Medicinal Marijuana // 100 Things

What is Cannabis? 
Cannabis sativa and cannabis indica are members of the nettle family that have grown wild throughout the world for centuries. Both plants have been used for a variety of purposes including hemp to make rope and textiles, as a medical herb and as the popular recreational drug.

What chemical compounds are found in Cannabis?
There are over 400 chemicals in marijuana, but only 61 [80 as of July 9, 2009; see Editor's Note below] of them are unique to the Cannabis plant -- these are called cannabinoids.

• THC. An abbreviation for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC is the main component responsible for marijuana's mind-altering effect. It also may help treat signs and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that are associated with a number of medical conditions.
• Cannabinol and cannabidiol. These compounds have some of the properties of THC, but cause less psychoactive effects, the high - Mayo Clinic
  
  
  Other constituents of the cannabis plant are: nitrogenous compounds (27 known), amino acids (18), proteins (3), glycoproteins (6), enzymes (2), sugars and related compounds (34), hydrocarbons (50), simple alcohols (7), aldehydes (13), ketones (13), simple acids (21), fatty acids (22), simple esters (12), lactones (1), steroids (11), terpenes (120), non-cannabinoid phenols (25), flavonoids (21), vitamins (1) [Vitamin A], pigments (2), and elements (9).   - ASA Americans for safe Access 
  
  

A few thing Medical Cannabis can help with?

How many country currently prescribe some form of Medicinal Cannabis?
17 States in America
Canada
Austria
Germany
Netherlands
Finland
Italy
Israel
Spain
Portugal
Czech Republic
Denmark

What is Sativex?
Sativex is a cannabinoid medicine for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis which is also in development in cancer pain and neuropathic pain

Cannabinoids react with cannabinoid receptors that occur naturally throughout our bodies, including in our brains. A receptor is a site on a brain cell where certain substances can stick or “bind” for a while. If this happens, it has an effect on the cell and the nerve impulses it produces, which causes a ‘dimming down’ of the symptoms of spasticity. In patients who respond to Sativex®, it is this effect which helps to improve their symptoms of spasticity and to help them cope better with their usual daily activities.
Main effects of CBD: Anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antipsycotic, anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory
Main effects of THC: Analgesic, anti-spasmodic, anti-tremor, anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, anti-emetic

Arguments against Medicinal Marijuana (RAW form)
Health Issues:
Mental Health Problems

There is growing evidence that people with serious mental illness, including depression and psychosis, are more likely to use cannabis or have used it for long periods of time in the past.  Regular use of the drug has appeared to double the risk of developing a psychotic episode or long-term schizophrenia. However, does cannabis cause depression and schizophrenia or do people with these disorders use it as a medication?

Over the past few years, research has strongly suggested that there is a clear link between early cannabis use and later mental health problems in those with a genetic vulnerability - and that there is a particular issue with the use of cannabis by adolescents. - The Royal College Of Psychiatrists

How to prescribe Prescribing the right strains of Cannabis currently is difficult as there needs to be more research and understanding of different strains of cannabis and there individual qualities.


Arguments for Medicinal Marijuana
People with IllnessThere are definitely people using cannabis to cure ailments and diseases they have. Whether people agree that they are being cured and or reducing the effects of certain symptoms they are self medicating using an un-controlled substance and are under law criminal for possession of a class B drug. These people shouldn't be made into criminals for being ill.

Organized Crime As the only available raw cannabis in this country is supplied illegally, a lot of the money is funding organized crime. Most people would agree that it would be better to cut the street dealers out along with the organized crime factor so that patience could get their prescription legally.

Alternative to Pills
Many patients find the side effects of Cannabis more manageable and less dangerous then other prescription medicine.

Sativex
The problem with Sativex is that its not very available for patients in the UK. The reason for this is because local NHS primary care trust resistance to its funding.

