Know anyone with a disease? Read this

[Bob in Mich]

(Apologies to those that saw these links in the recent marijuana thread as some on the first page of this thread are just repeats.)

I know NY recently approved medical cannabis and I thought I would post some helpful information as in Michigan we have covered much of the same ground in the last few years.

It is apparent that many posting here don't believe that cannabis can be real medicine. That is understandable given that was what most all of us were taught all of our lives. Please try to have an open mind. I promise you that you will learn a great deal.

Please check out the recent thread here on marijuana related problems increasing. http://forums.twobil...the-rise-in-us/ Look for my super intelligent comments starting on page 6 of that thread

Seriously though, this is important. I am selling nothing but I feel like I should try to spread this knowledge. No joke.

Please, if you know anyone with a chronic illness, check out this video. It will be worth it. The first couple of minutes are not representative of the rest of the documentary. You needn't watch the whole hour in one sitting. It is simply amazing

https://www.youtube....h?v=XfO_MpDm5kc

 

Edit: Seems that video link is no longer working. These documentaries are pretty good. Try them instead

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYA9EpVB2qo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aTbnO9I-TU

Here is one of the postings from the recent marijuana thread here. I hope the links work.


Posted 16 July 2014 - 09:49 AM
Medical Cannabis has been legal in Michigan for several years. It can be a very effective medicine which has few side effects when compared to many prescription medicines. Anyone taking medication long term knows that you have to be able to tolerate the side effects of the medication in order for it to help. If you think that there are no medical benefits to cannabis beyond preventing nausea, you really need to read some more recent research because you truly could not be more mistaken.


Cannabinoids are molecules found in cannabis. There are about 85 discovered so far, only 1 of which is the much feared THC. Cannabis is effective in treating so many medical ailments because the cannabinoid molecules from the plant are nearly identical to molecules created within our own bodies called endo-cannabinoids. Through recent research we have learned that the body creates an entire network of endo-cannabinoid molecules and cannabinoid receptors in order to transfer messages between cells. The similarity of plant and animal molecules is merely a coincidence of nature but one that allows the plant to stand in and to supply the missing messenger molecules if needed.

When there is a disruption in the body's ability to create endocannabinoids, important signals don't get through and a whole host of health problems can develop. The missed message may be to stop feeding a cell that is scheduled to die. If the cannabinoid molecule is not present to pass that signal along, cells may not die when they are designed to and they can divide and metastasize out of control leading to a cancerous tumor.

The message that is missing may be to slow down the number or rate of signals to a brain or peripheral nerve cell. Perhaps they are overloaded. This is what can happen with epileptic seizures or chronic pain from damaged nerves. Missing messages can affect nearly every organ in the body.

See the website from GW Pharmaceuticals http://www.gwpharm.com and go the 'R&D' tab at the top. See the 'Product Pipeline' and the 'Therapeutic Areas' sections on the left. You very well may be amazed at the medical possibilities. By the way, this company's stock, GWPH on the Nasdaq, is up about 10 fold in the past year or so. Those are real dollars betting on the potential medicines to be extracted from the cannabis plant.

If nothing else, please take the time to scan just the table of contents from this 2006 research report on the therapeutic possibilities of cannabinoids. It may be information that would allow you to help a sick friend or relative, or possibly even yourself.

http://pharmrev.aspe...9.full.pdf html

A Glossary to Help in Deciphering the Research Studies

Thanks to poster 'in vivo' at the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association board, here is a glossary of terms with wiki links. The research reports that I link to (below) use a lot of unfamiliar terms, at least to most of us. You might find this helpful.

http://michiganmedic...44364-glossary/

Mentioned among many other maladies are diabetes, Parkinsons, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimers, asthma, IBS, hypertension, and psychiatric illness. This report is from 2006 and we have learned a lot since then. More research is desperately needed but it appears very promising that cannabis may be able to treat many illnesses.

It makes some sense that many diseases that have confounded researchers over the past 75 years are linked to cannabinoids. Due to governments' prohibition of cannabis, research on the plant and cannabinoids have basically been forbidden for those same 75 years.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Bob in Mich

[K-9]

I'm too lazy to research it, but I'd be interested to know if medicinal marijuana use has cut ONE IOTA into big pharma's revenues. God knows the government has been in bed with big pharma for years.

[Bob in Mich]

I know many patients and have read on medical cannabis boards about people cutting their vicodins, their sleep aids, their muscle relaxers, their diabetes medication, their epilepsy medication, their blood pressure medication, etc.

 

So, yes, it has cut into the pill manufacturers in states that have legalized. There are other pharma companies such as GW Pharmaceuticals that are poised to explode in value if and when cannabis based medicines take off.

 

My feeling is that although cannabis based medicines will be available from many sources, medical insurance will cause people to gravitate toward buying from FDA approved sources such as GW Pharma.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Bob in Mich

[FireChan]

The only point of contention I have with medical marijuana is that it's "benefits" haven't been researched or verified enough. Stories like "my mom has this condition and now she feels great getting high," is not data.

