Epic Scientific Report on Cannabis Health Released Today

in #cannabis8 years ago (edited)

Cannabis is no longer under the spell of "reefer madness", after decades of state sponsored propaganda to demonize one of the safest and most useful plants on the planet.


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In the USA, 57% of people agree that cannabis shouldn't be illegal, while only 37% see it the other way. Ten years ago only 32% wanted legalization with 60% opposed. Things are definitely shifting in the public awareness. High times ahead for cannabis!.

Currently, 20% of the US population live in states that voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use, with even more who live in medical marijuana states. The National Academies of Sciences released a report today that is the most comprehensive study of recent research on cannabis use, both for the health effects of recreational and therapeutic use.

They reviewed research since 1999 from top universities, with more than 10,000 studies which allow them to arrive at conclusions about cannabis. The report details the current state of evidence regarding the health impacts of cannabis and cannabis derived products. The mentioned some potential health risks related to cancers, diseases and mental health disorders. Further research is still required to verify these initial claims.


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"The policy has outpaced science, and it’s really too bad" said Staci Gruber, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital.

Politically motivated and biased judgments on cannabis have led the political and legal domains to run against reality, to create an evil where there was none.

Cannabis has been around for thousands of years, yet there are man-made products that have been around for only years or decades that have a lot more research conducted on its safety and benefits. It's time science got more interested and help to dispel the false reputation around cannabis created through the media and government propaganda.

The findings in the report are categorized into two general levels of certainty: 1) "conclusive evidence" and 2) "limited evidence", with varying degrees of certainty in between.

For example, while there is evidence that driving while intoxicated can increase the risk of a car accident, there is also evidence that introducing medical cannabis to an area lowers crash rates.

Here are 11 key findings that Business Insider pulled out:

  1. Conclusive are substantial evidence that cannabinoids can be effective to treat chronic pain. This is noted as the most common reason for requesting medical marijuana. There is also substantial evidence for the treatment of muscle spasms, and preventing or treating nausea and vomiting.

  2. Evidence exists that marijuana can increase the risk of a car crash.

  3. Evidence exists that children are more likely to consume cannabis accidentally in states that provide legal access to marijuana. The risk is minute, at 1.2 to 2.3 children per 100,000. Children eating crayons or diaper cream are still more likely.

  4. Moderate evidence with a good amount of data to support it, that cannabis is not connected to increasing lung, head or neck cancers associated with smoking.

  5. No evidence supports or refutes an idea that cannabis might increase the risk of heart attacks, although there is some limited evidence that smoking might trigger heart attack.

  6. Substantial evidence that smokers are more likely to experience chronic bronchitis. Just like cigarettes, stopping improves these conditions. The is no evidence to support the cannabis does or doesn't increase other respiratory conditions like asthma.

  7. Limited evidence that smoking cannabis can provide anti-inflammatory activity.

  8. Substantial evidence linking prenatal cannabis exposure and lower birth weight. Limited evidence suggests an increase in pregnancy complications and the possibility of the newborn having to go to the neonatal intensive care unit.

  9. Substantial evidence of an increased risk for developing schizophrenia for frequent users. Those who are already at risk should take greater concern with the use of cannabis.

  10. Limited evidence connecting cannabis use to impaired academic achievement. This has been shown to be especially true for those who begin smoking during adolescence which increases the risk of problematic use.

  11. Far more research is needed, is one of the most important conclusions that the report emphasizes. Areas that indicate marijuana was connected to an increased risk doesn't mean marijuana actually caused that risk.

The political and legal barriers are still in place that are preventing more research from being conducted. Researchers often can't get access to some other cannabis that many people actually use. Federal regulations prevent researchers from using a product that is legal in some states. And the Catch-22 is without better research, the policymakers are left to support the existing legislation because there is not enough evidence to reverse it, even though the original legislation was created through ignorance.

What has been learned in recent years, but the report really emphasizes the need for more studies so that more can be understood on what works and what doesn't work with cannabis.

The report emphasizes that they aren't trying to say cannabis is good or bad, but simply present the facts of what it does.


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@krnel
2017-01-13, 12:01pm

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Yet the DEA is still performing raids in states where Cannabis has been legalized, including sending the National Guard and a Helicopter to raid an 81 year old woman in MA for one Cannabis plant...

https://www.rt.com/usa/372881-dea-marijuana-eradication-wasteful/

That was fucked up! My son and I grow, we had 4 plants outdoor last summer, besides the indoor ones. I didn't realize they would grow to 10' tall. The neighborhood was fragrant. Our bitch-ass neighbor called the cops on us. I'm from NY (original police state) so I was scared. we showed em our dug-down greenhouse we made. They were impressed and wished us "the best of luck on our venture" Almost died. In Flint they do not care about weed, thank God.

