marijuana
Confusion in New Jersey Continues To Leave Residents Scratching Their Heads
We at marijuana.net have spoken at length about all of the exciting news regarding national marijuana reform. We have also discussed the bureaucratic delays that have frustrated patients and activists, especially as no plausible explanation is provided for all the red tape. Again we find ourselves talking about New Jersey. Yesterday we posted an article …continue reading
Marijuana Becomes Most Popular “Drug” Used Around the World
With no proven physically addictive properties, marijuana seems no more a “drug” than other pain relievers, though it does offer psychedelic effects. However, many still classify marijuana as a drug even as alcohol escapes this dubious distinction. Alcohol can result in a physical addiction, which is why many face difficult times when trying to quit drinking. Whatever the case is, it is now generally accepted that marijuana is far less harmful than consuming alcohol and new reports show the entire world agrees.
Several days ago Time Magazine published an article online entitled “Marijuana Now the Most Popular Drug in the World”. The article cites a U.N. report that shows as many as 224 million adults worldwide smoke marijuana. These staggering numbers do not even include those under the age of 18 who use cannabis. We have learned lately that teen use in the United States is climbing and it would not be a stretch to assume this is the case worldwide. Including teens would drastically inflate the U.N. statistics. Though the numbers are not rising as much in the North America, marijuana use is climbing steadily in Africa and Asia.
As we have been reporting, the international movement for marijuana reform is outpacing the United States. In a recent article, we reported on Uruguay making a historic move to legalize marijuana and how Colombia decriminalized marijuana days later. The momentum around the world is clearly picking up as we now know from the U.N. data that the two largest continents are also seeing an increase in marijuana acceptance. Israel is several steps ahead of America in their medical marijuana industry and has recently developed strains that have high levels of CBD (one of the 50 plus cannabinoids in marijuana) as opposed to the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. These medically friendly strains will not produce the well known psychedelic “high” most commonly associated with marijuana use.
Though the Time article omits any mention of alcohol, it does not seem to include alcohol in the “drug” category. With growing social and medical acceptance marijuana may be able to shed the “drug” classification in years to come especially as it has demonstrated far less addictive qualities and does not induce vomiting. There may yet still be some setbacks for patients and marijuana advocates but the worldwide trend seems to indicate that marijuana is here to stay.
Got Hemp Milk?
Milk has enjoyed quite an important role in our modern American culture. Although rare today, many Americans have fond memories of their local milk man delivering fresh milk, the kind where the rich cream floats on top. Unfortunately we live in a world where support for local farmers has given way to mass produced homogenized and pasteurized milk.
Fortunately for those seeking something more natural, we have found a type of milk that truly can deliver the proper nutrition we so closely associate milk with. Hemp milk may raise a few eyebrows but health experts are impressed with what it has to offer. One popular company that produces Hemp Milk is “Living Harvest” and can easily be found on most major online retailers such as Amazon, Ebay, and Buy.com. Reviews online are positive and for those with dairy allergies or lactose concerns, hemp milk provides an alternative for those who do not like soy milk.
We already know of many ways in which the cannabis plant can improve our quality of life. Many patients can attest to this. Additionally we know that hemp has so many industrial uses but now we are fortunate enough to get nutrition from this wonderful plant. While most people are likely unaware of hemp milk, that could soon change. With it’s richness in Omega-3, Omega-6. magnesium, phytosterols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin, the public may soon catch on to this new health choice. Vegetarians are also known to like hemp milk, as it can replace protein servings found in meat. Hemp seeds are not known to contain THC, making hemp milk accessible to everyone.
While we are amazed to keep finding new ways for the cannabis plant to improve our lives, perhaps we should not be. The discoveries keep pouring in, and speaking of pouring, we hope you enjoy a glass of hemp milk soon. You may just want to look out for that milk mustache!
Marijuana Prohibition Causing Zombie Apocalypse?
