[I am an Aardvark]

Puffing cannabis from a pipe can significantly reduce chronic pain in patients with damaged nerves, a study has shown.

http://uk.news.yahoo...http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100830/tuk-cannabis-pipe-reduces-nerve-pain-6323e80.html

Smoking the drug also lessened anxiety and depression, said researchers.

Pill preparations of cannabis extract have previously been successful in treating certain types of pain.

But researchers avoided studying the effects of smoking cannabis, as if taking the drug to get high.

A team of Canadian scientists conducted a trial to test inhaled cannabis in 21 patients with chronic neuropathic pain caused by traumatic injury or surgery.

The researchers used herbal cannabis, or "grass", at four potency levels. Patients aged 25 to 77 were asked to smoke 25 milligrams of the drug from a pipe three times a day.

The highest-potency cannabis, containing 9.4% of the active ingredient THC, reduced pain, decreased anxiety and depression, and aided sleep.

Lead researcher Dr Mark Ware, director of clinical research at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit, McGill University Health Centre, said: "We found that 25mg herbal cannabis with 9.4% THC, administered as a single smoked inhalation three times daily for five days, significantly reduces average pain intensity compared with a 0% THC cannabis placebo in adult subjects with chronic post-traumatic/post-surgical neuropathic pain."

No serious adverse effects occurred during the trial. All the patients taking active cannabis reported one occasion of feeling "high" and euphoric, and some complained of headaches, dry eyes, a burning sensation, dizziness, numbness and coughs. No significant changes in vital signs, heart rate or kidney function were recorded.

The findings, reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, CMAJ, are believed to be the first from a clinical trial of smoked cannabis. The authors recommended more studies with higher potencies of THC, longer follow-up periods, and flexible dosing.

[rog]

cannabis inhalers are the obvious way forward, they're already about.

[kryptos]

Sir
In the protected conditions of the Laboratory,Cannabis smoking is
safe,even therapeutic.However in an unmonitored milieu,cannabis is
definitely dangerous.

[firemonkey]

This contrasts with research in 2007 that showed that

Quote

Smoking marijuana may relieve pain, but only within a narrow therapeutic window, and higher doses can actually intensify pain, investigators here have found. Healthy volunteers who smoked marijuana containing 8% tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) had a significantly increased pain response to capsaicin-induced hyperalgesia, Mark S. Wallace, M.D., of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues, reported in the November issue of Anesthesiology.

In contrast, pain response was significantly weaker with a 4% THC dose, they said. And a 2% THC concentration afforded no pain relief.

http://www.medpageto...Management/7089
http://www.wired.com...-little-mariju/

[rog]

kryptos, on 31 August 2010 - 03:39 AM, said:

Sir
In the protected conditions of the Laboratory,Cannabis smoking is
safe,even therapeutic.However in an unmonitored milieu,cannabis is
definitely dangerous.

they have never tested the effects of cannabis in an open legal climate. it is a reactive drug and its effects would be different in a professional culture. they would never do a proper scientific experiment without testing all aspects of possible reactions. for docs and politicians to preach about cannabis when it has not been professionally tested is amateur in the extreme, especially when loads of them have never tried it, never mind legally or healthily with an inhaler.

[scruffy]

rog, on 01 September 2010 - 12:18 PM, said:

they have never tested the effects of cannabis in an open legal climate. it is a reactive drug and its effects would be different in a professional culture. they would never do a proper scientific experiment without testing all aspects of possible reactions. for docs and politicians to preach about cannabis when it has not been professionally tested is amateur in the extreme, especially when loads of them have never tried it, never mind legally or healthily with an inhaler.

Three men are sitting in a room smoking cannabis. After a few spliffs they run out of gear.

One of the men stands up and says 'Look, we've got loads more tobacco, I'll just nip into the kitchen and make one of my speciality spliffs.

Off he goes into the kitchen where he takes some Cumin, Turmeric and a couple of other spices from the spice rack, grinds them up and rolls them into a spliff.

On his return he hands it to one of his smoking partners who lights it and takes a long drag. Within seconds he passes out.

