April 29, 2014The federal government’s official position is that marijuana, as a Schedule 1 substance, has no medical value. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even many of the most ardent critics of medical marijuana do not agree with the Schedule 1 classification, because it has impeded the ability to conduct research on the plant’s potential therapeutic uses. Every U.S. commission or federal judge who has studied the evidence has agreed that cannabis is a very safe drug. The U.S. holds a patent on medical marijuana, Patent No. 6630507, which explains how cannabinoids are neuroprotectants and can treat neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke or trauma. Given that the U.S. holds this patent, the federal government’s position that marijuana has no medical value is absurd.

Even though marijuana is still an illegal drug under federal law, the Justice Department is not challenging state marijuana laws as long as they do not conflict with federal enforcement priorities. These priorities include selling pot to minors and funneling marijuana revenue to gangs and cartels. Medical marijuana is now legal in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Montana, Alaska, Illinois, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington D.C., Hawaii and Oregon. Recreational use of marijuana and medical marijuana are legal in Colorado and Washington state.

Every day we trust physicians to determine whether or not the risks associated with therapeutic, yet potentially dangerous prescription drugs are acceptable for their patients. With all its therapeutic uses, marijuana has only one side effect that has been exaggerated as a concern: the “high.” The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) believes this side effect is not acceptable, so cannabis continues to be illegal in utter disregard for both doctor and patient. This side effect should be acceptable, as long as people do not drive or do anything dangerous while they are under the influence of medical marijuana. Even though marijuana can help treat chronic pain, doctors usually prescribe oxycodone and hydrocodone to treat chronic pain, and these narcotics can be addictive or even fatal if too many are taken at one time.

The short-term effects of marijuana include immediate, temporary changes in thoughts, perceptions and information processing. Marijuana can cause impaired reaction time and motor skills. It can also cause food cravings, so it is not helpful to obese people who want to lose weight. The cognitive process most clearly affected by marijuana is short-term memory. People under the influence of marijuana usually have no trouble remembering things they learned previously. However, they temporarily display diminished capacity to learn and recall new information. This diminishment only lasts for the duration of the intoxication. A recent, large-scale, longitudinal study of adult marijuana users corroborates earlier findings that marijuana produces no long-term negative effects on cognitive skills in adults.

Young, developing brains are more susceptible to harm from marijuana than adult brains. Some recent studies suggest that regular use in teenage years leads to a permanent decrease in IQ. Many people believe that making medical marijuana legal will make it easier for teenagers to buy, but the opposite is true. Rates of marijuana use among young people decrease when a state adopts medical marijuana, because access is decreased when marijuana moves from street drug dealers to inside licensed dispensaries, where you need a prescription to buy marijuana.

While cannabis intoxication varies with psychological set and social setting, the most common response is a calm, mildly euphoric state in which time slows and sensitivity to sights, sounds and touch is enhanced. A possible adverse reaction to marijuana may be a panic or anxiety attack. Many opponents of medical marijuana make much of the purported link between marijuana use and mental illness, but there is no compelling evidence to support the claim that marijuana is a causal risk factor for developing a psychiatric disorder in healthy individuals. A recent study conducted by Harvard University researchers found that marijuana is unlikely to be the cause of any illness, even in people who may be genetically predisposed to schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. The researchers concluded that cannabis does not cause psychosis by itself. In genetically vulnerable individuals, while cannabis may modify the illness onset, severity and outcome, there is no evidence from this study that it can cause the psychosis.

On average, a person dies every 19 minutes in this country from a legal prescription drug overdose, while it is virtually unheard of to die from a marijuana overdose. When 80-year old Willie Nelson was a guest on HBO’s Bill Maher show, Bill said “I have living proof that you cannot overdose on marijuana standing right next to me!” This elderly country singer is well known for smoking very strong marijuana frequently and he is still singing.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is the chief medical correspondent for the Health, Medical and Wellness unit at CNN. He says that he has seen marijuana turned into medicine that has quelled epilepsy in children and pain in adults. He has also seen it help a woman at the peak of her life to overcome the ravages of multiple sclerosis. He believes that marijuana can treat many diseases.