Zombies have a special place in our hearts, even as they are without that key blood pumping organ. George A. Romero took our fear of the undead to new heights in the 1968 classic “Night of the Living Dead”. Since then countless zombie movies and now video games have tried to quench our blood thirst. However, sci-fi fans and others who refuse to lay on a silver platter and become zombie lunch have prepped for the “Zombie Apocalypse”, a real life scenario where the strong survive and the weak are turned, dragging their bones around seeking flesh. In a world with a heightened fear of pollution, radiation, and chemistry sets gone wrong, it seems more and more people are fearing a world where our infrastructure breaks down, and we are left to our own will to survive.
Preppers for the Zombie Apocalypse may not seem so ridiculous all of a sudden. Cannibalism was all the rave this week, as a man in Florida attacked a homeless man by eating away at his face. When told by a policeman to stop, Rudy Eugene was unresponsive and reports say he only growled back at the officer. He continued to tear away at the man’s face and unfortunately was shot. The victim was 65-year-old Ronald Poppo, who remains hospitalized with most of his face torn away.
Many are reporting that Rudy Eugene had used “bath salts” that are actually geared at achieving an LSD like high. The problem highlights the constant struggle to regulate and eliminate the synthetic drug market. Products such as K2 and Spice, which mimic THC’s effects have been outlawed on both state and federal levels. However, scientists fear that the battle is a losing one because the makers of these products will always find a way to create slightly different chemical compounds that circumvent the law. Government officials will now likely have the new LSD synthetics on their radar, but ultimately it may prove to be too late. Synthetic marijuana products have been linked to strokes, seizures, and other health complications especially in teens. Our first high profile case of synthetic LSD may have ushered in the undead revolution.
Although the case is isolated so far, it sheds light on the larger and more frustrating picture. Regulation is needed and the black market for quasi legal drugs has clearly taken a huge step. It started with our country’s failure to regulate marijuana and the idea that synthetics without any safety information available could be created. Zombie movies and popular video games such as Resident Evil (also a movie series), Left For Dead, House of the Dead, Dead Rising, Call of Duty Black Ops/World at War, may captivate our imagination, but our heads is where this phenomenon should stay.
For the Female Patients out there
There are very few acronyms that effect our lives as much as the one that torments women monthly, PMS. Premenstrual Syndrome is something that will effect most women at some point throughout their lives. On a far lesser scale, men can also be impacted by PMS, especially if they are concerned with providing relief for their loved ones. So how is it that this syndrome which can cause such discomfort and pain to so many people is still left to pharmaceutical treatments with such mixed results that many women often don’t know where to turn? The problem is for over a century doctors have turned a blind eye to the herbal remedy which has helped so many women. For hundreds, if not thousands of years women have used the cannabis plant to help alleviate the symptoms of PMS. It varies in symptoms and intensity from patient to patient, but often includes headaches (even migraines), cramping, bloating, pelvic pain, breast pain, sleep difficulty, irritability, anxiety, depression, and inability to concentrate. Most men have difficulty understanding it, and just opt to keep their distance. Perhaps giving herbal-infused chocolates as a gift would be a more helpful approach.
As doctors’ understanding of the female biology has increased, they have prescribed numerous pills to help ease women’s suffering. For those who endure mood swings, irritability, depression or anxiety they have offered Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) as antidepressants. These may include Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil or many others. Unfortunately they do not always work and carry a long list of side effects that can be much worse than the PMS itself. Also, these drugs take time to come to full strength in the body, so they must be taken over periods of time. So, patients must take a potentially dangerous drug for long term, even though it is only to treat symptoms that effect them for just a few days per month. For pain relief, doctors offer Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil and Midol. These are better because women need only take them as symptoms occur. But these also have a potential to cause harm, from intestinal bleeding or renal damage. They may also interact with other drugs for other dangerous effects. For those with trouble sleeping, physicians recommend Ambien, but that leaves users very groggy, and has instigated many scary sleep-walking stories. Once again, modern science offers a glimmer of hope, but casts a long shadow uncertainty.
