'Nature cannot change the past to suit our thinking. She cannot change the stars or the winds; but she does change our bodies to suit our thinking, and through their instrumentality changes much besides; so the great practical distinction between objects which we may will or unwill, and objects which we can merely believe or disbelieve, grows up, and is of course one of the most important distinctions in the world.'
- William James, Belief, Principles of Psychology
'As you think, so you are'
- The Buddha
'Home of both CB1 and CB2 receptors, the amygdala is responsible for our
coordination, endocrine functions, and sensory perception. Whenever we
meditate or take a toke of herb, we begin to alter the way chemicals
(like dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA, to name a few)
stimulate our brain and body.
One molecule in particular highlights the similarities between consuming cannabis and meditation: anandamide. The root of the word comes from ananda, the name of one of Buddha’s disciples and the Hindu (Sanskrit) word for ‘perfect bliss’. In cannabis, it’s known as the bliss molecule.
As a cannabinoid, anandamide brings us full circle with the mind and body connection that can be accessed through both cannabis and meditation- revealing that cultures that practice both activities have more in common than you might think.'
One molecule in particular highlights the similarities between consuming cannabis and meditation: anandamide. The root of the word comes from ananda, the name of one of Buddha’s disciples and the Hindu (Sanskrit) word for ‘perfect bliss’. In cannabis, it’s known as the bliss molecule.
As a cannabinoid, anandamide brings us full circle with the mind and body connection that can be accessed through both cannabis and meditation- revealing that cultures that practice both activities have more in common than you might think.'
- Leafly
All mothers encourage their children to have spinach. Spinach has world renown as an incredibly healthy food. In the popular cartoon series, Popeye loves his spinach. His smoking pipe is an integral part of his appearance. Popeye might well have been smoking spinach in his pipe. Spinach is an alias for cannabis in some circles. It is no coincidence then that cannabis has earned the nickname spinach among health conscious recreational drug consumers. Well, cannabis is more spinach for the brain than the real spinach.
In this article, I am looking more at cannabis in its relation to the physical brain, and not so much into its relationship with the mind which I consider to be at a level of higher abstraction. I look to cover the aspect of cannabis and the mind in another article, and will only touch on the subject briefly. Having said that, let me state that cannabis is the mind medicine par excellence.
The cannabis plant emerged about 28 million years ago, branching out from the Humulus plant, so there is a good chance that from a very early part of human evolution
we have been using the plant. This could be a possible reason for the
presence of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in our bodies. There can be
no such evolutionary mechanisms in place in the long term, unless it
was safe and beneficial for the living organism, strong evidence of the safe usage profile of cannabis.
Cannabis may have played a significant role in the evolution of
intelligence in humans, and may have been a key factor for the divergence
of the human species from apes and chimpanzees. It has been part of human history for as long back as we can see. Our brains are one of the areas with the highest concentrations of
endocannabinoid receptors to which cannabis compounds attach themselves.
Cannabis for the health of the brain has been supported by a number of studies. Cannabis is said to protect the neurons i.e. it is neuro-protective. Cannabis is said to also help brain cell regeneration i.e. it is neuro-regenerative. Cannabis is said to be anti-neuroinflammation and anti-oxidant. Cannabis increases cerebral blood flow (CBF). Cannabis is a mood regulator. Cannabis has memory extinction properties.
Cannabis acts on various regions of the brain, including the brain stem, amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus. The interaction of cannabis with the brain is through the cannabinoid receptors CBR1 and CBR2.
The neurogenerative, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-neuroinflammatory properties of cannabis are responsible for its effectiveness in treating conditions like dementia, Parkinson's, brain stem stroke, traumatic brain injury, aggressive brain cancers like glioblastoma, autism, epilepsy, and drug craving.
The ability of cannabis to increase cerebral blood flow enables it to treat conditions like Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The ability of cannabis to regulate moods enables it to treat conditions like anxiety, depression and bipolar disease. Its ability for memory extinction enables it to treat conditions like PTSD.
It is important to note that the much-maligned and feared cannabis compound delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has many benefits for the brain. It has been found that THC dosing “lowered threat-related amygdala reactivity”. Amplified threat-related amygdala activity is one of the defective brain responses in persons with PTSD. THC is especially beneficial in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD). THC is also beneficial for conditions like chronic insomnia and migraine.
The scientific journal MDPI reports that - 'cannabinoids in traumatic brain injury increase neurobehavioral function, working memory performance, and decrease the neurological deficit and ameliorate motor deficit through down-regulation of pro-inflammatory markers, oedema formation and blood–brain barrier permeability, preventing neuronal cell loss and up-regulating the levels of adherence junction proteins.'
According to Episteme Health - 'The mechanisms by which cannabinoids reduce opioid addiction-relevant behaviours include modulation of cannabinoid, serotonin, and dopamine receptors, as well as signalling cascades involving ERK-CREB-BDNF and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a.' Considering the involvement of dopamine receptors in cocaine and amphetamine abuse, serotonin receptors in methamphetamine abuse, and mu and sigma receptors in opioid abuse, the modulation of these receptors through cannabinoids may be a factor in its role in reducing drug craving in those who develop dependencies on these drugs.
Cannabis smoking has been found to have no association with ischemic strokes. According to NORML - 'Researchers with the University of Maryland School of Medicine assessed the relationship between cannabis and stroke risk in a cohort of 1,564 subjects between the ages of 15 to 49. Investigators said that their study was “the largest case-control study to date” evaluating the association between marijuana and ischemic stroke risk. They reported, “After adjusting for other risk factors, including the amount of current tobacco smoking, marijuana use was not associated with ischemic stroke, regardless of the timing of use in relationship to the stroke, including ever use, use within 30 days, and use within 24 hours.” Authors concluded, “These analyses do not demonstrate an association between marijuana use anforan increased risk of early-onset ischemic stroke.”'
On the other hand, cannabis appears to play a positive role in treating those with strokes due to brain stem infarcation. BMJ Case Reports that cannabis has been particularly useful, in a case where three years of using synthetic pharmaceutical medications failed to produce any significant improvement. According to BMJ Case Reports - 'More than 3 years of therapy with amitriptyline, gabapentin, pregabalin and various grade II and III opioids was ineffective or showed intolerable side effects. The administration of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol as an oromucosal spray in a 1:1 ratio improved the pain situation and quality of life quickly and permanently.'
roperties. NORML reports that - 'Researchers reported that 94 percent of subjects experienced symptom
relief within two hours of marijuana inhalation. On average, [migraine] patients
experienced a reduction in symptom intensity of 3.3 points on the
ten-point scale. Varieties of cannabis that contained higher THC content
(above ten percent) were most closely associated with providing symptom
relief.'
Cannabis as medicine for the brain is best administered through inhalation as this is the fastest and most efficient way in which it reaches the parts of the brain that need attention. Typical ways of inhalation include smoking, vaping and oromucosal sprays.
In CH. X. Effects - General Observations, Report Of The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1893-94, it says - '461. In discussing the diseases treated, we may take first diseases of the nervous system. Witnesses refer to the use of the drugs in the treatment of "brain fever," cramps, convulsions of children, headache, hysteria, neuralgia, sciatica, and tetanus. In certain of these diseases, e.g., convulsions of children, neuralgia, and tetanus, the use of hemp preparations has also been advocated by European practitioners.'
What I believe is the most important medical benefit of cannabis, what
makes it the most popular global intoxicant and medicine, is something
which appears to be consistently ignored by policy makers and medical
experts. This is the role of cannabis as the world's best mind medicine.
It could be the healing that it brings to the body that subsequently
brings mental well being, or vice versa, or both through simultaneous
action on body and mind. Its mental effects, immediate when smoked or inhaled, delayed when ingested as an edible, are profound.
It calms the mind, exhilarates and stimulates it, heightens the senses,
sparks creativity, taking one to a state of increased awareness of
oneself and one's surroundings. Cannabis, as mind medicine, besides
increasing concentration and mental focus, is described in ancient
medical texts as "warming circulation, brightening eyes, alleviating depression and creating exhilaration." Some of the descriptions in medical texts include "cause
cheerfulness, colour to the complexion, excite imagination into the
rapturous ideas, cheer intellect, deterging the brain, induces
costiveness, sharpens the memory," etc. It is aptly described as a 'brain detergent'
by a source in the Indian Hemp Commission report because it appears to
cleanse one's perception, revealing the reality of the world for what it
is.