What does medical marijuana treat?

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

The human immunodeficiency virus is a retrovirus that invades cells in the human immune system, making it highly susceptible to infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization, more than 500,000 Americans have died from HIV/AIDS and more than one million U.S. citizens are living with the disease. Cannabis is used by many people living with HIV/AIDS to treat symptoms of the disease as well as the side-effects of various antiretroviral medications. HIV/AIDS patients who inhale cannabis four times daily experience reduced HIV-associated neuropathy.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurological disorder of unknown origin that is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and learned behavior. Patients with Alzheimer’s are also likely to experience depression, agitation and appetite loss. No approved treatments or medications are available to stop the progression of the disease. Cannabinoid therapy provides symptomatic relief to patients afflicted with AD and also moderates the progression of the disease.

ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and motor cortex. An estimated 30,000 Americans are living with ALS, which often arises spontaneously and afflicts otherwise healthy adults. There is no cure for this disease. More than half of ALS patients die within 2.5 years following the onset of symptoms. Cannabinoids delay ALS progression, moderate the disease’s development, and alleviate some ALS-related symptoms such as pain, appetite loss, depression and drooling.

Antibiotic CBD Disinfectants

Young un-budded hemp plants provide extractions of CBDs (cannabidiolic acids). There are many antibiotic uses of the cannabidiols, including treatment for gonorrhea. A 1990 Florida study indicated its use in treating herpes. The acid side of tetrahydrocannabinol cannabidiols occur inversely to the amount of the plant’s THC and is therefore more acceptable to prohibitionists because it won’t get you high. Direct contact with THC killed the herpes virus in a University of South Florida (Tampa) 1990 research study by Dr. Gerald Lancz, who warned that although “smoking marijuana will not cure herpes,” anecdotal reports indicate a faster drying and healing of the outbreak after topical application of “strong bud,” soaked in rubbing alcohol and crushed into a paste.

Asthma

More than 15 million Americans are affected by asthma. Smoking cannabis (the “raw drug” as the AMA called it) would be beneficial for 80% of them. Smoking a little bit of marijuana has been known to stop a full blown asthma attack.

Cancer

Gliomas (tumors in the brain) are especially aggressive malignant forms of cancer, often resulting in the death of the patient within 1-2 years following diagnosis. There is no cure for gliomas and most available treatments provide only minor symptomatic relief. Studies demonstrate cannabinoids’ ability to act as antineoplastic agents, particularly on glioma cell lines. Delta-9-THC induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) in glioma cells in culture.

In addition to cannabinoids’ ability to moderate glioma cells, separate studies demonstrate that cannabinoids and endocannabinoids can also inhibit the proliferation of other various cancer cell lines, including breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, skin carcinoma, leukemia cells, neuroblastoma, lung carcinoma, uterus carcinoma, thyroid epithelioma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, cervical carcinoma, oral cancer, biliary tract cancer, and lymphoma. Some experts now believe that cannabinoids retard cancer growth.

Chronic Pain

Many Americans live with chronic pain. Some of these people suffer from neuropathic pain, a condition that is associated with numerous diseases, including diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and HIV. In most cases, the use of standard analgesic medications such as opiates and NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is ineffective at relieving neuropathic pain. Further, long-term use of most conventional pain relievers, including acetaminophen, opioids, and NSAIDs, is associated with a host of potential adverse side effects, including stroke, heart-attack, and death resulting from an accidental overdose. Marijuana is sometimes a better pain reliever than opioids.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a central nervous system disorder characterized by uncontrollable twitching of the arms or legs and/or seizures. Charlotte Figi is a child whose brain was locked in nearly nonstop seizure activity. She suffered from Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of intractable epilepsy. Doctors tried seven different medications, stringent diets and high-dose supplements without success. For Dravet Syndrome, the American Epilepsy Society says that there are approximately one million people for whom existing therapies do not control their seizures. The society recently said anecdotes about medical marijuana “give reason for hope” and said it supports “well-controlled studies that will lead to a better understanding of the disease and the development of safe and effective treatments.” The marijuana strain Charlotte and other patients use to ease painful symptoms of epilepsy has been named after the little girl who is getting her life back one day at a time. It’s called Charlotte’s Web, and it does not get children “high” because it is a strain of marijuana high in CBD and low in THC.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome of unknown etiology. The disease is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and multiple tender points in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips. An estimated 3 to 6 million Americans are afflicted by fibromyalgia, which is often poorly controlled by standard pain medications.