Luckily, for all the women there exists a natural-occurring remedy that can treat any or all of their symptoms with minimal side effects, none of which can be called dangerous. Before marijuana prohibition went into effect, cannabis was a standard item in doctor’s tool bags, and often prescribed to females. One doctor answered to the highest (pun not intended) woman in the world. In the 19th century Sir Russell Reynolds was the Royal Physician for Queen Victoria of England. As many women before her, she suffered from painful menstrual cramps. So he dug into his black bag and offered tincture of the Indian Hemp plant for her relief. He even included it in the first issue of The Lancet (a foremost medical journal) writing, “When pure and administered carefully, [cannabis] is one of the most valuable medicines we possess.” As many states have passed compassionate use laws, doctors are willing to again utilize this plant for treatment.
Dr. Breen, of Medical Cannabis of Southern California, sees many women everyday who come to him for help with their PMS suffering. Many have tried pharmaceuticals for years without satisfactory treatment. He prescribes cannabis because it is safe and effective. He counsels his patients that while it may not be the right fit for every woman, it is worth trying out. It can treat the headaches and pains, bloating and cramping. It helps mellow out those mood swings, and can assist with sleeplessness. It also can aid flagging libido (exactly opposite to the effects of SSRIs). And finally, it is safe and has short term effects. When it works for a patient, she can self-medicate as she sees fit. For those who do not receive any benefit from it, or if they don’t agree with the “high” feelings associated with smoking, they can discontinue its use without any fears.
So, for all the female patients out there who are dealing with such discomfort, there is something out there that can help with the pain. Next time you are sifting through ineffective pills at the pharmacy, remember the remedy that has been used for far longer and with greater success.
Marijuana and MS, a true story
This past week has been an exciting one for medical news on the marijuana front. The Canadian Medical Association Journal published the results of a small study on the effects of marijuana for people who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis. Overall, the study shows that there is some benefit for patients. However, there are several drawbacks to the study. Its small sample size, 30 patients, as well as the inability to fully “blind” the patients. A blind study relies on patients not knowing if they are getting actual treatment or a placebo. Because of the “high” gained from cannabis use, most patients correctly guessed when they were given the real thing. Drawbacks aside, this is a very important study because it moves forward the idea that cannabis has legitimate medical use. For the most part, evidence in favor of marijuana use has been strictly anecdotal. While those stories can help sway public opinion, it does little to change the minds of the medical and political community. They want incontrovertible evidence, methodically gathered and rigorously tested. This is understandable, but it does nobody any good when these studies have difficulty obtaining funding and patients because Federal laws prohibiting its (schedule 1 substances have no medical value, and that is cannabis’ official classification) use and study are hard to overcome. Despite this, the anecdotes abound, especially in our networked era. As the stories spread, people who suffer will hear them and try marijuana for themselves. Hopefully it helps them and then they become one more reason to change a law and undertake another study.
Claire Hodges is one patient who has MS and opted to try marijuana, despite the legal and medical uncertainties. Claire had no symptoms until her late 20’s. At this point, stress from her job mounted and her symptoms started to manifest slowly and steadily. This was in the early 1980’s and detection techniques were not as advanced as they are now. So, Claire was unaware of her disease because of several misdiagnoses. Having traveled through Bangladesh, doctors initially thought she suffered from a rare form of malaria. But it took them over another year to isolate the disease. It was not until after she started showing classic brain tumor symptoms (and had a brain scan) that neurologists were able to diagnose her with Multiple Sclerosis.
There is no cure for MS, only treatments. Some of those are more effective than others, all with varying side effects. Claire’s doctors first steered her to steroid therapy ACTH, Acthar (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) which stimulates the adrenal cortex gland to secrete cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone. She was suffering heavily at this point, unable to walk, and still believes that the effects of ACTH were far worse than the disease. It caused acute acne breakouts, weight gain, and irrationality and paranoia (steroid psychosis). She discontinued the ACTH regimen, and after having two children the disease progressed and her symptoms continued to grow worse. As the disease effected her more heavily she began suffering even more. She experienced muscle spasticity and pain, incontinence and other bladder issues followed, as well as vision degradation, poor balance, fatigue and more. As she succumbed to more troubles, doctors could only treat the symptoms by offering more prescriptions. She tried Valium and Temazepam for sleeping and muscle pains. Also, as her body became susceptible to infection she was on numerous courses of antibiotics treatment. She found the narcotics to be less than effective and their side effects only served to increase her gloom and depression.