There are numerous opponents of cannabis who say that its use damages the brain. Regarding evidence that the brain does not get damaged with cannabis use, we see this as early as in the 19th century. When Dr D D Cunningham performed his cannabis experiment on a rhesus macaque by administering cannabis to it over eight months and then disecting it, his observation, as reported to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1895 was that - "The kidneys, the stomach, the large and small intestines, and the cerebro-spinal nervous centres were all apparently perfectly healthy." Further reinforcement of this has been confirmed by numerous modern day studies. To cite an example, NORML reports that - 'Subjects with a history of cannabis use, including near-daily consumption, possess no significant differences in white matter integrity when compared to those with no history of marijuana exposure, according to data published in the journal Addiction Biology. A team of investigators from The Netherlands and from Australia performed MRIs to compare whole-brain white matter microstructure in a cohort of 39 near-daily cannabis users and 28 closely matched controls. The integrity of white matter microstructure is correlated with cognitive performance. Consistent with prior studies, authors reported: “White matter microstructure did not differ between cannabis users and controls and did not covary with recent cannabis use, dependence severity, or duration of use.”' However, there is no ambiguity when it comes to damage to the brain in the case of alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, cocaine, synthetic cannabinoids, opioids, benzodiazepines, novel psychotropic substances, abuse of prescription drugs, and other toxins like dhatura. The evidence is widespread and unquestionable.
Then there are the opponents of cannabis who argue that its usage will reduce motivation, especially in adolescents. NORML reports that 'The study’s authors concluded: “Our findings do not support a relationship between cannabis use and reductions in motivation over time in a sample of adolescents at risk for escalation in cannabis use. …' Besides this, when cannabis was completely legal throughout India until the 19th century, with no regulation whatsover, the typical age at which men started consuming cannabis was the early twenties, and with women it was much later - the late thirties or early forties. In places where cannabis has been legalized for adult recreational use, strict age related restrictions ensure that only those above 18 or 21 can purchase cannabis from the retail outlets. It has been found that legalization actually brought down adolescent and youth consumption rates. In all other places, it is the illegality of cannabis that draws an adolescent to experiment with it.
Then there are a set of persons who say that cannabis legalization will bring down motivation in society in general. To these people I say, when cannabis was completely legal in India until the 19th century, there was no lack of motivation among Indian society. It was, in fact, so vibrant that it drew visitors from all over the world, both violent and peaceful, earning it the moniker Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire after it had been conquered. Also with regard to motivation, it will be good to remember that some of the world's most creative and intellectual persons, as well as elite sportspersons, are all cannabis consumers.
Finally there are the set of persons who say that cannabis causes insanity. This argument has been the most widely used one to justify cannabis prohibition globally. According to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission 1894-95 - 'Over and over again the statistics of Indian asylums have been referred to in official documents or scientific treatises not only in this country, but also in other countries where the use of these drugs has demanded attention. Other alleged effects of the drugs have attracted but little attention compared with their alleged connection with insanity.' The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission itself went on to prove that the cannabis causes insanity myth was false. Numerous modern day studies have since then confirmed that this is a myth, but this myth still continues to hold vast influence in the minds of many, thus prolonging the delay in the legalization of cannabis. In fact, the role of cannabis, as a psychedelic, is one of the most important ways in which cannabis is a solution to mental health problems in a truly pervasive way across the entire world.
Then there are a set of persons who say that cannabis legalization will bring down motivation in society in general. To these people I say, when cannabis was completely legal in India until the 19th century, there was no lack of motivation among Indian society. It was, in fact, so vibrant that it drew visitors from all over the world, both violent and peaceful, earning it the moniker Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire after it had been conquered. Also with regard to motivation, it will be good to remember that some of the world's most creative and intellectual persons, as well as elite sportspersons, are all cannabis consumers.
Finally there are the set of persons who say that cannabis causes insanity. This argument has been the most widely used one to justify cannabis prohibition globally. According to the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission 1894-95 - 'Over and over again the statistics of Indian asylums have been referred to in official documents or scientific treatises not only in this country, but also in other countries where the use of these drugs has demanded attention. Other alleged effects of the drugs have attracted but little attention compared with their alleged connection with insanity.' The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission itself went on to prove that the cannabis causes insanity myth was false. Numerous modern day studies have since then confirmed that this is a myth, but this myth still continues to hold vast influence in the minds of many, thus prolonging the delay in the legalization of cannabis. In fact, the role of cannabis, as a psychedelic, is one of the most important ways in which cannabis is a solution to mental health problems in a truly pervasive way across the entire world.
Cannabis presents an option for natural, time tested and universal brain protection without the use of expensive and synthetically manufactured medication that have serious, and in many cases, unknown side effects. Cannabis also offers a healthy, recreational substitute for dangerous recreational drugs that severely damage our brains such as alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, cocaine, synthetic cannabinoids, opioids, benzodiazepines, novel psychotropic substances, abuse of prescription drugs, etc. But the reality of today's world is that all these drugs are freely available while cannabis is prohibited and many brains in the world are suffering as a result. Is it any wonder that humans in the last few centuries have invented new and innovative ways to not just kill ourselves but also to destroy the planet and all life in it along with us?
In December 2020, the UN removed cannabis from its Schedule IV downgrading its perception of the dangerous nature of the plant. It however continues to keep this medicinal herb, used by hundreds of millions of people world wide for thousands of years, in its Schedule I, which essentially means that it stays prohibited for all. The unreasonableness of these actions becomes even more clear when we see that plants like dathura, highly toxic for the brain, and, for that matter, the drug alcohol, are widely and freely available. The war on the people of the world, waged by unscrupulous governments, pharmaceutical companies, the medical industry and the petrochemical industry, has resulted in an even more precarious state of brain health, with almost no access for the majority of the world's people to this spinach for the brain.
Can the brains behind cannabis prohibition
start working properly, and lift this worldwide ban on a versatile
natural medicine for brain and mental health - the spinach for the brain? If
Popeye had a say in all this, it would probably pack quite a punch. POW!!!
The following list of articles taken from various media speak about the above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of yours truly at the time of reading the article.
'Sensible objects are thus either our realities or the tests of our realities. Conceived objects must show sensible effects or else be disbelieved. And the effects, even though reduced to relative unreality when their causes come to view (as heat, which molecular vibrations make unreal), are yet the things on which our knowledge of the causes rests. Strange mutual dependence this, in which the appearance needs the reality in order to exist, but the reality needs the appearance in order to be known! Sensible vividness or pungency is then the vital factor in reality when once the conflict between objects, and the connecting of them together in the mind, has begun. No object which neither possesses this vividness in its own right nor is able to borrow it from anything else has a chance of making headway against vivid rivals, or of rousing in us that reaction in which belief consists. On the vivid objects we pin, as the saying is, our faith in all the rest; and our belief returns instinctively even to those of them from which reflection has led it away. Witness the obduracy with which the popular world of colors, sounds, and smells holds its own against that of molecules and vibrations. Let the physicist himself but nod, like Homer, and the world of sense becomes his absolute reality again.'
- William James on Belief from the Principles of Psychology
'Cannabis contains a multitude of different compounds. One of them, cannabidiol – a non-psychoactive substance – might counteract negative effects of delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on hippocampus-dependent memory impairment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of vaping cannabidiol on verbal episodic memory in healthy young subjects. We used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial in 39 healthy young subjects. Participants received once a single dose of cannabidiol e-liquid (0.25 ml, 5% cannabidiol, 12.5 mg cannabidiol) and once placebo for vaping after learning 15 unrelated nouns. The primary outcome measure was the short delay verbal memory performance (number of correctly free recalled nouns) 20 min after learning. 34 participants (mean age: 22.26 [3.04]) completed all visits and entered analyses (17 received cannabidiol and 17 received placebo first). Cannabidiol enhanced verbal episodic memory performance (placebo: 7.03 [2.34]; cannabidiol 7.71 [2.48]; adjusted group difference 0.68, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.35; R2ß = .028, p = .048). Importantly, we did not detect medication effects on secondary outcome measures attention or working memory performance, suggesting that CBD has no negative impact on these basic cognitive functions. The results are in line with the idea that vaping cannabidiol interacts with the central endocannabinoid system and is capable to modulate memory processes, a phenomenon with possible therapeutic potential. Further studies are needed to investigate optimal dose-response and time-response relationships.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002239562100546X
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002239562100546X
'The administration of the proprietary cannabis tincture Nabiximols (a/k/a Sativex) is associated with a “dramatic decrease” in tic-related symptoms in a patient with Tourette Syndrome (TS), according to a case report published in the journal Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements.
