "accepted medical use." Clinical protocols involving cannabis are strictly controlled and require authorization from various federal agencies, including DEA, FDA, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) - the latter of which is designated under federal law as the sole provider of cannabis and/or organic cannabinoids for research purposes.

"A Schedule I listing means there's no medical use or helpful indications, but we know that's not true because there has been limited evidence showing [marijuana] may be helpful for certain conditions in adults," said Dr. Seth Ammerman, who co-authored the amended policy statement.

The updated AAP resolution also acknowledges that certain types of cannabinoid-therapy may provide benefits to adolescents, particularly those with treatment-resistant forms of epilepsy and chronic seizures. It states, "The AAP recognizes that marijuana may currently be an option for cannabinoid administration for children with life-limiting or severely debilitating conditions and for whom current therapies are inadequate."

Last year the Epilepsy Foundation of America issued a similar resolution, citing preclinical data and observational reports of the potential therapeutic benefit of the cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) in pediatric patients and calling for "an end to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) restrictions that limit clinical trials and research into medical marijuana for epilepsy."

Separate language in the AAP's position statement also addresses the social use of the plant, affirming, "AAP strongly supports the decriminalization of marijuana use for both minors and young adults and encourages pediatricians to advocate for laws that prevent harsh criminal penalties for possession or use of marijuana." By contrast, the statement acknowledges the group's continued opposition to the legalization of marijuana, a policy change that it alleges poses "potential harm to children."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the Academy's policy statement is available online at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/01/20/peds.2014-4146.full.pdf+html.

Cannabis not a Medicine, my ass !

2015-01-27T08:40:00.003-08:00

US Government’s medical marijuana patent:

https://patients4medicalmarijuana.wordpress.com/medical-use-of-cannabis-video/the-government-holds-a-patent-for-medical-marijuana/

US Government’s medical marijuana patent:

https://patients4medicalmarijuana.wordpress.com/medical-use-of-cannabis-video/the-government-holds-a-patent-for-medical-marijuana/

Cannabis not a medicine, my ass ~!

Cannabis Augments Efficacy Of Opiate-Based Medications

2015-01-09T18:09:00.001-08:00

Sydney, Australia:

Cannabis is often administered as an analgesic agent by chronic pain patients, many of whom report that it augments the pain-relieving properties of opiods, according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

An international team of investigators from Australia and England assessed the use of cannabis among a cohort of 1514 Australians who had been prescribed pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.

Researchers reported that one in six (16 percent) of the patients surveyed acknowledged having used cannabis for pain relief. An additional 25 percent of respondents admitted that they would be willing to use cannabis for pain relief, but that they lacked access to the plant.

Among those using cannabis for pain, the average pain relief they reported they obtained from using cannabis adjunctively with their prescription medicines was 70 percent (where 100% meant complete pain relief). In contrast, the average reported pain relief they reported receiving from their prescription pain medications alone was only 50 percent.

"[The] findings here suggest that from a service user perspective, there is a significant sub-population of people living with CNCP (chronic non-cancer pain) who see cannabis as a helpful adjunct to pain relief," authors concluded. "Cannabis use for pain relief purposes appears common among people living with chronic non-cancer pain, and users report greater pain relief in combination with opioids than when opioids are used alone."

The Australian survey findings are similar to those reported in a 2011 clinical trial documenting that cannabis administration significantly augments the analgesic effects of opiates in patients with chronic pain.

Separate data published last year indicates that greater acceptance of cannabis as an analgesic agent may result in fewer opiate-related overdose deaths. Writing in JAMA Internal Medicine, investigators reported that the enactment of statewide medicinal marijuana laws is associated with year-to-year declines in opioid overdose mortality rates. Specifically, overdose deaths from opioids decreased by an average of 20 percent one year post-implementation, 25 percent by two years, and up to 33 percent by years five and six.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Experience of adjunctive cannabis use for chronic non-cancer pain: Findings from the Pain and Opioids IN Treatment (POINT) study," appears online in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Hemp Can Repair DNA .... dude~

2014-12-22T12:52:00.002-08:00

by Becca Wolford, Contributing Writer

Did you know that DNA can be damaged…and repaired?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material found in humans, animals, and organisms. DNA is in every cell in our bodies. Each cell’s nucleus has DNA, which is rolled into structures that are our chromosomes (23 pairs).