Ten minutes go by and he is still out cold, so the others decide to take him to hospital. On arrival the nurses immediately take him to intensive care.

A doctor returns to the friends and asks 'So what have you been doing then? Smoking cannabis?'

'Well sort of', replies one of the guys. 'But we ran out of gear, so I made a home-made spliff.'

'Ahh' replies the doctor, 'And what did you put in it?'

'Oh, just a bit of cumin, some turmeric and a couple of other spices.'

The doctor sighs. 'Well that explains it.'

'Why, what's wrong with our friend?' asks one of the men.

'He's in a korma' replies the doctor.

[I am an Aardvark]

scruffy, on 03 September 2010 - 09:22 PM, said:

'He's in a korma' replies the doctor.

Good one. Be careful of jokes though - it usually illicits a response that you should be seeing your Doctor for an increase of medication.

[lizzypie]

I hate to be a drag lol i have real issues with cannabis. I suffered drug induced psychosis 10 yrs ago, not to say everyone who tokes will, but the effects can be really dangerous for our mental health. Am i stating the obvious?

[iffybob]

lizzypie, on 09 September 2010 - 09:07 PM, said:

I hate to be a drag lol i have real issues with cannabis. I suffered drug induced psychosis 10 yrs ago, not to say everyone who tokes will, but the effects can be really dangerous for our mental health. Am i stating the obvious?

Yes you are, but you also have a valid point ....

As far as 'I' understand , alot of the recent psychosis problems come from the newer strains of the drug, ........ even my own Gp ( who knows of my use ) warned me against them.

... I used it for many years to help me get through anxioty and other stuff, I would say in some ways it did help me, I stopped cutting during that time for one.

Yes it is made as an inhailer, a bit like the ones for astma.

Which brings me to another point, using can also damage you lungs , as mine are now ( I smoked a lot of ciggies too ), and why I stopped using it, ..... as a side point if I was offered it as an inhaler, my lungs would not be so damaged.

But for some to suffer to prop up a polictical argument is ok by those in charge.

A lot of what makes it to the public is the negative effects of the 'drug', although these stories are for the most part truthfull, they are a one sided argument, and as a lot of people with MH probs can say , perscription meds also carry problems and side effects, including psychosis.

To get an honest possision on canabis, both from a medical or sociatal view, at this point in time would prob be impossible, too many people base there moral possision on it.

[Ulysses]

Cannabis and its components have been proven to be effective for a wide range of ailments.
CBD from what I have read has the potential to be as effective if not better then convention anti psychotics due to the fact that it does not cause brain damage.Seems it can also help prevent damage to neurons ,The very things anti psychotics destroy.
Problem is scientists have not (that I am aware of ) been able to synthesis the active components and drug companies don't seem to be interested in anything they cannot patent.

It appears the drug companies are onto this all ready ....see patent claim below

http://v3.espacenet....http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=GB&NR=2456183&KC=&FT=E


Further reading from Science direct in regards to potential benefits

http://www.sciencedi...http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WN2-4H80T4P-2&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=6b70645da655f54e7582c9c7064cde08&searchtype=a


CBD has been used in both animal and human trials in Brazil with promising results.This article points to the fact that there is no benefit of combining the beneficial active components of cannabis with traditional anti psychotics except to try and offset neuron damage.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research

http://www.scielo.br...http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjmbr/v39n4/6164.pdf


End of the day drugs are drugs.....they have their good points and bad points.When the bad out weighs the good something needs to be done in my opinion.

[ramboghettouk]

I asked my gp about dope he said "It makes you happpy and relaxed, it does so by altering the chemistry of the brain and thats dangerous" i said my friends say i take these drugs and whats the difference? he said "It's like morphine, it's alright for acute pain but shouldn't be used for anything else"

[rog]

Just Be, on 10 September 2010 - 04:51 AM, said:

Cannabis and its components have been proven to be effective for a wide range of ailments.
CBD from what I have read has the potential to be as effective if not better then convention anti psychotics due to the fact that it does not cause brain damage.Seems it can also help prevent damage to neurons ,The very things anti psychotics destroy.
Problem is scientists have not (that I am aware of ) been able to synthesis the active components and drug companies don't seem to be interested in anything they cannot patent.

