NORML has recently posted online the fourth edition of its popular and comprehensive booklet, “Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids: A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature.”
Updated and revised for 2011, this report reviews approximately 200 newly published scientific studies assessing the safety and efficacy of marijuana and its compounds in the treatment and management of nineteen clinical indications: Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), chronic pain, diabetes mellitus, dystonia, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, gliomas and other cancers, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hypertension, incontinence, methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA), multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, pruritus, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and Tourette’s syndrome.
Explains the report’s lead author, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano: “The conditions profiled in this report were chosen because patients frequently inquire about the therapeutic use of cannabis to treat these disorders. In addition, many of the indications included in this report may be moderated by cannabis therapy. In several cases, preclinical data and clinical data indicates that cannabinoids may halt the progression of these diseases in a more efficacious manner than available pharmaceuticals.”
The updated report also features a new section, authored by osteopath and medical cannabis specialist Dr. Dustin Sulak, highlighting the significance of the endocannabinoid system and its role in maintaining mental and physiological health.
“As we continue to sort through the emerging science of cannabis and cannabinoids, one thing remains clear: a functional cannabinoid system is essential for health,” writes Dr. Sulak. “From embryonic implantation on the wall of our mother’s uterus, to nursing and growth, to responding to injuries, endocannabinoids help us survive in a quickly changing and increasingly hostile environment. As I realized this, I began to wonder: can an individual enhance his/her cannabinoid system by taking supplemental cannabis? Beyond treating symptoms, beyond even curing disease, can cannabis help us prevent disease and promote health by stimulating an ancient system that is hard-wired into all of us? I now believe the answer is yes.”
Full text of the report is now available online here. Hard copies will be available for purchase shortly. Print copies of the third edition of this report will be made available at a reduced rate for those seeking bulk orders. (Please e-mail NORML for further details.)
“The Reformation”
Genesis I:29,30,31
The CDXX Communion Revival
Hangin’ on for Dear Life.
Whether one is of faith or not – we [collectively] are being releaved of our right[God given/Constitutional] -by a law “made” by man, “upheld” by law enforcement – yet – “applauded” by its citizens. Even more so – considered an “Unjust Law” by a majority of “We the People.”
so sad im on probation for posession and can no longer smoke. 🙁
And the ONE and only question thats asked (still) is whats this Gov waiting on, thats more than enough studies needed, Its a (Delayed Game) is what it is and for what reason ………idk
I don’t know it sounds like your messing with the government’s Suffer before you die population control plan.
I’m excited to see someone else considering God’s little normalizers as adjuncts to our existence. As humans developed and moved into larger groups, our foraging for food was a supply and demand exercise. We were growing in number and our communities were growing more communicative. High tensions and overpopulated shelter accompanied by a patch of sweet smelling, seedy little life saving plants that were as much of a fragrant conversation piece as they were the first matrix-style slow-motion reel. “Your weakness is not your technique.” Self in self-same environment. Philosophy on a stick.
I hope readers will find the following Wikiversity article (about endocannabinoids and so forth) helpful or even interesting:
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Ethnobotany
Oh yes, if the article leaves anything to be desired, don’t hesitate to sign in and edit, upgrade, enlarge as you may find warranted.
I need my medicine!I will volunteer for the supplemental cannabinoids trials.
Thank you, NORML, for this important medical cannabis update.
There should no longer be a question in any thinking person’s mind why the Federal government continues it’s immoral illegal war on cannabis. This “war” has nothing to do with scientific fact, and everything to do with the tyrannical subjugation of most of this government’s citizens|victims for the benefit of the few.
It has been reaffirmed as medicine (US Patent 6630507 onwards), as well as one of the most useful natural fibers (hemp) known to mankind. Avaricious crony corporate interests and the promulgation of tyrannical police powers by the State are the only reasons why this selective War on|of Drugs continues. Schedule 1 classification under CSA is patently ridiculous when full re-legalization of cannabis is called for, presuming the rule of law still abides.
If it becomes legal and it can be used to treat many many ailments. How much would pharmaceutical companies lose?
I have a seizure disorder as a result of a head injury and since I’ve gone to a daily regimine of smoking at night before I go to sleep, I’ve gone from 17 pills @ day down to 9. The frequency of my seizures has decreased. From 1 seizure every 2 weeks to about 1 a month. Also the intensity of my seizures has diminished to where I only feel the side effects from them for about 1 hr. It used to be 3 to 4 hours before I started this daily dosage. Power to the weed!
thank you NORML! and thank you Cannabis! Homeostasis rocks 🙂 from what i have studied, cannabis should be seen as a health supplement, not the evil demon weed as it is constantly falsely portrayed by big govt. and the msm.