A pair of German researchers documented the treatment of a 25-year-old male TS patient with Nabiximols. The patient had previously reported consuming whole-plant cannabis to manage his TS symptoms. Symptoms had returned after he ceased using the plant. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/09/02/case-report-cannabis-tincture-associated-with-tic-reduction-in-tourette-syndrome-patient
A pair of German researchers documented the treatment of a 25-year-old male TS patient with Nabiximols. The patient had previously reported consuming whole-plant cannabis to manage his TS symptoms. Symptoms had returned after he ceased using the plant. '
https://norml.org/news/2021/09/02/case-report-cannabis-tincture-associated-with-tic-reduction-in-tourette-syndrome-patient
'Cannabis has been long used since ancient times for both medical and recreational use. Past research has shown that cannabis can be indicated for symptom management disorders, including cancer, chronic pain, headaches, migraines, and psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder). Active ingredients in cannabis that modulate patients' perceptions of their conditions include [delta]9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), flavonoids, and terpenes. These compounds work to produce effects within the endocannabinoid system to decrease nociception and decrease symptom frequency. Research within the United States of America is limited to date due to cannabis being classified as a schedule one drug per the Drug Enforcement Agency. Few anecdotal studies have found a limited relationship between cannabis use and migraine frequency. The purpose of the review article is to document the validity of how medical cannabis can be utilized as an alternative therapy for migraine management. Thirty-four relevant articles were selected after a thorough screening process using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The following keywords were used: "Cannabis," "Medical Marijuana," "Headache," "Cannabis and Migraine," "Cannabis and Headache." This literature study demonstrates that medical cannabis use decreases migraine duration and frequency and headaches of unknown origin. Patients suffering from migraines and related conditions may benefit from medical cannabis therapy due to its convenience and efficacy.'
https://www.cureus.com/articles/67643-medical-cannabis-headaches-and-migraines-a-review-of-the-current-literature
https://www.cureus.com/articles/67643-medical-cannabis-headaches-and-migraines-a-review-of-the-current-literature
'These results suggest that dual therapy by targeting the site of injury internally with a CBD-infused medical carrier followed by systemic supplementation may offer a more effective countermeasure than systemic or implant treatment alone for the deleterious effects of penetrating head wounds.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014488621002521
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014488621002521
'Subjects with a history of cannabis use, including near-daily consumption, possess no significant differences in white matter integrity when compared to those with no history of marijuana exposure, according to data published in the journal Addiction Biology.
A team of investigators from The Netherlands and from Australia performed MRIs to compare whole-brain white matter microstructure in a cohort of 39 near-daily cannabis users and 28 closely matched controls. The integrity of white matter microstructure is correlated with cognitive performance.
Consistent with prior studies, authors reported: “White matter microstructure did not differ between cannabis users and controls and did not covary with recent cannabis use, dependence severity, or duration of use.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/08/26/brain-study-cannabis-use-not-correlated-with-changes-in-white-matter-integrity
A team of investigators from The Netherlands and from Australia performed MRIs to compare whole-brain white matter microstructure in a cohort of 39 near-daily cannabis users and 28 closely matched controls. The integrity of white matter microstructure is correlated with cognitive performance.
Consistent with prior studies, authors reported: “White matter microstructure did not differ between cannabis users and controls and did not covary with recent cannabis use, dependence severity, or duration of use.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/08/26/brain-study-cannabis-use-not-correlated-with-changes-in-white-matter-integrity
'“This randomized clinical trial found that the efficacy and safety of daily treatment with CBD, 300 mg, for 4 weeks combined with standard care was superior to standard care alone for reducing the symptoms of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression among frontline health care professionals working with patients with COVID-19,” authors concluded. “Cannabidiol may act as an effective agent for the reduction of burnout symptoms among a population with important mental health needs worldwide.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/08/19/clinical-trial-use-of-cbd-associated-with-greater-emotional-wellness
https://norml.org/news/2021/08/19/clinical-trial-use-of-cbd-associated-with-greater-emotional-wellness
'Overall, cannabinoids have been shown to possess therapeutic efficacy in several inflammatory and neuronal diseases. Given that the production of ROS is an intrinsic feature of neuroinflammation and peripheral immune responses, this review aims to gather the latest knowledge on the action of cannabinoids on oxidative signalling, with focus on the phytocannabinoid CBD. CBD is selected for review given recent advances in its therapeutic development'
https://portlandpress.com/neuronalsignal/article/5/3/NS20200080/229491/Cannabidiol-modulation-of-oxidative-stress-and
https://portlandpress.com/neuronalsignal/article/5/3/NS20200080/229491/Cannabidiol-modulation-of-oxidative-stress-and
'Responding to the study’s findings, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said, “Modern science is setting the record straight and exposing much of the ‘reefer madness’ of the past decades.
Unfortunately, many of these myths still remain prevalent in our society, and are often raised by politicians in their efforts to justify the failed policies of marijuana prohibition and stigmatization It’s is time for America to set aside these myths and adopt cannabis policies based on facts, not fears”
The study’s authors concluded: “Our findings do not support a relationship between cannabis use and reductions in motivation over time in a sample of adolescents at risk for escalation in cannabis use. … The current study contributes to the extant literature by examining these associations longitudinally in a large sample of adolescent cannabis users while controlling for important and often overlooked confounds, including sex and depression. … Future studies should continue to examine these associations longitudinally to determine whether heavier levels of cannabis use lead to reductions in motivation, and whether these reductions may be responsible for poorer educational and later life outcomes.”'
https://norml.org/blog/2021/07/20/study-cannabis-use-not-linked-to-motivation-loss/
Unfortunately, many of these myths still remain prevalent in our society, and are often raised by politicians in their efforts to justify the failed policies of marijuana prohibition and stigmatization It’s is time for America to set aside these myths and adopt cannabis policies based on facts, not fears”
The study’s authors concluded: “Our findings do not support a relationship between cannabis use and reductions in motivation over time in a sample of adolescents at risk for escalation in cannabis use. … The current study contributes to the extant literature by examining these associations longitudinally in a large sample of adolescent cannabis users while controlling for important and often overlooked confounds, including sex and depression. … Future studies should continue to examine these associations longitudinally to determine whether heavier levels of cannabis use lead to reductions in motivation, and whether these reductions may be responsible for poorer educational and later life outcomes.”'
https://norml.org/blog/2021/07/20/study-cannabis-use-not-linked-to-motivation-loss/
'Researchers reported that subjects showed improved cognitive performance within three months of treatment and that these improvements were sustained throughout the 12-month trial period.
Improvements in executive function were correlated with clinical improvements in patients’ mood, anxiety, and sleep. The use of CBD-dominant products was most closely associated with participants’ changes in mood and anxiety.
Authors concluded: “In a 12-month longitudinal, observational study, patients using MC [medical cannabis] for various medical conditions exhibited improved executive function and stable verbal learning and memory within the context of improvements on measures of mood, anxiety, and sleep relative to baseline. [I]mprovement of clinical state over time was significantly associated with increased CBD exposure."
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/22/medical-cannabis-patients-show-sustained-improvements-in-cognitive-performance
Improvements in executive function were correlated with clinical improvements in patients’ mood, anxiety, and sleep. The use of CBD-dominant products was most closely associated with participants’ changes in mood and anxiety.
Authors concluded: “In a 12-month longitudinal, observational study, patients using MC [medical cannabis] for various medical conditions exhibited improved executive function and stable verbal learning and memory within the context of improvements on measures of mood, anxiety, and sleep relative to baseline. [I]mprovement of clinical state over time was significantly associated with increased CBD exposure."
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/22/medical-cannabis-patients-show-sustained-improvements-in-cognitive-performance
'Those with a history of cannabis use do not possess an increased risk of early-onset ischemic stroke, according to the findings of a population-based case-control study published in the journal Stroke.
Researchers with the University of Maryland School of Medicine assessed the relationship between cannabis and stroke risk in a cohort of 1,564 subjects between the ages of 15 to 49.
Investigators said that their study was “the largest case-control study to date” evaluating the association between marijuana and ischemic stroke risk.
They reported, “After adjusting for other risk factors, including the amount of current tobacco smoking, marijuana use was not associated with ischemic stroke, regardless of the timing of use in relationship to the stroke, including ever use, use within 30 days, and use within 24 hours.”
Authors concluded, “These analyses do not demonstrate an association between marijuana use and an increased risk of early-onset ischemic stroke.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/22/cannabis-use-not-independently-linked-to-increased-risk-of-ischemic-stroke-in-young-adults
Researchers with the University of Maryland School of Medicine assessed the relationship between cannabis and stroke risk in a cohort of 1,564 subjects between the ages of 15 to 49.
Investigators said that their study was “the largest case-control study to date” evaluating the association between marijuana and ischemic stroke risk.
They reported, “After adjusting for other risk factors, including the amount of current tobacco smoking, marijuana use was not associated with ischemic stroke, regardless of the timing of use in relationship to the stroke, including ever use, use within 30 days, and use within 24 hours.”
Authors concluded, “These analyses do not demonstrate an association between marijuana use and an increased risk of early-onset ischemic stroke.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/22/cannabis-use-not-independently-linked-to-increased-risk-of-ischemic-stroke-in-young-adults
'Results
CBD effectively prevented SB-induced changes in the forced swim test without altering spontaneous locomotion. This phytocannabinoid also partially reversed LPS-evoked IL-6 increase in both the hypothalamus and hippocampus. In addition, CBD prevented endotoxin-induced increase in BDNF and NGF levels in the hippocampus of SB animals.
Conclusions
Apparently, CBD prevents both behavioral and neuro-immunological changes associated with LPS-induced SB, which reinforces its potential use as an antidepressant which modulates neuroinflammation. This opens up potentially new therapeutic avenues in MDD [Major depressive disorder].'