Finally, after exhausting orthodox treatments, Claire looked in to other ways of medicating. Other friends with MS recommended she try cannabis to help with her discomfort. Initially she was uncomfortable with trying it out, so she asked her doctors. None of them were able to give her any promises to its effectiveness, but did calm her fears and said moderate use would most likely not be dangerous. That had to be better than all the dangerous pharmaceuticals she had tried before. Using her network of friends, Claire was forced to illegally obtain marijuana and tried it out. “The physical effects were almost immediate and extremely liberating. I felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from me. The tension and discomfort in my spine and bladder melted away. I was comfortable with my body for the first time in years, and I slept soundly that night. The next day I was happy, knowing that there was something that would help me with my MS.” Since then, Claire has been medicating with cannabis regularly, and has been able to rely much less on pharmaceuticals. She grew her own medicine for some time, but stopped because of the fear of being caught with it. So she must continue to purchase her medication illegally unless she moves to a state with a compassionate use laws and proper dispensary system.
Claire’s testimony, and others like her, help to open the minds of otherwise skeptical people. If it can help her, than it can help other people. These stories are what we need to change the minds of politicians. They need to be convinced that there is strength in compassion, not found in zero tolerance laws. Claire is a strong human being. In spite of her affliction, she has not given up on life; she fights to stay active and productive for herself and her family. Her cause is the cause against superstition and old prejudices, the cause for progress.
Marijuana and Sports News
Sports are looking up.
In the past month the marijuana community has heard some great news from the world of sports. And this news comes from around the world. The National Basketball Association (USA) has decided to soften its approach to marijuana testing. The Australian Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS) has also decided to take a new look at what constitutes “performance enhancing drugs” as opposed to simply “banned substances” and all of this is causing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to also review its rules. Furthermore, UFC fighter Nick Diaz’s recent drug suspension and legal rebuttals are forcing the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the UFC to also address their stance on marijuana. Also, Martin Mayhew, GM of the Detroit Lions, has also spoken of his views on marijuana usage by NFL players and draftees. As these incidents move forward, the sports world is poised to make decisions that can and will have ripple effects outside of sports into the social and political fabric of the world. Although nothing has been set in stone yet, the best part is that all these associations are taking the time to look at marijuana in a methodical and scientifically informed manner to reach a proper decision. It appears that old prejudices and scare stories may be set aside with old arbitrary rulings.
The latest thunder from down under comes with quite a bang as the COMPPS has said that it believes marijuana should not be grouped with performance enhancers such as Human Growth Hormone and Anabolic steroids. Under current WADA rules a substance is placed on the banned list if it meets the following criteria: “It’s proven to be performance enhancing, it goes against the spirit of the sport, or it’s dangerous to the health of athletes.” Under those rules, anyone who tests positive for marijuana faces a two-year ban. With COMPPS’ declaration it seems that things are going to relax a bit for Australian athletes. Although, if any compete on an international level they are still subject to WADA rules. However, WADA President John Fahey had this to say, “There are those who believe our current criteria needs to be amended and that will be given appropriate consideration through this review process…Specifically to cannabis, I can only say to those, particularly in the football codes who have expressed concern that we’re focusing on an area that really isn’t about cheating in sport, I urge them to put a request up to WADA, which will be given to our list committee, who will examine it…I won’t express a view I’ll simply say it will be thoroughly examined. There are some substances today that are banned in some sports, but not in others. That may well be an option they [the WADA banned-list committee] may wish to come to the board with in due course. But I won’t pre-empt that, I’ll let them decide without any influence from me.” The sports world will have to wait a while for any final determination, as WADA’s new drug codes will not be released until November 2013.