My pot days are long gone. I started smoking because I researched and found pot to be the least harmful by far over anything else (including alcohol and cigarettes). That was 30 years ago. Therein lies the hypocrisy. Cigarettes were killing 365,000 people per year and alcohol- over 100,000, yet both were and are still legal. To this day there is NO evidence of death directly related to cannabis consumption, even with the extremely more potent varieties available today. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with excessive hyper-activity. I could not sit still and if I tried I would feel nauseous. They wanted to prescribe Valium to calm me down. I'm glad they did, considering the long term brain damage they discovered it causes. I tried Valium later in life and would loose hours if not days of my memory. I decided downers weren't for me. I had tried all the other drugs available and all had some undesirable side affect or other. Pot calmed me down, and made me feel good with out any clear or apparent side affects. Marijuana had none, aside form the munchies. I also discovered that if I gave into the munchies and ate something, the buzz was greatly diminished and of course I would "crash" So I fought the munchies and won. I've since reached the point in my life where recreational intoxication is no longer desirable.

Thank you for your feedback. Appreciated. Getting high is just meh, right? Being clear headed is better. If you could get the health benefits without the high, then it would be more desirable? Thanks.

Hi I'm from the Philippines, same here in our place there are people that still dont understand the benefits it gives. Thank you for sharing

The human body has natural cannabinoid receptors. Very interesting article about it here https://www.whaxy.com/learn/what-are-cannabinoid-receptors Some people have a deficiency which affects anxiety, sleep etc. Theoretically those who crave cannabis are replenishing a deficiency

Thanks for this post. It's encouraging to see things moving in the right direction (albeit, slowly)...

Many people are seeing the benefits of cannabis. I wonder what the risks are.

You might eat the last piece of pie

All joking aside, here are the most common side-effects/risks:
Irregular heartbeat
couch-lock (not able to move properly)
sweating
anxiety and paranoia
Dry mouth and eyes

What about the mental side effects, I see only physical here.

Sorry, I am not trying to be contradicting or negative here. I have long fought against Cannabis and then started using it... got hooked on everything it seemed to do for me but it is a constant battle.

I would say I struggle with its use, but I have the willpower to quit whenever I want. I have not only been sober for several weeks now, but am also trying to find benefit in it more so than negative side effects.

If you control your addictions and passion it can be powerful.

Thanks for being a part of my experience,
~ @Timbo

It is a good strategy to take regular tolerance breaks in order to re-set your neurotransmitters. (The endocannabinoid system is self regulating and will close or retract a certain number of receptors. If a person doesn't know this, they will instinctively use more to achieve whatever effect they are taking it for in the first place. The correction for this is to take a defined tolerance break, not throw more cannabis at it. (That's probably a separte blog post right there.)
If it's lack of motivation, paranoia or anxiety that you are referring to as potential negative mental side-effects, my suggestions would be:

  1. Try different strains
  2. Pay attention to the THC % and CBD % of the strains you are choosing. (Often, going for a lower THC% and more of a balance between THC and CBD in a 1:1 ratio is suggested.)

If it's lack of short term memory, then habits like writing things down is what I would recommend. Memory lack is an actual sign that cannabis is working and doing its job. This is why it is so beneficial for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
I hope this helps anyone who may read this thread. :)

Wow! Yes, I am on point with my studies then. This information is something that I have been thinking about a lot but have not yet proven or seen in any research I have read.

I have never don't any other "drugs" so I don't know what there could be for benefits, but one thing that i have noticed with cannabis users is that if you stop using it for a few weeks, when you take that first hit again, it really is like you are taking your first hit. Tolerance lvl 0.

Thank you for sharing and I hope we get to discuss more benefits soon.
@Timbo

No problem. I am happy to share what I know about this plant medicine.
I eat it everyday (accept when I am on a scheduled tolerance break) and have done so for the past 9 years.
Using the "right strain for the right pain or issue" is the key, along with only dosing to your "sweet spot". (That is, just enough medicine in your system to do what needs to be done and resisting the urge to over medicate with cannabis.) :)

Nice to see attitudes changing.
Im just gonna keep growing and smoking :)

Cannabis is no longer under the spell of "reefer madness", after decades of state sponsored propaganda to demonize one of the safest and most useful plants on the planet.

Don't be so sure about that. ;)

Less than 24 hours ago this was spread far and wide ...

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/report-marijuana-users-risk-schizophrenia-drug-helps-pain-n706196

Yeah, there is still pressure to demonize it for sure, but with 60% v 40% it seems like the tied is turning and people are slowing not buying it anymore. How many people do they know that smoke and don;t become schizophrenic, vs. those that do? If people start to think they will see that the "risk" is not proven, as is even indicated by the report, that I mentioned above:

Areas that indicate marijuana was connected to an increased risk doesn't mean marijuana actually caused that risk.

Substantial evidence of an increased risk for developing schizophrenia for frequent users.

So the report is trying to be fair ;)

Limited evidence connecting cannabis use to impaired academic achievement.

Limited because it's not true. While I agree to some extent with the rest of the points made, this doesn't sit with me. Being that I smoked a lot of cannabis through adolescence, I can safely say that it was the lack of motivation while stoned that stopped me from learning. Reaching my early twenties, and whilst smoking more heavily than ever before, I have been able to learn everything I ignorantly avoided. Maybe that's not the case for everyone, but my own experiences are why I can't agree with this statement.

It depends on how much you smoke/intake. Trying to engage in mental tasks when your on a indica sedation, couch-lock, veg state... not likely to happen very well compared to clear-headed sober state. it does have a degree of impairment. Thanks for the feedback.

Great news on top of the trending page today! :)

The times are a changing:)

Why do we follow policy and not facts?

nice post!

Awesome info.

I like the cannabis!!