Friday, July 6, 2012

Medical Uses of Marijuana Part 2

 

An Important Introduction
Marijuana (proper name Cannabis) has been used for medical purposes for over 12,000 years. Ancient historical pharmaceutical texts dating back some 2,000 years detail the wide variety of uses for this plant that grows throughout the world. Medical uses of cannabis are only now being rediscovered after some eighty years of prohibition in the United States. Canada and Western Europe are advancing quickly in the provision of laws to allow for medical cannabis and new classes of pharmaceuticals based on cannabinoids.
This guide to common medical uses for cannabis is not meant in any way to be medical advice. AAMC cautions all patients and their families to speak candidly with their primary care and/or consulting physician. No medicine, including cannabis, can replace what should be a healing relationship with a licensed health professional. Cannabis is not a “miracle” drug or cure, just an extremely helpful medicine for a wide variety of illnesses.
Today, adjunctive therapy with cannabis is helping patients to cope with the symptoms of diseases and disorders from MS and chronic pain to arthritis and bi-polar disease. The list keeps growing as more research is conducted. Adjunctive therapy means an “additional” or ancillary therapy. Cannabis is not intended to replace primary medical treatments but to compliment them.
In these pages we will provide overview summaries of common ailments for which our members, families, and the scientific literature indicate that cannabis may be of real help. Remember, this is not medical advice. Cannabis alone, self administered, to the exclusion of comprehensive medical care may actually mask illness or prolong delays in seeking appropriate medical assistance.
Even worse, some folks may think that cannabis is just great for any disease or disorder. The problem is, though, that every individual responds to cannabis differently depending upon their age and illness, their unique genetics, the setting in which cannabis is utilized, the particular strain, composition, and strength of the cannabis used, and the unique thinking and emotions of every patient. While we can generalize some common experiences, each person will react differently. Many will find real relief from muscle spasms or migraine while others (rare) may experience increased anxiety or even what we call dissociative disorders.
All medicines have “safety profiles” which should be carefully reviewed before starting any new drug. Cannabis has an extraordinarily safe profile with no reported overdoses or deaths and few adverse reactions. Smoking can cause irritation of the throat and lungs. Smoking cannabis that is contaminated with pesticides, mold, or other substances, can lead to bronchitis and be particularly dangerous for folks with compromised immune systems. Many patients prefer to utilize vaporizers or take their cannabis orally or even topically. Some patients report stomach upset from ingesting cannabis products. Many patients, particularly new ones, may find cannabis makes them sleepy or dizzy. No patient who utilizes cannabis should operate a motor vehicle or machinery while under the influence.
Over time, most patients learn just what dose is enough to help with symptoms while allowing them to function intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially. Some say that the occasional euphoria produced by cannabis qualifies as an adverse reaction but we don’t believe that medicine must make you feel worse in order to be effective. Those very few patients who experience anxiety or panic should lower their dose and may not be appropriate for cannabis therapy.
It is important for patients and others interested in adjunctive therapy with cannabis, to learn all that they can from experienced patients, qualified physicians, and expert caregivers. It is sad to say that many in the medical profession today remain skeptical about cannabis and poorly informed or worse, are operating upon drug war stereotypes. Unfortunately, cannabis is not a routine part of either medical or pharmaceutical education other than to caution against drug abuse. Yes, cannabis can be abused and can be psychologically habituating but the degree of “addiction” or the harm done is astronomically less than many prescription drugs and certainly far less than alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, or heroin.
Patients with a history of substance abuse or mental illness require a close consultation with and supervision by a psychiatrist experienced in cannabis therapy. Believe it or not, cannabis has been used by many to actually treat addiction to harder drugs.
We at AAMC are excited by the real relief we see thousands of patients receiving from cannabis. We only write these words of caution and disclaimers regarding medical advice to insure that patients and others recognize that it is up to the patient to accept responsibility along with their recommending physician for any therapeutic choice.
We at AAMC also feel it is our responsibility to bring you the latest in scientific findings and clinical experience while providing comprehensive links to organizations like the American Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society, and many others. Welcome to the information, which may make your life or the life of a loved one a little bit better.



Common Medical Uses for Cannabis (Marijuana)


