THC
Israeli Research Identifies Cannabinoids As Beneficial in Battle Against Neuroblastoma
Potentially joining hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and chemotherapy as a means of controlling neuroblastoma, Israeli scientists have recently discovered marijuana’s two main cannabinoids help to mitigate the rapid multiplication of the neuroblastoma (nbl) cell. According to the study, while both THC and CBD were found to “have antitumorigenic activity in vitro and impeded the growth […]
Canadian Researchers Confirm Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Impedes Weight Gain
According to a recent study published in the PLOS ONE journal, small daily doses of THC prevents weight gain in lab mice fed a typical American diet – one that’s high in fat. Providing a sliver of hypothetical hope for the 78.6 million U.S. adults who suffer from obesity, a group of Canadian researchers looked […]
Israeli Research On Humans Demonstrates THC Helps Alzheimer’s Patients
According to researchers at Tel-Aviv University, adding tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to the treatment of patients suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease provides “a potential treatment” for the deadly degenerative neurological disease. Costing America a little over $200 billion in 2013, Alzheimer’s Disease currently affects more than 5 million US citizens. As 1in 3 seniors face the unpleasant reality […]
Marijuana Industry News November 1, 2013
Concerns Rise Over Washington Condition Medicinal Marijuana Program…
Passage of I-502, which legalized leisure marijuana in Washington signified a significant change within the cannabis reform movement. New tax revenues and also the lengthy past due restoration of private freedom are some of the together with your new law. Unfortunately, the change toward an income oriented marijuana industry can leave patients forgotten. Although patients won’t be outright prohibited from acquiring marijuana underneath the new leisure regulations, they might be exposed to new and tax rates. Charging patients exactly the same costs for any necessity instead of someone seeking leisure pleasure appears unfair. Additionally, many people are not able to operate because of their health conditions. Steph Sherer, of People in america for Safe Access, authored a great blog entry for that Huffington Publish explaining her take on the whole medicinal marijuana situation in Washington. She mentions a course targeted at getting patient needs to forefront known as Health Before Happy Hour.
 
Federal Judge in Maryland Views Lighter Sentence For Marijuana Smugglers…
Even while the general public progressively requires a more poor take on marijuana, federal government bodies have mostly maintained exactly the same traditional rigid stance. With marijuana’s schedule I classification, federal convictions typically yield harsh penalties. Earlier now, U.S. District Judge James K. Breda released a 5 year sentence to Scott Russell Segal on charges of promoting 100s of pounds of marijuana. Federal recommendations recommended a sentence of 8-11 years. With sentencing recommendations from sync using what the general public wants cheap marijuana doesn’t produce the safety concerns connected with harder drugs for example heroin, idol judges across the nation have felt the necessity to problem lesser sentences. “It’s indisputable the offense isn’t regarded as with similar importance it had been 20 or 3 decades ago once the sentencing recommendations … that are still being used, were promulgated,” Bredar stated.
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Study: Marijuana Can Kill Certain Cancer Cells…
Marijuana’s possibility to fight cancer continues to be recorded before. Many have discovered success with hemp oil remedies and past studies demonstrated the compound within marijuana, CBD, can steer clear of the distributing of cancer. A new study released within the Anticancer Research Journal analyzed six cannabinoids apart from THC. Dr. Wai Liu lead the research and located that non-psychoactive cannabinoids “resulted in dramatic cutbacks in cell viability” and “caused a synchronised arrest whatsoever phases from the cell cycle.”
Vice Presidential Showdown Being Held in Hemp Country
The political world has been buzzing since last week’s presidential debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Most analysts and viewers felt Mr. Romney won the debate and that the President seemed distant and unmotivated. The president has vowed to turn up the intensity next week as the polls have shifted toward Romney a bit. However before next week’s showdown we will watch the right hand men of the two candidates go into political battle.
Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan will be in Danville Kentucky for their debate. While this may not seem significant for some, Kentucky is hemp country both in a historical sense and in a modern sense. Kentucky lawmakers, one of them being the widely known Rand Paul, have been fighting to reform hemp laws, which if possible, make even less sense than our marijuana laws. Our politicians are the quickest to include American flags on their lapelle but often the slowest to remember exactly what the stars and stripes stand for. America’s history on hemp will forever be intertwined as George Washington even required farmers to grow the plant in order to help during the revolutionary war.
