Cannabis Debate in Britain – November, 2008

* * * News Flash Update: Nov 25, 2008 – UK: Scientists Attack Plan To Upgrade Cannabis – “In recommending this change to parliament the government has rejected the explicit advice of its appointed experts, the advisory council on the misuse of drugs, for the first time in its history.” (from a letter to The Guardian) * * *

For past eight years, the British Isles have been on a roller coaster of governmental policies regarding Cannabis (marijuana), with the reform apex being 2004, when Cannabis was moved from Class B (an arrestable offence) to Class C, which placed it in the company of amphetamines and Ritalin.

However, paranoia and hysteria ensued as reports of increased Cannabis use by youths, an alleged epidemic of mental illness among the young (statistically irrelevant compared to alcohol) and fears of high potency “Skunk” weed infiltrating Britain (See Previous Post) . So, last spring Cannabis was returned to Class B.

Amid this political schizophrenia, inconvenient truths refuse to go away. Prestigious institutions keep issuing reports on the current prohibition (see previous post), it’s ineffectiveness in controlling substance abuse and unintended consequences suffered by society. Last week, The Observer ran a series of articles examining several drug issues. The following are selections that dealt with Cannabis use, with You Tube videos posted from Britain.

UK: Series: Drugs Uncovered: The Facts: Cannabis - A brief but eclectic collection of Cannabis facts and history, including a reference to Lord Shiva’s gifting of Cannabis to humankind.

In this video, a Multiple Sclerosis patient in Britain (whose doctor warned her not to take conventional pharmaceuticals for MS because of the serious side effects) eloquently explains the need for medicinal Cannabis. Cannabis Reclassification – Kerrang Interview 2008 – UK Britain

Series: Drugs Uncovered: The Observer Drugs Poll 2008 - In this extensive poll conducted last month, public opinions on aspects of all illegal drug use are examined. In a popular video on You Tube, a venerable British lady who grew her own Cannabis as medicine refuses to be labeled a criminal.Cannabis Granny

Series: Drugs Uncovered: The Legal Landscape - This article looks at the A,B,C system of illegal drug classification in Britain and cites the confusion over Cannabis. In this amazing video from England, police rip out the side of a Cannabis cafe with a tractor.Lancing Cannabis Cafe Raid

Series: Drugs Uncovered: Chemical Bonds - This article acknowledges the influence that drugs have had on art, literature and music.A Brief List of People Who Have Smoked Marijuana

Series: Drugs Uncovered: Frankly, the Ads Don’t Work – They Just Make It Worse - Looking at past and current attempts by government sponsored media to discourage illegal drug use.Banned Commercial: Terrible Weed Commercial

Series: Drugs Uncovered: The Legaliser- ‘We Need to Manage the People Who Use Them and Help the People Who Misuse Them, Not Criminalise Either of Them”, says Danny Kushlick, Founder of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation. Mr. Kushlick points out what should be obvious to all observers of history – that prohibitions never work, are counter productive and corrupt government institutions. In this video posted on You Tube, a member of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance challenges all the groups advocating reform to come together and put an end to Cannabis prohibition in the U.K.Splitters Unite!

 To delve more deeply into the history of Britain’s drug war, I highly recommend
Drug Crazy : How We Got into This Mess and How We Can Get Out, by Mike Gray (author of, The China Syndrome ). A fascinating chapter examines the “heroin maintenance model” that existed before the American -influenced drug war took hold. Addicts who were able to drop by a free clinic for a heroin injection once a day used one-seventh the amount of drug they would normally seek out and consume on the street.

 

In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
- George Orwell

Cannabis Worldwide, Oct 08 – Change Next Year for U.N. Drug Policy?

Just over ten years ago, the United Nations Office of Drug Policy set a goal – the eradication of Cannabis (marijuana) and several other psychoactive plants from the face of the earth by 2008. Most viewed this as unattainable, even laughable, but the ensuing decade saw a sad timeline of prohibition running roughshod over the lives of people around the world: Villagers in the Putomayo region of Columbia were inundated with pesticides, ruining their farms, gardens and water supplies; innocent missionaries shot down by U.S. drug warriors over Peru; the death penalty became the norm for Cannabis trafficking in Southeast Asia; arrests for Cannabis possession in America now approach 800,000 per year – often ruining the hopes and dreams of otherwise law-abiding citizens.