 

You can post all day about how it's a wonder drug being suppressed by "Big Pharma," but until its benefits are proven to be worth the side effects, I won't buy it.

[Bob in Mich]

I understand why you won't believe some guy posting on the web but did you watch the video?

 

Look at the credits at the end. These people are not just guys on the web. Lots of MD's and PHD's in those credits from actual Universities and Hospitals.

[FireChan]

I understand why you won't believe some guy posting on the web but did you watch the video?

 

Look at the credits at the end. These people are not just guys on the web. Lots of MD's and PHD's in those credits from actual Universities and Hospitals.

 

I went to that companies website. I tend to avoid videos because I don't want to pause to fact-check or learn more.

 

I saw nothing medically credible. And you're talking out of both sides of your mouth. MD"s and PhD's support a lot of things for Big Pharma, but you still think they are lying.

[Bob in Mich]

I tend to avoid videos because I don't want to pause to fact-check or learn more.

 

 

Yeah, don't learn anything more.

 

I mean, why should ya? It hurts your head, right?

 

It is apparent that you would gain nothing by being exposed to new material so don't bother.

[FireChan]

Yeah, don't learn anything more.

 

I mean, why should ya? It hurts your head, right?

 

It is apparent that you would gain nothing by being exposed to new material so don't bother.

 

No, you !@#$ing moron, it's because I don't automatically trust some idiot's words because he has camera.

 

For someone who's trying to "spread the word," you seem pretty incapable of having a discussion about the medically relevant facts. Which isn't a real shocker.

Edited July 18, 2014 by FireChan

[Bob in Mich]

OK, last try Chan. If you don't want the help, don't read it

 

The video is comprised of excerpts from documentaries from CNN, PBS, National Geographic, etc. They are not clips from teenagers with a camera. These are accredited sources.

 

Look at the http://www.nih.gov site and do some research. These people are not making this up. Why would they?

 

When you suspect someone of trying to deceive you, you should consider their possible motivation. Are they selling me something? Are they getting me to join something? Am I signing away any rights? etc. I have no reason to try to deceive you. I am just trying to show folks some facts that they may not know.

[John Adams]

Let me get this straight: Is the goal of the medical pot movement medicine or free pot for everyone?

 

And don't bull **** me.

[FireChan]

Let me get this straight: Is the goal of the medical pot movement medicine or free pot for everyone?

 

And don't bull **** me.

 

The message is "pot might be able to cure everything!"

[DC Tom]

"Know anyone with a disease?"

 

A disease? "A" disease? How about addiction? That's a disease...is cannabis going to cure addiction to pot?

[Koko78]

A disease? "A" disease? How about addiction? That's a disease...is cannabis going to cure addiction to pot?

 

Only if 97% of stoners agree...

[....lybob]

"Know anyone with a disease?"

 

A disease? "A" disease? How about addiction? That's a disease...is cannabis going to cure addiction to pot?

sure is! if you take enough cannabis your cravings for pot will vanish

[Bob in Mich]

"Know anyone with a disease?"

 

A disease? "A" disease? How about addiction? That's a disease...is cannabis going to cure addiction to pot?

 

Tom, I like humor as much as the next guy, probably more. I usually prefer joke filled conversations to serious ones.

 

Sometimes though people are trying to make a serious point, like in a thread such as this and jokes get in the way of the message. Certainly a free country and free board and you can do whatever you wish. I'd like to ask however that if you have serious questions or comments, by all means ask and I will try to help. If you just want to make mst3k comments though, please keep them to yourself. Just asking... Thanks.

 

Maybe you can educate us as to why you are so dead set against cannabis and any of its users. After all of the info I have shown to you, you seem to get a kick out of calling all cannabis users stoners. Why are you seemingly unable to open your mind up to the fact that maybe you missed something regarding cannabis? There just may be some information that you don't already know that could help you or one of your loved ones. Possible?

 

You mention addiction but in a mocking way. Cannabis has widespread use in treating addiction if you want to know the truth. 'Harm reduction' is the term used when moving someone from a more dangerous substance to a safer one. Still technically addicted but now in less danger. Heroin addicts are transitioned to methadone as a form of harm reduction. Arguably as bad, but at least pure and measured dosages minimize accidents.

 

Did you even look at the links that I have posted. That 2006 report on therapeutic uses of cannabis ( http://pharmrev.aspe...9.full.pdf html ) mentions using cannabis to treat many forms of addiction. In the medical community, obviously not yet in your mind Tom, but in the med community, transitioning to cannabis is considered harm reduction. Cannabis does not damage the organs of the body like alcohol, tobacco, heroin, opiates, methadone, etc.

 

And no, smoking cannabis does not increase the risk of lung cancer either. Remember watching that part in the video?

Edited July 19, 2014 by Bob in Mich

[Keukasmallies]

I'm always looking for a true offset from some of the ailments and "diseases" my wife suffers. For any number of reasons, I wouldn't even consider medical marijane if it had to be smoked to be ingested; but I just might be open to learning a bit more about curative or symptom relief powers of the chemical components. So, I'll check out the video w/ a somewhat open mind and see where it takes me.

