ADHD & Marijuana

[ramin]

Ok, I had a few questions, if anyone's got answers.

 

Also I have a few points and notes to add about this topic.

 

 

1. Cannibus Dosage-Method. When someone says "Therepeutic Use of Cannibus" are they talking about smoking cannibus or some sort of other dosage? For instance, cannibus has been shown to help AIDS patients with stress, and it has been shown to alleviate many other cognitive problems such as attention-span, creativity, decreased agitation. But does this refer to smoking it, because then these benefits have to be weighed with the costs?

 

A note on the costs: the above benefits seem to be mutually exclusive to some psychological costs: you either profit from it or you lose completely. A specific example of this is that creativity requires good memory operation. Some do this operation well, some don't and have bad memory when high or smoking it too much. These psychological costs are different from lung and saliva costs. Those costs indicate that smoking it too much puts you at risk for cancer, though it is not clear whether there is heterogeneity in picking up cancer or whether some other variable is mediating the effect. Testoserone goes down after Marijuana, and so does sperm count, but these may be minor effects as testoserone is affected only during the high (which may even be a good thing: relax those impulses!), as sperm count does not decrease by much (I think).

 

2. Will and should Marijuana treat ADHD?

 

Reasoning for yes: When Marijuana is mixed with motivation, attention-span increases. Dosage by people that show symptoms of ADHD and are motivated to change will lead to learning of the correct steps, correct mentality (thoughts), and correct pace, for better control of their own environment. Scaffholding will assist in this as well, such as making the environment simple but posing problems for the person to solve. This is a cost-effective, naturalistic, effective, and disorder preventative method and thus also should be implemented. Furthermore, there is potential for this to work for all people with these problems, as long as they are motivated to change and are given the freedom to do so. Furthermore, the risks involved are not major: the procedure could involve temporary small doses.

[Dak]

1. Cannibus Dosage-Method. When someone says "Therepeutic Use of Cannibus" are they talking about smoking cannibus or some sort of other dosage? For instance, cannibus has been shown to help AIDS patients with stress, and it has been shown to alleviate many other cognitive problems such as attention-span, creativity, decreased agitation. But does this refer to smoking it, because then these benefits have to be weighed with the costs?

a delta-9 THC inhaler has been desighned, which allows people to inhale the main narcotically active ingredient of cannabis much like using an asthma inhaler to inhale theophyline, and a synthetic form of THC has also been created (maninol); however, studies show that THC/maninol on their own do not act as well as the mixture of THC, cannibinols and cannibinoids found in a joint, though they are less unhealthy.

 

as for whether it should be used to treat ADHD - i have no knowledge of the disorder beyond what the letters stand for, but from observation, id be cautiouse of prescribing any drug, from tamazapan to cannabis, for a mental condition. psycoactive drugs seem to cause more mental problems than they cause. [edit]<-- this last cause should read 'cure' [/edit]

[ramin]

a delta-9 THC inhaler has been desighned' date=' which allows people to inhale the main narcotically active ingredient of cannabis much like using an asthma inhaler to inhale theophyline, and a synthetic form of THC has also been created (maninol); however, studies show that THC/maninol on their own do not act as well as the mixture of THC, cannibinols and cannibinoids found in a joint, though they are less unhealthy.

 

as for whether it should be used to treat ADHD - i have no knowledge of the disorder beyond what the letters stand for, but from observation, id be cautiouse of prescribing any drug, from tamazapan to cannabis, for a mental condition. psycoactive drugs seem to cause more mental problems than they cause.[/quote']

 

 

Thanks for this info. I had a hunch towards your statements, but no knowledge.

 

About cannibus, essentially I am asking an empirical question that may or may not lead to effective implementation. I wouldn't generalize that it won't work because other drugs haven't. I am personally against psycho-active medication in the long run. But cannibus seems to be a different story, and a category of its own. Along with motivation, it seems to be adaptive for those with attention problems. I would want to compare this with other treatments to see if there is any significance in the drug.

[Dak]

cannabis does seem to be quite the panacaea, but i have observed and experienced it cause problems. i guess caution is the key, wether we are talking recreational or theraputic use.

