Author: jjacknin5
Dr. Oz surprises Fox News with his view that legalization of cannabis for pain would help with opioid crisis
Oct 15, 2017 “The real story is the hypocrisy around medical marijuana,” Oz said as the Fox & Friends hosts appeared stunned. “People say marijuana is a gateway drug to narcotics; it may be the exit drug to get us out of the narcotic epidemic. We’re not allowed to study it because it’s a Schedule I drug,” Oz added. “And I personally believe it could help.”
More Colleges Adding Courses in Marijuana
This is from Marijuanas Stocks, http://marijuanastocks.com/colleges-universities-are-adding-marijuana-classes-to-their-curriculum/. I thought it was a very interesting article:
Throughout the United States, more and more universities are starting to offer marijuana stocks classes to students interesting in learning more about the plant. Marijuana has quickly emerged as a multi-billion dollar industry, with an advancing number of states looking to capitalize off of the green rush.
With so many people, looking to get in on the action, we are seeing a ton of new innovative products and companies surfacing, keeping the U.S. economy above water. So it all makes sense that as marijuana increasingly looks to saturate American life, it’s getting more representation in the world of academia.
Colleges and Universities across the United States are beginning to offer courses in the hope of investigating deeper into the legal and biological consequences of marijuana use. According to an article in Forbes, institutions such as Ohio State University, University of Vermont and the University of California, David are now offering a class on the it’s biology and use of marijuana as well as legal issues around it. Students have the ability to choose whether you want to earn credits towards their final degrees from these marijuana seminars or not.
At the University of Vermont, students can study Medical Marijuana at a graduate level, this is a program that focuses on Cannabis chemistry its effects and the emerging therapeutic uses, combined with the political and socioeconomic influences on marijuana laws.
“Educating people about the science of cannabis and the legal issues surrounding it allows people to enter the industry in a more legitimate way, equipped with real data and real knowledge, not myths,”” cannabis industry consultant Shannon Vetto states.
Currently, in the United States, there are two cannabis colleges, the THC University and the Cannabis Training University. Though the fact the traditional academic institutions are starting to recognize the value in R&D of cannabis shows the legitimacy of this booming industry.
What is Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency?
|This was taken and shared from ” Cannabis Culture”:
Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and various phytocannabinoids beyond just tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it seems that a shift occurred in how we approach cannabis. According to some, Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency is actually an umbrella term for various conditions, in particular types of :
- Migraine
- Fibromyalgia
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Other treatment-resistant conditions that could be alleviated by cannabis use
Essentially, a CECD means a lack of endocannabinoids. The solution? Phytocannabinoids, which are found in abundance in cannabis. To state simply, a lack of cannabinoids could explain in some cases why conditions like migraine, fibromyalgia and IBS arise, and why people suffering from these conditions might find cannabis to be therapeutic.
Now, there are a lot of conditions that could be linked to a CECD. This is perhaps because of the ECS’ intimate relationship with homeostasis (the balance of the body’s physiological processes), and there is still the chicken-or-egg question of these conditions arise because of a CECD, or does suffering from, say, multiple sclerosis or persistent headaches eventually cause a CECD? The answer is likely to be both, and it could be one of the key reasons why cannabis is so useful for so many conditions.
The CECD concept comes from Dr. Ethan Russo, who is a leading researcher on cannabidiol (CBD) and was involved in the development of GW Pharmaceutical’s Epidiolex, a CBD extract for epilepsy, and currently at Stage 3 development in the US. To see more of his work, check out the following links:
The original 2004 paper, which states:
Migraine, fibromyalgia, IBS and related conditions display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines. However, the lack of evidence at the time made it just an educated guess based upon some observable data and experimentation.
As stated earlier, the evidence is mounting. Neurologist and Medical Scientist Ethan Russo is at the spearhead of this research. In this video he explains the concept of CECD and the importance of CBD. In 2016 Ethan Russo updated his findings in a peer reviewed journal that can be found here.
The abstract to Russo’s article states:
Currently, however, statistically significant differences in cerebrospinal fluid anandamide levels have been documented in migraines, and advanced imaging studies have demonstrated ECS hypofunction in post-traumatic stress disorder. Additional studies have provided a firmer foundation for the theory, while clinical data have also produced evidence for decreased pain, improved sleep, and other benefits to cannabinoid treatment and adjunctive lifestyle approaches affecting the ECS.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looking into science behind medical marijuana for pain
We all know how much clout the NFL, NBA, and sports figures have to influence public mores.