Dealers 
People who use Cannabis for medical illness have to go through dealers to receive there Cannabis. Apart from funding illegal crime, patients generally do not know what they are actually consuming.



In countries that prescribe cannabis to patients the dispensary or chemist know what strain they are prescribing and what the strength/ quality of the cannabis is. Different strains of Cannabis can also be prescribed as they have slightly varying effects. The main point is control and distribution.

Adulterants /Quality
The quality of cannabis can be effected by dealers but also because of the illegal status of Cannabis, patients trying to get cannabis don't know how is been grown or where its come from. The conditions in which the Cannabis is grown can effect the strength or quality.


The Cannabis may be contaminated as street dealers can add anything to make the Cannabis weight more which equals more money for them.
If Cannabis is contaminated it can be toxic.

100 People

1. Alan Johnson MP
2. Professor David Nutt
3. George Washington
4. James Brokenshire MP
5. Paul Flynn MP
6. Dr Les King (Former member of Drug advisory council)
7. Howard Marks 
8. William Brooke O'Shaughnessy
   Jacques-Joseph Moreau de Tours
9. Lumír Ondřej Hanuš
10. Tod H. Mikuriya 
11. Albert Lockhart
12. Manley West
13. Jack Herer
14. Thomas Jefferson
15. David Cameron
16. Barack Obama
17. GW pharmaceutical
18. Gatewood Galbraith 
19. Heather Donahue
20. Ron Paul
21. John Sinclair 
22. Danny Danko
23. Nico Eskondico 
24. Mark Emery 
25. Eugene Oscapella 
26. FRANK
27. Richard Martin
28. Tommy Chong
29. George Bush 
30. Chris Bennet
31. Brett Harvey
32. Graeme Flannigan
33. Stephen Scorgie 
34. Kieran Mcguire
35. Larry Campbell
36. Jack A. Cole
37. Edd Rosethall
38. Dr Perry Kendall
39. Joe Rogan
40. Ronald Ragen
41. Todd Mccormick 
42. Rielle Capler
43. David Malmo Levine
44. Dr Paul Hornby
45. Kirk Tousaur
46. Dr Lester Grinspoon
47. Stephen Bloom
48. Greg Cooper
49. Steve Levine
50. Dr Tod Mikuriya
51. Neil Boyd
52. John Conroy QC
53. Norm Stamper
54. Snoop Dogg
55. Ian Molgrew
56. Water Melon Girl
57. Jesse Ventura
58. Dr Tim Stockwell
59. Greg Willioams
60. Jeffery Miron
61. Darryl Plecas
62. Dana Larsen
63. Stephen Easton 
64. Richard Nixon
65. JohnnConroy

100 Statistics

In glaucoma, marijuana and THC have been shown to reduce intra-ocular pressure (IOP) by an average of 24% in people with normal IOP who have visual-field changes. In studies of healthy adults and glaucoma patients, IOP was reduced by an average of 25% after smoking a marijuana cigarette that contained approximately 2% THC—a reduction as good as that observed with most other medications available today, according to a review by the Institute of Medicine. - Wikipedia

1 in 6 people aged 16-24 had tried it in 2010/11. - Talk To FRANK


Two million people in the UK smoke cannabis. Half of all 16 to 29 year olds have tried it at least once

In 2009 an estimated 577,712 people from different states in America used Medical Cannabisthe United Nations estimated that global consumption of cannabis indicated that approximately 4.0 percent of the adult world population (162 million people) used cannabis annually, and that approximately 0.6 percent (22.5 million) of people used cannabis daily