[Dak]

having said that, of all the drugs that i have observed cause problems, cannabis is aruably the one with the least associated problems, if you ignore lung-cancer (which inhaled THC and/or cannibinols(CBNs) and cannibinoids (CBDs) would)

 

i still think that any psycological disorders shout be treated wuthout resorting to drugs if possible. i think the govorments mantra of "drugs are bad - say NO to drugs" is most correct when applied to clinical psycaiatrists/psycologists

[ramin]

I must agree with your statements. Fully automatic prevention of disorders is a good idea and the idea of drug use is opposed to this in the long run. I guess we're just comparing treatment effectivenesses (pros vs. cons) for when the disorders are allowed to form in the first place, and there being no natural motivational healing for it.

 

I think this raises an important issue. Whether marijuana might treat a disorder or not depends on how motivated society and supporting networks/people are to treat disorders, as that seems to be the most natural path. If society and/or people are not willing or capable of doing this, then effective alternative (and less natural) treatments must be weighed out.

 

Let me then refine the argument: Marijuana might be a medium between these two options, i.e. the transfer from the unnatural and ineffective treatments, to the natural social treatments, especially for ADHD.

[Void]

I just find it contradictary to use cannibis and "motivation" in the same sentence, beyond a lack of the latter! Lethargy is a classic symptom of being "stoned". Second, I don't think that cannbis will affect concentration in a positive way. Concentration takes effort or arousal, and lethargy will most likely not help. Why do you think these people take stimulants? Do you think Ritalin is a depressant?

 

So if I wanted to relax, I would get stoned, but otherwise cannot see it being useful for someone who needs focus and attention.

[Dak]

how about, "here, have this jay. now, if you concentrate ill give you this packet of wotzits"

 

theres your motivation

[ramin]

I just find it contradictary to use cannibis and "motivation" in the same sentence, beyond a lack of the latter!

 

There seem to be some smart people who highly disagree with you.

 

Lethargy is a classic symptom of being "stoned".

 

Stereotypical and classical are NOT the same thing. LOL...

 

 

Second, I don't think that cannbis will affect concentration in a positive way. Concentration takes effort or arousal, and lethargy will most likely not help.

 

Not lethargy, calm. Attention-span takes patience.

 

Why do you think these people take stimulants? Do you think Ritalin is a depressant?

 

Cannibus is NOT a depressant. Again, you're getting it mixed up with the stereotype.

 

And what effect does Ritalin show?

 

So if I wanted to relax, I would get stoned, but otherwise cannot see it being useful for someone who needs focus and attention.

 

What if you can't concentrate because you are too hyperactive?

[ramin]

how about' date=' "here, have this jay. now, if you concentrate ill give you this packet of wotzits"

 

theres your motivation[/quote']

 

 

Wotzit a wotzit? I want one already...

[Dak]

for those members of this forum who are not from the uk, 'wotzits', or more correctly a 'cheesy wotzits', or 'cheesy wotsits' if you want it spelt correctly, are a delitiously cheesy puff-crisp (or puff-chip, i suppose, if your in the us). much akin to cheesy poofs, but tastier. mmm, cheesy wotzits.

 

here is a picture of some packets of cheesy wotsits click

 

and here is a picture of a lady in a bath of cheesy wotsits, holding one up to the camera for you to see click

 

cheesy wotsits are tasty, and sit lightly on the stomach, meaning you can eat lots and lots of them, making them an ideal remidy for the 'munchies', hence why J + offer of wotsits = motivation.

 

maybe a marsbar would have been a better, more universal, choice, but i like the inherent humor of cheesy wotsits.

 

hope that clears things up

[ramin]

for those members of this forum who are not from the uk' date=' 'wotzits', or more correctly a 'cheesy wotzits', or 'cheesy wotsits' if you want it spelt correctly, are a delitiously cheesy puff-crisp (or puff-chip, i suppose, if your in the us). much akin to cheesy poofs, but tastier. mmm, cheesy wotzits.

 

here is a picture of some packets of cheesy wotsits click

 

and here is a picture of a lady in a bath of cheesy wotsits, holding one up to the camera for you to see click

 

cheesy wotsits are tasty, and sit lightly on the stomach, meaning you can eat lots and lots of them, making them an ideal remidy for the 'munchies', hence why J + offer of wotsits = motivation.

 

maybe a marsbar would have been a better, more universal, choice, but i like the inherent humor of cheesy wotsits.

 

hope that clears things up

 

Very clear and entertaining, thanks. That's perhaps the most I ever could be engaged in wotzits. I believe these used to be called cheetos in the us.

[Dak]

nah, we have chetoes here in the uk too, theyre different.

 

wotsits are 'puffyer'

[ramin]

oh yea, cheetos suck... too skinny and hard...