American sports commissions are also moving in a positive direction. When the NBA restructured its labor agreement they altered their drug testing policy. As it now stands, players will only be tested for performance-enhancing drugs during the off-season. Marijuana is no longer on that list. Although illegal during the season, it means that players who use marijuana for pain or anxiety will get to medicate without fear of suspensions once that final buzzer has sounded. Inside the NFL it seems that cannabis is causing quite a stir. The Detroit Lions have made headlines as several of this year’s draft picks have been arrested for marijuana-related charges. The Lions are not the only team whose players have had troubles in the recent past (The New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals also made the news for their players). But it seems that the league is thinking less of this controversy as its toxicity has waned to the public eye. The Lions’ GM Martin Mayhew recently spoke out about players’ off-field actions and concerns. Although contracts will still have morality clauses, and players should think before breaking the law, it appears that league penalties may reduce in severity and clubs will have more flexibility in handling these affairs.
From the Ultimate Fighting Championship comes news concerning contender Nick Diaz. After fighting at UFC 143 in February he tested positive for marijuana metabolites, the residual compounds indicative of marijuana use. Nick has tested positive once before and this may lead to sterner reprimands for the second charge. Nick is a California native and holds a medical marijuana card from the state. However, the fight and test were conducted in Nevada, and under NSAC rules he is immediately suspended for 45 days pending a hearing. At this time, the 45 day limit has expired and Nick is suing for violation of his due process rights, concerning his rights to make a living. NSAC executive director Keith Kizer spoke about the suspension and an in-court statement that failing his drug test posed a “threat to public safety.” Kizer took the stance that marijuana is not on the NSAC approved substance list and therefore Nick is in violation. His statement did seem to leave an opening for a debate on whether or not marijuana should continue to be on the banned substance list. Diaz has stated that he medicates in order to control his ADHD which would impair his ability to focus on training, as well as for pain management. And furthermore, he does not medicate in the week prior to his fights to keep his head clear and reflexes sharp. This certainly seems unjust considering that professional ballplayers can get a shot of cortisone and take a few pain killers so they can pitch in an ALCS game, and not to be able to recall the game later.
The case for marijuana has never been stronger. It’s presence abounds in state’s politics, as it jockeys for position in the national spotlight. The horrors of the failed Drug War in Mexico make headlines every week. And now it is taking over the spotlight in global sports. Many have called for national talks concerning its legality. But Marijuana.net believes now is the right time for a worldwide reckoning concerning the future of humanity and the cannabis plant. It offers so much to help mankind, and asks for so little in return; it only needs a plot of land, steady sunshine, and some water. Hey ref, put down the red card.
Moving to Legalize Domestic Hemp
As the movement for the legalization of marijuana marches on people often forget about the Mary’s sister plant, industrial Hemp. Both plants are members of the cannabis genus and both are illegal to grow or possess under Federal law. They are two genetically distinct species with different properties. Marijuana contains as much as 27% THC in its buds, leaves and trichomes. Whereas hemp generally contains 0.3% or less THC (although some places do allow for it to contain 1% and remain classified as industrial hemp). Furthermore the two plants are unsuited to be used interchangeably. Marijuana is unsuited for industrial purposes such as paper, clothing and building goods due to the nature of growth of the plant fibers. Similarly, industrial hemp will not get have the effects of smoked marijuana. It is very similar to the way that poppy seeds can make a person test positive for opium, but would produce get them “doped up”.
Since 1937 it has been illegal to cultivate both marijuana and hemp plants, aside from a special dispensation in WW2 (see “Hemp for Victory“). Today many states have passed laws allowing for compassionate use of medical marijuana, but it is still illegal to domestically grow and distribute industrial hemp products. This continues despite growing demands for hempen clothing, building supplies, fossil fuel substitutes, and food products. However, it is legally allowed to import foreign hemp products. To meet this demand, American companies must purchase goods from Canada, China and a few European countries. This is a farce. America (from the time of the colonies) was built on money provided by Hemp cash crops. At this time we are relegated to sending hard-earned American dollars overseas (OK, Canada is not overseas) to buy raw seed and fiber and end-products that could easily be made here, at an economic benefit for Americans. This market has nowhere to go except upward, especially as more Americans become aware of the many benefits (nutritional, agricultural, industrial, economical) presented by Hemp.