So, as a British “think tank” prepared a report for next year’s U.N. Drug Policy meetings recommending “decriminalization” of Cannabis (see story below), the writing on the wall grows clear. This July, representatives from many countries and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) met in Vienna for “Beyond 2008″ - preliminary hearings on reforming U.N. drug policy and the concensus for change was inescapable. Here is a video, produced by the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, with several reformers looking to the future:Three Days in Ten Minutes – Beyond 2008 Series #2

A Previous Post from last February examines U.N. Drug Policy in detail, featuring a hearing in British Columbia that the U.N. held to get input on possible reforms.

The following news stories from this month reflect the coming tide of changes for our modern prohibition.

Headline: Oct 3, 2008 - UK: Is It Time the World Forgot About Cannabis in Its War? - The United Kingdom has been on a roller coaster of Cannabis policy changes for six years now. This spring saw Britain reclassify Cannabis as “Class B“, reversing  the 2004 move to “Class C“. which decriminalized possession of small amounts. The reasons included fear of “Skunk” – a catch-all term for the more potent “sinsimellia” Cannabis becoming popular in England (see previous post). The Global Cannabis Commission report states that much of the harms associated with Cannabis use is “the result of prohibition itself”.

Headline: Oct 4, 2008 – New Zealand: Cannabis Spray Use May Be Made Legal- Another country wants to join Britain and Canada in legalizing a concentrated plant extract of Cannabis as a prescribable pharmaceutical. “Sativex”, a sub-lingual spray, is made by GW Pharmaceuticals in England, in a government-assisted venture with genetics experts from The Netherlands. With a remarkable safety/therapeutic profile, trials of Sativex shown efficacy in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and illuminated the neuroprotective action of Cannabinoids. Indeed, new science and anecdotal evidence raise the possibility that Cannabinoids can actually halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases!

The success of a whole plant extract of Cannabis (the form our ancestors used) and the failure of synthetic THC (Marinol) as an effective medicine demonstrates that Mother Nature is, indeed, the best pharmacist and that patient’s reports of amazing relief of symptoms makes perfect sense. Modern compounds made from Cannabis will be needed and welcomed, but access to the natural plant should be considered a basic human right, as it should be with any healing or sacramental plant.

Headline: Oct 19, 2008 – Caribbean: Prehistoric Drug Kit Is Evidence of Stoned Age- Archaeologists excavating a prehistoric site on the Caribbean island of Carriacou have found ancient “drug paraphernalia”, dating to around 400 BC. These ceramic bowls and tubes were used to inhale hallucinogenic powders, as Shamans have done for eons in South and Central America. In other parts of the world, there is ample evidence that Cannabis Hemp was an integral part of many prehistoric and even paleolithic cultures.

In this video, Ethnogen expert Terence McKennatalks about the ancient connection between Cannabis and humankind.McKenna on Cannabis

Headline: Oct 24, 2008 - US HI: Public Access TV To Air Drug Policy Forum Video – On the eve of election day, when the citizens of Hawaii will decide on Ballot Question No. 1 (which would make cannabis the lowest law-enforcement priority for police), a forum on drug policy was held at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Speaking was Clifford Thornton, founder of Efficacy – a non-profit organization that advocates a move away from criminalization and towards treating drug use as a health issue, lamenting the ”turning of the average citizen user into a criminal, even when no violence or criminal behavior is involved.”

The Pinky Show on You Tube has an interview with Clifford Thornton, conducted on October 7th, during his visit to Hawaii.The War on Drugs : FAIL : an interview with Clifford Thornton Jr.

Headline: Oct 28, 2008 – Canada: Medical Marijuana Users Claim Victory- It’s been eight years since the Constitutionality of access to medical Cannabis was established in Canada, but the road has not been easy for patients seeking consistent supplies of quality herbal medicine. Patients were able to grow their own, designate a “caregiver” grower or obtain Cannabis from a government contracted grow operation in an abandoned mineshaft in Flin Flon, Manitoba – reportedly unsatisfactory as medicine.  In 2003, the Ontario Appeal Court struck down restrictions that limited caregiver growers to one patient each, but the government re-instituted the program – leading to this case.

