The big question about marijuana smoke has always been, “Will it cause cancer?”  A review of the scientific literature still does not give a definitive answer but it appears that a leading and well known pulmonologist (lung specialist) from UCLA has found that marijuana is unlikely to cause cancer.  He has also determined that COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is unlikely as well.  Dr. Donald Tashkin, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, has been studying the effects of marijuana smoke since the 1970’s.  He was the lead investigator on the initial studies that identified the toxic components in marijuana smoke.  He also reported the  the studies that showed that there is damage from the smoke to the cells that line the upper airways of the lungs.  His findings have also found that marijuana smokers are more likely than non-smokers to have cough, sputum production, and wheezing.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse gave Dr. Tashkin a grant in 2002 to study if heavy, long-term marijuana smoking increases the risk of lung and upper airway cancers.  Dr. Tashkin and his associated looked at 2,252 patients, about half of which had cancer and half did not.  The patients were matched for age, gender, and neighborhood.  Marijuana use was measured in “joint years” which means the number of years that the patient had been smoking times the number of joints per day.

The results of this study showed that increased marijuana use did not result in higher rates of lung or throat cancer, but that the use of tobacco increased the risk of cancer.  Tobacco smokers who also smoked marijuana were at slightly lower risk of getting lung cancer than tobacco-only smokers.  Although the National Institute on Drug Abuse chose not to publish the results of this study, It was published in the October 2006 issue of the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.

There was a study out of New Zealand that got more attention that Dr. Tashkin’s study even though it only looked at a total of 79 patients, of which only 21 were cannabis users.  This study reported that heavy marijuana users (14 out of the 21 included in the study) had an increased risk of cancer; Dr. Tashkin himself stated that “one has to very cautious interpreting the results due to the very small number of cases.”

A report published in the British Columbia Mental Health and Addictions Journal (Canada) stated that tobacco-related health costs are over $800 per user, alcohol-related costs are about $165 per user and cannabis-related health costs are about $20 per user.

The review, authored by researchers from the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia at the University of Victoria and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse at the University of Ottawa, stated: “Alcohol is used by a very large number of people with the vast majority of these using in low- or moderate-risk ways. Conversely, cannabis and tobacco are used by far fewer people. The majority of cannabis use is low- and moderate-risk, however, while the majority of tobacco is high-risk.”

In the conclusion of the study, the authors stated:  “The harms, risks and social costs of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco vary greatly. A lot has to do with how the substances are handled legally. Alcohol and tobacco are legal substances, which explains their low enforcement costs relative to cannabis. On the other hand, the health costs per user of tobacco and alcohol are much higher than for cannabis. This may indicate that cannabis use involves fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco.”

The author conclude further: “These variations in risk, harms and cost need to be taken into account as we think about further efforts to deal with the use of these three substances. … Efforts to reduce social costs related to cannabis, for example, will likely involve shifting its legal status by decriminalizing casual use, to reduce the high enforcement costs. Such a shift may be warranted given the apparent lower health risk associated with most cannabis use.”

You can read the report here: http: //www.heretohelp.bc.ca/publications/visions (page down to Cannabis for the pdf copy of the Journal)

The above information was posted on the NORML web site today as well (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).  Check them out at www.NORML.org.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by diffuse pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, with associated fatigue and multiple tender points (places on the body where slight touch causes pain).  Fibromyalgia occurs in about 2% of the US population and women are much more likely to develop this disease.  Often there is a triggering illness or emotional trauma, but sometimes no cause can be identified.

The pain associated with fibromyalgia is described as a constant dull ache, typically arising from muscles. Patients also suffer with fatigue and can have associated sleep disorders.  Patients with fibromyalgia often have other co-existing medical problems, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Depression, IBS, PTSD, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Fibromyalgia isn’t progressive and generally doesn’t lead to other conditions or diseases. But patients suffer greatly with pain and this can lead to anxiety, depression and lack of sleep. These problems can then interfere with the ability to function at home or on the job, and maintaining close family or personal relationships can become difficult. Patients often end up on many medications with adverse side effects and become even more frustrated and unhappy.

Medical marijuana is being used by many patients for pain relief, improvement of mood, less anxiety, and especially for better sleep.  Marijuana is known to help with many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia without the adverse side effects of the strong pharmaceutical medications normally prescribed for this condition.  Many patients state that just the sustained restful sleep that can be had on a regular basis helps tremendously with the pain, frustration, and anxiety associated with fibromyalgia.  Since marijuana is generally known to be safe and has minimal toxic side effects (especially if taken with a vaporizer, edibles or tinctures), fibromyalgia sufferers find that its use has at least some benefit to help them get through daily life with this difficult condition.

Many medical marijuana patients are finding natural relief of a variety of medical conditions with this amazing plant.  But there are so many strains that it can be overwhelming to find which strain or plant will be helpful for certain conditions.

Botanists generally agree that there are three types of cannabis plants:  Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.  Since C. ruderalis is noted for being almost completely devoid of THC, it is not commonly used for medical purposes.