Currently, eighteen states have recent laws (within the last 20 years), bills, or amendments on the books or pending legislation seeking to allow for domestic cultivation of Industrial Hemp. Many of those states have only first stage laws that require studies by state boards looking into economic and agricultural benefits. Many of these studies are underway, but none have been completed. Part of this is due to the political insecurity that arises from dabbling in marijuana laws. Although attitudes have shifted greatly in the last several years, many politicians are still wary of endorsing anything marijuana-related. Regardless of those studies, every bill has language reflecting the worries about Federal prosecution. The caveats in the bills all mention that Federal statutes must either be overturned, rewritten, or researchers and farmers will require permits or dispensations from the DEA, DOJ or even IRS in order to grow hemp crops and be in compliance of state and federal laws.
The most recent states to challenge this Federal ban include Kentucky, Vermont, North Dakota, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Montana. Members of Congress have also sought to change the laws. In 2007, 2009, and 2011 they have introduced “The Industrial Hemp Farming Act” so that low potency cannabis crops would be exempted from the Federal ban. The current measure, House Bill 1831 has numerous co-sponsors but has not received a Congressional hearing. If passed, states would have the power to approve and regulate hemp cultivation and trade. Last year, Hemp imports were valued at over four hundred million dollars. This number is expected to increase this year and more in the future. Hemp production could soon be valued at over $1 billion. Taxed revenues from this business would do well to help offset American debt and trade deficits, if it was a domestic product. Not only is this an incredibly useful plant, it is hardy and grows in poor soils that are unsuited for other crash crops. Additionally, rotating hemp through poor soils helps to lock nutrients back into the earth so that other crops can grow better. It also is a prime source for photosynthesis and carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate the problems posed by increased amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse chemicals present in the atmosphere.
As more information comes to light about hemp it seems that the cultivation of this plant is a win-win situation for the environment, the economy, and the people of our country. Unfortunately, the same special interests (tobacco lobby, Big Pharma, Alcohol, fossil fuels) who secured the ban over seventy years ago still have enormous political clout. Combined with the inordinate amount of false information and prejudice against the cannabis plant, those in favor of legalization face a stiff uphill battle. More than ever it is incumbent upon us, we the people, to take an active role in our nation’s future and declare that this plant should not be denied to us.
The India Hemp Drugs Commission
By the late 1800’s, the British Empire though no longer ruling the New World, was still firmly entrenched to the East and still held sway over the Middle East and India. The major reason for this was, of course, trade. The Indian subcontinent, highly populated, was both a source and a consumer of massive amounts of British resources and products. In order to exact as much revenue as possible from their colonial subjects, the British taxed many products. This included alcohol and other intoxicants. In 1790, the British crown started collecting those duties, expanding to Cannabis products in 1793, “No person shall manufacture or vend any such drugs (bhang, ganja, charas, and other intoxicating drugs) without a license from the collector of the zillah.” For many years the cannabis plant and its products were legally bought and sold throughout the Empire. As time marched on, various laws were passed limiting the scope of their sales. This stemmed from the unknown nature and effects of the plant. Even today scientists, doctors, and politicians seem baffled by everything that is known, and unknown about cannabis.
It was with little surprise in 1893 that the British House of Commons raised a formal inquisition into the truth of this plant and the preparations made from it. At this time, the British undertook perhaps the most exhaustive and scientific research of the cannabis plant of all time. Nixon’s Shafer Report of 1972, and even modern studies may come close, in scope, to the size of this undertaking. Over the course of nine months, many members of the medical and scientific community, stationed initially in Bengal but eventually encompassing all of India, looked into all cases of marijuana-induced disease, of mental, physical and moral concerns. This was a thorough investigation, involving testimony from civil and military sources, as well as merchants, commoners and professionals. Almost 1200 individuals were interviewed, their testimonies closely scrutinized and questioned in an effort to sort truth from opinion and superstition, so that the India Hemp Drugs Commission might gain an actual understanding of the benefits and threats posed by the hemp plant. The main thrust of the inquiries were designed to ferret out the consequences of the drug in terms of “adverse physical consequences, insanity, and the causation of crime.”
