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

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

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


Cannabis Improves Opioid-Dependent Treatment

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

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.



Daily Cannabis Use Is Safe For Chronic Pain

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

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.





Patients Replace Prescription Drugs With Cannabis


Study: Patients Replace Prescription Drugs With Cannabis

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.



Cannabis Heals Broken Bones !


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

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

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 !

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.

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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.