Last year the federal government appealed a lower court ruling that granted licenses to growers for multiple patients, but this month the courts dismissed the appeal, finally enabling sufferers of chronic and terminal illness access to truly medicinal grade Cannabis – many strains of which were bred during the prohibition by ordinary people forced to become experts in horticulture and genetics.

In this next video, a licenced Cannabis grower/patient Canada discusses the future of medical Cannabis in his country and obstacles to patients needing a sustained supply of quality medicine.Legal Medical Cultivator speaks out Jan court ruling Part 1

Nothing is to be preferred before justice.

~ Socrates

Debate Hemp at Hempstead!

      Tonight’s presidential debate is at Hempstead, NY – on Long Island, where just a few generations ago, huge fields of Cannabis Hemp waved in the wind. Especially important during WW2, when the military contracted for hemp to make parachute webbing, rope and canvas, industrial hemp had been established as an essential crop in Hempstead since Colonial times.

Given the amazing potential of modern industrial hemp utilization in America (the last of the G-8 not allowing its’ farmers to grow it) and the immediate need to support local economies during our coming economic restructuring,  tonight would seem an appropriate time to discuss joining the 21st century with our ancestors’ knowledge of this remarkable plant. High quality industrial fiber (already in luxury cars); cellulose suitable for papers, plastics and ethanol; high quality seed oil – found at health food stores for its’ EFA (Essential Fatty Acids) profile and even suitable for biodiesel!

Local hemp mills and biodiesel facilities could save the family farm and sustain America through turbulent times, all without poisoning the land like cotton or depleting the water, as corn does. Who would’a thunk it – except for Jack Herer back in 1989. Check out“The Emporer Wears No Clothes” for the details – it’s a classic.

Here are some recent news stories concerning Cannabis Hemp from around the world, inter-spaced with videos that just scratch at the surface of this urgent issue. With the growing problems with hydrocarbon fuels and products, it would behoove John McCain and Barack Obama, as Congressmen and a future President, to allow our farmers to benefit from the next wave in eco-agriculture.

Aug 19, 2008 – New Zealand: Perseverance Leads to Hemp Approval- After developing its’ own cultivar of hemp -”Aotearoa 1 “, the Catlins Industrial Hemp Group has been approved by the NZ Director-General of Health to proceed with the countries’ first planting of the versatile crop, promising farmers many future markets and sustainable biofuels for New Zealand’s long-term stability. Mack McIntosh, the developer of the new cultivar, foresees New Zealand’s strain of hemp to be marketed around the world.

In this video, from a Series on You Tube, Kevin O’Connell the Auckland central representative for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party talks about the future of Cannabis in New Zealand.Kiwi Cannabis News Vault Update – Consequences of Legalization

Aug 24, 2008 – New Zealand: Holistic Way of Hemp- Luxury car maker Lotus is showcasing an eco-friendly concept car, the Eco Elise, that utilizes industial hemp in an exciting design conforming to new EU “Flower Certification” standards for protecting the environment. Canadian hemp is already being utitlized in the automobile industry, e.g. – as a safer replacement for fiberglass in door and dashboard panels. 

Sept 7, 2008 – Europe: Marijuana Ingredient May Fight Bacteria – Another example of how our modern world needs Cannabis Hemp – researchers from Italy and Britian have found that Cannabinoids are effective as topical compounds that inhibit the growth of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus), a nasty little bug that might just wipe us out if we don’t react correctly. This article points out that Cannabis has long been known to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

In this informative and imaginative video, a You Tube Producer details of the history and efficacy of Cannabis in germ fighting:Marijuana Cures Skin Bacteria

Sept 30, 2008 – WI: Legalizing, Taxing Pot Urged To Raise Cash – Drawing a parallel between the economic pressure to end alcohol prohibition during the Great Depression in 1932 and the logic of ending marijuana prohibition during our modern economic crisis, Gary Storck, co-founder of the Madison chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, joins a chorus of drug law reform advocates who have long recognized the potential of tax revenues from re-legalized marijuana sales and industrial hemp production.

Bruce Mirken, director of communications with the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, said legalization and regulation could mean between $10 billion and $40 billion a year to state and federal budgets.

“An acre of the best ground for hemp, is to be selected and sewn in hemp and be kept for a permanent hemp patch.” – Thomas Jefferson’s Garden book 1849

MS Society says Cannabinoids and Cannabis have Healing Power!

