Smoking lots of marijuana lowers risk for bladder cancer, doctor says

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“A new study that spanned 11 years found that smoking marijuana may lower the chances of getting bladder cancer.”

“The study’s not been peer-reviewed yet, USA Today reported. It involved 83,000 men who smoked marijuana, cigarettes or both, Raw Story reported.

The findings, presented at the American Urological Association, found that men who smoked cigarettes increased their risks of bladder cancer, but that men who smoked marijuana only actually decreased their risks, Raw Story reported. Further, the study found that men who smoked both still have a higher chance of bladder cancer, but it was still a lower chance than those who smoked only cigarettes, Raw Story said.

“Cannabis use only was associated with a 45 percent reduction in bladder cancer incidence, and tobacco use only was associated with a 52 percent increase in bladder cancer,” the study’s author, Dr. Anil Thomas, said, Raw Story reported.

And smoking a lot of marijuana brought the greatest positive results.

Those who smoked marijuana more than 500 times a year had even less risk of bladder cancer than those who smoked the drug only once in a while, Raw Story reported.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/13/smoking-lots-marijuana-lowers-risk-bladder-cancer-/

Study: No Association Between Cannabis Smoke and Risk of Lung Cancer

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“Numerous preclinical studies have documented that cannabinoids possess potent anti-cancer properties, including the inhibition of lung cancer cell growth.

In a recent presentation given at the annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research, investigators from the University of California, Los Angeles provided the latest data reaffirming that cannabis consumption is not associated with an elevated risk of lung cancer.

Numerous preclinical studies have documented that cannabinoids possess potent anti-cancer properties, including the inhibition of lung cancer cell growth.”

More: http://salem-news.com/articles/may202013/pot-cancer.php

Smoking marijuana lowers risk for bladder cancer

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“It’s enough to choke on, society tells us condoning any and all drug use is wrong.

If that’s true, why would there be the following?

Kaiser Permanente researchers studied 83,000 men ages 45-69 and found marijuana smokers are less likely to get bladder cancer than those who smoke cigarettes.

Smokers who used cannabis only, found a 45% decrease in the cancer opposed to those who used only tobacco. Those smokers found a 52% increase in the disease.

This is all based on smoking marijuana more than 500 times as opposed to the once or twice toker.

The study stems from findings at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. The greenage could actually be the seed to stop the metastasis in many kinds of cancer, including breast, brain and cancer of the prostate.

Well munch on this; marijuana remains classified as the most dangerous controlled substance alongside heroin and LSD. This means the DEA has to approve any clinical trials of the drug. Yet our government obstructs that research.

In the midst of all this, Los Angeles councilman Bill Rosendahl posted this video announcing that his cancer is in remission, thanks to his use of medical marijuana.

Maybe all of this will cause the DEA to reconsider. After all, you want to cure cancer don’t you?”

http://newsfixnow.com/2013/05/17/smoking-marijuana-lowers-risk-for-bladder-cancer/

What Is Marijuana? What Is Cannabis?

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“When talking about the drug, marijuana and cannabis both have the same meaning. When talking botanically – talking about the plant genus – we use the word Cannabis. Cannabis is a flowering plant genus that includes three acknowledged varieties:

Cannabis sativa
Cannabis indica
Cannabis ruderalis

The three types originally come from South and Central Asia.”

“Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years by humans, for fiber (hemp), seed oils, seed, medical treatment and recreationally.

This article focuses on cannabis’ medicinal and recreational aspects.”

Cannabinoid receptor systems: therapeutic targets for tumour intervention.

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

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“The past decade has witnessed a rapid expansion of our understanding of the biological roles of cannabinoids and their cognate receptors. It is now certain that Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the principle psychoactive component of the Cannabis sativa plant, binds and activates membrane receptors of the 7-transmembrane domain, G-protein-coupled superfamily.

Several putative endocannabinoids have since been identified, including anandamide, 2-arachidonyl glycerol and noladin ether. Synthesis of numerous cannabinomimetics has also greatly expanded the repertoire of cannabinoid receptor ligands with the pharmacodynamic properties of agonists, antagonists and inverse agonists.

Collectively, these ligands have proven to be powerful tools both for the molecular characterisation of cannabinoid receptors and the delineation of their intrinsic signalling pathways. Much of our understanding of the signalling mechanisms activated by cannabinoids is derived from studies of receptors expressed by tumour cells; hence, this review provides a succinct summary of the molecular pharmacology of cannabinoid receptors and their roles in tumour cell biology.

Moreover, there is now a genuine expectation that the manipulation of cannabinoid receptor systems may have therapeutic potential for a diverse range of human diseases. Thus, this review also summarises the demonstrated antitumour actions of cannabinoids and indicates possible avenues for the future development of cannabinoids as antitumour agents.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14640910

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1517/14728222.7.6.749

The endocannabinoid system and its therapeutic exploitation.

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

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“The term ‘endocannabinoid’ – originally coined in the mid-1990s after the discovery of membrane receptors for the psychoactive principle in Cannabis, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and their endogenous ligands – now indicates a whole signalling system that comprises cannabinoid receptors, endogenous ligands and enzymes for ligand biosynthesis and inactivation. This system seems to be involved in an ever-increasing number of pathological conditions. With novel products already being aimed at the pharmaceutical market little more than a decade since the discovery of cannabinoid receptors, the endocannabinoid system seems to hold even more promise for the future development of therapeutic drugs. We explore the conditions under which the potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system might be realized in the years to come.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15340387

http://www.nature.com/nrd/journal/v3/n9/full/nrd1495.html

Cannabinoids.

