Cannabis

[Zab]

This thread is to help let those out there who may wonder about Cannabis and its role in medical practices and its uses today.

(posting this thread en light of reading another topic and having posts talking about Cannabis and how it effects ones health)

- As the saying goes; "we learn something new, everyday."

What I disagree with is giving equal health care priority to people who purposely neglect their health by not exercising, drinking excessively, and, as Canada loves to do, smoke pot, compared to more responsible people who eat sensibly and exercise. Now that is unfair.

While I agree with your sentiment, what does smoking pot cause?

I'll give you a list of stuff that Cannabis helps heal that is prescribed for by Doctors the world round!

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Nausea & Appetite Loss

Total : 13 = 4.6%

hepatitis 42

AIDS/HIV 25

cancer* 29

nausea, other 17

* includes chemotherapy patients w/ nausea & others w/ post-operative pain, etc

Spasms, Convulsions

Total 228 =9.2%

head, brain injury 45

epilepsy 25

spasm 23

quad/paraplegia 21

lower back pain 20

MS 15

colitis 19

pylorospasm 9

post-Polio 7

others 44

(cerebral palsy, Touretteπs, et al.)

Analgesia / ≥Immunomodulatory Anti-Inflammant≤

Total 1133 = 45.7%

(A) Migraine and Neuralgias

Subtotal: 179 = 7.2%

migraine 127

neuropathy 22

sinusitis 12

psychogenic pain 5

other pain, neuralgias 13

B) Arthritis

Subtotal 433 =17.5%

arthritis, post-traumatic 318

arthritis, degenerative 37

fibromyalgia 21

arthropathy 22

myofascial pain 11

rheumatoid arthritis 10

psoriatic arthritis 5

other arthritis 9

(inc. lupus, polyarthritis et al)

? Spinal & Skeletal Disorders:

Subtotal 366 =14.8%

lumbosacral back disease 175

disks & vertebra diseases 88

scoliosis 33

spondylolisthesis 12

spinal stenosis 7

spondylosis 6

other spinal 12

sacrum disorder 11

other skeletal 22

(D) Injury, trauma

Subtotal 57 =2.3%

sprain, whiplash 36

carpal tunnel 12

other trauma 9

(E) Gastrointestinal:

Subtotal 68 =2.7%

gastritis 50

peptic ulcer 10

Crohn's Disease 5

other intestinal 3

F) Other Inflammatory 30 =1.2%

(endometriosis, panniculitis, pruritis et al.)

Mood Disorders

Total 660 = 26.6%

post-traumatic stress disorder 274

depression 162

anxiety disorder 73

dysthymic disorder 46

bipolar disorder 34

schizophrenia 26

attention deficit disorder 15

obsessive compulsive disorder 8

panic disorder 5

other psychiatric 17

Insomnia

Total 71 = 2.9%

Harm Reduction / Substitution

Total: 136 = 5.5%

alcohol dependency 118

opiate dependency 8

others 10

Glaucoma & eye diseases

Total: 24 = 1.0%

glaucoma 15

others 9

(drusen cyst, disease of conjuntiva, et al)

Asthma:

Total 53 =2.1%

Miscellaneous:

Total 62 = 2.5%

Pre-Menstrual Stress 24

Lyme disease 8

hypertension 7

others 23

(tinnitus, Meniereπs disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, et al.)

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Now that you can realize how much Cannabis is accepted in the medicine field we can understand why lots of people (including myself) feel that Cannabis is a fine substance. (Almost everyone I know has smoked it and doesn't reframe from doing it again and they are successful and very educated people)

Francis L. Young, an administrative law judge with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, in 1988, declared that

"in its natural form, [cannabis] is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known."

Edited May 7, 2008 by Zab

[Lt-DavidW]

What are your sources?

[Zab]

the internet, multiple websites you can find it if you look. it is a pretty hot topic these days, and you check medical journals, government health sources, independent studies you can educate your self on these more.

This topic isn't to me to be just put out there and any and everyone agree with it!

RESEARCH, this is just a stepping stone to get people checking into things.

I am busy with life and I admit I wasn't very smart and i lost the link to these specific stats, when i get some time I will see if I can recover the exact link to put up here.

DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU FROM LOOKING INTO IT YOURSELF!

[Zab]

Another Idea, go about this as not believing anything posted above until you've researched it and found it to be true yourself! help become aware!