An estimated $7.7 billion is spent enforcing marijuana laws in America annually

$400 million is spent annually enforcing and prosecuting Canadians in Canada

100 Facts

1. Marijuana cannot induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity.
2. According to NIDA statistics, the ubiquitous pain-killer Aspirin kills around 2000 people in America per year
3. Hemp paper making starts in England in 1494
4. Queen Elizabeth I decrees that land owners with 60 acres or more must grow Cannabis else face a £5 fine in 1563
5. Cannabis is listed in the US Pharmacopoeia as a medicine for various ailments in 1870
6. Queen Victoria's personal physician, Sir Russell Reynolds, prescribes Cannabis for menstrual cramps. He claims in the first issue of The Lancet, that Cannabis "When pure and administered carefully, is one of the of the most valuable medicines we possess" - 1890
7. September 28th 1928. The Dangerous Drugs Act 1925 becomes law and Cannabis is made illegal in Britain
8. 1983 - UK convictions for cannabis possession exceed 20,000, having risen from just under 15,000 in 1980.
9. The discovery of THC receptors in the human brain is reported in Nature, 1990
10. 42,209 people are convicted of cannabis offences in the UK. 19,583 escape with cautions - 1991
11. Declaration of Independence drafted on Cannabis paper in 1776
12. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson cultivated and traded hemp
13. Cannabis cultivated for the first time in England at Old Buckeham Mare in the 400's
14. Chinese make paper from cannabis and mulberry. 100BC
15. First written record of cannabis use, in the pharmacopoeia of Shen Nung, one of the fathers of Chinese medicine. 2700BC
16. If you are caught with Cannabis on your possession the maximum penalty is up to five years in jail in the UK
17. Supplying someone else can get you fourteen years in prison and an unlimited fine in the UK
18. Cannabis is an analgesic (relieves pain)
19. Cannabis is an anti-emetic (relieves nausea and vomiting)
20. Cannabis is an appetite stimulant (induces hunger)
21. Skunk refers to a range of stronger types of cannabis, grown for their higher concentration of active substances. Often grown using hydroponic equipment and nutrients. 
22. Cannabis was re-classified in January 2009 and is now a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, 1971.
23. The main risk to physical health from cannabis is probably from the tobacco that is is often smoked with - http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/problems/alcoholanddrugs/cannabis.aspx (The Royal College Of Psychiatrists)
24. The amount of the main psycho-active ingredient, THC, that you get in herbal cannabis varies hugely from as low as 1% up to 15%.  The newer strains, including skunk, can have up to 20%.  The newer varieties are, on the whole, two or three times stronger than those that were available 30 years ago. It works more quickly, and can produce hallucinations with profound relaxation and elation – along with nervousness, anxiety attacks, projectile vomiting and a strong desire to eat. They may be used by some as a substitute for Ecstasy or LSD. (The Royal College Of Psychiatrists)
25. A study by the British Lung Foundation found that just three cannabis joints a day cause the same damage as 20 cigarettes.  - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2419713.stm
26. Clinical trials are being carried out to see whether or not cannabis kills cancer and could be a cure for certain forms of cancer. 
27. Industrial hemp used to be the most grown crop in the world
28. 50% on the medicine marketed in the late 1900's contained marijuana
29. Illegal marijuana is worth more ounce for ounce then gold
30. Every yer prescription drugs kill over 100,000 people in the US
31. The NHS spends £8.2 billion on prescription drugs every year
32. GPs now prescribe an average of 14 items per person a year - at an average cost of £11 per item. 
33. Deaths from adverse reactions to prescription drugs have more than doubled in 10 years, new figures show - UK
34. Statistics from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reveal 973 people died from suspected serious side-effects last year, compared to 382 in 1996 (2006 UK)
35. Every 14 minutes, a person is killed by prescription drugs in the US
36. legal drugs now kill nearly 38,000 Americans every single year