The British were particularly worried about the physical effects of cannabis preparations on their soldiers (Napoleon even outlawed hash amongst his own soldiers in Egypt). It was a very easy habit to get started on, especially with so many troops stationed throughout India. In India there were several popular ways to imbibe marijuana. It was often smoked out of a pipe or cigarette, or as charas (sticks or balls of hash). Also it could be prepared as a drink, called bhang, which was mixed with milk and other herbs and spices, occasionally with poppy as well. Also, it could be smoked with herbs of the Datura plant to induce strong hallucinations. This was mentioned several times in the report, with doctors commenting that it should be given separate investigation because its effects were far less beneficent in that preparation.
The inquiries were thorough in nature. Doctors sought to compare the effects of single use with that of moderate, consistent and heavy users. They were concerned with its effects on digestion, causation of dysentery, asthma, bronchitis and insanity. One thing became clear as the investigation continued; there was no consensus on the benefits or detriments of the plant. Some doctors touted its medicinal properties, while others decried it as a poisoner of mind and body. Some things don’t change. In the year 1894, 2344 patients were admitted to insane asylums. Of those, 222 were alleged to be caused by hemp. Carefully whittling down those numbers to 61 cases it was still unclear, “even in regard to the remaining 61 cases, it must be borne in mind that it is impossible to say that the use of hemp drugs was in all the sole cause of insanity, or indeed any part of the cause. The following considerations combine to demand caution and reserve in pronouncing an opinion on this point.” Statistically, less than 2% of the purported cases of insanity could be blamed on hemp, and even that two percent were suspect. The report’s conclusion, “The careful inquiry which has been made by the commission into all the alleged hemp drug cases admitted in one year into asylums in British India demonstrates conclusively that the usual mode of differentiating between hemp drug insanity and ordinary mania was in the highest degree uncertain, and therefore fallacious. Even after the inquiry which has been conducted, it cannot be denied that in some of the cases at least the connection between hemp drugs and insanity has not been conclusively established.”
Even in the field of physical effects the results were uncertain. No doctor could claim without a doubt that dysentery was caused by the herb, because there were so many other factors that attributed to the afflictions of people in India. Today, we know marijuana does not have that effect on the digestive system. We also know that unclean water sources are the major cause of most dysentery cases. In the case of asthma, most doctors were against the notion that cannabis was a cause. Although many agreed that smoking preparations could lead to asthma inflammation as well as other bronchial troubles. That is still a valid concern on the part of physicians today, and a logical point of debate in the field of medical marijuana. Doctors of the time relied heavily on cannabis preparations for medical benefits; even Queen Victoria was known to medicate with cannabis for relief from cramping and other menstrual discomforts.
In two of the three fields of the investigation, marijuana turned out to be beneficial, or at the least non-malignant. The final inquiries turned toward the effects of cannabis on the moral health of an individual. Is this plant responsible for turning otherwise healthy members of society into criminals? The report’s conclusion, “In respect to this relation to society, however, even the excessive consumer of hemp drugs is ordinarily inoffensive. His excesses may indeed bring him to degraded poverty which may lead him to dishonest practices; and occasionally, but apparently very rarely indeed, excessive indulgence in hemp drugs may lead to violent crime. But for all practical purposes it may be laid down that there is little or no connection between the use of hemp drugs and crime.”
Overall, many of the report’s authors were somewhat dissatisfied, not with the positive results (in our eyes) but with the lack of concreteness to the results. “Viewing the subject generally, it may be added that the moderate use of these drugs is the rule, and that the excessive use is comparatively exceptional. The moderate use practically produces no ill effects. In all but the most exceptional cases, the injury from habitual moderate use is not appreciable. The excessive use may certainly be accepted as very injurious, though it must be admitted that in many excessive consumers the injury is not clearly marked. The injury done by the excessive use is, however, confined almost exclusively to the consumer himself; the effect on society is rarely appreciable. It has been the most striking feature in this inquiry to find how little the effects of hemp drugs have obtruded themselves on observation. The large number of witnesses of all classes who professed never to have seen these effects, the vague statements made by many who professed to have observed them, the very few witnesses who could so recall a case as to give any definite account of it, and the manner in which a large proportion of these cases broke down on the first attempt to examine them, are facts which combine to show most clearly how little injury society has hitherto sustained from hemp drugs.” After a sustained effort, it was shown that most of the negative stories that pertained to cannabis use were the result of opinion, superstition and exaggeration. Anecdotal evidence rarely held up to scrutiny.