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43440-021-00301-8
CBD effectively prevented SB-induced changes in the forced swim test without altering spontaneous locomotion. This phytocannabinoid also partially reversed LPS-evoked IL-6 increase in both the hypothalamus and hippocampus. In addition, CBD prevented endotoxin-induced increase in BDNF and NGF levels in the hippocampus of SB animals.
Conclusions
Apparently, CBD prevents both behavioral and neuro-immunological changes associated with LPS-induced SB, which reinforces its potential use as an antidepressant which modulates neuroinflammation. This opens up potentially new therapeutic avenues in MDD [Major depressive disorder].'
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43440-021-00301-8
'Central pain after stroke due to brainstem infarction is very rare. Treatment is difficult and specific guidelines are lacking. This is the report of a 61-year-old female patient who, after a posterolateral left medulla oblongata insult with incomplete Wallenberg syndrome, subsequently developed a burning and tingling pain in the contralateral leg and a burning and shooting pain in the ipsilateral face in trigeminal branches 1 and 2. More than 3 years of therapy with amitriptyline, gabapentin, pregabalin and various grade II and III opioids was ineffective or showed intolerable side effects. The administration of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol as an oromucosal spray in a 1:1 ratio improved the pain situation and quality of life quickly and permanently. The encouraging results in the present case may suggest that treatment with medical cannabis should be considered in similar cases when standard therapies are insufficient.'
https://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/7/e243072
https://casereports.bmj.com/content/14/7/e243072
'The administration of the phytocannabinoid CBDV (cannabidivarin) modulates brain chemistry in autistic patients in a manner that is typically associated with better patient outcomes, according to clinical data published in the journal Molecular Autism.
An international team of investigators from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom assessed the administration of CBDV versus placebo in a cohort of male patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers reported that CBDV dosing led to brain changes in the striatum that are typically associated with the mitigation of ASD symptoms.
Authors concluded: “A single dose of CBDV was sufficient to shift atypical striatal FC [functional connectivity] in the mature autistic brain towards the profile found at baseline in neurotypicals. … Future studies are required to determine whether modulation of striatal FC is associated with a change in ASD symptoms.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/08/clinical-trial-single-dose-of-cbdv-modulates-atypical-brain-circuitry-in-patients-with-autism-spectrum-disorder
An international team of investigators from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom assessed the administration of CBDV versus placebo in a cohort of male patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers reported that CBDV dosing led to brain changes in the striatum that are typically associated with the mitigation of ASD symptoms.
Authors concluded: “A single dose of CBDV was sufficient to shift atypical striatal FC [functional connectivity] in the mature autistic brain towards the profile found at baseline in neurotypicals. … Future studies are required to determine whether modulation of striatal FC is associated with a change in ASD symptoms.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/08/clinical-trial-single-dose-of-cbdv-modulates-atypical-brain-circuitry-in-patients-with-autism-spectrum-disorder
'Cross-sectionally, we detected no significant neurocognitive differences before initiation of drug use. However, after controlling for confounders, light cannabis use as well as late-onset thereof was associated with increased decision-making skills both cross-sectionally at follow-up as well as longitudinally compared to non-using controls.
In summary, our data suggests that decision-making is not impaired when cannabis is used in moderation and onset of use occurs after the age of 15. In addition, we find no evidence to support the presumption that cannabis consumption leads to a decline in neurocognitive ability.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885201421000678
In summary, our data suggests that decision-making is not impaired when cannabis is used in moderation and onset of use occurs after the age of 15. In addition, we find no evidence to support the presumption that cannabis consumption leads to a decline in neurocognitive ability.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885201421000678
'Investigators reported that subjects responded most favorably to extracts containing equal ratios of THC and CBD.
They concluded: “This study provides robust evidence that medicinal cannabis administered to this patient population is safe, well tolerated, and can provide symptomatic relief to these patients. … [It] suggests that cannabis, especially a 1:1 CBD/THC mixture can be helpful for many of the symptoms impacting QoL [quality of life] in this patient population, especially sleep disturbance. As such, MC [medical cannabis] may be a valuable potential therapy for maintaining the best QoL and daily function for this poor prognosis population, [while] also assisting patients during anticancer and potential life extending therapies.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/01/clinical-trial-cannabis-extracts-improve-quality-of-life-in-glioma-patients
They concluded: “This study provides robust evidence that medicinal cannabis administered to this patient population is safe, well tolerated, and can provide symptomatic relief to these patients. … [It] suggests that cannabis, especially a 1:1 CBD/THC mixture can be helpful for many of the symptoms impacting QoL [quality of life] in this patient population, especially sleep disturbance. As such, MC [medical cannabis] may be a valuable potential therapy for maintaining the best QoL and daily function for this poor prognosis population, [while] also assisting patients during anticancer and potential life extending therapies.”'
https://norml.org/news/2021/07/01/clinical-trial-cannabis-extracts-improve-quality-of-life-in-glioma-patients
'It appears that cannabidiol and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) antagonists have potential for treating drug-craving and drug-seeking behaviour, based on evidence from preclinical animal models. Ligands which inhibit the action of cannabinoid degradation enzymes also show promise in reducing opioid withdrawal symptoms and opioid self-administration in rodents. Agonists of CB1R could be useful for treating symptoms of opioid withdrawal; however, the clinical utility of these drugs is limited by side effects, the potential for cannabinoid addiction and an increase in opiate tolerance induced by cannabinoid consumption. The mechanisms by which cannabinoids reduce opioid addiction-relevant behaviours include modulation of cannabinoid, serotonin, and dopamine receptors, as well as signalling cascades involving ERK-CREB-BDNF and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a. Identifying the receptors involved and their mechanism of action remains a critical area of future research.'
https://epistemehealth.com/index.php/nab/article/view/14
https://epistemehealth.com/index.php/nab/article/view/14
'Besides locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors, dopaminergic molecular parameters were quantified in both prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum. Regarding molecular levels, CBD modulated at basal levels the dopaminergic targets (D1R, D2R, DAT, and TH) in the assessed brain areas, preventing AMPH relapse and decreasing anxiety-like behavior per se and in AMPH-CPP animals. The current findings give evidence about CBD-induced AMPH-relapse prevention, which may be linked to dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic system modulation. Although future and clinical studies are needed, our outcomes show that CBD may be a useful alternative to prevent AMPH relapse.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924977X21001966
'Cannabidiol treatment attenuated ischemia-induced memory deficits. In rats that were subjected to TGCI, CBD attenuated hippocampal CA1 neurodegeneration and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Additionally, CBD protected neurons against the deleterious effects of TGCI [transient global cerebral ischemia] on dendritic spine number and the length of dendritic arborization. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effects of CBD against TGCI-induced memory impairments involve changes in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.'
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-447933/v1
'As the major nonpsychotropic constituent of Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD) is regarded as one of the most promising therapeutic agents due to its proven effectiveness in clinical trials for many human diseases. Due to the urgent need for more efficient pharmacological treatments for several chronic diseases, in this review, we discuss the potential beneficial effects of CBD for Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and neurological cancers. Due to its wide range of pharmacological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties), CBD is considered a multimodal drug for the treatment of a range of neurodegenerative disorders, and various cancer types, including neoplasms of the neural system. The different mechanisms of action of CBD are here disclosed, together with recent progress in the use of this cannabis-derived constituent as a new therapeutic approach.'
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/9/4294
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924977X21001966
'Cannabidiol treatment attenuated ischemia-induced memory deficits. In rats that were subjected to TGCI, CBD attenuated hippocampal CA1 neurodegeneration and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Additionally, CBD protected neurons against the deleterious effects of TGCI [transient global cerebral ischemia] on dendritic spine number and the length of dendritic arborization. These results suggest that the neuroprotective effects of CBD against TGCI-induced memory impairments involve changes in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.'
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-447933/v1
'As the major nonpsychotropic constituent of Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD) is regarded as one of the most promising therapeutic agents due to its proven effectiveness in clinical trials for many human diseases. Due to the urgent need for more efficient pharmacological treatments for several chronic diseases, in this review, we discuss the potential beneficial effects of CBD for Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and neurological cancers. Due to its wide range of pharmacological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties), CBD is considered a multimodal drug for the treatment of a range of neurodegenerative disorders, and various cancer types, including neoplasms of the neural system. The different mechanisms of action of CBD are here disclosed, together with recent progress in the use of this cannabis-derived constituent as a new therapeutic approach.'
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/9/4294
'Our findings demonstrated that CBD can induce neuroprotective effects by modulating neurogenesis. Therefore, it can provide a promising therapeutic approach to improve cognitive performance following chronic exposure to psychostimulant drugs, including meth.