Inhaled marijuana can significantly alleviate neuropathic pain. Preclinical data indicates that cannabinoids, when administered in concert with one another, are more effective at ameliorating neuropathic pain than the use of a single agent. The administration of single cannabinoids such as THC or CBD produce limited relief compared to the administration of plant extracts containing multiple cannabinoids, terpenes (oils), and flavonoids (pigments).

GI Disorders

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, including functional bowel diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and colitis, afflict more than one in five Americans, particularly women. While some GI disorders may be controlled by diet and pharmaceutical medications, others are poorly moderated by conventional treatments. Symptoms of GI disorders often include cramping, abdominal pain, inflammation of the lining of the large and/or small intestine, chronic diarrhea, rectal bleeding and weight loss.

Observational trial data reports that cannabis therapy use is associated with a reduction in Crohn’s disease activity and disease-related hospitalizations. Investigators at the Meir Medical Center, Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology assessed disease activity, use of medication, need for surgery, and hospitalization before and after cannabis use in 30 patients with Crohn’s disease. Authors reported, “All patients stated that consuming cannabis had a positive effect on their disease activity” and documented “significant improvement” in 21 subjects. Researchers found that subjects who used cannabis significantly reduced their need for other medications.

Glaucoma

Fourteen percent of all blindness in America is caused by glaucoma, a progressive loss of vision. Cannabis smoking would benefit 90% of our 2.5 million glaucoma victims, and is two to three times as effective as any current medicines for reducing ocular pressure. Cannabis use has no toxic side effects to the liver and kidneys; nor is there any danger of the occasional sudden death syndromes associated with the legal pharmaceutical glaucoma drugs and drops.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral disease of the liver that afflicts an estimated four million Americans. Chronic hepatitis C is typically associated with fatigue, depression, joint pain and liver impairment, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Patients diagnosed with hepatitis C frequently report that cannabis treats both the symptoms of the disease as well as the nausea associated with antiviral therapy.

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s Disease (HD) is an inherited degenerative brain disorder characterized by motor abnormalities and dementia produced by selective lesions in the cerebral cortex and, in particular, the striatum. There are presently no known conventional therapies available to alleviate HD symptoms or delay HD-associated striatal degeneration. Cannabinoids may possess potential to moderate the advancement of the disease, but more research is necessary to determine whether or not marijuana is capable of delaying the progression of this disease.

Lung Cleaner and Expectorant

Cannabis is the best natural expectorant to clear the human lungs of smog, dust and the phlegm associated with tobacco use. Marijuana smoke effectively dilates the airways of the lungs, the bronchi, opening them to allow more oxygen into the lungs. It is also the best natural dilator of the tiny airways of the lungs, the bronchial tubes, making cannabis the best overall bronchial dilator for many people. Many joggers and marathon runners feel cannabis use cleans their lungs, allowing better endurance.

Migraine Headache Relief

While tobacco constricts arteries, cannabis opens them. Because migraine headaches are the result of artery spasms combined with over-relaxation of veins, the vascular changes cannabis causes in the covering of the brain (the meninges) usually make migraines disappear.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system that causes inflammation, muscular weakness and a loss of motor coordination. Over time, MS patients typically become permanently disabled and, in some cases, the disease can be fatal. According to the U.S. National Multiple Sclerosis Society, about 200 people are diagnosed every week with the disease — often striking those only 20 to 40 years of age.