Irrational and overblown fears of marijuana during the turn of the 20th century into the 1930s lead to lawmakers also outlawing hemp. The fact that it is virtually impossible to get “stoned” from this part of the marijuana plant would not serve as a deterrent for dogmatic lawmakers. Hemp stalks include a fraction of 1% of THC, where most strains of marijuana can range from 10-25% THC. As more is being uncovered about hemp’s versatility, even politicians who love reminiscing in the good old days of anti science are forced to reconsider their opposition.
The two vice presidential candidates will probably stick close to the talking points of their runningmates/bosses. Even as Joe Biden is known for abandoning the script, we do not feel he will be fielding questions on marijuana and hemp, even though much of the debate will revolve around recycled ideas as to how we get America back to work. If only each debate required a local segment, where the issues impacting the region where the debate is being held were discussed. If that were the case then last week we may have heard President Obama and Governor Romney articulate their position on compassion and relief while this week we would be treated to Paul Ryan and Joe Biden telling us how they would jumpstart hemp farming, create jobs, and educate Americans about the wonder fiber.
News Of Marijuana Benefit May be Weighed Down By Political Arguments
Despite political squabbling as to how America should handle its growing healthcare problem, millions remain uninsured. With mental disorders being diagnosed more frequently and skyrocketing treatment costs, we seem to be heading down a path of widespread medical disaster, where many still will not be able to afford treatment.
Repealing Obamacare (the goal of presidential hopeful Mitt Romney who ironically can be considered its architect) will be a huge topic for debate in the upcoming presidential election. We have witnessed the obsession with eliminating the president’s healthcare plan since it was passed. However, we have heard very few ideas as to how the next plan would provide help to so many who are in desperate situations. Marijuana activists have offered their own plans to provide relief for millions, though marijuana alone cannot address all of our healthcare needs. However, when it comes to affordable medicine with little side effects, marijuana could act as an viable alternative. Government sponsored clinical trials with cannabis could produce some of the most effective treatments from both a standpoint of financial accessibility and medical effectiveness.
Neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney have embraced medical marijuana, but as their endless debate unfolds, we at marijuana.net want to make sure a new development does not get lost in the campaign squabbling. We were pleased to learn of even more evidence that cannabis holds more than just pain relief potential. In the journal titled “Psychiatry Research” a study was recently published that showed frequent cannabis users demonstrated higher neurocognitive performance when suffering from bi-polar disorder than those who did not use cannabis. The scientists were not willing to say that marijuana should be used specifically as a treatment for bi-polar disorder. Authors of the study were concerned about side effects and supposed links to possible psychological problems linked with marijuana use.
Scientists who were part of the study concluded that may need to develop treatments that mimic the positive effects of cannabis while limiting any negative side effects. Clearly more research is needed, but even if cannabis has some negative effects for those with mental disorders, lifting restrictions on marijuana research could eventually produce a strain of marijuana that could be ideal for bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, or other mental disorders. In Israel, where partisan politics have not restricted and severely hindered research, scientists were able to produce a strain of marijuana with high levels of CBD and low levels of THC (CBD and THC are both cannabinoids). The result is a strain that will address pain relief without creating the expected psychedelic effects commonly associated with marijuana. If our president and congress were to abandon the rhetoric, we may soon see scientists create treatments for the new age, medicine that is affordable, natural, and effective.
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.
From The Lab: How We Test Marijuana
“From The Lab: How We Test Marijuana”
Research and patient testimonials have been building marijuana’s incredible medical portfolio for some time now. Taking the science of marijuana even further is The Werc Shop, a leading cannabis laboratory that utilizes cutting edge science to analyze medicine.
Marijuana.net is proud to present “From The Lab: How We Test Marijuana”. The video features Jeffrey C. Raber, Ph.D. and Sytze Elzinga, M.Sc. of The Werc Shop describing the methods they use in testing cannabis as well as many of the common misconceptions about cannabis and problems other laboratories often encounter. One of the first issues they speak about is THCA (THC Acid). Despite what some may believe, cannabis does not contain THC naturally. Rather, it has THCA and upon heating the acid will be converted into THC. THCA will not produce the psycho activity closely associated with THC though it may still yield medical benefits.