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“Since the discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, research into the pharmacology and therapeutic potential of cannabinoids has steadily increased. Two subtypes of G-protein coupled cannabinoid receptors, CB(1) and CB(1), have been cloned and several putative endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids) have been detected during the past 15 years. The main endocannabinoids are arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide) and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), derivatives of arachidonic acid, that are produced “on demand” by cleavage of membrane lipid precursors.

Besides phytocannabinoids of the cannabis plant, modulators of the cannabinoid system comprise synthetic agonists and antagonists at the CB receptors and inhibitors of endocannabinoid degradation. Cannabinoid receptors are distributed in the central nervous system and many peripheral tissues, including immune system, reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts, sympathetic ganglia, endocrine glands, arteries, lung and heart. There is evidence for some non-receptor dependent mechanisms of cannabinoids and for endocannabinoid effects mediated by vanilloid receptors.

Properties of CB receptor agonists that are of therapeutic interest include analgesia, muscle relaxation, immunosuppression, anti-inflammation, antiallergic effects, improvement of mood, stimulation of appetite, antiemesis, lowering of intraocular pressure, bronchodilation, neuroprotection and antineoplastic effects. The current main focus of clinical research is their efficacy in chronic pain and neurological disorders. CB receptor antagonists are under investigation for medical use in obesity and nicotine addiction. Additional potential was proposed for the treatment of alcohol and heroine dependency, schizophrenia, conditions with lowered blood pressure, Parkinson’s disease and memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16266285

[The endocannabinoid system].

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“The endocannabinoid system is a physiological system, which is responsible for the control of glucose and lipid-metabolism, as well as for the regulation of the body weight.

The endocannabinoid receptors are distributed both in the central and peripher nervous system.

Different studies provide evidence that an hyperactive endocannabinoid system is involved in the development of different cardiovascular risk factors.

The pharmacological blockade of these cannabinoid receptors may represent a new approach for cardiometabolic risk management.””

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18548817

Marijuana: The next diabetes drug? – CNN

Posted on May 24, 2013 by David

“Toking up may help marijuana users to stay slim and lower their risk of developing diabetes, according to the latest study, which suggests that cannabis compounds may help in controlling blood sugar.”

Marijuana may help control blood sugar and help users stay slimmer, researchers say.

“Although marijuana has a well-deserved reputation for increasing appetite via what stoners call “the munchies,” the new research, which was published in the American Journal of Medicine, is not the first to find that the drug has a two-faced relationship to weight.

Three prior studies have shown that marijuana users are less likely to be obese, have a lower risk for diabetes and have lower body-mass-index measurements. And these trends occurred despite the fact that they seemed to take in more calories. Why?”

Smoking Marijuana May Cure Obesity

Posted on May 23, 2013 by David

“Many people who smoke marijuana experience what increased appetite (which they commonly call the “munchies”). It would stand to reason that people who smoke would gain weight. A new study from France says otherwise.”

marijuana obesity Smoking Marijuana May Cure Obesity

“Findings on the relationship between obesity and marijuana use

Dr. Yann Le Strat is a psychiatrist at Louis-Mourier Hospital in Colombes. He says the study his team conducted showed that people who smoked marijuana were less likely to be obese than the general population. Strat and his team looked at results from data collected in the early 2000s.

His findings completely surprised him. Everyone else in the field was shocked to see what they found.

Strat and his team decided to take a closer look at their study. They theorized the subjects in their sample were not representative of the overall population or the study was tainted in some other way. Turning to another study conducted by the NESARC, they found the same thing.

Both studies compared the prevalence of obesity among people who smoked cannabis with those that did not. Strat’s study found the obesity rates among people who didn’t smoke marijuana was 22 percent, compared with a rate of 14.3 percent among those that did smoke. The other study found the obesity rate of pot smokers was 17.2 percent, compared with a rate of 25.3 percent among non-smokers.

Andrea Giancoli is a dietitian in Los Angeles. She states there are number of possible reasons why people who smoke marijuana are less likely to become obese. They may work out more, spend more time outside or eat more fruits or vegetables. However, most people don’t associate these activities with people who smoke cannabis. Is it possible that the stereotypes we’ve had for so many years have been wrong?

Another possibility is associated with the possibility that marijuana smokers drink more water. This may curb their appetite throughout the rest of the day.

Strat acknowledges the possibility that marijuana smokers are more active. He doesn’t think the likelihood is very high, but says it can’t be ruled out. It would be helpful if an additional study was conducted which observed the exercise habits of people smoking marijuana. Such a study could dispel the stereotypes of marijuana smokers and explain the findings in these two studies.

Giancoli and Strat are both clearly interested in understanding the phenomenon. Everybody in their field wants an explanation for these findings. For the moment, the explanation remains a mystery. Both of these studies have clearly created an interesting new insight into marijuana and obesity.”

http://www.hivehealthmedia.com/smoking-marijuana-cure-obesity/