A more thorough scientific inquiry into the nature and effects of cannabis would have been a logical next step, but the science of the time was greatly lacking. Even with modern resources, doctors and scientists still are woefully ignorant of the scope of this plant. It would be beneficial to the medical marijuana cause if the results of this study were more widely known by today’s critics. This report has been buried, mostly by time. As opposed the Nixon-Shafer report of the 1970’s, which was deliberately hidden away because its results were exactly opposite to the political ends of its commissioners. It is most interesting that these studies are undertaken and then forgotten. As Winston Churchill said, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Here stands the world, more than 100 years after this commission’s report and still without any clear answers to the questions they asked.
Hashish
The cannabis plant is consumable in many forms. One of the most storied and controversial preparations of marijuana is hashish. Hashish is a compressed and purified form of the resin that grows in the trichomes of the cannabis plant. Historically, bud harvests were pressed between palms or other plant leaves until all excess plant matter, save the resin, was rubbed away. This left a much finer substance, varying in consistency from fine powder to a paste of oily substance. The final product has a much higher cannabinoid content than regular bud clippings. Today, there are numerous ways of preparing hash, from mechanical tumblers, to ice baths, chemical separation treatments, and even vacuum distillation. This can result in powdered hash, hard blocks, nuggets of goo (for lack of a better description), or even a resiny oil, often called “honey oil”. These preparations can range from 30-90% in THC content, as opposed to untreated buds (up 27% THC). Although, as marijuana research and development has progressed, growers are now using high CBD strains to produce hashish that offers medical benefits to a greater diversity of patients.
Though hashish has been found frequently in historic sites throughout the Near East, Middle East and Indian subcontinent, many historical sources tie the name “hashish” to the word assassin and the story of al-Hassan bin al-Sabbah, a warlord from the mountainous region south of the Caspian Sea. In a nutshell, Hassan used hashish preparations in training and maintaining the loyalty of his warriors, often sent out to kill (assassinate) his enemies. This story came to the West, compliments of Marco Polo’s travels in the late 13th Century. This is the most accepted tale, but many scholars refute this story’s accuracy. From the 13th through 18th centuries, the use and spread of hashish stayed mostly in the East. But in the late 1700’s it began to spread West as Napoleon’s conquests into Egypt exposed his troops to it. Despite his prohibition, use of hashish continued and expanded, finding its way to the New World.
By the start of the 20th century hashish production and trade was widespread, with centers in the Middle East, Chinese Turkestan, and on the Greek/Turkish borders. However, as time marched on, many laws prohibiting hashish production and trade were passed across the world. As quickly as it had risen to prominence, it was quickly blacklisted. Today it can be found, in many places but is still castigated in others. In Amsterdam (home of the Ice-olater production method), many kinds of hash can be found, or in India and Nepal as “charas.” In California, Colorado, and other compassionate use states, it can be found at dispensaries. And these cultivators are some of the pioneers pushing the strains in new directions to help benefit patients whose afflictions leave them with few treatments.
On the other end of the spectrum, Oklahoma recently passed a bill including sentencing for anywhere from two years to life for production, sales or distribution of hashish. House Bill 1798 names a mandatory 2-year minimum sentence, as a felony, for first time convictions. Subsequent offenders face sentences without leniency or parole to a lifetime sentence. This is a newly-minted law for a cannabis-based product, not heroin, crack or cocaine (although those laws are just as strict). By the way, Oklahoma and Colorado share approximately 100 miles of border. At the same time, Colorado is looking into DUI laws for cannabis. This may not be welcome news to most patients, but it is a key part of regulation and acceptance. Most people rail against sobriety check points (for alcohol), but they deter drunk driving and therefore save lives. Hopefully Colorado’s legislators will spend time to review the science behind the detection of cannabis in the body. It is not as simple as a test as for alcohol inebriation.