[maplecookie Veteran]

I agree that it ought to be legalized for certain proven, medicinal purposes. I think the government is stupid not to honestly.

[sanctified Veteran]

I agree that it ought to be legalized for certain proven, medicinal purposes. I think the government is stupid not to honestly.

The problem here its that quote that Zab mentioned:

"in its natural form"

But Cannabis its now hard to find in its natural form, most if not all the Canabis you find on the streets its been a modified to make it stronger.

The alternative would be goverment controlled fields of Cannabis and I bet some drug lords would fight that. Or maybe not since those fields will be destined only to medical subjects.

[Dane]

I find it odd that medicine for OCD doesn't do that much for some people. However pot in some cases lessons the symptoms a good bit...I dont get it. People like me who have OCD moderate stage...and really dont believe in the meds for it, but look at something thats illegal that helps more so then something that is legal but costs a **** load to get!!

[Fish]

I think it's important to acknowledge that cannabis also has negative effects too. It certainly isn't nature's cure-all drug.

Numerous respiratory ailments including lung disease, bronchitis and emphysema.

Linked to psychosis and schizophrenia.

So-called "gateway drug".

Just balancing this argument....

[sanctified Veteran]

I think it's important to acknowledge that cannabis also has negative effects too. It certainly isn't nature's cure-all drug.

Numerous respiratory ailments including lung disease, bronchitis and emphysema.

Linked to psychosis and schizophrenia.

So-called "gateway drug".

Just balancing this argument....

It also has repercussions, depending on the subject, on the heart, hypophysis and kidneys.

[maplecookie Veteran]

I think it's important to acknowledge that cannabis also has negative effects too. It certainly isn't nature's cure-all drug.

Numerous respiratory ailments including lung disease, bronchitis and emphysema.

Linked to psychosis and schizophrenia.

So-called "gateway drug".

Just balancing this argument....

You are totally correct, but I don't know. If I, or someone I knew, was dying and in pain because of something that could be eased with this drug, I'd search my heart out to make sure me/they had some.

[sanctified Veteran]

You are totally correct, but I don't know. If I, or someone I knew, was dying and in pain because of something that could be eased with this drug, I'd search my heart out to make sure me/they had some.

Agreed but you used a very polarized example.

[Dc'1]

Well, we can all agree that it would cure insomnia lol.

Here in Scotland they are meant to be putting the class up to a B again, I think it is dumb, there is good and bad points in Cannabis, just like any legal drug, they all have side effects in high dosage.

Making it "more" illegal would decrease purity, making the people who still smoke it, be smoking bin bags and horse tranquilisers as well... Which would make it even worse for the body and take away the good sides of it.

[Gally]

Its only bad for you if you use it excessively and by that I mean as much as some people smoke fags. But then again just about anything in excess is bad for you.

[Fish]

Well, we can all agree that it would cure insomnia lol.

....

Actually, I don't agree. In my youth, I smoked a lot of cannabis. I certainly didn't get enough sleep during that period of my life! But that was nothing compared to when I weened myself off it. Oh, the nightmares! It was like I hadn't dreamed for the previous ten or so years (and I can honestly say that I don't remember dreaming at all during this period) and suddenly a dream-flood gate had been opened. They were all nightmares though.... I can attest to the psychological problems associated with cannabis abuse. I've experienced it first-hand, both personally and in people around me.

That said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from using it. I believe we all have to make our own decisions in life; they just need to be informed decisions. And yes, there definitely needs to be more research into the medical benefits.

[Alpha Drone]

I use Marinol to assist me in gaining weight after several rounds of chemotherapy- and it's worked wonders. I know it's not exactly the same thing, but it's just further proof that cannabis isn't exactly the demon drug the DEA (here in the USA) or the media would have us believe.

[duritz]

umm i seriously doubt that pot helps schizophrenia. marijuana induces anxiety and heightens paranoia. and as an ocd sufferer i have ran across several sources that explicitly condemn marijuana for use as a cure because it induces anxiety (the root problem of ocd). of course the drug is going to make those with physical illnesses feel better...that is a no brainer honestly. everyone feels "better" when you use a drug that alters mental perception

[Borbus]

But Cannabis its now hard to find in its natural form, most if not all the Canabis you find on the streets its been a modified to make it stronger.

