Healing Properties of Cannabis

 Below is a list to be used as a reference point for those seeking research and information on the numerous healing properties of Cannabis. This miraculous herb alleviates the symptoms of everything from hiccups to Multiple Sclerosis. When making personal decisions about your health, information is golden. It’s your body and we think it is important for you to be knowledgeable about the scientific studies and anectodal evidence that supports Cannabis as a viable treatment for your ailments.

Overview
Marijuana-like Compounds May Aid Array Of Debilitating Conditions
The Forgotten Medicine – A Look At The Medical Uses Of Cannabis
The Endo-Cannabinoid System
Human Studies on Medical Uses of Marijuana

Cannabis Myths
Safe to Smoke – Vaporizing Cannabinoids
The Myth of Marijuana’s Gateway Effect
Smoking Cannabis Does Not Cause Cancer Of Lung or Upper Airways
Amotivational Syndrome
Documented Safety of Long Term Cannabis Use
Side Effects of Cannabis Use

Accepted Medical Uses
Accepted Medical Use: Clinical Research
Accepted Medical Use of Cannabis: Basic Research
Accepted Medical Use of Cannabis: Reviews of Earlier Clinical Studies
Accepted Medical Use: Patient Experiences
Accepted Medical Use of Cannabis: Reviews of Earlier Clinical Studies
Accepted Medical Use: Pharmaceutical Industry

Alcoholism
Cannabis as a Substitute for Alcohol

ALS – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – Lou Gehrigs Disease
Marijuana In The Management Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Alzheimers Disease
Marijuana’s Active Ingredient Shown to Inhibit Primary Marker of Alzheimer’s
Study: Marijuana Slows Alzheimer’s Decline
Marijuana And Alzheimer’s Disease

Anti-Bacterial Qualities
Antibacterial Cannabinoids from Cannabis Sativa

Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis – Cannabis Eases Pain And Suppresses Disease
Anti-inflammatory Compound From Cannabis Found In Herbs
Marijuana And Arthritis

Asthma
Smoked Cannabis And Asthmatics
Acute Effects Of Smoked Marijuana And Oral Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol In Asthmatics
Marijuana And Asthma

Attention Deficit Disorder And ADHD
Cannabis As A Medical Treatment For Attention Deficit Disorder
Marijuana and ADD Therapeutic Uses
Autism, ADD, ADHD and Marijuana Therapy
Smoked Marijuana Improved ADHD Driver’s Performance

Autism
Sam’s Story – Using Medical Cannabis to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism, ADD, ADHD and Marijuana Therapy
Autism Ritalin and Cannabis

Body Temperature
A Cooling Effect From Cannabis?

The Brain
Marijuana May Spur New Brain Cells
Marijuana-Like Chemicals in the Brain Calm Neurons
Marijuana And The IQ
New Brain Cells Implicated In Machinery Of Cannabinoid Signaling
Endocannabinoids The Brain Demonstrate Novel Modes Of Action When Stressed

Cancer
Pot’s Cancer-Healing Properties
Lung Cancer: Antineoplastic Activity Of Cannabinoids
Turned-Off Cannabinoid Receptor Turns On Colorectal Tumor Growth
Pot Compound Enhances Efficacy Of Anti-Cancer Agents, Study Says
Marijuana & Skin Cancer
Marijuana’s Active Ingredient Kills Leukemia Cells
Cannabis Extract Makes Brain Tumors Shrink, Halts Growth Of Blood Vessels
Marijuana Compound Inhibits Breast Cancer Growth
Marijuana And Chemotherapy

Crohn’s Disease
Marijuana And Crohn’s Disease/Gastrointestinal Disorders

Depression – Bi-polar
Cannabis and Depression
Synthetic THC Is Anti-Depressant In Small Dose, Makes Depression Worse At Higher Dose
Cannabinoids Elicit Antidepressant-Like Behavior and Activate Serotonergic Neurons
Marijuana and Bipolar Disorder
Cannabinoids in Bipolar Disorder
The Use of Cannabis as a Mood Stabilizer