“Most genes contain the information needed to make functional molecules called proteins. (A few genes produce other molecules that help the cell assemble proteins.) The journey from gene to protein is complex and tightly controlled within each cell. It consists of two major steps: transcription and translation. Together, transcription and translation are known as gene expression.
During the process of transcription, the information stored in a gene’s DNA is transferred to a similar molecule called RNA (ribonucleic acid) in the cell nucleus. Both RNA and DNA are made up of a chain of nucleotide bases, but they have slightly different chemical properties. The type of RNA that contains the information for making a protein is called messenger RNA (mRNA) because it carries the information, or message, from the DNA out of the nucleus into the cytoplasm.” (http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov)

The genes direct protein production. For example, a protein (a long chain of amino acids) can be an enzyme that triggers a certain chemical reaction in the body. One function of protein is to boost the immune system.

There are many factors that cause damaged DNA : oxidation, UV radiation from the sun, radiation from Xrays, viruses, plant toxins, and man-made chemicals (chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, hydrocarbons, smoke, pollution, to name a few). Some results of damaged DNA are: premature aging, cancer, diabetes mellitus (diabetes itself may cause DNA damage), Parkinson’s, Alzheimers, chronic fatigue syndrome, and many other conditions.

Cells cannot function properly if the DNA is damaged. However, the cells CAN, through chemical processes, reverse the damage themselves.
Hempseed and hempseed oil have been found to be a factor in DNA repair. Hemp has the perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) needed by the human body. One ‘job’ of Omega 3 is cellular repair. Hemp is 65% protein, 35% of which is globulin edestin protein. It is the protein that is closest to human globulin, and is very easily digestible by the body.
The protein is a major factor in DNA repair, as the cells use that protein to correct the DNA damage.
Because hemp is the highest source of Edestin protein, AND is responsible for boosting the immune system, it is a perfect addition to the the diet.

About the Author

Becca Wolford is a writer, entrepreneur, artist, reiki practitioner, and hemp activist. She has experienced first-hand the nutritional and healing benefits of hemp and her passion is learning, writing, and educating others about the benefits of hemp – benefits that encompass nutritional health for humans, a healthy environment, and a healthier economy.

Becca also distributes Versativa, an amazing raw, clean, hemp-based nutritional supplement and Restoration90, a raw, clean, nutritional product with marine phytoplankton, hemp, and essential nutrients for optimum health. Please support her at her excellent blog Hemphealer.com.

This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.
Sources:
Waking Times
Image credit

http://truththeory.com/2012/09/06/hemp-can-repair-dna/

Medical Marijuana = Lower Rates of Drug Fatalities

2014-08-29T08:28:00.001-07:00

Philadelphia, PA: The enactment of statewide medicinal marijuana laws is associated with significantly lower state-level opioid overdose mortality rates, according to data published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine.

A team of investigators from the University of Pennsylvania, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore conducted a time-series analysis of medical cannabis laws and state-level death certificate data in the United States from 1999 to 2010 - a period during which 13 states instituted laws allowing for cannabis therapy.

Researchers reported, "States with medical cannabis laws had a 24.8 percent lower mean annual opioid overdose mortality rate compared with states without medical cannabis laws." Specifically, overdose deaths from opioids decreased by an average of 20 percent one year after the law's implementation, 25 percent by two years, and up to 33 percent by years five and six.
Authors concluded, "Although the exact mechanism is unclear, our results suggest a link between medical cannabis laws and lower opioid analgesic overdose mortality."

In a written statement to Reuters Health, the study's lead author Dr. Marcus Bachhuber said: "Most of the discussion on medical marijuana has been about its effect on individuals in terms of reducing pain or other symptoms. The unique contribution of our study is the finding that medical marijuana laws and policies may have a broader impact on public health."

Added co-author Colleen L. Barry in USA Today: "[The study's findings] suggest the potential for many lives to be saved. ... We can speculate ... that people are completely switching or perhaps supplementing, which allows them to lower the dosage of their prescription opioid."

Nationwide, overdose deaths involving opioid analgesics have increased dramatically over the past decade. While fewer than 4,100 opiate-induced fatalities were reported for the year 1999, by 2010 this figure rose to over 16,600 according to an analysis by the US Centers for Disease Control.

According to a series of clinical trials overseen by the University of California, San Diego, the inhalation of whole-plant cannabis is safe and efficacious in the treatment of various types of neuropathy - a type of pain that is poorly managed by opiates. Moreover, clinical data published in 2011 in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics reported that cannabis administration significantly augments the analgesic effects of opiates in patients with chronic pain.

A separate review published in the Harm Reduction Journal in 2012 concluded, "Prescribing cannabis in place of opioids for neuropathic pain may reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with prescription pain medications and may be an effective harm reduction strategy."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Medical cannabis laws and opioid analgesic overdose mortality in the United States, 1999-2010," appears in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Oral THC for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

2014-06-21T05:57:00.003-07:00

Study: Oral THC Safely Addresses Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Jerusalem, Israel: The administration of oral THC mitigates symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), according to clinical trial data published online ahead of print in the journal Clinical Drug Investigation.