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-256868/v1/8820e486-c49d-46e9-b03e-6118210a9ef2.pdf
https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-256868/v1/8820e486-c49d-46e9-b03e-6118210a9ef2.pdf
'Conclusion
The evidence in this systematic review leads to the conclusion that cannabinoids possess anticancer potencies against glioma cells, however this effect varies with the combinations and dosages used. Studies so far were conducted on cells in culture and on mice as well as a small number of studies that were conducted on humans. Hence in order to have more accurate results, higher quality studies mainly including human clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessitated urgently for GBM treatment.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321000751?via%3Dihub
The evidence in this systematic review leads to the conclusion that cannabinoids possess anticancer potencies against glioma cells, however this effect varies with the combinations and dosages used. Studies so far were conducted on cells in culture and on mice as well as a small number of studies that were conducted on humans. Hence in order to have more accurate results, higher quality studies mainly including human clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessitated urgently for GBM treatment.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321000751?via%3Dihub
'Investigators concluded: “No significant associations between cannabis use and thickness were observed. The lack of cannabis-specific effects is consistent with literature reviews, large sample studies, and evidence that observed cannabis effects may be accounted for by comorbid alcohol.
“This study provides novel evidence that alcohol-related reductions in cortical thickness of control/salience brain networks likely represent the effects of alcohol exposure and premorbid characteristics of the genetic predisposition to misuse alcohol. The dual effects of these two alcohol-related causal influences have important and complementary implications regarding public health and prevention efforts to curb youth drinking.”'
“This study provides novel evidence that alcohol-related reductions in cortical thickness of control/salience brain networks likely represent the effects of alcohol exposure and premorbid characteristics of the genetic predisposition to misuse alcohol. The dual effects of these two alcohol-related causal influences have important and complementary implications regarding public health and prevention efforts to curb youth drinking.”'
'CONCLUSION
The evidence in this systematic review leads to the conclusion that cannabinoids possess anticancer potencies against glioma cells, however this effect varies with the combinations and dosages used. Studies so far were conducted on cells in culture and on mice as well as a small number of studies that were conducted on humans. Hence in order to have more accurate results, higher quality studies mainly including human clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessitated urgently for GBM [glioblastoma multiforme] treatment.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321000751
The evidence in this systematic review leads to the conclusion that cannabinoids possess anticancer potencies against glioma cells, however this effect varies with the combinations and dosages used. Studies so far were conducted on cells in culture and on mice as well as a small number of studies that were conducted on humans. Hence in order to have more accurate results, higher quality studies mainly including human clinical trials with larger sample sizes are necessitated urgently for GBM [glioblastoma multiforme] treatment.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711321000751
'Conclusion: Although CBD showed both neurotoxic and neuroprotective effects on hippocampal neurons in the in vitro setting, the use of low-concentrated (i.e., 5 µM) CBD, not causing toxic effects on the neurons, significantly rescued the neurons from the oxidative stress (H2O2), confirming its neuroprotection capability.'
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2019.0102
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2019.0102
'Simple Summary: Among primary brain tumours, glioblastoma is the most aggressive. As early relapses are unavoidable despite standard-of-care treatment, the cannabinoids delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) and cannabidiol(CBD) alone or in combination have been suggested as a combined treatment strategy for glioblastomas. However, the known psychoactive effects of THC hamper its medical applications in these patients with potential cognitive impairment due to the progression of the disease. Therefore, nontoxic cannabigerol(CBG), being recently shown to exhibit anti-tumour properties in some carcinomas, is assayed here for the first time in glioblastoma with the aim to replace THC. We indeed found CBG to effectively impair the relevant hallmarks of glioblastoma progression, with comparable killing effects to THC and in addition inhibiting the invasion of glioblastoma cells. Moreover, CBG can destroy therapy-resistant glioblastoma stem cells, which are the root of cancer development and extremely resistant to various other treatments of this lethal cancer. CBG should present a new yet unexplored adjuvant treatment strategy of glioblastoma.'
https://search.proquest.com/openview/58d8e60e4aa4a7a2ce8b78fb17f6733d/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2032536
https://search.proquest.com/openview/58d8e60e4aa4a7a2ce8b78fb17f6733d/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2032536
'Forty-nine percent of respondents reported having experimented with either CBD or other cannabinoid products for anti-migraine purposes. Just under 60 percent of them said that cannabinoid products provided some degree of effectiveness at preventing migraines, with 11 percent of respondents rating cannabinoid products as either “very” or “extremely” effective.'
https://norml.org/news/2021/02/18/migraine-sufferers-frequently-report-trying-cbd-products
https://norml.org/news/2021/02/18/migraine-sufferers-frequently-report-trying-cbd-products
'Conclusions
This is one of the first studies to examine rs-fMRI connectivity in healthy young non-users after THC administration. We found individuals receiving THC show greater rs-fMRI connectivity between the NAcc and mPFC, regions implicated in reward, compared to individuals receiving placebo. In addition, individuals receiving THC reported higher subjective euphoria ratings, which were positively associated with NAcc-dmPFC connectivity. Overall, our findings suggest THC may produce subjective and neural reward responses that contribute to the rewarding, reinforcing properties of cannabis.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871621000600?via%3Dihub
This is one of the first studies to examine rs-fMRI connectivity in healthy young non-users after THC administration. We found individuals receiving THC show greater rs-fMRI connectivity between the NAcc and mPFC, regions implicated in reward, compared to individuals receiving placebo. In addition, individuals receiving THC reported higher subjective euphoria ratings, which were positively associated with NAcc-dmPFC connectivity. Overall, our findings suggest THC may produce subjective and neural reward responses that contribute to the rewarding, reinforcing properties of cannabis.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871621000600?via%3Dihub
'Six observational human studies and no animal studies met inclusion criteria. Two studies found cannabis use in BD [bipolar disease] was associated with better performance in some cognitive domains, while three studies found no association. One study found cannabis use in BD was associated with worse overall cognition. Overall, most identified studies suggest cannabis use is not associated with significant cognitive impairment in BD; however, the scope of knowledge in this field is limited, and more systematic studies are clearly required. Future studies should focus on longitudinal and experimental trials, and well-controlled observational studies with rigorous quantification of the onset, frequency, quantity, duration, and type of cannabis use, as well as BD illness features.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178120333564?via%3Dihub
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178120333564?via%3Dihub
'The potential therapeutic use of some Cannabis sativa plant compounds has been attracting great interest, especially for managing neuropsychiatric disorders due to the relative lack of efficacy of the current treatments. Numerous studies have been carried out using the main phytocannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD displays an interesting pharmacological profile without the potential for becoming a drug of abuse, unlike THC. In this review, we focused on the anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antipsychotic effects of CBD found in animal and human studies. In rodents, results suggest that the effects of CBD depend on the dose, the strain, the administration time course (acute vs. chronic), and the route of administration. In addition, certain key targets have been related with these CBD pharmacological actions, including cannabinoid receptors (CB1r and CB2r), 5-HT1A receptor and neurogenesis factors. Preliminary clinical trials also support the efficacy of CBD as an anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and antidepressant, and more importantly, a positive risk-benefit profile. These promising results support the development of large-scale studies to further evaluate CBD as a potential new drug for the treatment of these psychiatric disorders'
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/10/11/1575
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/10/11/1575
'Migraineurs reported significantly more migraine relief from cannabis compared to non-cannabis products, even after
controlling for migraine severity (p = .03). The majority of migraineurs using cannabis to treat their migraines were not
medical cardholders (65.0%), suggesting that these individuals were self-medicating in lieu of physician guidance.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229920318860
controlling for migraine severity (p = .03). The majority of migraineurs using cannabis to treat their migraines were not
medical cardholders (65.0%), suggesting that these individuals were self-medicating in lieu of physician guidance.'
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229920318860
'Nextage will patent the new technology and will begin negotiating with companies interested in using the technology to
develop treatments for brain diseases.'
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/new-technology-passes-cannabis-to-brain-through-blood-brain-barrier-646181
develop treatments for brain diseases.'
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/new-technology-passes-cannabis-to-brain-through-blood-brain-barrier-646181
'Authors reported: “Using a large dataset of medical cannabis users self-medicating for symptoms of OCD, we found that for the vast majority of cannabis use sessions individuals reported reductions in intrusions [unwanted thoughts or impulses], compulsions, and anxiety. … [R]esults indicated that after inhaling cannabis, ratings of intrusions were reduced by 49 percent, compulsions by 60 percent, and anxiety by 52 percent.” Decreases in compulsive behavior were most closely associated with the consumption of cannabis containing higher concentrations of CBD.'
https://norml.org/blog/2020/10/15/study-subjects-report-reduced-symptoms-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-following-cannabis-inhalation/
https://norml.org/blog/2020/10/15/study-subjects-report-reduced-symptoms-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-following-cannabis-inhalation/
'Home of both CB1 and CB2 receptors, the amygdala is responsible for our coordination, endocrine functions, and sensory perception. Whenever we meditate or take a toke of herb, we begin to alter the way chemicals (like dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA, to name a few) stimulate our brain and body.
One molecule in particular highlights the similarities between consuming cannabis and meditation: anandamide. The root of the word comes from ananda, the name of one of Buddha’s disciples and the Hindu (Sanskrit) word for ‘perfect bliss’. In cannabis, it’s known as the bliss molecule.