July 31, 2008- Last month saw a milestone in American healthcare that largely passed unnoticed: The National Clinical Advisory Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has issued an “Expert Opinion Paper – Treatment Recommendations for Physicians” which recognizes the healing properties of Cannabinoids and Cannabis (marijuana), specific to the pain and muscle spasticity of MS. The MS Society also calls for research into the neuroprotective aspects of Cannabinoids, following evidence that the progression of the disease can be slowed or halted by these remarkable therapeutic agents.  Paul Armentano at NORML has put together a comprehensive post detailing this news, plus links to research, studies, etc. confirming the efficacy of Cannabinoids for MS. (More from Paul below)

The MS Society’s position may seem tentative, given the exciting research coming out of Europe, some involving human trials of a whole plant extract of Cannabis (more below) and surveys of MS patients showing nearly half use Cannabis as a medicine.  This news comes at a time when more and more people are aware of the limited efficacy of synthetic pharmaceutical preparations and the horrendous side-effects that seem to come with all of them.  Five years ago, I met several people who already knew these things – MS patients using Cannabis, each with an amazing story.

In 2003, I was in Washington, DC to attend a memorial for a friend who had recently passed away. On a rainy evening in front of the Supreme Court, we gathered because it was what she wanted -  MS patients, caregivers and activists converging on Washington to force politicians and the MS Society to acknowledge the obvious.  The friends of Cheryl Miller and her husband Jim had no doubt that a God-given herb did more to ease their suffering than all the modern medicines meant to be their only choice.

September 23, 2003 – Before meeting up at the Supreme Court that evening, I rode with the Multiple Sclerosis Patients Union to bring their stories of wondrous healing (anecdotal evidence) to an organization that seemed to shun their voices. They knew that the British Multiple Sclerosis Society had already posted news of Cannabis use by patients and had cooperated in the clinical trials of “Sativex” – a whole, natural extract of the Cannabis plant, formulated by GW Pharmaceuticals in England.  The ride from our hotel to the MS Society was an educational experience in itself:MS Patients Visit MS Society, DC, Part 1

After filling the MS Society’s Washington office wall to wall with patients and friends, we listened to Jim Miller thank our host and recount his experiences fighting MS with his wife and struggling to have their story heard by politicians and the medical establishment, even as research confirmed what they were saying. Then we heard from the patients – bright, cheerful people who didn’t seem at all embittered by their fate, by being victims of a horrific disease and unjust laws. Also, Mary Lynn Mathre from Patients Out of Time points out that the American Nurses Association and many other health care providers have endorsed patient access to medical Cannabis.MS Patients Speak to MS Society, Washington, DC – Part 2 

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws was one of the sponsors that made this gathering possible and was represented by Paul Armentano (now Deputy Director at NORML ), who had previously worked with GW Pharmaceuticals on MS research and subsequently collected data for NORML on the science of Cannabinoids, medical Cannabis and Multiple Sclerosis. In this video, Paul reads from some of these studies and more MS patient tell their stories.MS/Cannabis Research & Patients at MS Society, Part 3

The clinical trials in England to which Paul Armentano refers were conducted by GW Pharmaceuticals, in production of their natural Cannabis extract, “Sativex” (a sub-lingual spray). Dr. Geoffrey Guy, President of GW Pharmaceuticals, outlines results from Phase One and Two Clinical Trials on MS patients at the 2004 Cannabis Therapeutics Conference in Charlottesville, VA, hosted by Patients Out of Time - Oromuscosal Cannabis-based Medicine, Geoffrey Guy, MD

That afternoon, all the patients met again for a press conference arranged by NORML and featuring Rep. Barney Frank (D) MA – long time champion of individual liberties, including the right to heal oneself with a natural herb (Previous Post) - an issue he became aware of as legions of HIV patients pressed the government to allow them access to medical marijuana in the early 1990’s.  In this video, Rep. Frank restates his assertion that the people are far ahead of the politicians on the issue of medical Cannabis, then MS patients and caregivers visit their representative’s offices.Barney Frank Speaks to MSPU, MS Patients Lobby their Reps

