medical cannabis refers to the use of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, as medical therapy to treat disease or alleviate symptoms. The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back thousands of years across many cultures. Its usage in modern times is controversial, and in recent years the American Medical Association, the MMA, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and other medical organizations have issued statements opposing its usage for medicinal purposes. Cannabis has been used to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy and people with AIDS, and to treat pain and muscle spasticity; its use for other medical applications has been studied, but there is insufficient data for conclusions about safety and efficacy. Short-term use increases minor adverse effects, but does not appear to increase major adverse effects. Medical cannabis has several potential beneficial effects.
Cannabinoids can serve as appetite stimulants, antiemetics, antispasmodics, and have some analgesic effects, The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that “Marijuana itself is an unlikely medication candidate for several reasons: it is an unpurified plant containing numerous chemicals with unknown health effects; it is typically consumed by smoking further contributing to potential adverse effects; and its cognitive impairing effects may limit its utility”. The Institute of Medicine, run by the United States National Academy of Sciences, conducted a comprehensive study in 1999 assessing the potential health benefits of cannabis and its constituent cannabinoids. The study concluded that smoking cannabis is not to be recommended for the treatment of any disease condition, but that nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety can all be mitigated by cannabis.
The Term Paper on Is There Any Medical Potential For Marijuana
Is There Any Medical Potential for Marijuana? Marijuana is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world (7). Since it became illegal in 1967 (5), there have been many questions of whether or not it is good for purposes, such as medicine. Debates between people that are for and against the use of marijuana in medicine have been heated and in recent years, referendums have been brought up in at ...
While the study expressed reservations about smoked cannabis due to the health risks associated with smoking, the study team concluded that until another mode of ingestion was perfected providing the same relief as smoked cannabis, there was no alternative. In addition, the study pointed out the inherent difficulty in marketing a non-patentable herb, as pharmaceutical companies will likely make smaller investments in product development if the result is not patentable. The Institute of Medicine stated that there is little future in smoked cannabis as a medically approved medication, while in the report also concluding that for certain patients, such as the terminally ill or those with debilitating symptoms, the long-term risks are not of great concern. Citing “the dangers of cannabis and the lack of clinical research supporting its medicinal value” the American Society of Addiction Medicine in March 2011 issued a white paper recommending a halt on use of marijuana as medication in the U.S., even in states where it had been declared legal.
Nausea and vomiting Medical cannabis is somewhat effective in chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting Comparative studies have found cannabinoids to be more effective than some conventional antiemetics such as prochlorperazine, promethazine, and metoclopramide in controlling CINV, but there are used less frequently because of side effects including dizziness, dysphoria, and hallucinations. Long-term cannabis use may cause nausea and vomiting, a condition known as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. A 2010 Cochrane review said that cannabinoids were “probably effective” in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea in children, but with a high side effect profile . Less common side effects were “occular problems, orthostatic hypotension, muscle twitching, pruritis, vagueness, hallucinations, lightheadedness and dry mouth”. HIV/AIDS
The Term Paper on Hazard: Occupational Safety And Health And Information
The Hazard Communication Standard [63] first went into effect in 1985 and has since been expanded to cover almost all workplaces under OSHA jurisdiction. The details of the Hazard Communication standard are rather complicated, but the basic idea behind it is straightforward. It requires chemical manufacturers and employers to communicate information to workers about the hazards of workplace ...