As medical marijuana becomes legal in more states, professional sports leagues will have to at least look into their drug policies banning its use. The NFL reportedly plans to study marijuana’s effectiveness as an option for pain management, and whether it is a safer alternative to prescription pain medicines for the future.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who has been against opening up the NBA’s drug policy with regards to marijuana in the past, sounded more open to looking into its effectiveness and potential usefulness for pain management, as the NFL is reportedly doing, and having discussions about that with the Players’ Association.
from article by Robby Kalland on Uproxx.com
Seniors fastest growing group using medical marijuana
Because of increased pain, muscle spasms, insomnia, anxiety, and diseases in older people, seniors age 65-75 have increased their use of medical marijuana by an amazing 250 per cent this year, while adults 50-65 have also increased usage nearly 58 percent!
New Cannabis Tourist Town Being Made in California
Original article by Jennifer Kaplan, Bloomberg
Nipton, California
American Green Inc., a maker of cannabis products, is taking an unusual step to attract new customers as it capitalizes on California legalizing marijuana: It’s buying an entire town.
The company has acquired the tiny burg of Nipton, California, for about $5 million and plans to invest as much as $2.5 million over the next 18 months to create a pot-friendly tourist destination. The purchase includes 120 acres of land with a general store, a hotel, a school building and mineral baths.
American Green, based in Tempe, Arizona, will use the existing structures and build new ones powered by renewable energy ” to revitalize the town, said project manager Stephen Shearin..
The move shows how far marijuana has moved out of the shadows despite an uncertain federal policy outlook. With pot now legalized for recreational and medical use in California, Nevada and six other states, one in five American adults can consume the formerly taboo plant as they please. That’s created an opportunity for companies to try to make cannabis a more mainstream product.
Pamela Johnston, senior vice president at Electrum Partners, a cannabis industry advising and consulting firm, said restrictions on pot use and availability have limited tourism-related activities, but predicted it will be on par with other types of travel.
But before we blink, it will soon outpace other niche affinity travel like wine, she said.
Nipton, with a population of about 20, is situated in California’s San Bernardino County next to the Mojave National Preserve and just across the border from Nevada. It’s about three hours by car from Los Angeles and just an hour from Las Vegas. Temperatures soar to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months. it used to be an old mining town.
American Green plans to include a new facility to manufacture water infused with CBD, the cannabis component that is typically associated with reducing pain and inflammation. The new Nipton will also have a production site for edible marijuana products, retail stores, and artist-in-residence programs
The Gold Rush built this city, Shearin said. The Green Rush can keep it moving the way people envisioned it years ago.
Dr. Jacknin excited to speak on topical hemp and CBD in beauty and skin care at Happi Conference in NJ in November!
Dr. Jacknin is excited to be speaking on the endocannabinoid system and topical hemp and CBD in beauty and skin care at the Happi Anti-Aging Conference in New Brunswick, NJ on Nov. 27 and 28.
This is a cutting edge conference which the top cosmetic and cosmeceutical companies such as J&J, Neutragena, Estee Lauder, attend. Can hardly wait!
http://conference.happi.com/
CBD…What is it??
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol (not cannabinoid), has become the new natural “it thing”. But what is it?
Cannabidiol was first discovered from the hemp plant in 1940 by chemist Roger Adams working at the University of Illinois. In 1963, scientists in Israel figured out its exact chemical structure. Later research in the 1970s showed that CBD did not cause mental changes like THC, but was mistakenly thought to be inactive. In the early 1990s the important discovery of the endocannabinoid system renewed interest in numerous phytocannabinoids. Over the past 15 years, hundreds of scientific articles researching how CBD interacts with the human brain and body have been published and the results are amazing!
CBDA, cannabidiolic acid, is the second most common phytocannabinoid produced in the cannabis plant ( the most common being THC). However, CBDA is the most common phytocannabinoid in hemp, the fiber variety plant. CBDA, found in the raw cannabis flower, is converted to CBD when heated. CBD-rich plants were quite rare in the United States until around 2009, when reports of CBD’s therapeutic value surfaced. Cannabis growers began testing their plants for CBD and made efforts to stabilize CBD-rich varieties. There are now a number of CBD-rich chemovars such as Charlotte’s Web, AC/DC, Cannatonic, Harlequin, Sour Tsunami, Blue Jay Way, and others.
CBD Absorption and Metabolism
The bioavailability of CBD after inhalation is moderate, about 31%. Unfortunately, CBD is absorbed poorly and erratically when taken by mouth. Sublingual absorption rates are low but less variable than oral ingestion. CBD is metabolized in the liver by enzymes in the P450 system. Most of this breakdown product is excreted in feces.