Investigators at the Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem assessed the safety and efficacy of oral THC as an adjunct treatment in ten subjects with chronic PTSD.

Researchers reported, "The intervention caused a statistically significant improvement in global symptom severity, sleep quality, frequency of nightmares, and PTSD hyperarousal symptoms."

They concluded, "Orally absorbable delta-9-THC was safe and well tolerated by patients with chronic PTSD."

Separate clinical trial data has previously reported that the administration of nabilone, a synthetic endocannabinoid agonist, can reduce the severity and frequency of nightmares in patients with PTSD.
In 2013, researchers at the New York University School of Medicine published findings indicating that PTSD subjects experience a decrease in their natural production of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter. They hypothesized that an increase in the body's production of cannabinoids would likely restore subjects' natural brain chemistry and psychological balance. They affirmed, "[Our] findings substantiate, at least in part, emerging evidence that ... plant-derived cannabinoids such as marijuana may possess some benefits in individuals with PTSD by helping relieve haunting nightmares and other symptoms of PTSD."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Preliminary, open-label, pilot study of add-on oral delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in chronic post-traumatic stress disorder," will appear in Clinical Drug Investigation.

CBD Mitigates Parkinson's Disease

2014-06-09T14:24:00.003-07:00

Study: CBD Mitigates Parkinson's Disease Symptoms

Sao Paulo, Brazil: The administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychotropic cannabinoid, controls sleep disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a series of case summaries published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

An international team of investigators from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and the University of Minnesota Medical School reported on the ingestion of CBD by four Parkinson's disease patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) - a condition characterized by nightmares and active behavior during dreaming.

Daily cannabidiol treatment reduced symptoms in each of the four subjects, researchers reported. Symptoms returned with the same frequency and intensity following subjects' discontinuation of the cannabinoid.

"[T]his case series indicates that CBD is able to control the symptoms of RBD," authors concluded. "Further research is necessary to confirm the possibly beneficial effects of CBD in the treatment of RBD in patients with PD. Furthermore, the enrolment of patients with idiopathic RBD in clinical trials with CBD is desirable as it would enable the investigation of the effects of the drug both on the symptoms of the disorder and as a neuroprotective agent."

Observational trial data published March in the journal Clinical Neuropharmacology reported that inhaled cannabis was associated with "significant improvement" in the mitigation of tremor, rigidity, and bradykinsea (slowness of movement) in subjects with Parkinson's disease.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Cannabidiol can improve complex sleep-related behaviours associated with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in Parkinson's disease patients: a case series," appears in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.

Colorado: $10 Million For Cannabis Research !~

2014-05-24T13:53:00.004-07:00

Colorado: State Approves Up To $10 Million For Cannabis Research

State-sponsored program will gather objective scientific research regarding the efficacy of marijuana for medical treatment.

Denver, CO: Democrat Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday approved legislation to fund observational and clinical research assessing the safety and therapeutic efficacy of cannabis.

The measure earmarks up to $10 million within the state's medical marijuana program fund to be utilized specifically to "gather objective scientific research regarding the efficacy of administering marijuana and its component parts as part of medical treatment."

The law also establishes a 'scientific advisory council,' which may include expert participants from around the nation, to evaluate research proposals and make recommendations in regards to funding requests.

Despite the passage of legislation in various states permitting patients to access medicinal cannabis, only one state, California, has explicitly directed state funds toward sponsoring clinical cannabis research. That program, established at various California state universities, funded numerous clinical trials over the past decade evaluating the efficacy of whole-plant cannabis for a variety of conditions, including multiple sclerosis and neuropathic pain.

A review of these trials published in The Open Neurology Journal concluded, "Based on evidence currently available the Schedule I classification is not tenable; it is not accurate that cannabis has no medical value, or that information on safety is lacking."

Earlier this month, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) publicly announced in the Federal Register that it is increasing its marijuana production quota from 21 kilograms to 650 kilograms (about 1,443 pounds) in order to meet increasing demand for the plant from clinical investigators.

Federal regulations permit a farm at the University of Mississippi to cultivate set quantities of cannabis for use in federally approved clinical trials. Regulators at the DEA, the US Food and Drug Administration, PHS (Public Health Service), and the US National Institute on Drug Abuse must approve any clinical protocol seeking to study the plant's effects in human subjects - including those trials that are either state or privately funded.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.