As a cannabinoid, anandamide brings us full circle with the mind and body connection that can be accessed through both cannabis and meditation- revealing that cultures that practice both activities have more in common than you might think.'
https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/weed-rituals-cross-cultural-connection
One molecule in particular highlights the similarities between consuming cannabis and meditation: anandamide. The root of the word comes from ananda, the name of one of Buddha’s disciples and the Hindu (Sanskrit) word for ‘perfect bliss’. In cannabis, it’s known as the bliss molecule.
As a cannabinoid, anandamide brings us full circle with the mind and body connection that can be accessed through both cannabis and meditation- revealing that cultures that practice both activities have more in common than you might think.'
https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/weed-rituals-cross-cultural-connection
'Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol administration following repeated mild traumatic brain injury was beneficial to three of the six behavioural outcomes affected by injury (reducing anxiety and depressive-like behaviours while also mitigating injury-induced deficits in short-term working memory). Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol administration following injury also showed beneficial effects on the expression of Cnr1, Comt and Vegf-2R in the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. There were no notable benefits of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol when administered prior to injury, suggesting that Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol may have potential therapeutic benefit on post-concussive symptomology when administered post-injury, but not pre-injury.'
https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/2/1/fcaa042/5819138
https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/2/1/fcaa042/5819138
'The daily inhalation of medical cannabis is associated with a significant reduction in symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), according to a case report published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
A team of German researchers assessed the use of high-THC (22 percent) medical cannabis over a period of 20 months in a 22-year-old male patient diagnosed with OCD.
The subject reported “a marked reduction of obsessions and compulsions” following the initiation of medical cannabis. He further reported “general relaxation, improved sleep, and concentration at school as well as overall improvement of his quality of life resulting in better social functioning and reduced problems at work.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/09/03/case-report-cannabis-use-improves-symptoms-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
A team of German researchers assessed the use of high-THC (22 percent) medical cannabis over a period of 20 months in a 22-year-old male patient diagnosed with OCD.
The subject reported “a marked reduction of obsessions and compulsions” following the initiation of medical cannabis. He further reported “general relaxation, improved sleep, and concentration at school as well as overall improvement of his quality of life resulting in better social functioning and reduced problems at work.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/09/03/case-report-cannabis-use-improves-symptoms-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder
'Cannabidiol, more commonly called CBD, has grown in popularity as a medicinal substance, with users claiming a variety of benefits ranging from better sleep to pain relief and more. Select past research has linked the compound with improvements in psychiatric issues, such as easing PTSD, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms in sufferers.
As well, there have been indications that CBD may help reduce dementia symptoms in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, though more work is necessary to determine how extensive this benefit may be. The new study from University College London has potentially found the mechanism to explain this impact on the brain.'
https://www.slashgear.com/study-finds-cbd-may-be-powerful-nootropic-by-boosting-brain-blood-flow-16633578/
As well, there have been indications that CBD may help reduce dementia symptoms in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, though more work is necessary to determine how extensive this benefit may be. The new study from University College London has potentially found the mechanism to explain this impact on the brain.'
https://www.slashgear.com/study-finds-cbd-may-be-powerful-nootropic-by-boosting-brain-blood-flow-16633578/
'Results:
CBD increased CBF [cerebral blood flow] in the hippocampus (mean (95% confidence intervals) = 15.00 (5.78–24.21) mL/100 g/min, t14 = 3.489, Cohen’s d = 0.75, p = 0.004). There were no differences in memory task performance, but there was a significant correlation whereby greater CBD-induced increases in orbitofrontal CBF were associated with reduced reaction time on the 2-back working memory task (r= -0.73, p = 0.005).
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that CBD increases CBF to key regions involved in memory processing, particularly the hippocampus. These results identify potential mechanisms of CBD for a range of conditions associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and cannabis-use disorders.'
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881120936419
CBD increased CBF [cerebral blood flow] in the hippocampus (mean (95% confidence intervals) = 15.00 (5.78–24.21) mL/100 g/min, t14 = 3.489, Cohen’s d = 0.75, p = 0.004). There were no differences in memory task performance, but there was a significant correlation whereby greater CBD-induced increases in orbitofrontal CBF were associated with reduced reaction time on the 2-back working memory task (r= -0.73, p = 0.005).
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that CBD increases CBF to key regions involved in memory processing, particularly the hippocampus. These results identify potential mechanisms of CBD for a range of conditions associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and cannabis-use disorders.'
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881120936419
'Wayne State University researchers assessed the effects of oral THC versus placebo on corticolimbic responses to threatening imagery in subjects with and without PTSD. Authors reported that THC dosing “lowered threat-related amygdala reactivity” in post-traumatic stress patients. Corticolimbic brain regions, including the amygdala, are involved in threat processing. In patients with PTSD, the amygdala typically responds in a hyperactive manner to trauma-related imagery.
Authors concluded: “These preliminary data suggest that THC modulates threat-related processing in trauma-exposed individuals with PTSD, which may prove advantageous as a pharmacological approach to treating stress- and trauma-related psychopathology.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/08/13/clinical-trial-oral-thc-associated-with-reduced-amygdala-reactivity
Authors concluded: “These preliminary data suggest that THC modulates threat-related processing in trauma-exposed individuals with PTSD, which may prove advantageous as a pharmacological approach to treating stress- and trauma-related psychopathology.”'
https://norml.org/news/2020/08/13/clinical-trial-oral-thc-associated-with-reduced-amygdala-reactivity
'The results of studies on animal models showed that cannabinoids in traumatic brain injury increase neurobehavioral function, working memory performance, and decrease the neurological deficit and ameliorate motor deficit through down-regulation of pro-inflammatory markers, oedema formation and blood–brain barrier permeability, preventing neuronal cell loss and up-regulating the levels of adherence junction proteins. In neurodegenerative diseases, the cannabinoids showed beneficial effects in decreasing the motor disability and disease progression by a complex mechanism targeting more signalling pathways further than classical receptors of the endocannabinoid system. In light of these results, the use of cannabinoids could be beneficial in traumatic brain injuries and multiple sclerosis treatment, especially in those patients who display resistance to conventional treatment.'
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/8/2395
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/8/2395
'Researchers reported that 94 percent of subjects experienced symptom relief within two hours of marijuana inhalation. On average, patients experienced a reduction in symptom intensity of 3.3 points on the ten-point scale. Varieties of cannabis that contained higher THC content (above ten percent) were most closely associated with providing symptom relief.
Authors concluded: “According to the current results, cannabis flower appears to be effective at reducing headache- and migraine-related pain intensity for most people that choose to use it. … It seems possible that the use of cannabis flower, combined with other behavioral modifications, might offer some patients a natural, safer and more effective treatment regimen, compared to the use of some conventional prescription pharmaceuticals.'
https://norml.org/news/2020/07/30/study-migraine-patients-report-symptom-relief-following-herbal-cannabis-inhalation
Authors concluded: “According to the current results, cannabis flower appears to be effective at reducing headache- and migraine-related pain intensity for most people that choose to use it. … It seems possible that the use of cannabis flower, combined with other behavioral modifications, might offer some patients a natural, safer and more effective treatment regimen, compared to the use of some conventional prescription pharmaceuticals.'
https://norml.org/news/2020/07/30/study-migraine-patients-report-symptom-relief-following-herbal-cannabis-inhalation
'There is a strong biological rationale regarding how cannabis-derived medications could affect tic severity. Anecdotal case reports and series have noted that many patients report that their tics improve after using cannabis. However, only two small randomized, placebo-controlled trials of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol have been published; these suggested possible benefits of cannabis-derived agents for the treatment of tics. Trials examining other agents active on the cannabinoid system for tic disorders are currently ongoing. Cannabinoid-based treatments are a promising avenue of new research for medications that may help the Tourette syndrome population. However, given the limited research available, the overall efficacy and safety of cannabinoid-based treatments is largely unknown. Further trials are needed to examine dosing, active ingredients, and optimal mode of administration of cannabis-derived compounds, assuming initial trials suggest efficacy. '
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs40263-019-00627-1
'Grade IV glioblastoma multiforme is a deadly disease, with a median survival of around 14 to 16 months. Maximal resection followed by adjuvant radiochemotherapy has been the mainstay of treatment since many years, although survival is only extended by a few months. In recent years, an increasing number of data from in vitro and in vivo research with cannabinoids, particularly with the non-intoxicating cannabidiol (CBD), point to their potential role as tumour-inhibiting agents. Herein, a total of nine consecutive patients with brain tumours are described as case series; all patients received CBD in a daily dose of 400 mg concomitantly to the standard therapeutic procedure of maximal resection followed by radiochemotherapy. By the time of the submission of this article, all but one patient are still alive with a mean survival time of 22.3 months (range=7-47 months). This is longer than what would have been expected. '
http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/39/10/5797.short
'The oral administration of cannabis-based products is associated with improvements in autistic patients with self-injurious behaviors and co-morbid epilepsy, according to data published in the journal Seminars in Pediatric Neurology.