The video also highlights typical testing problems and limitations from other labs. For instance, many dispensaries and laboratories are citing strains with THC levels as high as 35%. Sytze points out why this is not possible. In short, when THC acid is transformed into THC much of the weight is lost. Some of the other laboratories are not taking this into consideration, and as a result their miscalculations (utilizing the original weight) can greatly inflate the actual THC levels. As Sytze states, 35% THC would mean that over one third of the plant material would have to be resin. Jeffrey then goes on to show us how THCA weighs more before being introduced to heat. Once heated the carbon dioxide is eliminated and the lighter (in weight) THC is produced.
The video shows why The Werc Shop is a leader in the field of marijuana testing. Viewers will quickly notice the sophistication of their testing methods, including the use of liquid chromatography to quantify different cannabinoids. Check back with us for future productions from marijuana.net.
Tommy Chong Uses Hemp Oil to Treat Prostate Cancer
Tommy Chong has been making people smile for decades with his work that includes standup comedy, his role in the “Cheech and Chong” movies, and regular appearances on “That 70s Show”. While often playing a silly but harmless “stoner”, we know that Mr. Chong is an engaging and serious intellectual as well.
Tommy Chong has been a long time advocate of marijuana’s benefits so we at marijuana.net were saddened to hear that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He will be attempting to fight his cancer by using hemp oil. The upbeat Chong recently said “I’ve got prostate cancer, and I’m treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis, so legalizing marijuana means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested.”
He is not the first person to recognize the great potential hemp oil may possess in the fight against cancer. There have been recent stories from patients regarding hemp oil fighting cancer. One famous benefactor of hemp oil’s healing is Rick Simpson. Simpson is considered a pioneer in this field and his method of using the concentrated oil has caught the attention of many. Additionally there are other non publicized studies showing how cannabis may be able to combat serious medical conditions. Here’s an official United States government study conducted in 2006 that shows THC battling leukemia.
Some Members of marijuana.net were fortunate enough to meet Mr. Chong at a rally in front of Los Angeles’ City Hall. He was extremely kind and personable. We hope that utilizing the hemp oil works for Tommy Chong and that his high profile story opens up a serious national discussion on alternative approaches to serious medical conditions. If cannabis has the potential to cure diseases that modern medicine is inept to fix, then we must demand that more research is conducted. However, we also simply wish whatever treatments Tommy Chong uses that he has a speedy recovery. This is one of the nicest individuals we have ever met and the world could use his kindness for years to come.
Update on Medical Marijuana Issues in Michigan
While the coastal areas of New York and California have dominated marijuana reform news lately, we would like to turn our attention today toward the middle of the country. Michigan approved medical marijuana legislation in 2008 and though Attorney General Bill Schuette has sought to bring an end to the program, advocates have rallied to ensure patient safety.
There was a major landmark court decision issued recently by the Michigan Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision the court upheld a voter approved statute that would protect patients even if they have not applied for a medical marijuana card. However, they would need a previous recommendation from a physician. The current decision stems from lower cases where individuals were arrested for marijuana possession but should have been protected under the voter approved law. Karen O’Keefe, an attorney with the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) was pleased with the victory. MPP sponsored the initiative to get Michigan’s medical marijuana program passed. Ms. O’Keefe did urge patients to register in order to avoid the stress of being arrested and any legal fees associated with it. However, the victory is huge and patients can seek relief quicker as they can get their recommendation and start medicating as they wait on their paperwork to be processed.
Another interesting development in Michigan has to do with the medical marijuana program’s inclusion of 44 minors under the age of 18. For many this is controversial at best, and maybe even downright wrong. However, we must ask ourselves if there would be any attention paid to these children if they were taking highly addictive opiates in order to combat pain. The Detroit Free Press recently ran an article that focuses on Cooper Brown, a 14 year old who is a Michigan cardholder and uses marijuana to relieve complications associated with Dravet Syndrome (a severe form of epilepsy that is untraceable and begins in infancy). Cooper’s mother, Rebecca Brown, says that his seizures have drastically reduced since he began using marijuana. In line with the growing trend, Rebecca relies on laboratories to select strains that are low in THC and high CBD (the cannabinoid associated with pain relief without feeling “stoned”). She does not permit him to smoke it and, instead, prepares it in his food.
Rebecca and Cooper highlight just how desperate the need for medical marijuana regulation is. Though Rebecca seems capable of selecting her son’s medicine, there should be much more information and professional recommendations available. The time for simply dismissing marijuana as taboo is not a luxury Rebecca Brown can afford. Her son needs help and a lack of information on the subject is simply unacceptable. Thankfully they live in Michigan where the Supreme Court’s decision and Cooper’s situation show that patients are still a high priority.