Category Archives: News Stories

Weed Could Block H.I.V.’s Spread. No, Seriously.

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“But the U.S. government won’t let scientists try out this promising treatment on humans… proving that an illegal drug can stop a deadly disease in humans—without testing it on them—is impossible…

THC is one of 500 active ingredients in marijuana. And marijuana, despite many studies proving its medical value, is sill classified by the government as a Schedule 1 Substance.

In the face of mounting evidence that it is beneficial in treating diseases… it remains a controlled substance.

During HIV infection, one of the earliest effects is that the virus spreads rapidly throughout the body and kills a significant part of cells in the gut and intestine. This activity damages the gut in a way that allows the HIV to leak through the cell wall of the intestines and into the bloodstream.

When THC is introduced into this environment, it activates the CB2 receptors in the intestines to build new, healthy bacterial cells that block the virus from leaking through the cell walls. In other words, the body works hard to keep bad stuff in the intestines and the good stuff out.

Put another way: HIV kills the cells that protect the walls— THC brings them back. Reducing the amount of the virus in the lower intestines could then help keep uninfected people uninfected.”

More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/02/15/weed-can-block-h-i-v-s-spread-no-seriously.html

Marijuana Accessible to Children as a Cure for Epileptic Seizures

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marijuana

“Recently a 5-year-old child was administered a medical marijuana card, the youngest person to ever receive one. Her parents are nothing less than ecstatic, as this drug has worked wonders to reduce the amount and severity of her chronic, life-threatening epileptic seizures. This new found use for the highly controversial drug has been the reason for much debate, as well as hundreds of families deciding to relocate to Colorado, where marijuana is accessible to children to cure epileptic seizures…”

More: http://guardianlv.com/2014/02/marijuana-accessible-to-children-as-a-cure-for-epileptic-siezures/

Mom looks to medical marijuana to cure daughter’s seizures

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“Kaercher said no matter what treatments Grace is on, the seizures continue. She has tried every option except medical marijuana, which isn’t legal in Pennsylvania,

Kaercher said. “Marijuana isn’t that extreme compared to all these other things we have done,” Kaercher said. Kaercher, 45, has watched her daughter suffer from seizures since Grace was a baby. Kaercher said Grave is so brave for going out into the world every day and her heart breaks every time Grace has a seizure.“It’s been a long road for us,” Kaercher said. “We hope medical marijuana will be a viable option for her.””

More: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140211/mom-looks-to-medical-marijuana-to-cure-daughters-seizures

The Neuroscience Of Munchies: Why The Scent Of A Burger Gives Us A High – npr

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We Didn't Make This Up: The scientists who performed the study on how cannabis triggers the munchies through the sense of smell commissioned an artist to put this illustration together.

“From cinnamon buns in the morning to a burger after a long run, food never smells as good as when you’re superhungry.

Now scientists have uncovered a clue as to why that might be — and it lies in the munchies and marijuana.

Receptors in the brains of mice that light up when the animals are high are also activated when the critters are fasting, French scientists reported Sunday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

In other words, skipping a meal triggered the same hunger-inducing brain receptors that marijuana does. And it works, at least in mice, by boosting the sense of smell, neuroscientist Giovanni Marsicano and his team at the Universite de Bordeaux report.

That’s because the receptors that get activated are located in the smelling center of the brain. And sense of smell is known to be a key factor driving appetite.

In case you’re wondering, the mice didn’t toke up. The researchers injected the rodents withTHC, the active ingredient in marijuana.”

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/10/274660785/munchies-neuroscience-why-the-scent-of-a-burger-gives-us-a-high?live=1&utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

“The endocannabinoid system controls food intake via olfactory processes.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24509429

Medical Marijuana Laws and Suicides by Gender and Age.

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:American Journal of Public Health Logo

 

“We estimated the association between legalizing medical marijuana and suicides.

Legalization was associated with a 10.8%  and 9.4% reduction in the suicide rate of men aged 20 through 29 years and 30 through 39 years, respectively.