A pair of investigators affiliated with the Tufts University School of Medicine described their clinical experience working with children and young adults with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) who had consumed either cannabis or hemp-based products. Among subjects with ASD-associated aggression, 60 percent reported improvements following treatment. Among subjects diagnosed with both ASD and epilepsy, 91 percent reported some improvement in seizure control.'
https://norml.org/news/2020/07/16/study-cannabis-based-products-may-ease-symptoms-in-autistic-patients
'“The evidence described in the present systematic review indicates that CBD is a promising adjunct therapy for the treatment of cocaine dependence due to its effect on cocaine consumption, brain reward, anxiety, related contextual memories, neuroadaptations and hepatic protection as well as its anticonvulsant effect and safety,” the study authors concluded.
“The clinical administration of CBD leads to a reduction in the self-administration of cocaine and, consequently, the amount of the drug consumed. Moreover, the reward induced by cocaine is blunted by CBD treatment.”'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/cbd-is-a-promising-therapy-in-treating-cocaine-misuse-meta-study-finds/
'Cannabis has been used to relieve the symptoms of disease for thousands of years. However, social and political biases have limited effective interrogation of the potential benefits of cannabis and polarised public opinion. Further, the medicinal and clinical utility of cannabis is limited by the psychotropic side effects of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (?9-THC). Evidence is emerging for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, with potential efficacy as an analgesic and antiemetic for the management of cancer-related pain and treatment-related nausea and vomiting, respectively. An increasing number of preclinical studies have established that ?9-THC can inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancerous cells through the modulation of cannabinoid receptors (CB1R and CB2R), but clinical confirmation remains lacking. In parallel, the anti-cancer properties of non-THC cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), are linked to the modulation of non-CB1R/CB2R G-protein-coupled receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, and ligand-regulated transcription factors, which together modulate oncogenic signalling and redox homeostasis. Additional evidence has also demonstrated the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids, and this may prove relevant in the context of peritumoural oedema and the tumour immune microenvironment. This review aims to document the emerging mechanisms of anti-cancer actions of non-THC cannabinoids.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7226605/
'Treatment of GBM [glioblastoma] is currently based on surgical removal followed by radiotherapy and the administration of temozolomide, as adjuvant therapy. However, the median survival of patients is of 5 years following initial diagnosis. For this reason, new therapeutic strategies are necessary to improve the prognosis of the disease as well as the quality of life of patients. Cannabinoid specific receptors CB1 and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), involved in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation and survival, are distributed in brain and are expressed in different cell types, such as astrocytes, microglia and glioblastoma cells; therefore, targeting CB receptors might represent an interesting strategy. Cannabinoids are constituents of the plant Cannabis sativa and cannabis constituents have been used in traditional medicine thanks to their curative properties. Among them, phytocannabinoids, cannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol or ß-caryophyllene (BCP) have been extracted to avoid psychoactive activity related to cannabinoid ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In vivo studies described the cannabinoids mechanism of action on cancers, indicating that CB agonists act (i) inducing cell death processes such as apoptosis and/or autophagy and (ii) inhibiting cell proliferation. BCP is a bicyclic sesquiterpene whose possible efficacy has been yet described on cancer cells. In addition, an in vivo study demonstrated that BCP treatment may modulate inflammation through a crosstalk between CB2 receptor and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-?). However, the effects of BCP on glioblastoma have not been yet deeply investigated and the exact mechanism of action of BCP has to be deeply explained. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate BCP effects in an in vitro model of glioblastoma.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7226353/
'This article explores the nature of psychedelically induced anomalous experiences for what they reveal regarding the nature of “expanded consciousness” and its implications for humanistic and transpersonal psychology, parapsychology, and the psychology and underlying neuroscience of such experiences. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, this essay reviews the nature of 10 transpersonal or parapsychological experiences that commonly occur spontaneously and in relation to the use of psychedelic substances, namely synesthesia, extradimensional percepts, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, entity encounters, alien abduction, sleep paralysis, interspecies communication, possession, and psi (telepathy, precognition, and clairvoyance and psychokinesis).'
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022167820917767
'Cannabis has medical uses because of its possible neuroprotective properties. Our study supports the possible neuroprotective effects associated with cannabis through RNFL data.
According to our best knowledge, this is the first study investigating the association between RNFL [retinal nerve fiber layer] and drugs, particularly cannabis.'
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10550887.2020.1754109
'Researchers affiliated with the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia evaluated the efficacy of marijuana use for patients with migraines. Patients used cannabis as needed over a nine-month period.
Investigators reported that cannabis therapy was associated with a reduction in patients’ use of other anti-migraine medications. A majority of patients also reported reductions in anxiety and improvements in sleep. On a scale of one to ten, 20 percent of subjects rated marijuana’s efficacy in treating migraine as a ten.'
https://norml.org/news/2020/07/02/study-migraine-patients-self-report-improvement-following-cannabis-initiation
'These results suggest that the ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) and DLPFC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), 2 major cognitive-emotional modulation areas, and their connections to somatosensory areas, are functionally involved in the analgesic effect of THC in chronic pain.'
http://n.neurology.org/content/early/2018/09/05/WNL.0000000000006293
'The anti-neuroinflammatory effect of TPA extract was evaluated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model. Fourteen phenylpropionamides (TPA) were identified in the obtained extract with a total content of 233.52 ± 2.50 µg/mg extract. In mice, TPA prevented the learning and spatial memory damage induced by LPS. Increased brain levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-a in the LPS-induced mice were reduced by TPA treatment. Furthermore, TPA attenuated LPS-induced hippocampal neuronal damage in mice. This study demonstrates the nutraceutical potential of hempseed from a neuroprotective perspective.'
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsomega.8b02250
'A new study contains a finding that runs counter to common stereotypes about marijuana and forgetful stoners: smoking cannabis actually seems to improve working memory.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/smoking-marijuana-actually-improves-working-memory-study-indicates/
'The new study, published last week in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology, sought to identify any differences in cortical thickness, surface area and gyrification index between people who use cannabis and those who don’t. The three factors are generally related to cognitive function.
MRI scans turned up no evidence of significant differences, though. Researchers also found that people who were classified as dependent on marijuana or started using it at an early age didn’t experience changes in cortical surface brain morphology.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-use-doesnt-actually-change-the-structure-of-your-brain-new-study-finds/
'Recent evidence suggests that CBD promotes both a rapid and a sustained antidepressant effect in animal models. CBD has a complex pharmacology, with the ability to interact with multiple neurotransmitter systems involved in depression, including the serotonergic, glutamatergic, and endocannabinoid systems. Moreover, CBD induces rapid cellular and molecular changes in limbic brain regions, promoting synaptogenesis in the medial prefrontal cortex, increasing neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and in the same regions elevating the levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). This review presents a comprehensive critical overview of the current literature related to the antidepressant effects of CBD, with focus at the possible mechanisms. Finally, challenges and perspectives for future research are discussed.'
http://www.forskningsdatabasen.dk/en/catalog/2443061455
'THC- and CBD-based medicines, given as adjunct to pharmaco- and psychotherapy, were associated with improvements of several symptoms of mental disorders, but not with remission. Side effects occurred, but severe adverse effects were mentioned in single cases only.'
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00406-019-00984-4
'Conclusions: Lifetime cannabis use is associated with better working memory and processing speed and worse real-world functioning in the area of socially useful activities in patients with schizophrenia-related disorders. Clinicians should, therefore, be aware of it to provide patient-centred care in their daily clinical practice.'
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/497317
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2012/09/10/erasing-fear-memories?_ga=2.207798994.1729549857.1520510525-1868895325.1428143618
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/1998/07/marijuana-may-guard-neurons
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2130257-a-little-cannabis-every-day-might-keep-brain-ageing-at-bay/
“The dose-dependent and strong positive relationship between these two findings suggest that the psychosis-like effects of cannabis may be related to neural noise which disrupts the brain’s normal information processing,” added first author Dr. Jose Cortes-Briones, a Postdoctoral Associate in Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.
https://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/research-and-journals/cannabis-increases-the-noise-in-your-brain
The authors present case histories indicating that a number of patients find cannabis (marihuana) useful in the treatment of their bipolar disorder. Some used it to treat mania, depression, or both. They stated that it was more effective than conventional drugs, or helped relieve the side effects of those drugs.
http://rxmarijuana.com/mood_stablizer.htm
Speaking fewer words as you grow older is not so bad...
The results of this study have confirmed and extended previous findings of cognitive impairments among chronic heavy cannabis users. Long-term users with a mean 24 years of regular cannabis use performed significantly less well on tests of memory and attention than nonuser controls and shorter-term users with a mean of 10 years' use.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/194703
'the findings presented here provide important information about the risk for problematic marijuana use among individuals with co-occurring depressive symptoms, and the role of high levels of NU (negative urgency). Moreover, they suggest that relative to other common impulsive personality traits, individuals high in NU are at particular risk for problems related to their marijuana use. Future studies would benefit from studying these associations longitudinally and with a more diverse sample of both men and women in order to determine possible causality between MDD, NU, and problematic marijuana use.'
https://bpded.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40479-018-0087-7
Quite obviously, cannabis is not everybody's cup of tea..nothing is except maybe water and air..