Evidence is lacking for both efficacy and safety of cannabis and cannabinoids in treating patients with HIV/AIDS or for anorexia associated with AIDS; studies as of 2013 suffer from effects of bias, small sample size, and lack of long-term data. Pain
Cannabis appears to be somewhat effective for the treatment of chronic pain, including pain caused by neuropathy and possibly also that due to fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. A 2009 review states it was unclear if the benefits were greater than the risks, Multiple sclerosis
Studies of the efficacy of cannabis for treating multiple sclerosis have produced varying results. The combination of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol extracts give subjective relief of spasticity, though objective post-treatment assessments do not reveal significant changes. Adverse effects
A 2013 literature review found that exposure to marijuana had biologically-based physical, mental, behavioral and social health consequences and was “associated with diseases of the liver, lungs, heart, and vasculature”. There is insufficient data to draw strong conclusions about the safety of medical cannabis, although short-term use is associated with minor adverse effects such as dizziness. Although supporters of medical cannabis say that it is safe, further research is required to assess the long-term safety of its use. The opinion of the Food and Drug Administration and many scientists is that some of the many different cannabionoids included in cannabis can have medical value, but not as smoked cannabis and only with controlled and careful prescription and the same testing for safety and effect as other approved drugs, a process that normally takes about 10 to 15 years from start to commercial product. Pharmacology
The genus Cannabis contains two species which produce useful amounts of psychoactive cannabinoids: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa, which are listed as Schedule I medicinal plants in the US; – chemical compounds that interact with cannabinoid receptors in the brain. The most psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant is tetrahydrocannabinol . Preliminary studies have also shown potential over psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis. Because cannabidiol relieves the aforementioned symptoms, cannabis strains with a high amount of CBD may benefit people with multiple sclerosis or frequent anxiety attacks. Relative to inhaled consumption, peak concentration of oral THC is delayed, and it may be difficult to determine optimal dosage because of variability in patient aborption. The botanist Li Hui-Lin wrote that in China, “The use of Cannabis in medicine was probably a very early development.
The Term Paper on United States Marijuana Cannabis Medical
Mary Jane "Legalization of Marijuana" For many years now there has been a constant argument over whether or not the medicinal uses of marijuana are enough to overlook the side effects of the drug and make it legal for medical use in the United States. To many people, when they think of the plant marijuana, technically known as Cannabis Sativa, or hear the phrase "legalization of marijuana", they ...
Since ancient humans used hemp seed as food, it was quite natural for them to also discover the medicinal properties of the plant.” Emperor Shen-Nung, who was also a pharmacologist, wrote a book on treatment methods in 2737 BCE that included the medical benefits of cannabis. He recommended the substance for many ailments, including constipation, gout, rheumatism, and absent-mindedness. Cannabis is one of the 50 “fundamental” herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. The Ebers Papyrus from Ancient Egypt describes medical cannabis. The ancient Egyptians used hemp in suppositories for relieving the pain of hemorrhoids. Surviving texts from ancient India confirm that cannabis’ psychoactive properties were recognized, and doctors used it for treating a variety of illnesses and ailments, including insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, and pain, including during childbirth. The Ancient Greeks used cannabis to dress wounds and sores on their horses, and in humans, dried leaves of cannabis were used to treat nose bleeds, and cannabis seeds were used to expel tapeworms. Modern
An Irish physician, William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, is credited with introducing the therapeutic use of cannabis to Western medicine, to help treat muscle spasms, stomach cramps or general pain. Albert Lockhart and Manley West began studying in 1964 the health effects of traditional cannabis use in Jamaican communities. They developed, and in 1987 gained permission to market, the pharmaceutical Canasol: one of the first cannabis extracts. In the 1970s, a synthetic version of THC was produced and approved for use in the United States as the drug Marinol. Voters in eight US states showed their support for cannabis prescriptions or recommendations given by physicians between 1996 and 1999, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, going against policies of the federal government. Society and culture
The Research paper on Breast Cancer Research
Breast Cancer is a dynamic and devastating disease that kills and affects millions of people. Some of the newest research is fascinating. There have been discoveries from what may potentially cause breast cancer, to preventions of breast cancer. To understand the research behind breast cancer and why it is so important you must first understand what breast cancer is. Breast cancer is a malignant ...
Methods of acquisition
The method of obtaining medical cannabis varies by region and by legislation. In the US, most consumers grow their own or buy it from dispensaries in the states and the District of Columbia which permit the use of medical cannabis. The report authors suggested rather that medical cannabis users occupied a “continuum” between medical and nonmedical use. Programs
As of 2011, 16 US states and the District of Columbia have public medical cannabis programs, but its use remains illegal by federal law. In 1978 the US government created a program called the Compassionate Investigational New Drug program which dispenses cannabis cigarettes to 20 people with debilitating conditions The convention thus allows countries to outlaw cannabis for all non-research purposes but lets nations choose to allow medical and scientific purposes if they believe total prohibition is not the most appropriate means of protecting health and welfare.