Another hero to these MS patients was also at the press conference. Dr. Denis Petro, the consulting neurologist for their Multiple Sclerosis Patients Union, told his story of science, bureaucracy and politics. Dr. Petro conducted the first clinical trial using synthetic THC (a principle Cannabinoid in Cannabis) to treat muscle spasticity in MS. His results showed efficacy, as did seven follow up trials, but Cannabinoids, and especially marijuana, failed to be adopted into the treatments of Multiple Sclerosis. Denis Petro comments on the reasons why in this video:MS, THC & Cannabis Research, with Dr. Denis Petro – MSPU

Finally, we all met at the Supreme Court – a deeply spiritual coming together of patients, caregivers and activists, all veterans of a long battle with the government – a struggle for dignity, relief of pain, quality of life, justice and compassion. But in the midst of it all, the shining spirit of love that Cheryl left each of us strengthened our resolve and reminded us of the truly transcendent.Cheryl Miller Memorial - Supreme Court, Sept 2003 

 

Cannabis International, July ‘08 – U.K., Italy & Canada

Headline: June 10, 2008 – Now Experts Say Cannabis Should Be Legal- Drug abuse experts in Scotland have been studing the Cannabis (marijuana) problem in the U.K. and have come to a logical, if controversial, conclusion. After evaluating data from the Netherlands, where Cannabis has been decriminalized and from San Francisco, CA, where it is still illegal, the researchers found that breaking the legal link between Cannabis and hard drugs also breaks the real-world contact between the Cannabis user and dealers of hard drugs. Only 17% of Cannabis dealers in the Netherlands were also sellers of narcotics, whereas 50% of dealers in San Francisco also dealt in hard drugs.

In this video posted on You Tube, a Scottish poet relates in verse his feelings about the Cannabis plant:Scottish poet in Tobermory Isle of Mull reading Poem.2.

This recommendation comes shortly after Britain reversed several years of leniency on Cannabis users, reclassifying Cannabis as Class B, with the possibility of arrest and jail. (see previous post)

Headline: July 12, 2008 - Ireland: Is It Time To Legalise Drugs? – A new book, The Irish War on Drugs: the Seductive Folly of Prohibition, by Dr. Paul O’Mahony is making waves in the Emerald Isle by recognizing that the modern prohibition of drugs actually makes the misuse problems worse, not better. Citing the United States as mainly responsible for the current drug war tactics, as opposed to “harm reduction” strategies that many European countries have adopted, Dr. Mahony quotes Dr. Milton Friedman, an esteemed U.S. economist, who also sees prohibition as a flawed approach. In this series on You Tube, Milton Friedman expalins why:Milton Friedman on America’s Drug Forum pt.1of 3

Headline: July 12, 2008 – Italy: Rastas Can Use Cannabis, Italian Court Rules – The Supreme Court of Italy has ruled that, for Rastafarians at least, Cannabis can be considered a religious act and not a criminal offense. Citing marijuana “not only as a medical but also as a meditative herb“, the court also said that “as such [it is] a possible bearer of the psycho-physical state to contemplation and prayer“.  In the next video, we see Italian Rastafarians chanting to Emperor Haile Selassie on the first 115th Earthlight ina Roma, Italy.23rd July ina Rome

Headline: July 2, 2008 – Drug History’s Sad Centenary - The 100th anniversary of the first anti-narcotic law in history, passed in Canada on July 11, 1908, comes at a time when the new Conservative government has chosen a hard line on drugs, reversing years of liberal Cannabis laws, including the first national medical marijuana law in the modern era. The following video features Canadian president Stephen Harper outlining the new get tough approach on drugs, with questions remaining on the fate of Canada’s medical marijuana program and the patients who use it for medicine.Harper Drug Strategy: What about Medical Marijuana?