CBD Mechanism of Action
CBD does not bind to the cannabinoid receptor in the same fashion that THC does, which is why it is not intoxicating. CBD changes the way that THC binds to the cannabinoid receptor and blocks the conversion of THC to the more psychoactive 11-hydroxy-THC. CBD. It also inhibits the reuptake of the endocannabinoid anandamide, thus enhancing the endocannabinoid system. CBD works at numerous non-cannabinoid receptors, such as the 5-HT1A (hydroxytryptamine) serotonin receptor, giving an antidepressant effect. It also works at the TRPV1 (vanilloid) receptor, giving analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. CBD’s also influences the peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) with multiple effects such as anti-proliferation of certain cancer cells, neuroprotection, and cardioprotection. CBD changes the way that GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, binds to the GABA receptor, enhancing the calming, anti-anxiety effects of GABA. CBD also has been shown to reduce drug-seeking behavior and can have therapeutic effects on THC withdrawal and nicotine dependence.
Medicinal Properties of CBD
As you can see, CBD works at many different places in the body, giving it numerous medicinal properties, which include:
Potent anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Neuroprotectant
Anticonvulsant
Analgesic (pain reliever)
Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety)
Antidepressant
Antipsychotic
Antispasmodic
Anti-cancer agent
CBD lessens the intoxicating effects of THC and reduces the adverse effects that some people experience with THC, namely rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and short-term memory loss. At the same time, when CBD is taken with THC to treat pain, the combination reduced pain more significantly than THC alone. In low doses, CBD is described as alerting, in high doses (>300 mg) it can be sedating. Amazingly, CBD has very little side effects even at high doses.
Hemp CBD vs. Marijuana CBD
CBD is produced in both hemp/fiber variety and drug variety cannabis plants. They are the same compound, but we know from numerous studies that cannabinoids such as CBD work best when other cannabinoids and terpenoids are present, a synergy termed “the entourage effect.” Hemp is virtually devoid of other cannabinoids and terpenoids. Also, industrial hemp contains very little CBD, necessitating a large number of hemp plants to obtain what can be obtained from one CBD-rich drug variety plant. The use of a large number of hemp plants also increases the risk of toxin contamination as hemp is a bio-accumulator, drawing up toxins from soil. (In fact: industrial hemp was planted around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after the nuclear explosion in 1986). Most importantly, an excellent study from Israel in 2015 showed that whole-plant CBD, containing cannabinoids and terpenoids, was superior to single molecule CBD, with whole plant extract having a wider therapeutic window and better efficacy at lower doses. Thus, whole plant CBD-rich cannabis is more efficacious than hemp-based single molecule CBD.
How Should Patients Choose Their CBD?
There are a small number of hemp products on the market that are labeled “hemp” to comply with governmental regulations that require these products to have less than 0.3% THC, but they are robust with cannabinoids and terpenoids. Other products have no cannabinoids including CBD, despite the manufacturers’ claims. In 2015 and 2016, the FDA purchased a number of CBD products online and tested them for the presence of CBD and other cannabinoids, finding that the amount of CBD claimed on the labels was markedly inaccurate — some products did not contain any CBD. In states that have medical cannabis laws, it’s best to obtain products from licensed suppliers who share their test results, which should confirm the product’s robust cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles. If you are obtaining hemp through online outlets, thorough research is required as there are many false claims are being made.
CBD is truly an astouding compound! There are very few medicines that have such a long list of beneficial properties with little to no side effect and are completely natural. Many patients using CBD as medicine experience life-changing relief of symptoms and are able to discontinue ineffective and toxic medications. Unfortunately, CBD is still classified as a Schedule I federally illegal substance that is still prohibited from being thoroughly researched. We must be free to study this plant’s medicinal benefits to fully understand its impact on human health.
Reference Dr. Bonni Goldstein, https://www.marijuana.com/news/2017/07/know-your-medicine-cbd/
Three Different Cannabinoid-Based Medicines Currently Approved by the FDA
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware that cannabis and cannabis-derived products are being used for a number of medical conditions, such as AIDS wasting syndrome, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and more. Despite this fact, the FDA has not yet approved a marketing application for a drug containing or derived from the whole cannabis plant. It has, however, approved three cannabinoid-based medicines derived from isolated synthetics: Marinol, Syndros, and Cesamet."Quote Text
From today's MedicalJane.com
The following comes from MedicalJane.com:
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