Suicides among men aged 20 through 39 years fell after medical marijuana legalization compared with those in states that did not legalize.

The negative relationship between legalization and suicides among young men is consistent with the hypothesis that marijuana can be used to cope with stressful life events.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4232164/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24432945

http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301612

“Legalizing Medical Marijuana May Lead To Fewer Suicides”  https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/marijuana-legalization-suicide_n_4726390.html

“Medical Marijuana Cuts Suicide Rates By 10% In Years Following Legalization”  http://www.medicaldaily.com/medical-marijuana-cuts-suicide-rates-10-years-following-legalization-268472

Marijuana treatments for autoimmune disorders

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“Researchers from the University of South Carolina say that tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal constituent of marijuana, may have another medical use – treating those with autoimmune disorders.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is known to have analgesic effects so can be used to treat pain. It also aids relaxation and can reduce feelings of nausea and stimulate appetite…

Now, a new study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, explores how analgesicmicroRNAs are influenced by THC.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that play a vital role in regulating gene expression. And the authors claim that the ability to alter miRNA expression may be the key to successful treatment for many autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, arthritis and type 1 diabetes.”

More: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269432.php

Harvard: Marijuana Doesn’t Cause Schizophrenia

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Harvard: Marijuana Doesn't Cause Schizophrenia

“Good news for people who’ve worried that smoking too much marijuana (cannabis) — especially as a teenager — might lead to some dramatic problems in the future, even  schizophrenia.

New research from Harvard Medical School, in a comparison between families with a history of schizophrenia and those without, finds little support for marijuana use as a cause of schizophrenia.

“The results of the current study suggest that having an increased familial morbid risk for schizophrenia may be the underlying basis for schizophrenia in cannabis users and not cannabis use by itself,” note the researchers.”

More: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/12/10/harvard-marijuana-doesnt-cause-schizophrenia/63148.html

“A controlled family study of cannabis users with and without psychosis.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24309013

Research Shows that Marijuana Kills Cancer Cells

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The marijuana molecula cannabidiol. Cell studies show it to be an anti-cancer agent.

“New research published this month in the journal Anticancer Research concludes that certain non-psychoactive cannabinoids “resulted in dramatic reductions in [leukemia] cell viability” and “caused a simultaneous arrest at all phases of the [leukemia] cell cycle,” according to an abstract posted online.

Study author Wai Liu, a University of London – St. George’s medical school oncologist, tested six cannabinoids, together and independently, on leukemia cells.

Liu told US News the molecules had “potent anti-cancer activity” and, significantly, “target and switch off” chemical signals that promote cancer growth.

Liu’s research builds on what is now at least a decade of startling research showing marijuana molecules’ effects on cancer cells…

Drug law reform advocates note that the United States all but ceased medical research into the benefits of marijuana during the decades-long and ongoing drug war. Research, however, continues overseas.”

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/10/25/research-shows-that-marijuana-kills-cancer-cells

Marijuana Might Kill Cancer – Newsweek

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“A new study suggests that several components of the cannabis plant slow or kill malignant cells.”
Pot

 “Recent research gives new hope and meaning to the phrase “medical marijuana.”

In a paper published in October’s Anticancer Research, Wai Liu, a senior research fellow at St. George’s University of London, reports that he found six cannabinoids – active components of the cannabis plant – that can slow or outright kill cancer cells.

Though THC is the main cannabinoid associated with marijuana and has been recognized to have a “really strong anti-cancer effect,” Liu says, “it’s not a good candidate for therapeutic use because of its psychoactive properties.”

He examined whether several lesser-known cannabinoids would impact the growth of leukemia cells both individually and in combination.

The result?

“They’re good at killing cancer cells,” he says. And “because they’re not psychoactive, you can actually have the benefits associated with anti-cancer technology but not have the feelings of high, which are associated with THC.””

More: http://www.newsweek.com/marijuana-might-kill-cancer-1289