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Medicinal Marijuana

History

As early as 2737 B.C., the mystical Emperor Shen Neng of China was prescribing marijuana tea for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, malaria and, oddly enough, poor memory. The drug's popularity as a medicine spread throughout Asia, the Middle East and down the eastern coast of Africa, and certain Hindu sects in India used marijuana for religious purposes and stress relief. Ancient physicians prescribed marijuana for everything from pain relief to earache to childbirth.

By the late 18th century, early editions of American medical journals recommend hemp seeds and roots for the treatment of inflamed skin, incontinence and venereal disease. Irish doctor William O'Shaughnessy first popularized marijuana's medical use in England and America. As a physician with the British East India Company, he found marijuana eased the pain of rheumatism and was helpful against discomfort and nausea in cases of rabies, cholera and tetanus.

Cannabis as a medicine became common throughout much of the Western world by the 19th century. It was used as the primary pain reliever until the invention of aspirin.

Later in the 20th century, researchers investigating methods of detecting cannabis intoxication discovered that smoking the drug reduced intraocular pressure. In 1955 the antibacterial effects were described at the Palacký University of Olomouc. Since 1971 Lumír Ondřej Hanuš was growing marijuana for his scientific research on two large fields in authority of the University. The marijuana extracts were then used at the University hospital as a cure for aphthae and haze. In 1973 physician Tod H. Mikuriya reignited the debate concerning cannabis as medicine when he published "Marijuana Medical Papers". High intraocular pressure causes blindness in glaucoma patients, so he hypothesized that using the drug could prevent blindness in patients. Many Vietnam War veterans also found that the drug prevented muscle spasms caused by spinal injuries suffered in battle. Later medical use focused primarily on its role in preventing the wasting syndromes and chronic loss of appetite associated with chemotherapy and AIDS, along with a variety of rare muscular and skeletal disorders.

Clinical Applications

• Cancer

According to recent studies, certain cannabinoids have been found to provide an alternative to chemotherapy by blocking the activity of a gene called Id-1, which is believed to be responsible for a process called metastasis, which is the aggressive spread of cancer cells away from the original tumor site.

• HIV/AIDS

In 2007 a clinical trial was carried out in Columbia University. HIV/Aids patients were asked to inhale cannabis four times daily. The results showed that patients had a substantial increase in food intake with little evidence of discomfort and no impairment of cognitive performance. It was concluded that there was a clear medical benefit for these patients.

• Multiple Sclerosis

Clinical studies show that cannabinoids improve central pain in patients with multiple sclerosis.

• Glaucoma

Use of medicinal cannabis has proven to reduce Intra Ocular Pressure (IOP) by 24%. Due to short lasting effects, patients would have to take cannabis in some form approximately every three hours.

• Alzheimer's

THC has been shown to prevent deposits in the brain related to Alzheimer's disease. It was also shown to prevent and enzyme called acetylcholinesterase which accelerates formation of the 'Alzheimer's plaque'.

Medicinal Compounds

• Tetrahydrocannabinol

THC is the primary compound which is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. It is a mild analgesic and has shown antioxidant activity. THC is believed to interact with parts of the brain normally controlled by the endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter, anandamide. Anandamide is believed to play a role in pain sensation, memory, and sleep.

• Cannabidiol

CBD represents up to 40% of extracts of the medical cannabis plant. Cannabidiol has been shown to relieve convulsion, inflammation, anxiety, cough and congestion, nausea, and inhibits cancer cell growth.

• Cannabinol

Cannabinol (CBN) is a therapeutic cannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica. It is also produced as a metabolite, or a breakdown product, of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).CBN acts as a weak agonist of the CB1 and CB2 receptors, with lower affinity in comparison to THC.

Criticism

A main point of criticism in the use of medical marijuana is the method in which to obtain the desired effect. Smoking has been the primary method, but recently, edible methods as well as tinctures, sprays, and even transdermal and topical creams have also become available in certain countries. Where available, doctors have a hard time prescribing medical marijuana due to the stigma associated with it, as well due to worries regarding abuse and addiction.

Legalization

Globally, marijuana laws are becoming less and less strict, especially for those using it for medical purposes. In the Czech Repuplic, the Czech cabinet approved a Justice Ministry proposal in early 2010 that sets personal use quantity limits for illicit drugs under a penal code revision that decriminalizes drug possession in the Czech Republic. Under the new law, possession of more than the following amounts of illicit drugs is a misdemeanor: - Marijuana 15 grams (or five plants) - Hashish 5 grams

References

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931247,00.html#ixzz1jXDlma00 http://sammellace.com/cannabis-studies/ http://legalizationofmarijuana.com/