[klanger]

Putting aside recreational use for a moment and concentrating on medical use ok?

 

Marinol isnt as effective as the real thing, because it has had the THC removed. The THC is what effects some kind of endorphin in the brain to produce "happy" thoughts. Generally, before a medical patient can get to the "high", the herb is actively starting to subdue pain. Unfortuantely, like most pain medications we take via the dr/pharmacist, the patient has to put up with the side affects (feeling euphoric, "high"). This is one of the most common complaints by medicinal patients, as most of them are more interested in the pain relief and nausea relief than "getting high".

 

[Dr Notcutt, who heads up a UK goverment funded medicinal marijuana research program, said it was a misconception that those suffering debilitating illnesses would receive the same feeling from the drugs as recreational users or that they would take such high doses. "A lot of patients are incapacitated by the pain but they don't want to be incapacitated by taking so much that they get high."] Go here to read more data on this, as well as other medicinal marijuana information. http://www.budbuddies.com/cannabis_helps.htm

 

I think the difference between recreational and medicinal is much the same as:

 

Using an inhaler for asthma and using an inhaler for the fun of it, if you take two people one with asthma and one without and give them both the same inhaler, the asthma sufferer will feel the benefit of the medicine and feel they are able to breath properly again, the person who doesnt have asthma will get a high from the inhaler, their heart will race and they may feel heady too, its the same for recreational users of cannabis and those that use it for pain/nausea relief.

 

It doesnt cure all pains though, for instance if you use it when you have a headache for some reason it will actually intensify the headache not get rid of it. It will however help a cancer patient eleviate the pain as well as an aids patient, it will also help you feel better if you are feeling nauseous. Nausea is the #1 symptom that aids patients treat with medicinal usuage.

 

It can also be used to help all sorts of people with other medical problems, I have heard that people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) often suffer with other problems (besides often times pain & nausea), high anxiety and depression being the two classics that go hand in hand with IBS... anxiety because they fear leaving the comfort area of a toilet close by, never knowing if they are going to be in severe pain within minutes of leaving home, depression because they are now faced with a diet that is incredibly boring, no tea coffee dairy onions red meats most root vegatables, even baked beans will trigger enormous pain because of the "wind factor". Their diet is extremely limited, most foods at a function or at a restaurant will have them within minutes writhing in pain. So what do they do? Stay at home for the rest of their lives so that they can be near the toilet, dont go to any family occasions because they cant eat what is being served. Its no life thats for sure. Yeah there are medicines that they can take to try and help but at present there is no cure for IBS. So what medicines do they take? anti-depressents to deal with being depressed, anxiety tablets to lessen the anxiety, anti spasmodic tablets to aleviate the stomache going into spasms, all of which attack the lining of the already tender stomache and create a new pain of their own... I wonder if IBS sufferers rattle when you shake them . Yet for those that have found cannabis, they have found that nearly all of those sysmptoms are kept under control without the need of a tablet cocktail. So it's ok to take a cocktail of pills that will cause lasting damage but not ok to use a herb that can replace all of those tablets? How bizaar.

 

I believe it has only been in the last hundred years that using cannabis has been seen as a crime in some countries/states. Prior to that its benefits were widely known and regularly used. Presidents and Royalty alike were users, Queen Victoria (late 1800's early 1900's England) was prescribed and used cannabis for her cramps... menstral pains, she drank it in tea.

 

[Cannabis has had a long history of use as an analgesic, and was widely used in 19th century Britain, including in the royal household. Dr. J. Russell Reynolds, Fellow of the Royal Society and Physician to Queen Victoria reported in the Lancet in 1890 that he had been prescribing cannabis for 30 years and considered it "one of the most valuable medicines we possess". According to Reynolds Indian hemp remained effective as an analgesic for months and even years without an increase in the dose.]

 

There have been a few former presidents of the USA that have used and grown great plantations of cannabis, Washington and Jackson ring a bell but I am not totally sure of those two. There have also been recent Presidents that admitted to having it in their mouths but not inhaling??? lol

 

Even today in the States there is a group of people that are supplied by the US government cannabis cigerettes to help with the pain that they are in, and yet in the same breath that very same government states there is no medical proof that this stuff works, so why are they supplying them? Just to see? well they have had 25 years "just to see". By the by, it is common citizens that are growing this stuff for the government to distribute [albeit professors & students at the University of Mississippi], seems to me like a typical example of do as I say and not as I do.