100 Words

1. Mental Health
2. Smoking
3. Tobacco
4. Science
5. Medicine
6. MS (Multiple sclerosis) Law
7. Illegal
8. Prescription
9. Legislation
10. Medication
11. Control
12. Contamination
13. Dutch
14. Regulation
15. Anxiety
16. Industry
17. Psychosis
18. Police
19. Cultivation
20. Drugs
21. Orginised Crime
22. Grows
23. Money
24. Busts
25. Violence
26. Class B
27. Prison
28. Strains
29. Criminals
30. Fines
31. Reefer Madness
32. Research
33. Politics
34. Propaganda
35. Hysteria
36. Free Will
37. Freedom of Speech
38. Ignorance
39. Patients
40. Glaucoma
41. Alzheimer's
42. Lung Cancer
43. Breast Cancer
44. HIV/AIDS
45. Brain Cancer
46. Opoid Dependence
47. Anti-inflammatory 
48. Cannabidiol  
49. THC
50. Cannabinol 
51. β-Caryophyllene
52. Cannabigerol
53. Sativex
54. Pharmaceutical
55. Profit
56. Patent
57. Indica
58. Sativa
59. Misconceptions
60. Ingesting Cannabis
61. Vaporizing
62. Lungs
63. Studies
64. Confusion 
65. Tests
66. Contamination
67. Clean
68. Dealers
69. Raw
70. Government
71. Herbal
72. Un-controlled 
73. Quality
74. Propaganda 
75. Marinol
76. Cesamet 
77. Possession
78. Recreation
79. Spiritual
80. Religious
81. Hash
82. Resin
83. Tar
84. Psychoactive
85. Pychedelic
86. Nausea
87. Vomit
88. Hunger
89. Chemotherapy 
90. AIDS
91. "Gateway drug"
92. Hash Oil
93. Joint
94. Extracted
95. Concentrated 
96. Receptors
97. Adulterants
98. Ounce
99. Flower
100. Spray

David Cameron's response to users' questions about Marijuana on Aljazeera's WorldView. The second question.

Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): What her policy is on the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. [54324]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (James Brokenshire): We do not recognise cannabis in its raw form to have any medicinal purposes; cannabis is a harmful drug. However, Sativex, a cannabis-based medicine, has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency as a safe and effective medicine for patients with multiple sclerosis.

Paul Flynn: In Canada, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Israel, Spain, Portugal and parts of the United States, patients can take medicinal cannabis in its natural form safely and legally. Why are seriously ill patients in our country, particularly those suffering the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, forced to break the law when they want to use their medicine of choice?

James Brokenshire: The advice we have received from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs confirms that cannabis is a significant public health issue. I certainly sympathise with anyone suffering from a debilitating illness, but we do not condone any illicit drug taking, for whatever reason. As I have indicated, GPs may prescribe Sativex in the circumstances mentioned. That is available, and we are dealing with its regulation.

Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con): That is not the most significant medical issue in relation to cannabis. In its higher form in particular, there are significant risks to young people, such as the probable causal link to mental illness, especially psychosis and schizophrenia. Will the Minister reassure the House that the Government will continue to take a tough line and ensure effective enforcement of the law on possession of cannabis?

James Brokenshire: I know that my hon. Friend takes these issues incredibly seriously, and has focused on drugs policy for some time. I assure him that our position is that the classification of "illegality" can influence behaviour and be a meaningful factor when people are contemplating taking drugs. That is why we do not have any proposals to change the classification of cannabis, and why we place so much importance on the current legal arrangements in ensuring we reduce supply and deal with these problems. There is no change of policy.

Professor David Nutt on Newsnight

British Medical Cannabis - BBC Inside Out 

Some British patients are now traveling to the Netherlands for their cannabis medicine, where medical use is legal. Countries such as Germany and Denmark purchase Sativex, made by GW Pharmaceuticals, as pain and spasm relieving medicine. Sativex is a cannabis tincture that should be made more accessible to those in need.
 

Sarah is now the British representative for the the International Association of Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) and recently delivered a presentation at a convention in Bonn, Germany. Her interest lies in 'whole plant' cannabis research and medical use British laws stand in the way of essential cannabinoid research and development. - From the video description, uploaded by SarahSoulFood.

BBC Horizon A Look At Medicinal Cannabis & Sativex UK