Diabetes
Cannabis And Diabetic Retinopathy
Medical Breakthrough! Medicinal Marijuana for Diabetics!
Marijuana Controls Diabetes – Marijuana Compound May Help Stop Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes & Marijuana

Epilepsy
Hypnotic and Antiepileptic Effects of Cannabidiol
Cannabis May Help Epileptics
Cannabidiol And Epileptic Patients

Fertility
Synthetic Cannabinoid May Aid Fertility In Smokers

Fibromyalgia
THC Reduces Pain in Fibromyalgia Patients
Cannabis And Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia: Effective Treatment with Medical Marijuana
Marijuana-Based Drug May Ease Fibromyalgia Pain

Glaucoma
National Eye Institute Policy on Marijuana
Cannabis and Neuroprotection
Marijuana And Glaucoma

Gynecological
Cannabis As A Treatment For PMS And Other Female Ailments

Heart Disease And Cardiovascular Disorders
Cannabis Use Not Associated With Risk Factors For Diseases Of Heart And Circulation
Cannabinoids Prevented The Development Of Heart Failure In Animal Study
Heavy Cannabis Use Not Independently Associated With Cardiovascular Risks
Cannabinoid Offers Cardioprotection, Study Says
Does Cannabis Hold the Key to Treating Cardiometabolic Disease?
Marijuana Chemical Fights Hardened Arteries

Hepatitis C
Cannabis Improves Outcomes For Hepatitis C Patients
Cannabis – Improved Treatment Response in Hepatitis C Patients
Hepatitis C positive people – Use and self-medication with Cannabis
Cannabis Use Can Improve Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Therapy
Marijuana And Hepatitis C

Herpes Viruses
Cannabis May Help Combat Cancer-causing Herpes Viruses

Hiccups
Marijuana Cures Hiccups

HIV – AIDS
Medicinal Marijuana Eases Neuropathic Pain in HIV
Marijuana And AIDS (HIV) & AIDS Wasting
Marijuana And The Immune System

Huntingtons Disease
Cannabinoids And Huntingtons Disease

Longevity
Study Shows Long Term Marijuana Users Healthy
Marijuana Smoking Doesn’t Lead to Higher Death Rate

Lower GI Conditions (Stomach Problems)
Cannabinoid Activator Mellows Out Colon
Anti-inflammatory Compound From Cannabis Found In Herbs
Cannabis May Soothe Inflamed Bowels
Medical Marijuana In The Treatment Of Digestive Disorders
Marijuana And Crohn’s Disease/Gastrointestinal Disorders

Lupus
Cannabis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Mad Cow Disease
Cannabidiol May Be Effective In Preventing Mad Cow Disease

Mental Health
American Psychiatric Association Assembly Unanimously Backs Medical Marijuana
Cannabis As A Psychotropic Medication
Cannabis Does Not Induce Schizophrenia, Dutch Scientists Say
Study: Marijuana Eases Traumatic Memories
Marijuana, Genes, Medicines And Brain Scans Help Scientists Find Anxiety Treatment
Cannabis and Aggression
Cannabis as a First-line Treatment for Childhood Mental Disorders
Marijuana And Psychological Conditions
Cannabidiol, A Cannabis Sativa Constituent, As An Antipsychotic Drug

Migraine Headache – Headaches
Cannabis And Marinol In The Treatment Of Migraine Headache
Medical Marijuana: Headaches/Migraines

Multiple Sclerosis
MMJ: National MS Society Takes Half-Step Toward Recognizing Therapeutic Uses
Cannabinoids And Multiple Sclerosis
Marijuana Helps MS Patients Alleviate Pain, Spasms
Marijuana And Multiple Sclerosis / Muscle Spasms

Neuropathic Pain
Cannabinoids Among Most Promising Approaches to Treating Neuropathic Pain
Medicinal Marijuana Eases Neuropathic Pain in HIV
Marijuana May Be Effective for Neuropathic Pain

Obesity
The Science of Why Pot Makes You Hungry

Osteoporosis
Hebrew U. Researchers Find Cannabis Can Strengthen Bones
New Weapon In Battle Against Osteoporosis