That is just amazing. What a wonderful plant. It has to be a gift from God. I’m afraid the prohibition people are going to run with the fact that the monster out there in Az who shot all those people used marijuana.
#14 I wouldn’t at all be surprised they start saying that the gunman was high on marijuana ,knowing damn well cannabis hasn’t made anyone do anything violent in many yrs ,an if that’s the case then people would be going postal everyday like that gunman did in AZ
( Whats this country coming to)
Lock everyone up for using a scientific researched plant, but become mellow on gun laws,an if a pedophile rapes your Lil boy or girl its OK he gets out soon, but with a ankle bracelet on, but the next time it might b too late cause he did what he did before only murdered the poor innocent child ………is it just me or does that sound backwards….. wow
The former Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey would still say it’s all a lie, and the rest of the DEA former administrators would also refuse to acknowledge factual scientific findings unless it’s anti-marijuana.
It takes real people to understand for themselves and not by the intimidations of the DEA and their former administrators. The DEA’s real boss has been dead for the past 17 years.
How many prohibitionists inhaled cannabis?
Two Faced and Liars
What about epilepsy? How come it’s not listed?
[Paul Armentano responds: Because the focus of the book is on research published in the past decade. There has been almost no preclinical work, and no clinical work, on cannabis and epilepsy in many years.]
Somewhere in your ‘most secret place deep in your most trusted, where have you found your ‘place,?
How many children do you want to arrest?
How many Families do you want to destroy?
I ask you why, what drives you?
Is there any-where one could go in-order to find info. on study’s dealing with epilepsy?
[Paul Armentano responds: PubMed. Here’s a start: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=cannabis%20epilepsy%5D
“If it becomes legal and it can be used to treat many many ailments. How much would pharmaceutical companies lose?”
Shel D: Don’t know, but I bet it has lots of digits. How about the booze pushers? They would lose big time in my not so humble opinion
what i want to know is where is NORML and MPP on this issue of Illinois taxes being increased 66%?
This government is getting ready to shut down because WE THE PEOPLE will not take these increases, yet there is MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILLING TO THROW MONEY AT THIS GOVERNMENT IF MARIJUANA IS LEGAL?
IT really lets ya know that organizations like these dont REALLY want MJ legal
[Paul Armentano responds: Your post is as ignorant as it is insulting. Illinois NORML has been extremely active in lobbying the Illinois legislature over the past years, and MPP produced and aired television commercials in Illinois as recently as last month in support of SB 1381. If you had any investment in either group you would be well aware of our efforts — as well as the efforts of organizations like the DPA, StoptheDrugWar, SSDP, etc. — and the absurdity of your claim that we ‘don’t really want marijuana legal.’
@14 Cat Cassie, @16 ck31: Re. prohib media use of Arizona event: of course Limbaugh referred to the man as a “pothead”. A NY Post story mentioned an acquaintance saying the assassin wanted to quit “smoking cigarettes and pot”. The UK Daily Mail ran headline: “…Cannabis Smoking Lone Gunman”.
Meanwhile here’s what’s buried way down in the fine print of another Daily Mail story:
“Roger Whithed, 52, a construction worker who lives two doors down from Loughner, said he saw him during this week, sitting out front the single family home he lived in smoking CIGARETTES. …” (my capitalization.
Can you imagine a headline, anywhere in the media, saying: “Cigarette Smoking Loner Gunman”?
I have used Cannabis for over forty years to reduce the pain associated with cluster headaches. The dose is very small but the results are definitely worth the risk.When our government makes laws that prevent a person in need from obtaining and using their preferred medicine it is a crime against its own citizens.
to #14 and 16,
It was discussed on CNN that the gunman stopped using cannabis in 2008. His friends reported that once he stopped using cannabis he began to go off the deep end. No one will see it for what it is, but could it be that cannabis was treating a mental issue?
Unfortunately NORML can post all the data it sees fit to. Independant studies can be performed and results can be clear as day. Nothing will change while we sit on our ever growing asses. Stop blogging and tweeting and instead get into the streets, assemble, and March!