The convention requires that states that permit the production or use of medical cannabis must operate a licensing system for all cultivators, manufacturers and distributors and ensure that the total cannabis market of the state shall not exceed that required “for medical and scientific purposes.” The American College of Physicians – America’s second largest physicians group Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – America’s second largest cancer charity American Academy of Family Physicians opposes the use of marijuana except under medical supervision Other medical organizations recommend a halt to using marijuana as a medicine in U.S. The American Society of Addiction Medicine The patent is entitled “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants” and was issued in October 2003. Research
The Schedule I classification of cannabis in the US makes the study of medical cannabis difficult. A 2001 paper argued that cannabis had properties that made it potentially applicable to the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and on that basis research on this topic should be permitted, despite the legal difficulties of the time. A 2005 review and meta-analysis said that bipolar disorder was not well-controlled by existing medications and that there were “good pharmacological reasons” for thinking cannabis had therapeutic potential, making it a good candidate for further study. Cannabinoids have been proposed for the treatment of primary anorexia nervosa, but have no measurable beneficial effect. The authors of a 2003 paper argued that cannabinoids might have useful future clinical applications in treating digestive diseases. Laboratory experiments have shown that cannabinoids found in marijuana may have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Cancer
Legalizing Marijuana Research Paper
Abstract Marijuana legalization for medicinal purposes is a highly controversial subject that is sure to heighten the interest of many. This topic has been on the horizon for many years and in the recent past that has brought various governing bodies to debate. There are ethical and moral challenges with the use of marijuana along with advantages that the use of this controversial drug brings. The ...
Cannabinoids have been shown to exhibit some anti-cancer effects in laboratory experiments although there has been little research into their use as a cancer treatment in people. Laboratory experiments have suggested that cannabis and cannabinoids have anticarcinogenic, antitumor and anticancer effects, including a potential effect on breast and lung cancer cells. The National Cancer Institute reports that there have been no trials on the use of cannabis to treat cancer in people, and only one small trial using delta-9-THC. Although there is a large and growing volume of research, claims that there is evidence showing that cannabis cures cancer are, according to Cancer Research UK, “highly misleading”, and prevalent on the internet.
There is no firm evidence that cannabis helps reduce the risk of getting cancer; whether it increases the risk is difficult to establish, since most users combine its use with tobacco smoking, and this complicates research. A 2012 review of the effect of cannabinoids on brain ageing found that “clinical evidence regarding their efficacy as therapeutic tools is either inconclusive or still missing”. A 2009 Cochrane review said that the “one small randomized controlled trial assessed the efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of dementia … … poorly presented results and did not provide sufficient data to draw any useful conclusions”. Diabetes
Ovarian Cancer Research Paper
Introduction Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. It is considered to be one of the most common types of cancer of the female reproductive system. According to McGuire and Markman (2003), “despite advances in treatment over the last 40 years, ovarian cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed gynaecological malignancy, and causes more deaths than any other cancer ...
There is emerging evidence that cannabidiol may help slow cell damage in diabetes mellitus type 1. There is a lack of meaningful evidence of the effects of medical cannabis use on people with diabetes; a 2010 review concluded that “the potential risks and benefits for diabetic patients remain unquantified at the present time”. Epilepsy
A 2012 Cochrane review said there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about the safety or efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of epilepsy. There have been few studies of the anticonvulsive properties of CBD and epileptic disorders. The major reasons for the lack of clinical research have been the introduction of new synthetic and more stable pharmaceutical anticonvulsants, the recognition of important adverse effects and the legal restriction to the use of cannabis-derived medicines. Epidiolex, a cannabis-based product developed by GW Pharmaceuticals for experimental treatment of epilepsy, will undergo stage-two trials in the US in 2014. Glaucoma
The American Glaucoma Society noted that while cannabis can help lower intraocular pressure, it recommended against its use because of “its side effects and short duration of action, coupled with a lack of evidence that it use alters the course of glaucoma.” As of 2008 relatively little research had been done concerning effects of cannabinoids on the eye. Tourette syndrome
A 2007 review of the history of medical cannabis said cannabinoids showed potential therapeutic value in treating Tourette syndrome . A 2005 review said that controlled research on treating TS with Marinol showed the patients taking the pill had a beneficial response without serious adverse effects; a 2000 review said other studies had shown that cannabis “has no effects on tics and increases the individuals inner tension”. A 2009 Cochrane review examined the two controlled trials to date using cannabinoids of any preparation type for the treatment of tics or TS . Both trials compared delta-9-THC; 28 patients were included in the two studies .