Clinical and anecdotal reports of cannabinoids’ ability to reduce MS-related symptoms such as pain, spasticity, depression, fatigue, and incontinence are plentiful. Studies suggest that cannabinoids may also inhibit MS progression in addition to providing symptom management. Investigators have also reported that the administration of oral THC can boost immune function in patients with MS.

Nausea Relief

“Marijuana is the best agent for control of nausea in cancer chemotherapy,” according to Dr. Thomas Ungerleider, who headed California’s Marijuana for Cancer research program from 1979 to 1984. It can also relieve nausea caused by motion sickness. Pharmaceutical nausea control drugs come in pills that are often swallowed by the patient, only to be thrown back up. Because cannabis can be ingested as smoke, it stays in the system and keeps working even if vomiting continues. Throughout the state’s 10-year Compassionate Marijuana Medical law, George Deukmejian, both as attorney general and as governor, made it virtually impossible for terminal cancer patients to get cannabis. Californa Governor Pete Wilson was following the same course until the medical marijuana initiative passed in November 1996.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a disorder of the brain that causes muscular tremors resulting in difficulty walking, controlling movement, and coordination. PD is caused by a change in the homeostasis of the endocannabinoid system in the body. The nerve cells that produce dopamine are slowly destroyed without which the brain cannot properly process messages. The result is loss of muscle function that worsens over time.

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. A few pharmaceutical drugs have been developed to control the symptoms, but as with many pharmaceutical drugs, the side effects are usually severe. Cannabis is a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals. Preliminary evidence indicates that it is a powerful treatment for PD and other neurological disorders.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease of the joints characterized by pain, stiffness, and swelling, as well as an eventual loss of limb function. Rheumatoid arthritis is estimated to affect about one percent of the population, primarily women. It is possible that cannabinoid therapy could provide symptomatic relief of joint pain and swelling as well as suppressing joint destruction and disease progression. Rheumatism was treated throughout South America until the 1960s with hemp leaves and/or flower tops heated in water or alcohol and placed on painful joints. In fact, this form of herbal medicine is still widely used in rural areas of Mexico, Central and South America, and by California Latinos for relief of rheumatism and arthritis pain.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a medical disorder characterized by frequent interruptions in breathing of up to ten seconds or more during sleep. The condition is associated with numerous physiological disorders, including fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack and stroke. Though sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, it is estimated that approximately 4% of men and 2% of women between 30 and 60 years old suffer from this disease. A limited number of preclinical studies assess the role of cannabinoids on sleep-related apnea. More research should be done in this area.

Sleep and Relaxation

Cannabis lowers blood pressure, dilates the arteries and reduces body temperature an average of one-half degree, thereby relieving stress. Evening cannabis smokers often report more restful sleep. Using cannabis allows most people a more complete rest with a higher amount of “alpha time” during sleep as compared with prescription or sleep-inducing patent sedatives. Prescription sleeping pills (the so called “legal, safe and effective” drugs) are often just synthesized analogs of truly dangerous plants like mandrake, henbane and belladonna.

Tourette’s Syndrome

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder of unknown etiology that is characterized by involuntary vocal tics. The severity of this condition varies widely among patients. Therapy with delta-9-THC might help people with TS, but more research must be done to determine conclusively if this is true.

Conclusion

Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are the principal cannabinoids found in cannabis. When ingested they have a synergistic effect, reducing inflammation, controlling spasms, and preventing neurological damage. Medical evidence clearly indicates that cannabis is the best overall treatment for all diseases where the neurological system of the body is disrupted, because this disruption is counteracted by the neuroprotective properties of cannabis. Cannabis helps young children with epileptic seizures without getting them high and it helps adults live with chronic pain and enjoy life in greater dignity and comfort.

All Floridians should vote yes for medical marijuana in November, 2014 when it is on the ballot. 60% of Florida’s voters must vote yes in order for doctors to be allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to patients who are suffering, patients for whom traditional medical treatments do not work. Please help end the unnecessary suffering of millions of Americans with debilitating diseases by voting yes this November and making this wonderful medicinal plant legal and affordable for all who need it.