The internet does serve a purpose but pales in comparison to the awsome visual of THOUSANDS Marching on Washington DC.
* Paul……anything on the burner regarding the above?
[Paul Armentano responds: My personal opinion: Marches on Washington, even when they are of sufficient numbers to gain the ‘awesome visual’ you speak of are typically no more than one-day news stories at best. Remember the ‘Rally to Restore Sanity?’ Good story: for about 24 hours. Similar efforts in recent memory (say in the past three decades) have not been associated with moving meaningful legislation or dramatically impacting public policy (e.g., immigration law reform, U.S. foreign policy, etc.), both of which must be achieved in order to bring about tangible marijuana law reform at the federal level.]
to #14 again. You were right David Frum aka The Fool, is all over it, blaming cannabis for the shooting. A real piece of work, who loves fallicious reasoning and unsightful rhetoric that has been used since the beginning of the drug war. Is there no spokesperson for cannabis that can address this guy’s lies openly that the media will cover?
@ #29 True American
Once the end of net neutrality comes about… and it will soon, the people will no longer have this quaint way of expressing their views (via blogs, facebook twitter, etc.).
When that time comes, we will have no other choice but to talk to each other in person (what a foreign concept, right?) if we want to express our viewpoints.
That is when the real activism will begin.
#28 I Honestly think if he quit using 2 yrs ago, his stress/fruitiness went through the roof if his friends say he changed when he stop using, an changed in a bad way. This is yet another reason why it should be legal ,because of these recent mellow gun laws, the gun laws an stress/fruitiness, is like oil an water.
God is the ultimate Pharmacist and alchemist.
Ray DiPasquale / E.B.
Maybe the propaganda people in Washington will wake up and take note. NOT! No they won’t because they spent millions already doing MJ research themselves and know all of this but still keep it illegal because tobacco and alcohol companies fund their campaign contributions.
You don’t have to tell me about the benefits of Marijuana . I went from a BIG FATSO at 260 pounds down to 212 pounds after quitting alcoholic beverages and replacing booze with the more sensible healthier alternative to alcohol with no calories and here’s
proof . http://yfrog.com/1ypnmrj
and if you don’t believe i weighed 260 lbs . well, here’s more proof http://www.northcoastjournal.com/041207/cover0412.html
Alcohol kills .
Marijuana saves .
It’s as simple as that
wow. no matter how many emails you send to Norml or MPP they both somehow miss the studies on obsessive compulsive disorder.
[Paul Armentano responds: Please feel free to post the studies you are referring to to my attention.]
Yes #36, please share. I have not seen any studies that support cannabis as treatment for depression, anxiety, or OCD. I myself have issues with all of the above. I feel that cannabis helps more than someone without these issues could possibly imagine. It is like magic, that is the only way to describe it. The OCD just goes away. I don’t become a slob or lazy, I just stop caring how exactly my desk is organized and I dont have to wash my hands more than once at a time. However, I’m afraid the only evidence I have seen to support my experience are personal testimonies on blogs such as this. Alas, a personal story is not proof and can easily be dismissed as a lie.
Paul, I think its great that someone as high up as you are on the chain in NORML is responding to comments on an article. Keep up the hard work!
We need to stand up and speak out, not only the pot smokers, but the innocent just as much!!!!! Go to topix.com and vote on the Should Marijuana be legalized debate, in your local area. You can vote only once, and its USA wide. Lets boost the numbers so high, that President Obama HAS TO LISTEN!
Currently, my city is leading the comments….. here is a link….
http://www.topix.com/issue/marijuana/dyersburg-tn/
WE CAN SPEAK OUT ABOUT THESE HORRORS AND UNJUSTICES THROUGH FORUM TOPIX!!! ITS TIME TO STAND UP, AS A COUNTRY, AND SAY NO MORE!!!!!
SO far….. 48,269 people support legalization, and only 11,539 oppose. With 6,916 cities reporting.
The ability of cannabis to excellently combat sadness, anxiety, ADD & anger respectively is as important as it’s ability to excellently combat these more unusual conditions like HIV & Tourette’s. Cannabis can & should wipe the largely ineffective & potentially dangerous ‘anti-depressant’ & ‘anti-psychotic’ sythetic drugs off of the market: science research is the way to bring that positive change; NPRs Science Friday covered the topic once… let’s get the info out there!
Lessons From The Place
By The Authority vested to my only soul, as witness I say
I cast my only vote + Cannabis shall forever be free