“A new study has revealed that smoking cannabis may help protect against type 2 diabetes after researchers in the US found that regular users of the drug have better blood sugar control …
Tests showed that current users had 16% lower fasting insulin levels and reduced insulin resistance than those who had never used cannabis . Non-users also had larger waistlines and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or ‘good’) cholesterol – both of which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.”
“Smoking cannabis may prevent the development of diabetes, one of the most rapidly rising chronic disorders in the world.
…it could lead to the development of treatments based on the active ingredient of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), without its intoxicating effects.
Researchers have found that regular users of the drug had lower levels of the hormone insulin after fasting – a signal that they are protected against diabetes. They also had reduced insulin resistance.”
“Smoking cannabis may help prevent diabetes, a new study has suggested.
Researchers found that regular users of the Class B drug had significantly lower levels of insulin after fasting – a sign of increased protected against diabetes. They also had reduced insulin resistance.
The results, reported in the American Journal of Medicine, showed current users had 16 per cent lower fasting insulin levels than participants who reported never having used marijuana.
The findings raise the possibility treatments for diabetes could be developed based on the active ingredient of cannabis, commonly known as THC.
Large waist measurements are also linked to diabetes risk and the study revealed significant associations between marijuana use and smaller waists.
Lead researcher Murray A. Mittleman, of the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, said it was the first study ‘to investigate the relationship between marijuana use and fasting insulin, glucose, and insulin resistance’, The Albany Tribune reported.
But Joseph Alpert, professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, and editor in chief of the American Journal of Medicine, said: ‘We desperately need a great deal more basic and clinical research into the short and long term effects of marijuana in a variety of clinical settings such as cancer diabetes and frailty of the elderly.’
Researchers studied data from 4,657 patients who completed a drug use questionnaire.
The use of so-called ‘medical marijuana’ is growing in the US where several states allow it.”
http://metro.co.uk/2013/05/15/cannabis-could-combat-diabetes-study-shows-3759797/
“Individuals who either smoke or ingest marijuana on a fairly regular basis have a better blood sugar control than people who are non-users, a study recently published in The American Journal of Medicine suggests.
The findings of this study are based on data collected while looking into the medical records of 4,657 people who had completed a drug use questionnaire as part of a research carried out by the National Health and Nutrition Survey between 2005 and 2010…
“Previous epidemiologic studies have found lower prevalence rates of obesity and diabetes mellitus in marijuana users compared to people who have never used marijuana, suggesting a relationship between cannabinoids and peripheral metabolic processes, but ours is the first study to investigate the relationship between marijuana use and fasting insulin, glucose, and insulin resistance,” lead researcher Murray A. Mittleman commented on the findings of this investigation.”
“A new research has found that the people who smoke cannabis are having lower risk of suffering from diabetes. The researchers have said that the reason behind the same is that the people using marijuana have lower levels of insulin in blood.
This means that the blood sugar control is better in them. The link between cannabis and diabetes control is yet to be established. If it happens, a new development can be expected to treat the patients with the condition using the plant’s compound active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
The study was published in the American Journal of Medicine. It asserted that the people who consumed cannabis had 16% lower fasting of the insulin levels in comparison to those who had never smoked marijuana.
Also, the people using the drug were found to have lower waist circumference. Studies have found large waist circumference linked to diabetes risk.
Usually, marijuana is consumed by the cancer patients and others with conditions like multiple sclerosis. Medical form of the drug is legal for use in the 18 US states and most of the Americans want it to be legalized.
The findings were based on questionnaire answered by about 4,657 patients and the data derived from the National Health and Nutrition Survey between 2005 and 2010.”
http://frenchtribune.com/teneur/1318085-marijuana-smokers-found-have-lower-risk-diabetes-research
“Cannabis plant extracts could potentially form the basic ingredients for a market-leading diabetes drug, the scientist who developed a former world-beating treatment for the condition believes…
“There really have been relatively few developments in finding new diabetes drug treatments… This new approach might be more productive in answering the unmet clinical need.””
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526853,00.html
“Regular users of the drug found to have lower levels of insulin after fasting, research shows. Smoking cannabis may prevent the development of diabetes, one of the most rapidly rising chronic disorders in the world.
If the link is proved, it could lead to the development of treatments based on the active ingredient of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), without its intoxicating effects.”
“Marijuana does many magical things, not the least of which is make dubstep listenable. In Los Angeles, we use it pretty much legally for back pain, nausea and hot tubbing.
But a new study from Germany says that, in U.S. states like California where marijuana has become medically legit, rates of suicide have gone down.
The researchers note that suicide is often triggered by “stressful life events.” And you know what can take away the pain?
No. Not Enrique Iglesias. Stress! Or rather, chronic. Depending.