Pain Management
Cannabis Effective At Relieving Pain After Major Surgery
An Ancient Look at a New Medical Approach for Pain
Pharmacokinetics And Cannabinoid Action Using Oral Cannabis Extract
Dr. Robert V. Brody: Declaration. Cannabis and Hospice Ethics – pain management
Pain Management With Cannabis
Finding the Dose Window For Optimal Pain Relief from Cannabis
Marijuana And Pain / Analgesia
Morphine-Cannabis Super-Painkiller

Parkinson’s Disease
Neuroprotection in Parkinson’s Disease: Modafinil and ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Marijuana-like Substance in Brain Could Help Treat Parkinson’s

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Medical Marijuana – PTSD and the Iraq Veteran
For Veterans with PTSD, Marijuana Can Mean Life
PTSD and Cannabis: A Clinician Ponders Mechanism of Action
Cannabis Eases Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Pot-Like Chemical Helps Beat Fear
Treatment for PTSD Should Include Cannabis
Essay: Medical Marijuana And The Iraq Veteran

Potential for Abuse
Potential for Abuse: Abuse of Cannabis
Potential for Abuse: Use and Abuse
Potential for Abuse: Cannabis and Dronabinol
Dependence Liability: Basic Research on Rewarding Tolerance and Withdrawl

Pregnancy
Prenatal Marijuana Use And Neonatal Outcome
Cannabis Relieves Morning Sickness
Dreher’s Jamaican Pregnancy Study
Use of Marijuana During Pregnancy
Medical Marijuana: A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness
Scientists Measuring Natural ‘Cannabis’ In Pregnant Women

Pulmonary Disease
New Cannabinoid Receptor in Pulmonary Arteries

Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Disease and Cannabis

Skin Disease
Israeli Research Finds That THC Could Alleviate Allergic Skin Disease

Tourette-Syndrome
THC Effective In Tourette-Syndrome
Marijuana And Tourette’s Syndrome

Sources and Original Post Made By 420 magazine.com
No credit is taken by me, Just spreading the seed and information for others.
http://www.420magazine.com/2010/03/the-healing-properties-of-cannabis/

Grandparents smoke pot too?

The babyboomer generation changed America, and still likes to alter reality.

If you were around 20 years old in 1967, you were at a prime age to enjoy the Summer of Love and all that came with it:. the “free love,” the freed minds, the freely flowing substances. Your age puts you at the front end of the babyboomer generation, that massive population that defined a new America with its anti-establishment principals. Oh, and here’s more good news: you’re now eligible for social security.
Casual relationships and passionate social activism may be well behind most babyboomers today, but some still enjoying altering their reality. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the number of adults over age 50 who smoke marijuana has been steadily rising for a decade.

Photo: Cavan Images for Getty Images

So many older people have come out as pot smokers, the “New York Times” reports, that one pro-marijuana group has launched Grannies For Grass, an affiliation of happy advocates with chapters in three Midwestern states.
Aging babyboomers helped coin a term and create an age-defying economy around the “midlife crisis,” but that’s not what boomer-toking is about. Quite the contrary, in fact: the crisis for them is over.
Retirement has liberated many members of the older generation from concerns about work performance, and as empty-nesters their parenting responsibilities are diminished as well. The easing of legal restrictions around marijuana possession and consumption also contribute to a social environment in which grandparents playing pinochle can spark up a joint nearly as casually as they might crack open a bottle of Pinot Grigio.
One interviewee in the NYT piece had no qualms at all about the possibility of bosses identifying her from the newspaper’s story. Pictured in her Ohio home next to a blanket with a giant pot leaf on it, Cher Neufer proudly proclaims, “I don’t care if they know!” Another couple now in their ‘80s is named by the grandson who occasionally catches a buzz with them.
Plus, we all know that increasing age can be accompanied by decreasing concern about the judgments of others. Said another way, toking babyboomers probably don’t give a damn what you think about what they smoke. It seems ironic, but the generation who sang along to the Who lyric “Hope I die before I get old” is recovering some of its rebellious spirit with age.