           Physicians, Cannabis Cooperatives and Dispensaries
            Medical Marijuana Dispensaries - Directory of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
           Project CBD
           Cannabinoid Profiles of Cannabis Strains
           Cannabis Laboratories: The Testing Landscape in America
See also:
new An Overview of the Endogenous Cannabinoid System
Anandamide - Structure, occurance, biology and analysis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Anxiety Disorders
Autism
Aversive Memories
new Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana
Can Cannabis Help Multiple Sclerosis?
Can Cannabis Kill You?
Cancer cachexia and cannabinoids
Cancer patients improve taste and smell (chemosensory) perception as well as appetite, caloric intake, and quality of life
Cannabidiol anti-inflammatory activity
new Cannabidiol Enhances the Inhibitory Effects of THC on Human Glioblastoma Cell Proliferation and Survival
new Cannabidiol improves symptoms of generalized social anxiety disorder in a controlled clinical study
new Cannabidiol prevents prion accumulation and protects neurons against prion toxicity
Cannabinoids and cancer: pros and cons of an antitumour strategy
Cannabinoids and Memory
Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants - US Patent 6630507
Cannabinoids in clinical practice
Cannabinoids: Potential Anticancer Agents
new Cannabinoids Prevent the Development of Behavioral and Endocrine Alterations in a Rat Model of Intense Stress
new Cannabinoids promote hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects
new Cannabinoids reduce breast cancer cell growth and invasiveness
new Cannabinoids treat Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
new Cannabinoids treat breast cancer
new Cannabinoids treat cervical cancer
new Cannabinoids treat gliomas
new Cannabinoids treat lung cancer
new Cannabinoids treat prostate cancer
Cannabinoids treat skin cancer
new Cannabis and Cannabinoids - National Cancer Institute
Cannabis and Depression
new Cannabinoids Elicit Antidepressant-Like Behavior
new Cannabinoids play an important role in stress-related disorders: Study
new Cannabinoids treat depression
new Cannabinoids in Bipolar Affective Disorder
new Cannabis and Driving: A Scientific and Rational Review
Cannabis and Migraine
Cannabis and Neuroprotection
Cannabis and Psychosis
new Cannabis enhances cognitive functioning in schizophrenia
new Cannabis extracts fight drug-resistant bacteria
new Cannabis use may be related to improved neurocognition in bipolar disorder
new Cannabis treats Crohn's Disease
new Cannabis treats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Cannabis and Treatment of Chemo Related Nausea
newCannabis as a substitute for alcohol and other drugs
Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program
Chronic Pain
new Conditions Treated With Cannabis
Control of the cell survival/death decision by cannabinoids
delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in clinical oncology
Diabetes
For the Sake of the Children
Granny Storm Crow's list
Hepatitis C
History of Cannabis and Its Preparations in Saga, Science, and Sobriquet
Lymphoma may be slowed by cannabis
new Marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function
Marinol vs. Marijuana
new Medical Marijuana: Clearing Away the Smoke
new Medical Marijuana (Medical Cannabis)
new Medical Marijuana in addictions treatment as a harm reduction practice
new Medicinal use of cannabis in the United States: Historical perspectives, current trends, and future directions
new Mitigation of post-traumatic stress symptoms by Cannabis resin: A review of the clinical and neurobiological evidence
Musculoskeletal Disorders
new Neuropathic pain, glia and cannabis
Neuroprotection by Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol
new Neuroprotective effect of cannabinoids in Parkinson's disease
new On the future of cannabis as medicine
Pancreatitis
new Patients Substitute Marijuana for Prescription Drugs
PTSD and Cannabis: A Clinician Ponders Mechanism of Action
new Cannabis for PTSD, stress and anxiety
Rheumatoid Arthritis (Letter to physician - 30K .pdf file)
Sickle Cell Disease and Cannabis
Skin allergies treated with Cannabis
Sleep Apnea
Smokeless Medicine
newTaming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects
Tourette-Syndrome
Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System
Women and Cannabis
newCannabinoid Biosynthesis
newThe Biotechnology of Cannabis Sativa
newThe Cannabis Papers - a citizen's guide to cannabinoids

Case Reports:
Cannabis treats night sweats of patients with advanced cancer
Treatment of a hyperkinetic movement disorder during pregnancy with Cannabis
Smoked Marijuana Improved ADHD Driver's Performance
new Smoked Medicinal Cannabis for Neuropathic Pain in HIV
new Cannabis decreased the number of depressed days in a patient with bipolar disorder
new Cannabis treats Depression
new Using Medical Cannabis to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder
new Cannabis treats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
new Cannabis treats Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated With Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)
new Cannabis treats child with violent, uncontrollable outbursts
new Marijuana reduces risk of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
new The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) Report on Clinical Research (February 11, 2010)
new Review on clinical studies with cannabis and cannabinoids 2005-2009 (February 13, 2010)

Videos:
new Cannabis and Cannabinoids in the 21st Century: Medical Marijuana
new Medical Marijuana in Oregon
new Medical marijuana for ADD and its good for kids!
new Long term use of Medical Cannabis by Federal Legal Patients
new Pediatrics and Medicinal Cannabis
new Using Medical Cannabis to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder
new Cannabis treats autistic boy! TEN years of age.
new Marijuana Use Studies - A History
new Cannabinoid System in Neuroprotection - Raphael Mechoulam
new Liberty Cafe Show: Medical Marijuana
new History of Marijuana
new Marijuana as Medicine
new Irv Rosenfeld
new Tonya Davis
new Doctors, Patients Assess Effectiveness of Medical Marijuana
new Clearing the Smoke: The Science of Cannabis

Cancer References: ACS : American Cancer Society
Cannabinoid Research Institute: GW Pharmaceuticals
Depression References: MEDLINEplus: Depression
Diabetes References: American Diabetes Association
                               InteliHealth: Diabetes
King's American Dispensatory: Cannabis Indica (U. S. P.)
Pancreatic Disease References: MEDLINEplus: Pancreatic Diseases

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