'In summary, acute exposure to both natural and synthetic cannabinoids can produce a full range of transient symptoms, cognitive deficits, and psychophysiological abnormalities that bear a striking resemblance to some of the features of schizophrenia. Also clear is that, in individuals with an established psychotic disorder, cannabinoids can exacerbate symptoms, trigger relapse, and have negative consequences on the course of the illness. Finally, exposure to cannabinoids in adolescence confers a higher risk for psychosis outcomes in later life and the risk is dose-related. However, it should be remembered that the majority of individuals who consume cannabis do not experience any kind of psychosis.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033190/
'British scientists have unraveled how a non-intoxicating component of cannabis acts in key brain areas to reduce abnormal activity in patients at risk of psychosis, suggesting the ingredient could become a novel anti-psychotic medicine.'
https://in.reuters.com/article/us-health-cannabis/scientists-unpick-how-cannabis-component-may-fight-psychosis-idINKCN1LE1W9
'In summary, the present study reinforces and extends the beneficial and safe preventive effects of peripubertal treatment with CBD on halting the emergence of behavioral abnormalities that mimic the positive and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. The translation of the present data to the clinical context indicates the possibility of diminishing the severe suffering of individuals that develop schizophrenia. Strengthening the relevance of our findings, while the positive symptoms of schizophrenia are devastating but treatable by antipsychotic drugs (with all the risk of developing significant side effects), the cognitive deficits associated with the disorder do not benefit from any current clinical treatment. Our innovative findings further support the notion that CBD has neuroprotective effects and may be a potential compound to prevent schizophrenia'
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2018.00901/full
'In summary, we have shown that iron treatment in the neonatal period disrupts the apoptotic intrinsic pathway. This finding may place iron excess as a central component in neurodegenerative processes since many neurodegenerative disorders are accompanied by iron accumulation in brain regions. Moreover, indiscriminate iron supplementation to toddlers and infants, modeled here by iron overload in the neonatal period, has been considered a potential environmental risk factor for the development of neurodegenerative disorders later in life. Our findings also strongly suggest that CBD has neuroprotective effects, at least in part by blocking iron-induced apoptosis even at later stages, following iron overload, which puts CBD as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.'
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6120904/
'Neuroscientist Beat Lutz of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany, and colleagues thought one of CB1's jobs might be to get rid of certain memories once they outlive their usefulness--a phenomenon called memory extinction.'
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2002/08/dude-wheres-my-fear
'Our study indicates that CBD regulates the function of s1R in at least several of the above mentioned behavioral effects. Thus, CBD’s enhancement of opioid analgesia, alleviation of convulsive syndrome, protection against ischemic neural damage and anti-allodynia effects appear to involve an antagonist interaction with s1R and the subsequent reduction of NMDAR function. This finding may help in us to understand the current pharmacology of CBD and provides new avenues for the treatment of several brain-related disorders.'
https://molecularbrain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13041-018-0395-2
'Most pot smokers will tell you their drug of choice is cooler than other recreational drugs. And if by "cooler," they mean "different", then they're right on. New research indicates that chemicals similar to those in marijuana, unlike those in other widely abused drugs, stimulate neuron growth in the brain.'
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2005/10/mary-janes-new-brain
The study indicates that there's no need to modify the plant to ramp up THC levels, naturally found levels are good enough to get high...
'But what stood out to the researchers wasn’t that THC seemed to impair psychomotor skills; it was that participants who received the low and high dose THC reported feeling equally high.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/researchers-injected-people-with-thc-to-test-their-motor-skills/
Marijuana which has many protective and generative properties triggers a hormone in the brain at high concentrations and this hormone protects the brain from dangerous side effects of marijuana says the French study...isn't that a great reason to legalize marijuana France?
'The study found only one drug, THC, raised brain steroids and more specifically selectively one steroid, pregnenolone, that went up 3000 per cent for a period of two hours. This increase in pregnenolone is a built-in mechanism that moderates the effects of THC. Thus, the effects of THC increase when pregnenolone synthesis is blocked.'
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/molecule-that-protects-brain-from-cannabis-intoxication-found/article5534408.ece
The stereotypes break down all the time and the search goes on to find a new one to pin the marijuana smoker with...
'Stoners may not be as forgetful and absent-minded as the stereotype suggests. A new study finds that heavy marijuana users are just as good as everybody else at remembering tasks they need to do in the future.'
https://www.livescience.com/62406-marijuana-prospective-memory.html
'Originally Haber’s doctors gave him a diagnosis of less than a year to live. That was 19 years ago.
But after beating the odds, three years ago his brain tumor became anaplastic, a much more malignant cancer stage that also caused epileptic episodes. Taking approximately 200 grams of medical cannabis per month, in both flower and oil form, stopped the epileptic seizures and halted the growth of the anaplastic brain tumor, said Haber.
The Health Ministry first notified Haber that it was cutting his dosage in June, without consulting his doctors, who strongly opposed the move. For the past three months, Haber has only been able to obtain 90 grams per month. He said the epileptic seizures have returned and the tumor has started growing again. In November, the tumor was classified as Stage III-IV, and Haber was given about a year to live.'
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cancer-patient-sues-health-ministry-over-trimmed-marijuana-prescriptions/
Here are the top five research stories to close out the year.
Studies at a glance:
- THC Boosts the Efficacy of a Traditional Neuropathic Pain Medication
- CBD Blocks Toxin’s Ability to Promote Schizophrenia-like Symptoms
- Cannabis Protects Against Alcohol’s Damaging Effects on the Stomach
- A Balanced Cannabis Approach May Treat Spasticity in ALS
- Cannabis Smoke Improves Working Memory in Underperformers'
https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-exposure-and-cognitive-performance
https://norml.org/marijuana/fact-sheets/item/marijuana-and-psychomotor-impairment
'• Results for headache: Headache rating decreased in 89.9% of the sessions; men reported relief more frequently than did women; an average 47.3% decrease in severity was reported; a larger reduction in severity was noted with the concentrate form of cannabis (vs. flower); there appeared to be tolerance with use of the flower form.
• Results for migraine: Migraine rating decreased in 88.1% of the sessions; no gender differences were noted; an average 49.6% decrease in severity was reported; concentrate and flower form of cannabis appeared equally effective; there appeared to be a pattern of dose escalation over time'
https://search.proquest.com/openview/aea6d63e8197a309cd45b4249bb57c5c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=196259
'The top expert brought in on the case was Professor R D Teare, the professor of forensic medicine at the University of London. He ridiculed the theory that cannabis contributed to the collapse the actor suffered on May 10 or to his death on July 20. He said cannabis had been taken in various forms for centuries, and deemed it pure coincidence that shortly before the onset of Lee's collapse in May and his death he had taken cannabis. "It would be irresponsible and irrational to ascribe the causes of death to cannabis sensitivity, if over the years there had been no previous record of such a happening," the professor stated. Professor Teare said that his opinion was that the cause of death was acute cerebral edema (brain swelling) due to hypersensitvity to either meprobamate or aspirin, or possibly the combination of the two, contained in the drug Equagesic.' - The Legend of Bruce Lee by Alex Ben Block, 1974
'"Nembies": after the phrase, "to take the edge off," Burroughs first draft glossary continued; "Sometimes injected intravenously. If you miss the vein you will surely get an abcess. Barbiturates are more dangerous than junk because a user of barbiturates - eight or more capsules per day - gets the horrors when he is cut off barbiturates, and he is subject to epileptic fits with frequent head injury from flopping around on concrete floors. He is most likely to find himself cut off in a place where the floors are concrete."
- Junky, William S Burroughs, 1977, originally published in 1953
'It is worth remarking that many of the punishments described in the
various accounts of hell are the punishments of pressure and
constriction. Dante's sinners are buried in mud, shut up in the trunks
of trees, frozen solid in blocks of ice, crushed beneath stones. The
Inferno is psychologically true. Many of its pains are experienced by
schizophrenics, and by those who have taken mescalin or lysergic acid
under unfavourable conditions.
What is the nature of these unfavourable conditions? How and why is heaven turned into hell? In certain cases the negative visionary experience is the result of predominantly physical causes...If the liver is diseased, the associated mind may find itself in hell. But what is more important for our present purposes is the fact that negative visionary experience may be induced by purely psychological means. Fear and anger bar the way to the heavenly Other World and plunge the mescalin taker into hell.' - Heaven and Hell, Aldous Huxley, 1956
What is the nature of these unfavourable conditions? How and why is heaven turned into hell? In certain cases the negative visionary experience is the result of predominantly physical causes...If the liver is diseased, the associated mind may find itself in hell. But what is more important for our present purposes is the fact that negative visionary experience may be induced by purely psychological means. Fear and anger bar the way to the heavenly Other World and plunge the mescalin taker into hell.' - Heaven and Hell, Aldous Huxley, 1956
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