[Bob in Mich]

With all we have learned regarding the hazards of cigarette smoking, smoking medicine seems crazy. It is counterintuitive but recent studies are showing that cannabis smokers have no greater risk of head, neck, or lung cancers than do non-smokers. There are carcinogens in cannabis smoke, many of the same ones as in cigarettes, but cancerous tumors do not seem to develop.

 

The other point concerns dosing. As a medicine, cannabis fell out of favor in the early 1900's because of dosing difficulties due to the variability from batch to batch. With the variety of strains, differences within the crop, and differing processing methods, consistency in tinctures and extracts was nearly impossible to achieve. Doctors could not be certain that their patients were being given the proper dosing instructions.

 

Back to smoking....when ingesting by taking small puffs you are getting near immediate effect. Did it relieve my pain? Yes, then stop. No, take another puff. You are able to take a very accurate dose this way.

 

When you ingest an extract or eat an infused medible such as a brownie, you must wait for about 90 minutes or so to know if it is the proper dosage. The usual reason someone takes a stronger dose than they wanted is because they ate the medicine and it is difficult to know the proper dose until you have used it a few times. Uniquely, cannabis cannot kill with an overdose so one can safely learn their proper dosage through trials.

 

A cannabis overdose can surely scare a new user though. Cannabis concentrates are extremely powerful. The patient may get nervous thinking that they took too much and now are going to die, but that is just imagination and anxiety working together. Help them to relax and the effects will soon pass. The anxiety attack is why people end up in the emergency room.

 

So, for immediate relief and for titrating dosage, smoking works very well. The unexpected surprise for me was that it doesn't increase the lung cancer risk.

[Bob in Mich]

No, you !@#$ing moron, it's because I don't automatically trust some idiot's words because he has camera.

 

For someone who's trying to "spread the word," you seem pretty incapable of having a discussion about the medically relevant facts. Which isn't a real shocker.

 

I saw this WebMD article from this spring. I don't know if you have any more trust in them but it is an interesting article on doctors' recent views on medical cannabis.

 

http://www.webmd.com/news/breaking-news/marijuana-on-main-street/20140225/webmd-marijuana-survey-web

 

 

 

SOURCES:

Gallup: “For the first time, Americans favor legalizing marijuana."

WebMD: “Marijuana – recreational and medical – what the patient thinks – what the doctor says.”

USA Today: “Which states have legalized medical marijuana?”

Medscape: “Colorado Family Physicians’ Attitudes Toward Medical Marijuana.”

© 2014 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

[DC Tom]

Tom, I like humor as much as the next guy, probably more. I usually prefer joke filled conversations to serious ones.

 

Sometimes though people are trying to make a serious point, like in a thread such as this and jokes get in the way of the message. Certainly a free country and free board and you can do whatever you wish. I'd like to ask however that if you have serious questions or comments, by all means ask and I will try to help. If you just want to make mst3k comments though, please keep them to yourself. Just asking... Thanks.

 

Maybe you can educate us as to why you are so dead set against cannabis and any of its users. After all of the info I have shown to you, you seem to get a kick out of calling all cannabis users stoners. Why are you seemingly unable to open your mind up to the fact that maybe you missed something regarding cannabis? There just may be some information that you don't already know that could help you or one of your loved ones. Possible?

 

You mention addiction but in a mocking way. Cannabis has widespread use in treating addiction if you want to know the truth. 'Harm reduction' is the term used when moving someone from a more dangerous substance to a safer one. Still technically addicted but now in less danger. Heroin addicts are transitioned to methadone as a form of harm reduction. Arguably as bad, but at least pure and measured dosages minimize accidents.

 

Did you even look at the links that I have posted. That 2006 report on therapeutic uses of cannabis ( http://pharmrev.aspe...9.full.pdf html ) mentions using cannabis to treat many forms of addiction. In the medical community, obviously not yet in your mind Tom, but in the med community, transitioning to cannabis is considered harm reduction. Cannabis does not damage the organs of the body like alcohol, tobacco, heroin, opiates, methadone, etc.

 

And no, smoking cannabis does not increase the risk of lung cancer either. Remember watching that part in the video?

 

Who the hell said I'm against medical marijuana? I sure didn't.

 

What I am against is stoners and Tom Petty. And - more importantly - holistic hucksters and snake-oil salesmen that confuse anecdote with science and attribute vague miraculous abilities to natural substances that can cure "disease."

[Bob in Mich]

Who the hell said I'm against medical marijuana? I sure didn't.

 

What I am against is stoners and Tom Petty. And - more importantly - holistic hucksters and snake-oil salesmen that confuse anecdote with science and attribute vague miraculous abilities to natural substances that can cure "disease."

 

Whew, and here I was worried that you were against medical cannabis. That's a relief.

 

Thanks too for that tip. I will keep a sharp eye out for any hucksters or snake-oil salesmen. So far I haven't seen anyone pushing anything but information.