The academics note that “California includes anxiety as a qualifying condition” to obtain medical pot, “while Delaware and New Mexico both allow the use of medical marijuana for post traumatic stress disorder … ”
The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn, with the help of American researchers such as Daniel I. Rees of the University of Colorado’s Department of Economics, recently published their findings in a paper called High on Life? Medical Marijuana Laws and Suicide (PDF):
Our results suggest that the passage of a medical marijuana law is associated with an almost 5 percent reduction in the total suicide rate, an 11 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 20- through 29-year-old males, and a 9 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 30- through 39-year-old males.
The study takes some wild guesses, and one of them is that maybe medical marijuana users are cutting out the alcohol, which can be depressive:
The strong association between alcohol consumption and suicide related outcomes found by previous researchers (Markowitz et al. 2003; Carpenter 2004; Sullivan et al. 2004; Rodriguez Andres 2005; Carpenter and Dobkin 2009) raises the possibility that medical marijuana laws reduce the risk of suicide by decreasing alcohol consumption.
The academics cite research on animals where there was “a potent anti-depressant effect” when they were injected with low doses of synthetic cannabinoid.
Of course this flies in the face of tons of research — not to mention what Dr. Drew Pinsky has said several times — that cannabis and depression go together like milk and cookies.
And, it seems clear to us, the only solid argument to be made here is there might be a correlation between medical marijuana states and lower rates of suicides.
Hmm. National suicide rates have been decreasing across the board.
Researchers say they focused mostly on young men because most medical marijuana patients in states like Arizona, Colorado and Montana are males, and roughly half are under 40. Data on women, apparently, was weak. (Women are four times less likely to commit successful suicide in general).
The German study’s rosy conclusion:
… The legalization of medical marijuana leads to an improvement in the psychological well being of young adult males, an improvement that is reflected in fewer suicides.
Believe that. Or not.”
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/02/marijuana_suicide_medical_states_california.php
“In 2010, 38 thousand people committed suicide. About seven thousand were veterans.”
 “U.S. soldier on patrol in Kabul – by Tim King Salem-News.com
|
(PORTLAND, OR) – The Oregonian and and The New York Times both had headlines, May 3, 2013, ‘Suicides Surge in United States and Oregon’.
I believe military PTSD victims have the highest rate but there are far more civilians in that same age group. For veterans, it is about 20 suicides per day, what that amounts to per thousand patients is the different kind of statistic that I am familiar with. The newspaper articles give their statistics as so many per thousand. They indicate that currently, the suicide rate for the middle aged, (35-64) is 18 per thousand each year, that age group is the highest rate. The overall rate for the U.S. is 14 per thousand per year.
I know more about the military veterans because I had more than 1,000 in my total population of 5,000 patients. Considering that the military veterans represent only about 1% of the population, with my 20% being veterans, this makes a good study group.
For military veterans, PTSD, from mild to severe, is about 20% of the group. This means 600 thousand PTSD victims. The actual figure is probably higher. Most are not being treated by the VA and they are using a number of different therapies. Many who live in states where it is legal, have reverted to marijuana. But many states, including Oregon, will not accept PTSD for a permit. New Mexico does allow Marijuana for PTSD Veterans. In New Mexico, 50% of the permit holders are veterans.
I started seeing military PTSD veterans about as soon as Oregon’s medical marijuana law became effective. But PTSD is not acceptable in Oregon. Most veterans had physical wounds, making them eligible for a permit.
I wrote my first article on this subject, February 13, 2009, ‘Marijuana Vs Antidepressants for PTSD’. The VA uses these drugs by the ton and while deadly, they are no more effective than sugar pills, but usually worse and often are used for suicide. That article has had 868 Facebook recommends, indicating strong interest.
My second article, ‘Medical Marijuana Prevents PTSD Suicides!’, was published Sept 22 2012., has 581 FB recommends.
My latest article on this subject, from March 25 2013, ‘PTSD/Depression and Anguish: Marijuana Vs. Many Fake Dangerous Drugs’ had 340 recommends.
This gets us to the current newspaper articles, in which military suicides are not even mentioned!
When you are 50, looking for a job, it can be fruitless. And it must be getting as bad for those even in their 40’s because the bright young smart alecks are striving to get into the workplace before it is too late.
The unemployed are now in desperate situations with no good way out and no resources. Anguish overtakes them and depression may be one of the symptoms for PTSD, etc.
There are about 19 states with legal marijuana, which represents more than 50% of the U.S. population. And speaking of those 19 states, those people can use this valuable medicine, marijuana. Another option is alcoholism and death.”
“MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS THE BEST ANTI-SUICIDE DRUG!”-Dr. Phillip Leveque Doctor of Pharmacology Salem-News.com http://salem-news.com/articles/may032013/ptsd-suicides-pl.php |