 

I dont use cannabis myself, yeah I have tried it and dont like the feeling it gives me any more than I like the feeling of being drunk. But I have witnessed its use both as a medicine and as a recreational drug, I can tell you the results are very different. A funny side effect of it is that it acts like a truth searum, just basically relaxes the person, makes them more chatty and more likely to tell the truth, so if you have any questions to ask a partner and you really want the truth, have them smoke some first

[ramin]

I think the difference between recreational and medicinal is much the same as:

 

Using an inhaler for asthma and using an inhaler for the fun of it' date=' if you take two people one with asthma and one without and give them both the same inhaler, the asthma sufferer will feel the benefit of the medicine and feel they are able to breath properly again, the person who doesnt have asthma will get a high from the inhaler, their heart will race and they may feel heady too[/quote']

 

What an awesome insight...

[Void]

Well, Ramin...since you look up to smart people so much..

 

Marijuana is a mild hallucinogen, and has some of alcohol’s depressant and disinhibiting properties. User reaction, however, is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.

 

Effects of smoking are generally felt within a few minutes and peak in 10 to 30 minutes. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that encourages fantasies, renders some users highly suggestible, and distorts perception (making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a car or boat, or ride a bicycle). Stronger doses prompt more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

 

The Impact on the Mind

 

Marijuana use reduces learning ability. Research has been piling up of late demonstrating clearly that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. A 1995 study of college students discovered that the inability of heavy marijuana users to focus, sustain attention, and organize data persists for as long as 24 hours after their last use of the drug. Earlier research, comparing cognitive abilities of adult marijuana users with non-using adults, found that users fall short on memory as well as math and verbal skills. Although it has yet to be proven conclusively that heavy marijuana use can cause irreversible loss of intellectual capacity, animal studies have shown marijuana-induced structural damage to portions of the brain essential to memory and learning.

 

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having smaller babies with lower birth weights, who are more likely than other babies to develop health problems. Some studies have also found indications of developmental delays in children exposed to marijuana before birth.

 

 

Marijuana as Medicine

 

Although U.S. law classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance (which means it has no acceptable medical use), a number of patients claim that smoking pot has helped them deal with pain or relieved the symptoms of glaucoma, the loss of appetite that accompanies AIDS, or nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy. There is, however, no solid evidence that smoking marijuana creates any greater benefits than approved medications (including oral THC) now used to treat these patients, relieve their suffering, or mitigate the side effects of their treatment. Anecdotal assertions of beneficial effects have yet to be confirmed by controlled scientific research.

 

So beyond the uses stated above...Cannabis would not be helpful for ADHD.

[Coral Rhedd]

Let us a assume for a moment that some benefit can be gained for someone with ADHD from a measured dose (non smoked) of marijuana, which is more damaging to the human body, marijuana or Adderall -- which is an amphetamine?

[klanger]

morphine is also a scheduled l controlled substance so your statement that it therefore has no acceptable medical use kinda just got blown out the water. It is easy to get caught up in the anti-drug groups and their theories on various drugs and some of the pooh-pars that go with them.

 

You can see the table of contents here

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/scheduling.html

 

Cannabis has been under trial via the government for the past 25 years, one of the recievers of regular monthly canisters of pre-rolled cannabis cigerettes, is Irvin Rosenfeld - a federal marijuana patient !!! and yet still they can not prove nor disprove its benefits with regard to intense pain, I would be interested to know how many years morphine was trialed before it was release at doctors discretion.

 

I dont support its use as a recreational drug and first hand experience has shown me that yes there is lethargy depression and all the other ills that go with it when used as a recreational drug, however I also have first hand experience of its use and effects as a medicinal remedy, I have seen for myself the speed with which cannabis acts compared to conventional extreme pain drugs, only morphine comes close to this speed, (5mgms of morphine didnt remove the pain but three puffs of cannabis did) I have seen for myself the necessary increased dosage in hard man made drugs in order to keep symptoms and pain to a dull ache, whereas cannabis remains as a constant with very little needed.

 

Other than vitamins you can overdose on all man made medicines, you can not overdose on cannabis. Yes there have been cases of people overdosing and having traces of cannabis in their system, however, they also had other more dangerous drugs in their system too. In clinical trials on rats they were unable to produce a single overdose.