Hemp Bill in Kentucky Passes

An amended bill to legalize industrial hemp production by Kentucky farmers -- if the federal government allows it -- was passed by the Kentucky Legislature in the final minutes of this year's regular session.
The Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission remains in the state Department of Agriculture, with only research functions of the bill assigned to the University of Kentucky, according to the terms of the compromise, reports Gregory A. Hall at the Louisville Courier-Journal. The last point of contention had been a try by House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins (D-Sandy Hook) to put the Hemp Commission under the authority of the University.
That had proven to be a deal breaker for bill sponsor Sen. Paul Hornback (R-Shelbyville) and its chief backer, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.
In fact, Comer had left the Capitol under the impression the hemp bill was dead. He returned late Tuesday when he learned Adkins wanted to continue the talks.
"We're very satisfied with the bill," Comer said. The next step, according to Comer, will be working with Kentucky's federal lawmakers to get a DEA waiver for a pilot project to grow industrial hemp in the state.
Public pressure to pass the hemp bill helped achieve the last-minute deal, according to Comer.
The bill passed the House as amended, 88-4, with Comer, a former House member, watching from the chamber floor. The Senate approved the compromise 35-1.
The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Steve Beshear, who has said he "shares the concerns" of the Kentucky State Police, who oppose it. Beshear hasn't said whether he would veto the hemp bill.
State Police and some House leaders, including Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonsburg) questioned whether hemp would be economically viable and whether it would impact marijuana enforcement, since the plants look the same.
Comer agreed in the compromise to be removed as chairman of the hemp commission. He will now be vice chairman, and the chairman will be selected by members.
Federal law considers hemp identical to marijuana, even though industrial hemp typically contains very low levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Industrial hemp often measures below 0.3 percent THC, while marijuana typically measures between 5 and 22 percent.

Smoking vs Vaporizing

Some scientific knowledge

 

Support for Hemp Farming is growing

As more states legalize marijuana, supporters see a burgeoning business for hemp, and big profits for U.S. farmers if they are allowed to grow the crop.

Hemp, like marijuana, is a cannabis plant. Even though it does not does not create a high like marijuana, federal drug laws lump it together with pot.

“Although it comes from the same plant, it’s like non-alcoholic beer,” said author Doug Fine, who predicts a new “green economy” in his book "Too High to Fail."

“I can’t give a rational explanation as to why something as valuable as hemp - which other countries are making so much money off and importing to us - why we’re not growing this by the millions of acres,” Fine said.

Farmers in the U.S. are effectively banned from growing the crop under a federal law that requires a special permit from the DEA and lots of security.

The National Farmers Union recently adopted a new policy urging the Obama administration and Congress to “direct the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to differentiate between industrial hemp and marijuana and adopt policy to allow American farmers to grow industrial hemp under state law without requiring DEA licenses."

The U.S. is the largest consumer of hemp products, which are sold mainly at health shops and nutrition-conscious grocery stores like Mountain View Market in Las Cruces. But most of the hemp in the seeds, milk, and soap are from plants grown in other countries, including Canada.

Fine blames the war on drugs. He supports legalizing both hemp and marijuana. Every border state except Texas has approved medical marijuana use.

“The fact that we have exploding criminal cartels south of the border and no impact on supply and demand north of the border mandates that we change this misguided policy,” Fine said.

His message resonates with a growing number of Americans. Edit Treadwell came to hear Fine’s talk in Las Cruces, sponsored by Southwest Seniors.

“The amount of money that this country spends fighting something that we know now is a losing battle seems ridiculous,” said Treadwell after hearing Fine talk about commercial hemp. “We need jobs, and if this industry was developed, that would be beneficial."