What do you mean? Cannabis that has been bred to be stronger (ie. skunk) or processed to be stronger (ie. keef, hash oil etc.)? Weed is really it's natural form, there's nothing you can do to make weed stronger. Breeding plants is nothing new, if you eat tomatoes and stuff the chances are they have been bred to last longer and taste nicer etc.

The alternative would be goverment controlled fields of Cannabis and I bet some drug lords would fight that. Or maybe not since those fields will be destined only to medical subjects.

Wait, so you're worried about the livelihood of drug lords now? If Cannabis is grown legally by the government instead of illegally by criminals then surely this can only be a good thing?

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

......

Making it "more" illegal would decrease purity, making the people who still smoke it, be smoking bin bags and horse tranquilisers as well... Which would make it even worse for the body and take away the good sides of it.

Of course, drug dealers like to kill off their users (and income) and making something "more" illegal makes its users more stupid..

umm i seriously doubt that pot helps schizophrenia. marijuana induces anxiety and heightens paranoia. and as an ocd sufferer i have ran across several sources that explicitly condemn marijuana for use as a cure because it induces anxiety (the root problem of ocd). of course the drug is going to make those with physical illnesses feel better...that is a no brainer honestly. everyone feels "better" when you use a drug that alters mental perception

If you have any kind of anxiety or psychotic disorder you should stay away from any mind altering drugs. Alcohol included. Sure a drink or two, or a bit of cannabis might offer a short term relief but the long term consequences will most likely be to make things worse. I've seen the results of heavy and long term abuse of alcohol or cannabis in several people, it wasn't pretty.

[Matrix XII]

I've noticed that cannabis has some healing qualities... :p

ps, I didn't know you were a gmod persephone, congrats (Y)

[exotoxic]

the problem is people would abuse the system

[Zab]

the problem is people would abuse the system

That is true, but every government system in history has been abused by people. Now this would probably be more prone but the security the government has on their Legal Grow Operations are so secure, and so officialized if they stuck to a lot of the same format to make it legal and dispense it to people who choose to smoke it (18+ of course) it would be very secure.

Yeah, the Canadian government does have government Marijuana Grow Operations, they are heavily gaurded as I'm sure you would of guessed. If they could only come to some conclusion to legalize it or atleast Decriminalize it life would be great.

FYI - It never was Decriminalized, the court case to make it decriminalized was overruled by the Judge in the case, and ruled that it was unconstitutional.

(I don't agree with his ruling, but that is the truth and we should all see if we can work towards having a re-trial)

Edited May 8, 2008 by Zab

[urbaneve]

umm i seriously doubt that pot helps schizophrenia. marijuana induces anxiety and heightens paranoia. and as an ocd sufferer i have ran across several sources that explicitly condemn marijuana for use as a cure because it induces anxiety (the root problem of ocd). of course the drug is going to make those with physical illnesses feel better...that is a no brainer honestly. everyone feels "better" when you use a drug that alters mental perception

this is true

the problem is people would abuse the system

but that goes with any type of mind altering drug -- take lortab for example. that has to be one of the most abused drugs prescribed today.

i really think that if pot was legalized it would make a huge difference. for one it wouldnt be so taboo anymore. second, those suffering and cant afford to purchase the pharmaceutical pot can benefit. since the heatlh insurance issue in america is in the crapper and many dont have insurance or cant afford it.

but i also see many people abusing it as well. there are always 2 sides to every issue. the goal is to find a happy medium wherea majority of the people benefit since you cant please everyone

[Dotdot]

What I disagree with is giving equal health care priority to people who purposely neglect their health by not exercising, drinking excessively, and, as Canada loves to do, smoke pot, compared to more responsible people who eat sensibly and exercise. Now that is unfair.

What a load of mince. The whole idea of a health service is to be non-discriminating. I find it backwards and almost victorian that you would think or agree with such a viewpoint. Obviously you have no real world knowledge or you`d know fine well that in most cases whilst a person is ultimatimately responsible for there own actions there are other extrenuating circumstances that cause people to turn to drugs/drink/food, often then snowballing out of control. Also by your logic we should refuse healthcare to smokers, heck even coffee drinkers.

Responsibility has f-all to do with your right to healthcare, and dont even think about sighting that its unfair because as all adults know life aint fair.

[Zab]

Amen!

[ring0]

it helps... keep white castle in business.