 

For decades we have heard from various members of the goverment stating various erronious claims in regards to what smoking Marijuana will do. Do you think the goverment which produces such claims as the following should be looked to as the gospel authoritive word? This is an example of the propaganda, that they put out to continue the smoke screen lie:

 

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

- Federal Bureau of Narcotics Chief Harry J. Anslinger, 1929

 

"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

Federal Bureau of Narcotics Chief Harry J. Anslinger, 1948

 

"Permanent brain damage is one of the inevitable results of the use of marijuana."

by: Ronald Reagan 1974

 

"Marijuana leads to homosexuality ... and therefore to AIDS."

by: White House Drug Czar Carlton Turner 1986

[Void]

morphine is also a scheduled l controlled substance so your statement that it therefore has no acceptable medical use kinda just got blown out the water. It is easy to get caught up in the anti-drug groups and their theories on various drugs and some of the pooh-pars that go with them.

 

You can see the table of contents here

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/scheduling.html

 

Cannabis has been under trial via the government for the past 25 years' date=' one of the recievers of regular monthly canisters of pre-rolled cannabis cigerettes, is Irvin Rosenfeld - a federal marijuana patient !!! and yet still they can not prove nor disprove its benefits with regard to intense pain, I would be interested to know how many years morphine was trialed before it was release at doctors discretion.

 

I dont support its use as a recreational drug and first hand experience has shown me that yes there is lethargy depression and all the other ills that go with it when used as a recreational drug, however I also have first hand experience of its use and effects as a medicinal remedy, I have seen for myself the speed with which cannabis acts compared to conventional extreme pain drugs, only morphine comes close to this speed, (5mgms of morphine didnt remove the pain but three puffs of cannabis did) I have seen for myself the necessary increased dosage in hard man made drugs in order to keep symptoms and pain to a dull ache, whereas cannabis remains as a constant with very little needed.

 

Other than vitamins you can overdose on all man made medicines, you can not overdose on cannabis. Yes there have been cases of people overdosing and having traces of cannabis in their system, however, they also had other more dangerous drugs in their system too. In clinical trials on rats they were unable to produce a single overdose.

 

For decades we have heard from various members of the goverment stating various erronious claims in regards to what smoking Marijuana will do. Do you think the goverment which produces such claims as the following should be looked to as the gospel authoritive word? This is an example of the propaganda, that they put out to continue the smoke screen lie:

 

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

- Federal Bureau of Narcotics Chief Harry J. Anslinger, 1929

 

"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

Federal Bureau of Narcotics Chief Harry J. Anslinger, 1948

 

"Permanent brain damage is one of the inevitable results of the use of marijuana."

by: Ronald Reagan 1974

 

"Marijuana leads to homosexuality ... and therefore to AIDS."

by: White House Drug Czar Carlton Turner 1986

 

No doubt, there are medical uses for cannabis. However, for ADHD is not one of them. In addition to your comments about leaders comments...Right now Meth is in the same position. They are attirbuting an increased spread of AIDS on the use of Meth. Face it, Meth lowers inhibition and contributes (note the word) to a decreased likelihood of using a condom. Whether the same is true of cannabis is an emprirical question.

[Dak]

Marinol isnt as effective as the real thing, because it has had the THC removed.

i thought marinol was a functional isomer of THC?

.Right now Meth is in the same position. They are attirbuting an increased spread of AIDS on the use of Meth. Face it, Meth lowers inhibition and contributes (note the word) to a decreased likelihood of using a condom. Whether the same is true of cannabis is an emprirical question.

not strictly speaking true; or at least, no truer than saying that alcohol increases hiv spread because it lowers inhibition and contributes to a decreased likelyhood of using a condom.

 

the association is due mainly to the popularity of meth in the gay community in america; the main contribution meths has to hiv spread is due to people who are stupid enough to inject it, and share needles.

[klanger]

No doubt, there are medical uses for cannabis. However, for ADHD is not one of them. In addition to your comments about leaders comments...Right now Meth is in the same position. They are attirbuting an increased spread of AIDS on the use of Meth. Face it, Meth lowers inhibition and contributes (note the word) to a decreased likelihood of using a condom. Whether the same is true of cannabis is an emprirical question.

 

Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions, and is probably considerably cheaper. Granted for meth users the most likely cause of aids becoming higher in these people is the sharing of needles, and general squallor that they live in, you dont use needles with cannabis.

 

http://www.urban75.com/Drugs/meth.html

 

Lack of education is also a keen factor in the spread of AIDS, as is the "it wont happen to me" syndrome. None of it leads to homosexuality and ultimately to AIDS, a hetrosexual person doesnt suddenly become a sexed crazed nut that will bonk a member of the same sex just cos they have less inhibitions, and neither will a gay person suddenly desire the opposite sex.