Marijuana Goes Corporate

 It’s hard to ignore the prevalence of medical marijuana dispensaries in California and elsewhere. They are on the corner and in the news. If you are a tax lawyer, it is even harder to ignore them, for there are big tax problems in this industry. See Voters Say Yes To Marijuana, IRS Says No. But when I said I thought the industry was going corporate—Is Medical Marijuana Going Corporate?—I didn’t realize how true it was.
Now I’m getting merger notices. Yes, marijuana M&A is here. In this case, it’s about the vapor machines that can obviate smoking and instead dispense the meds without even using a match (or a lighter for that matter).

Medbox, Inc. (OTC Markets: MDBX) announced the acquisition of 100% of Vaporfection International Inc., manufacturer of Vaporfection vaporizers. Medbox was featured on the cover of the Los Angeles Times Business Section: Wall Street sees opportunity in marijuana.
Vaporfection makes “herbal delivery systems.” The deal involved the issuance of 260,864 MDBX stock warrants. Medbox sells and services automated, biometrically controlled dispensing and storage systems for medicine and merchandise. And Vaporfection seems quite a catch.
Vaporfection claimed Best Vaporizer in Product of the Year at the Cannabis Cup Amsterdam 2011, and Best Vaporizer at the Kush Expo LA 2012. The company’s patented designs cause marijuana to release its medicinal ingredient into the vapor. The resulting vapor is pure, virtually odorless, and goes into the patient’s respiratory system.
Vaporfection was created by Amir Yomtov in 2006. In 2011, the company was purchased by entrepreneur Herb Postma. Mr. Postma continues to manage Vaporfection and notes that under Medbox, Vaporfection revenues are projected to exceed $4 million in 12 months. All this sound rosy, but not to the feds.
After all, legal dispensaries are still labeled as drug traffickers under federal law, and that creates big tax problems. Section 280E of the tax code denies tax deductions for any business trafficking in controlled substances. The IRS says it must enforce Section 280E. Yet the U.S. Tax Court has opened the door a crack by allowing dispensaries to deduct other expenses distinct from dispensing marijuana. See Californians Helping to Alleviate Medical Problems Inc. v. Commissioner. 
If a dispensary sells marijuana and operates the separate business of care-giving, the care-giving expenses are deductible. Some expenses might relate to both. If only 10% of the premises are used to dispense marijuana, 90% of the rent is deductible. But good record-keeping is essential. See Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Persist Despite Tax Obstacles. 
But even good records won’t make vaporizers or drug paraphernalia deductible. In Olive v. Commissioner, Martin Olive sold medical marijuana at the Vapor Room, where he used vaporizers so patients didn’t have to smoke. However, with only one business, Section 280E precluded Olive’s deductions.

The Great Marijuana Rehab Scam

[Reality Catcher]

Feds Say You’re Addicted To Pot, But They’re Addicted To Cash

​Why does the U.S. federal government keep pushing outdated lies about marijuana’s health consequences and potential for addiction?
Because it’s a lucrative business, according to Paul Armentano of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
Armentano, deputy director of NORML, points out that the feds are wasting their time — and your money — researching what must be the Loch Ness Monster of the drug policy world (as in nobody can prove it exists), “marijuana addiction.”
Yes, you read that right. “Marijuana addiction.”

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Cannabis related disorders (CRDs), including cannabis abuse or dependence and cannabis induced disorders (e.g., intoxication, delirium, psychotic disorder, and anxiety disorder) are a major public health issue.”
OK, first things first. You gotta love that these acronym-loving policy wonks have come up with an actual abbreviation for the bad things pot’s supposed to do to you. Just making something up because you wish it so is one thing, but give it a catchy acronym like CRDs and suddenly it’s real, right? Right?
And how, exactly, did those luminaries at NIH come to that remarkable conclusion?
Because, first of all, um, “Nearly one million people are seeking treatment for marijuana dependencies every year” and besides, “sufficient research has been carried out to confirm that the use of cannabis can produce serious physical and psychological consequences.”
Which brings us to…