Headline: May 2, 2008 – CN BC: Expert Testifies Cannabis Helps Slow Aging – Meanwhile last May,  during a trial of a man accused of growing marijuana in British Columbia,  the defense called a witness from the United States – Dr. Bob Melamede, a biology professor at the University of Colorado,  to explain how Cannabis has benefits for the mind and body. In the following video from Cannabis TV, Dr. Melamede explains the anti-aging actions of Cannabis and the “Endo-Cannabinoid system” – the body’s mechanism for maintaining balance in an unbalanced world.Surviving ALS with Cannabis, # 3 – with Dr. Bob Melamede

 

“The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.” – Carl Sagan

THC Kills Glioma Cancer Cells – Cannabinoid Research from Europe

Fifth Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, April 3, 2008  - This bi-annual medical conference, hosted by Patients Out of Time, is a gathering of medical doctors and researchers specializing in medicinal Cannabis (marijuana) and the workings of the Endo-Cannabinoid system – the regulator of many organ systems and processes of the human body.  This year the conference was held in Pacific Grove, California, by the ocean on the Monterrey Peninsula. The enduring sea seemed to underscore the emergence of new science from an old medicine.

The entire conference is currently being edited for posting on the net. In the meantime, I’ve been editing interviews that I conducted with some of the presenters. These can be seen on the Patients Out of Time You Tube Channel.

Today, the sad news of Senator Edward Kennedy’s diagnosis of Glioma, a cancer of the brain that is very hard to treat, compelled me to edit one interview in particular. It was with Paul Armentano, the Deputy Director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). Paul has done a lot of research on medical Cannabis, having compiled a booklet, “Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis & Cannabinoids: A Review of the Scientific Evidence:2000 – 2008″ (available as a PDF) on several diseases that are successfully treated with Cannabis, including promising research on Glioma cancer cell lines (See Below) . This job has made Paul one of the few Americans with direct knowledge of some of the cutting edge science emerging out of Europe, Israel and other countries, so people with sick loved ones often call him, after hearing of possible help from Cannabis research. He has to tell these desperate families that few human trials of medical Cannabis therapies have been allowed in this country, with none on the horizon for the likes of exciting research from Spain, where Dr. Manuel Guzman has slowed the growth of brain cancer tumors using THC - a principle Cannabinoid in marijuana. In this video, Paul observes that many of the callers are asking about alternative treatments for Glioma, often incredulous that our government would block research into such an important area. Also, Dr. David Bearman offers observations on fears of patients facing devastating illness:THC Kills Glioma Cancer Cells – Medical Miracles from Europe

Anti-Cancer Properties of THC – Research in Print:

[1] Guzman et al. 1998. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol induces apoptosis in C6 glioma cells. FEBS Letters 436: 6-10.

[2] Guzman et al. 2000. Anti-tumoral action of cannabinoids: involvement of sustained ceramide accumulation and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation. Nature Medicine 6: 313-319.

[3] Guzman et al. 2003. Inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by cannabinoids. The FASEB Journal 17: 529-531.

 [4] Massi et al. 2004. Antitumor effects of cannabidiol on human glioma cell lines. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Fast Forward 308: 838-845.

[5] Guzman et al. 2004. Cannabinoids inhibit the vascular endothelial growth factor pathways in gliomas. Cancer Research 64: 5617-5623.

 [6] Allister et al. 2005. Cannabinoids selectively inhibit proliferation and induce death of cultured human glioblastoma multiforme cells. Journal of Neurooncology 74: 31-40.

[7] Guzman et al. 2006. A pilot clinical study of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. British Journal of Cancer.

[8] Parolaro and Massi. 2008. Cannabinoids as a potential new drug therapy for the treatment of gliomas. Expert Reviews of Neurotherapeutics 8: 37-49

[9] Galanti et al. 2007. Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol inhibits cell cycle progression in human glioblastoma multiforme cells. Acta Oncologica 12: 1-9.

[10] Calatozzolo et al. 2007. Expression of cannabinoid receptors and neurotrophins in human gliomas. Neurological Sciences 28: 304-310.

 References courtesy of Paul Armentano. You can read more on this subject in his booklet, which also covers MS; Hypertension; GI Disorders; Arthritis; Alzheimer’s; Fibromyalgia; Hepatitus C; ALS; Diabetes; Osteoporosis; and more: 

“Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis: A Review of the Scientific Evidence” (2008, NORML Foundation).