The cannabis plants contain about 400 compounds, sixty of which are called cannabinoids.  These sixty compounds are considered to have medicinal effects, although most of them are found in only trace amounts.  The most prominent and well known cannabinoid is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).  Another prominent compound is cannabidiol (CBD).  THC is psychoactive (that means it affects your mind and your mood).  CBD is not psychoactive. Different strains of Cannabis plants have different effects based on the different amounts of THC and CBD that they contain.

It is pretty well accepted that when the different compounds of cannabis are separated from each other they do not work as well medicinally.  CBD helps to counteract the “high” associated with THC so that the overall effect is less psychoactive.  Synthetic THC (manufactured under the name dronabinol or Marinol) contains only THC  and therefore is very psychoactive; one of the main complaints about dronabinol is that it causes an uncomfortable high.   THC and CBD occur together naturally and appear to work best when they are not separated out of the plant.

Cannabis sativa plants generally contain higher amounts of THC and lower amounts of CBD.  The effects from sativa are often characterized as uplifting and energetic. It is considered to be a cerebral or brain effect.  The sativas give a feeling of optimism and well-being, and are well known to provide good pain relief for certain symptoms.  Sativas are known as “daytime” medications.

Cannabis indica plants generally contain higher amounts of CBD and lower amounts of THC.  The effects from the indica plant are often described as “body” effects, meaning relaxation of muscles with good pain relief.  Patients describe a feeling of calmness and serenity. Cannabis indica is very well known for inducing a sustained, restful sleep, and for this reason are known as “nightime” medications.

Cannabis sativa plants and Cannabis indica plants have been crossbred to create a classification of plants known as hybrids.  Hybrid plants can vary in their effects but many patients describe excellent relaxation (without excessive sleepiness) as well as good pain relief.  Hybrid plants can have varying ratios of sativa to indica (for example, 80% sativa:20% indica, or 50% sativa:50% indica, etc.) and one can experiment to find the best medicinal effects based on the ratio.

One of the benefits of being a physician-approved medical marijuana patient is that you can choose which medication to use based on your illness and the goal of your treatment.  For example, patients with depression often find that sativas alleviate the symptoms that cause inactivity and sadness, while patients with anxiety and depression may find a hybrid to better suit their symptoms.  Patients who are using medical marijuana for sleep disorders find that the indicas are reliable for excellent sustained sleep with no “hangover” the next day.

As always we encourage NOT smoking the plant as the toxins in the smoke can damage your lungs.  But there are many other ways to use the medication (vaporizers, edibles, tinctures) so that you can avoid the smoke-related side effects.  And of course talking with a knowledgeable physician at MMEC can help you decide if this medication would be helpful for your medical condition.

Many people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD have turned to medical marijuana for treatment of their symptoms with positive results and minimal side effects.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is also known as hyperactivity or attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADHD is a common condition that affects both children and adults. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 3% to 5% of children have ADHD. Some experts think it is more common, occurring in 8% to 10% of school age children.  There is controversy over whether or not children grow out of the symptoms.

Children with ADHD generally have problems paying attention or concentrating. They can’t follow directions and are easily bored or frustrated with tasks that require focusing. They also tend to move constantly and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act. Although some might say that all children behave like this to some extent,  they occur more often than usual and are more severe in a child with ADHD.

The behaviors that are common with ADHD interfere with a child’s ability to function at school and at home.  Symptoms of ADHD in children are generally grouped into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.  Adults with ADHD may have difficulty with time management, organizational skills, goal setting, and employment. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addictions.

The exact cause of ADHD is unknown but thought to be due to a number of factors:  genetics, chemical imbalance, brain differences, head injury, exposure to toxins, and/or problems during the mother’s pregnancy.

Conventional treatment of ADHD has mostly been centered around treating the patients with stimulants like Concerta, Ritalin, and Dexedrine.  The main problem with these medications is the side effects – abdominal pain, sleeplessness, poor appetite, and anxiety just to name a few. Some non- stimulant medication is available (like Stratera) and sometimes antidepressants are used as well. Interestingly, the long term effects of these treatments are still somewhat unknown. Other treatments include behavioral therapy, counseling, and specialized educational assistance.

Most patients who choose medical marijuana over these medications do so because they are not happy with the bad side effects of stimulants.  Other patients who do find these conventional treatments helpful will sometimes treat the unwanted side effects of the stimulants with marijuana; this combination therapy often relieves the side effects of sleeplessness and lack of hunger.

There is not enough scientific evidence to state that medical marijuana definitively helps with ADHD, however there are overwhelming anecdotal and case reports to support at least a trial of cannabis for those adult patients who struggle with symptoms and the unwanted side effects of conventional treatments.  After passage of Proposition 215 in California, doctors began seeing adult ADHD patients who reported that cannabis had positive effects on their ADHD symptoms with no unwanted side effects. Adult ADHD patients that use medical marijuana report that they feel calm, are able to focus on and complete a task that they normally could not do, are able to eat and sleep better, and overall have a better quality of life.

Studies in hyperactive/impulsive rats have shown that they improve with cannabis. It is time for the scientific research community to begin adult human studies on this most natural medication which improves ADHD symptoms without the unwanted side effects of stimulant medication.  And of course we must mention that we do not recommend using medical marijuana by smoking it; vaporizers. edibles, and tinctures are now widely available and eliminate the adverse side effects of toxic smoke on the lungs.