The Great Marijuana Rehab Scam

NORML’s Paul Armentano:
Keeping government bureaucrats honest about pot

​As Armentano points out, there aren’t “one million people seeking treatment for marijuana dependence”; it isn’t even close. The real number, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the actual number of persons seeking drug treatment for marijuana “as a primary substance for admission in 2007, was 287,933. That’s a lot less than “a million.”
But there’s more. If there really are 288,000 folks are year who need help quitting marijuana, then maybe there’s reason for concern, right? Wrong answer, Believer Of Bureaucrats. Almost all of these “people seeking treatment” are FORCED to do so by court orders, under threat of jail, after having been busted for possessing small amounts of pot.
Great use of public resources, eh? Just think about all those spaces in addiction recovery support groups that could have available for real addicts having problems with meth, crack, and heroin. Never mind those guys! We’ve got the potheads going to rehab!
According to the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than a third of the 288,000 people entering “drug treatment for marijuana” hadn’t even smoked any pot in the 30 days prior to the admission. Doesn’t sound much like they were addicted, does it?
Another 16 percent admitted they’d only used marijuana three times or less in the month prior to their admission. That just doesn’t sound much like the sort of out-of-control behavior we associate with drug addicts. Do these people meet the clinical standard of being in “the state of being psychologically and physiologically dependent on a drug”? Of course not.
These people don’t belong in drug rehab with real addicts. The only reason they are there is that they were given the choice between pretending to be drug addicts and attending the meetings, or going to jail. That’s a no-brainer, right? Having been both places, I’d certainly rather spend a few evenings with recovering addicts (even if they sometimes tend to be a little whiney) than a few months with pissed-off inmates just looking for an excuse to “touch you up.”
A report published by SAMHSA indicates nearly six of 10 individuals “enrolled in drug treatment for marijuana” were forced there by the criminal justice system (I’d suspect the actual number is even higher).
The criminal justice system is the largest single source of referrals to the substance abuse treatment system, according to SAMHSA. The majority of these referrals come from parole and probation offices, i.e., parolees and probationers who fail urinalysis tests because they smoked a little weed.

The Myth of Marijuana’s “Serious Consequences”

When she tries to quit, she might not be quite as hungry or sleepy. It’s just horrible. Quick, get that woman a transdermal THC patch!
[Reefer Madness]

Any serious and impartial study of the adverse effects of marijuana use almost immediately runs into one striking and unavoidable fact: It’s glaringly apparent that marijuana’s potential negative effects are minor when compared to those of legal drugs such as opiates (physically habit-forming and capable of causing overdose deaths), alcohol (same on both counts) and tobacco.

A clinical trial from the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence raises serious doubts about the physical and psychological consequences of quitting pot, as well, Armentano points out.
Researchers at four separate universities in Germany studied the self-reported “withdrawal symptoms” of 73 subjects judged to be “cannabis dependent”; all subjects resided in an inpatient facility. It was determined than less than half of the subjects reported any withdrawal symptoms of clinical significance. Remember, these are all people who’d been diagnosed as being “cannabis dependent” — whatever that’s supposed to mean.
Even among the minority who did report such symptoms, “The intensity of most self-reported symptoms peaked on day one and decreased subsequently.”
What were these scary-sounding symptoms of quitting pot, anyway?
Well, the most frequently mentioned physical symptoms on day one were sleeping problems (21 percent), sweating (28 percent), hot flashes (21 percent), and decreased appetite (15 percent). Psychological symptoms included restlessness (20 percent), nervousness (20 percent), and sadness (19 percent).
Now, I’m not trained in psychology (oh, wait! I am), but those symptoms sound pretty much like what I’d expect to feel if you locked me in a rehab facility (for pot!), tell me I’m not free to go, and that smoking weed is no longer cool. Restlessness? Damn right. Nervousness? Check; I get arrested if I leave. Sadness? Duh.
Bottom line, marijuana’s “withdrawal symptoms” are so mild and subtle as to be laughable compared to those associated with quitting alcohol or heroin addiction (which can be fatal) or quitting tobacco (which many addicts report is harder to kick than heroin).

Follow The Money

You see a bud, but the feds see a bundle.
[Coaster420]

​So why does NIDA soberly claim that “therapeutic interventions” are necessary and important, “given the extent of use of cannabis in the general population”? (Adolescent pot use has actually been falling steadily since 1979.) Why is it so crucial to manufacture this bugaboo and to pretend it’s scary?