It appears the drug companies are onto this all ready ....see patent claim below

http://v3.espacenet....http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=GB&NR=2456183&KC=&FT=E


Further reading from Science direct in regards to potential benefits

http://www.sciencedi...http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WN2-4H80T4P-2&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2006&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=6b70645da655f54e7582c9c7064cde08&searchtype=a


CBD has been used in both animal and human trials in Brazil with promising results.This article points to the fact that there is no benefit of combining the beneficial active components of cannabis with traditional anti psychotics except to try and offset neuron damage.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research

http://www.scielo.br...http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjmbr/v39n4/6164.pdf


End of the day drugs are drugs.....they have their good points and bad points.When the bad out weighs the good something needs to be done in my opinion.

that's a streetwise point about patent control.
the drug has the same affect as a babies pacifier. a babies pacifier is a substitute for breast feeding. smoking fills an habitual need for comfort that is in us all. it's a plug to fill a hole of need. what we use to fill our need hole is reflective of our state of mind. i've moved away from smoking and have 20 drinks a day instead of 20 spliffs or 20 cigs. i'm trying to start sipping on bottles of juice and water for the placebo pacifier effect instead of 20 coffees or 20 smokes. i've been free from smoking for 6 years now after 20 years as a smoker and i know first hand the effects of cannabis can be triggered in the mind without using the drug. the drug is obviously a catalyst not a poison. i mentioned to my psych doc that i would prefer to use a cannabis inhaler than neuro tablet meds.

[rog]

rog, on 10 September 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:

that's a streetwise point about patent control.
the drug has the same affect as a babies pacifier. a babies pacifier is a substitute for breast feeding. smoking fills an habitual need for comfort that is in us all. it's a plug to fill a hole of need. what we use to fill our need hole is reflective of our state of mind. i've moved away from smoking and have 20 drinks a day instead of 20 spliffs or 20 cigs. i'm trying to start sipping on bottles of juice and water for the placebo pacifier effect instead of 20 coffees or 20 smokes. i've been free from smoking for 6 years now after 20 years as a smoker and i know first hand the effects of cannabis can be triggered in the mind without using the drug. the drug is obviously a catalyst not a poison. i mentioned to my psych doc that i would prefer to use a cannabis inhaler than neuro tablet meds.

the pacifier need is inate in any life. it is a primal demand to look for fuel, encouragement and reason to continue, like opening a door and seeing if there is any daylight or reason to walk through it. reproduction itself is essentially a pacifier, it sounds contraversial but a child is symbolically no different to having a spliff, they both fill a primal need for comfort, hope, reason and motivation. we evolve by relaxing and anything that helps us relax helps us survive. there was a boy who apparently survived for months without feeding, we could potentially learn to calm and reduce our comfort needs, it would drastically help our survival health.

[iffybob]

rog, on 10 September 2010 - 04:05 PM, said:

i mentioned to my psych doc that i would prefer to use a cannabis inhaler than neuro tablet meds.

........ and the doc said what ......... ?

[I am an Aardvark]

iffybob, on 10 September 2010 - 06:24 PM, said:

........ and the doc said what ......... ?

[firemonkey]

http://www.scielo.br...&lng=en&nrm=iso

[rog]

iffybob, on 10 September 2010 - 05:24 PM, said:

........ and the doc said what ......... ?

i actually said i would ideally like stability as my ideal med, e.g being lifed off on dla which he had previously said i could expect. i mentioned a cannabis inhaler as plan b then relaxants like diazipan as plan c. i see my meds as plan d,he said my amisulpride meds had helped me understand as much as i do and help with stability. i thought it sounded like a bit of a stretch and claim it pr but i agreed it's not the time for cannabis mh meds yet until the drug is professionalised in society.

[iffybob]

I would love it if I could have a cannabis inhaler, I have one for astma, when I get an astma attack, I take that , if I had an anxioty attack, it would deliver a dose, and a few mins later I could at least feel more relaxed.

They have made it in inhaler form, just like the one I have for astma ..... just too much politics around it, and the big bucks for the paitented drugs.