 

How do we have so many single mothers in the world, they clearly werent with partners that were using a condom, nor indeed using the female condom themselves, you cant say that in all cases or even in most cases these women or their partners were using meths, and yet they were taking a huge risk as far as AIDS went... "it wont happen to me syndrome" (and by single mothers I am refering to the increase of young girls getting pregnant as a result of a night out drinking.

[klanger]

i thought marinol was a functional isomer of THC?

 

I have an article here that you may find interesting Dak, it makes for good reading and is one person's personal account, plus the production of the tablets and so on.

 

http://www.pdxnorml.org/HT_Marinol_0794.html

[ramin]

Well' date=' Ramin...since you look up to smart people so much..

 

Marijuana is a mild hallucinogen, and has some of alcohol’s depressant and disinhibiting properties. User reaction, however, is heavily influenced by expectations and past experience, and many first-time users feel nothing at all.

 

Effects of smoking are generally felt within a few minutes and peak in 10 to 30 minutes. They include dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, impaired coordination and balance, delayed reaction time, and diminished short-term memory. Moderate doses tend to induce a sense of well-being and a dreamy state of relaxation that encourages fantasies, renders some users highly suggestible, and distorts perception (making it dangerous to operate machinery, drive a car or boat, or ride a bicycle). Stronger doses prompt more intense and often disturbing reactions including paranoia and hallucinations.

 

The Impact on the Mind

 

Marijuana use reduces learning ability. Research has been piling up of late demonstrating clearly that marijuana limits the capacity to absorb and retain information. A 1995 study of college students discovered that the inability of heavy marijuana users to focus, sustain attention, and organize data persists for as long as 24 hours after their last use of the drug. Earlier research, comparing cognitive abilities of adult marijuana users with non-using adults, found that users fall short on memory as well as math and verbal skills. Although it has yet to be proven conclusively that heavy marijuana use can cause irreversible loss of intellectual capacity, animal studies have shown marijuana-induced structural damage to portions of the brain essential to memory and learning.

 

Marijuana also affects hormones. Regular use can delay the onset of puberty in young men and reduce sperm production. For women, regular use may disrupt normal monthly menstrual cycles and inhibit ovulation. When pregnant women use marijuana, they run the risk of having smaller babies with lower birth weights, who are more likely than other babies to develop health problems. Some studies have also found indications of developmental delays in children exposed to marijuana before birth.

 

 

Marijuana as Medicine

 

Although U.S. law classifies marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance (which means it has no acceptable medical use), a number of patients claim that smoking pot has helped them deal with pain or relieved the symptoms of glaucoma, the loss of appetite that accompanies AIDS, or nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy. There is, however, no solid evidence that smoking marijuana creates any greater benefits than approved medications (including oral THC) now used to treat these patients, relieve their suffering, or mitigate the side effects of their treatment. Anecdotal assertions of beneficial effects have yet to be confirmed by controlled scientific research.

 

So beyond the uses stated above...Cannabis would not be helpful for ADHD.[/quote']

 

Comon now Void, you're sounding like a cheerleader...

[ramin]

Ok here it is, it's not about health, it's not about this or that, it's come down to personal freedom and a country living in two brains. Which to me constitutes disfunction. unfortunately it's the leaders and lawmakers who are disfunctional. Marijuana though it MAY be dangerous but has never had a smoking related death in HISTORY. It's our as the peoples decision to try it or not. We are humans, not caged and regulated beasts, well you can if you want to be but me I choose something else-forgetting my problems of the day for a few hours and get stoned. Hail canada, england, amsterdam-go away washington. Lighten up or light up, it's called life and freedom. Stop judging us close minded lawman. Go get drunk and lie some more.

 

 

The ideology of thought & behavior control has definately taken too far a toll. You see people going against Marijuana here and there, claiming some kind of scientific basis for it, while making proposterous unscientific claims. Can you believe marijuana is being compared to meth on this thread, in attempt to say benefits of weed are irrelevant? Little do people know that marijuana is used for treatment for addiction to heroin and crystal and nicotine, the highly destructive drugs, furthermore that the little dependency on marijuana is a social phenomenon of stigma, isolation and repression.

 

I'm not praising marijuana. But human rights are definately a problem in this world, including the freedom to explore without being stigmatized, shunned, and physically abused.