Well, there are currently no accepted medications to aid in “quitting marijuana,” and to help in combatting those fearsome CRDs (remember them?) And some companies (and, well, government officials) see a huge profit potential in fighting the marijuana monster.
In 2009, Kentucky-based pharmaceutical corporation All Tranz Inc. announced it was the proud recipient of a $4 million NIDA grant to promote a “transdermal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) patch” for the supposed “treatment of marijuana dependence and withdrawal.”

Dr. Nora Valkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) claims thousands of pot addicts are desperately seeking treatment
[The Clean Slate]

“NIDA is interested in exploring the role of transdermal THC delivery as an innovative way to treat marijuana withdrawal symptoms and dependence,” said the agency’s director, Nora Volkow.

And here’s where it gets exquisitely surreal.
“This is especially relevant to our efforts to fill a critical gap in available treatments for the many Americans struggling with marijuana-related disorders and their detrimental medical and social consequences,” Volkow helpfully tells us.
So, Nora. You’re telling us there’s a huge crowd of desperate marijuana addicts trying to kick the weed, who need these enormously expensive THC patches so that they can still feel hungry?
Wow, yeah, man. Sounds like an emergency, all right.
Never mind that the symptoms of “marijuana dependence and withdrawal” are rare, and mild even when they do occur. Never mind that THC permeates the skin, at best, slowly and inefficiently (because of its fat solubility).
Forget all that, because there’s a research center to staff, tax dollars to spend and Reefer Madness myths to keep alive. Facts be damned; there’s some money to be made here.

Resources and article:
http://tokesignals.com/the-great-marijuana-rehab-scam/

Medbox creates Medical Marijuana Info site

Site provides free information for patients, dispensary operators, consumers, law enforcement, and Legislators

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Medbox, Inc. (OTC Markets: MDBX) (www.medboxinc.com), a leader in providing industry-specific consulting services and patented systems to medical and retail businesses worldwide, announced that they are launching a new website to help educate all interested parties about the many facets of the legal medical and retail marijuana industry.
The site, which will be launched in May, can be found at www.canna411.org and will provide a depth of information that is comprehensive and unduplicated in any one source. "We have noticed that there is a lack of correct information readily available about medical marijuana," commented Dr. Bruce Bedrick, CEO of Medbox, Inc. "Our intention is to give facts that can be useful to the many parties interested in this subject, from state legislators and city council, to law enforcement, dispensary operators and the patients they serve."
According to the Los Angeles Times, the lack of information on the product even affected a Los Angeles City Councilman when he attempted to obtain medical marijuana to ease his cancer treatment. "There are no sanctioned drug trials funded by Big Pharma or diagnostic manuals to tell you which of the dozens of strains with crazy names works best with your condition. Or the best delivery method. It's all trial and error," the Times reported.
Bill Rosendahl, Los Angeles City Councilman, found out that he had a rare form of cancer and was desperately ill. Even the heaviest prescription painkillers, like OxyContin, brought only momentary relief, he said, according to the Times.
However, finding the right strain and proper dose to relieve his pain proved more of a challenge. Eventually he found the exact method of intake (Rosendahl cooks his cannabis leaves in butter, creating an edible paste), and identified the best strains and dosage for his condition.
There are marijuana strains that are good for dozens of conditions, including ADD, pain relief, nausea and anxiety, or to build or even suppress an appetite.
"Medical marijuana has the support of most of the public, law enforcement and legislators, as it has been proven to provide relief for certain diseases and chronic conditions," Dr. Bedrick commented. "Now it is time to bring this proven and safe treatment out of the dark and shine a light on all aspects of this important medicine. Our intention with this new website is to have sections dedicated to the many stakeholders in this issue," Bedrick added. "For the patient about proper use, dosing and strains; to law enforcement regarding regulations; to legislators about transparency, compliance, and taxation issues; to dispensary operators about how to maintain compliance and work within the current laws; and to the general public to simply provide correct and factual information."
The new website is scheduled to be launched by May 15, 2013, and will be announced in a future press release.
To view the article in the Los Angeles Times, visit: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/08/local/la-me-holland-pot-councilman-20130308
For more information on Medbox, please call (800) 762-1452 or go online to www.medboxinc.com.
About Medbox, Inc: 
Medbox is a leader in the development, sales and service of automated, biometrically controlled dispensing and storage systems for medicine and merchandise. Medbox has offices throughout the world, including New York, Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Tokyo, London and Toronto, and has their corporate headquarters in Los Angeles.
Medbox provides their patented systems, software and consulting services to pharmacies, dispensaries, urgent care centers, drug rehab clinics, hospitals, prison systems, hospice facilities, and medical groups worldwide.
Medbox, Inc. is a publicly traded company, and is listed on the OTC Markets, ticker symbol MDBX.
For more information on Medbox, please contact the Medbox Investor Relations Department at (800) 762-1452 or go online to www.medboxinc.com.
SOURCE Medbox, Inc.