Dr. Guzman was scheduled to present his research at the Cannabis Therapeutics Conference, but a family medical emergency prevented his attendance. *** A PDF of Dr. Guzman’s Research *** However, one of the Cannabis Therapeutics’ faculty members, Robert Melamede, PhD eloquently explained the principles involved in the “Global Homeostatic Regulation”of many bodily functions by the Endo-Cannabinoid system, including re-balancing of conditions like auto-immune disorders and cancers, in an interview in his office at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs:Cancer Cure – Cannabis & Cannabinoids,by Robert Melamede,PhD

In the documentary to which I referred during Paul’s interview - ”Surviving ALS“, Cathy Jordan experiences the neuroprotective effects of cannabis first hand, as it helps her over-taxed Endo-Cannabinoid system bring her auto-immune disorder (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) under control - moderating “excitotoxicity” and over production of glutamate. Dr. Melamede continues his interview in this chapter, explaining how neuropathic conditions are balanced by Cannabinoids.Surviving ALS with Cannabis, Chapter 3 – with Dr. Melamede

One fascinating aspect of Dr. Manuel Guzman’s work is that, as the tumors being treated are in brain (nerve) tissue, the neuroprotective properties of THC become extremely important. Whereas most cancer treatments cause damage to surrounding tissue (especially crucial in the brain), THC treatments actually protect adjacent non-cancerous nerve tissue. 

In this video from the 3rd Cannabis Therapeutics Conference, Charlottesville, VA, in May of 2004, Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, looks closely at the science of Cannabinoids in Neuroprotection. Professor Mechoulam was on the team that first isolated THC in 1964.Cannabinoid System in Neuroprotection, Raphael Mechoulam,PhD

 It turns out that the first research into THC’s actions on cancer tumors was done in the U.S., back in 1974 during a government sponsored study seeking to prove the dangers of marijuana. When the results instead showed the promise of THC as a medicinal agent, our government suppressed the results and quietly gave a pharmaceutical company permission to develop a THC pill – now known as Marinol. And the crusade against marijuana continued…

In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
George Orwell

 

 

Hemp in Native America’s Heartland & Heritage

Barak Obama was at a town hall meeting today in South Dakota today, talking about U.S. farm policy, hard economic times and buying American.  I hoped one of the questioners would be Alex Whiteplume, from the Pine Ridge Reservation – a land that’s hard to grow anything on and a people desperately needing viable industry close to home. 

Since 2000, Alex and his family have tried to grow Industrial Hemp on their land, first as a seed crop to build the stock of low-THC hemp seed, then as a fiber, oil and cellulose crop. Hemp is one of few crops that can do well in the harsh, arid land. Interestingly, the Lakota Sioux at Pine Ridge had contracts with the U.S. government during World War 2, to produce the strong, versatile fibers badly needed for parachute webbing, ropes, etc.

I hoped Alex could ask Barak if he would support a return to hemp farming in America, like his rival for president, Rep. Ron Paul (R) TX, who introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2007. And I wished he could have time to tell his story – of betrayal by the U.S. government, which has come in repeatedly and destroyed the hemp crops, trampling on the sovereignty of the Lakota Sioux Nation. Here is a trailer of the film, “Standing Silent Nation“, which aired on the PBS, produced by Prairie Dust Films.Standing Silent Nation (Preview)

The hemp project at Pine Ridge was assisted by the Hemp Industries Association, the premier grassroots organization promoting industrial hemp to save the family farm and the Kentucky Hemp Grower’s Cooperative, who bought hemp bales from Canadian farmers and gifted it to the Native Americans at Pineridge. Soon, a house built of “Hempcrete” blocks, lightweight and resilient due to the long hemp fibers and hurds, and hemp insulation stood as proof that hemp could work at Pineridge. There were even prospects for sales of the Hempcrete blocks off of the Reservation. 

Cannabis TV has produced a  ten minute video giving the background to this story, including an interview with John Trudell, Native American musician, artist and activist. Long a supporter of Cannabis Hemp in its’ many manifestations, John Trudell clearly sees the benefits for the people of Pine Ridge and the motives of the government.Pine Ridge Hemp Project, with John Trudell

Well, you can’t keep a good people or a good plant down, even if they do stand silent. Alex Whitplume, his family and others have continued experimenting with industrial hemp at Pine Ridge, from making soaps and salves to homemade paper. And just yesterday, another You Tube producer posted a video series showing a building renovation with a  ”Hempcrete” stucco, imported from England, where products like this have been in development for years.Hempcrete Construction – USA, SD

Here is a video featuring the patriotic members of the U.S. House of Representatives who co-sponsored the 2007 Industrial Hemp Farming Act, plus some of the products now made from hemp.Industrial Hemp Farming Act

As Hemp needs little fertilizer, herbicide or pesticide applications and needs far less water than corn, eco-friendly industries like Cellulosic Ethanol (see April.24th post) , biodiesel from hemp seed and products ranging from food to car parts become feasible, given the prolific production of this versatile plant. Rather than fighting the Sioux Nation  with my tax money, I would prefer that our government learn from Alex’s example and follow a path back to our past for sustainability in the future.

“Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere.” -President George Washington, 1794

 

Reefer Madness 2008 – U.K to U.S.

“Cannabis has become the football in a contest between evidence and passion”

Headline: May 8, 2008 – UK: Cannabis Upgrade Made Official – Britain has moved Cannabis back to “Class B” - the culmination of months of debate and propaganda regarding the relative safety of Cannabis (marijuana), especially in the area of mental health among the young.  In January 2004, under Tony Blair’s administration, Cannabis was downgraded to “Class C” – along with tranquilizers and the like, possession of which is a non-arrestable offence.

Here is a TV show in Britain from last week that frames the debate, with additional annotation from from the You Tube producer:Question Time - 5.5.2008 Reclassification of Cannabis

Much has been made of “Skunk” – a generic name for the “new, powerful” Cannabis- blamed for many evils, including triggering of psychosis. Government and media concentrated on reports of a supposed 40% rise of schizophrenia cases among young people experimenting with the new marijuana. (Note that alcohol and other drugs cause a much higher incidence of mental illness – see below.) Much debate continues concerning the relative strength of today’s Cannabis compared with Cannabis of the past. One thing is certain, though – Prohibition always causes an escalation of concentrated substances, as bulky smelly items are difficult to smuggle and conceal. (Remember “Bathtub Gin & “Moonshine”? – they trumped beer & wine.) Therefore, pills and powders are favored while producers and traffickers of Cannabis are forced to concentrate their product, by using more potent varieties.

 There are always markets for high and low grade Cannabis (swag), just as was the case in the 1970’s – remember “Maui-Wowi”, “Thai Stick”, “Panama Red”, “Alculpoco Gold” - the list goes on. As smuggling across international borders has become very risky, it is true that the milder Sativa varieties indigenous to South America (“Columbian”) are largely unavailable, as indoor farming has favored Indica varieties and crosses, enabling a quicker harvest and more potent product.  The Modern Prohibitionists (Drug War proponents) can take credit for that one.

UK: OPED: Hysteria Over Cannabis Is Getting in the Way of Truth - “Cannabis has become the football in a contest between evidence and passion“. All this comes after an expert panel, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs ( ACMD ), tasked with recommending the best approach to the Cannabis “problem”, came to the conclusion that the classification should not to changed. Among the reasons: The supposed rise in mental illness is not reflected in the population during the rise in Cannabis potency, other factors than official classification influence young people to try Cannabis; and the saddling of these young people with criminal records and the resulting sanctions is detrimental to their futures.

At the 2007 National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) conference in California, Mitchell Earleywine, PhD, addresses the comparative risks of marijuana and other drugs for mental illness:2007 NORML Conference – Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D

Headline: July 30, 2007 – U.S. Reefer Inanity: Never trust the Media on Pot – Last summer, at the start of this debate, mental health experts tried to defuse the hysteria, as cited in this article by the Huffington Post. “One study found that alcohol has been found to increase the risk of psychosis by 800% for men and 300% for women.”

Headline: May 10, 2008 – US: Pot May Worsen Depression, Drug Czar Says – While acknowledging that he had no proof for what he was saying, America’s “Drug Czar” John Waters warned parents of teens who are depressed and medicating themselves with Cannabis that pot may may the situation worse.  Experts, including one from NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), pointed out that many young people smoke marijuana and never develop mental illness and that the evidence had been “stretched”.White House Report on Teen Marijuana Use

Blog: May 12, 2008 - How To Tell If The Drug Czar Is Lying? His Lips Are Moving - Paul Armantono, Deputy Director of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana laws) has an in depth analysis of this story.

Headline: May 13, 2008 – US: Heavy Marijuana Use Linked to Risk of Heart Attacks – 78 to 350 Joints per Week – Are you kidding?

If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
- Samuel Adams