Medical Marijuana comes to Maryland - 10 years late

 

It's the nice governor is dropping his opposition to the medical marijuana law now being considered by the legislature. It would have been an important first step if this were 2003 ("O'Malley administration backs medical marijuana bill," March 8).

 

However, it's 2013, and Maryland is once again behind the curve. The front lines in the battle between big government and individual rights are being waged in Colorado and Washington state, where state governments have the courage to listen to a majority of the electorate rather than to the big pharmaceutical companies and their million-dollar bribes. But perhaps I'm being too cynical.

 

At least Maryland is finally going to join the 18 states and the District of Columbia that have at least enacted some sort of reform. And anyone doubting the efficacy of medical marijuana can go look up the double blind, placebo-controlled study just published in this month's The Journal of Pain, conducted at the prestigious University of California at Davis.

 

The researchers studied vaporized marijuana of varying THC content — the active ingredient in cannabis — and found reductions in pain comparable to the opiates for all varieties of marijuana tested.

So when you start getting the letters of condemnation from Drug Enforcement Administration agents, members of the police/prison industrial complex and, of course, the random "experts" from the government (who are really just paid hacks for Big Pharma), remember this latest study that proves their objections to be just as dishonest as the "campaign contributions" they've been using to keep politicians doing their bidding all these years.

Minnesota medical marijuana push to wait till 2014

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota won't have a showdown over medical marijuana this year.

Heather Azzi of Minnesotans for Compassionate Care, a pro-marijuana policy group, said Wednesday that bills to permit marijuana for medical reasons will be introduced in the next week or two. But Azzi, the group's political director, said the legislation won't move through Legislature this year.

"We just had a lot of background work to do before we got started," she said.

Supporters hope to latch onto efforts to relax marijuana laws in other states. Voters in Washington state and Colorado approved ballot measures last fall making it legal to possess small amounts of marijuana. It was a step beyond laws in 18 states that give people with certain conditions clearance to use marijuana after getting a physician's approval.

Medical marijuana proposals are circulating in at least a dozen states. Last week, Maryland's health secretary expressed support for legislation there, arguing the federal government has not brought charges against any state employees in other states who may have been involved with distributing medical marijuana.

Minnesota lawmakers approved a medical marijuana bill in 2009, but it ran into a veto by then-Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Current Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton told The Associated Press in December that he wasn't interested in decriminalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use. "I don't think we need another drug operating in our society," he said then.

There are no indications Minnesota's law enforcement community is willing to budge from its opposition. Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, said supporters have yet to seek his group's input on the new proposal but he said any plan similar to the 2009 bill would be a nonstarter.

"It would be a regulatory and enforcement nightmare," Flaherty said.

Azzi said the new bill will include added precautions, including a provision for safety centers to check for marijuana impurities.

"There has to be a way for us to mitigate their concerns," she said. "We will be meeting with them between now and January to do just that."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Minn-medical-marijuana-push-to-wait-until-2014-4351239.php#ixzz2NTRbW11N

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