One thing marijuana isn’t known to do is improve your memory. But there’s another reason why scientists believe it could fight Alzheimer’s disease. Gary Wenk, PhD, professor of neuroscience, immunology and medical genetics at Ohio State University, has studied how to combat brain inflammation for over 25 years. His research has led him to a class of compounds known as cannabinoids, which includes many of the common ingredients in marijuana. He says, throughout all of his research, cannabinoids have been the only class of drugs he’s found to work. What’s more, he believes early intervention may be the best way…
Author: WebTeam
A federal judge in Brazil has ruled that cannabis prohibition is unconstitutional, claiming it to be the result of a “backward culture and mistaken policy.” The ruling, made by Judge Ernesto Frederico Cardoso Maciel, came as the result of a case in which a man was caught carrying 46 grams of cannabis, packed into 52 different bundles; he was arrested and charged for cannabis distribution. Judge Maciel, however, acquitted the man, claiming that since cannabis prohibition isn’t a legal policy, the man should be free to go. In his ruling, Maciel called cannabis prohibition ”incoherent”, while also noting the hypocrisy…
A new study published in the journal Case Reports in Oncology, and published online by the National Institute of Health, has found that cannabis can treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer of the white blood cells. According to researchers; “Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells and is typically well treated with combination chemotherapy, with a remission state after 5 years of 94% in children and 30-40% in adults. This case study is on a 14-year-old patient diagnosed with a very aggressive form of ALL (positive for the Philadelphia chromosome mutation). A standard bone…
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study published in January’s issue of the European Journal of Pain, and published online early by the National Institute of Health, has found that cannabis can significantly reduce pain and improve sleep for those with neuropathic pain. For the study; “303 patients with PNP (peripheral neuropathic pain) associated with allodynia were screened; 128 were randomized to THC/CBD spray and 118 to placebo, in addition to their current analgesic therapy.” After conducting the study, which used a spray made from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), both compounds of cannabis, researchers found that “a meaningful proportion of…
A new study published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine has found that cannabidiol, a compound found in cannabis, can prevent damage to the liver caused by alcohol consumption. According to the study’s abstract; “Acute alcohol drinking induces steatosis, and effective prevention of steatosis can protect liver from progressive damage caused by alcohol. Increased oxidative stress has been reported as one mechanism underlying alcohol-induced steatosis.” It continues; “We evaluated whether cannabidiol, which has been reported to function as an antioxidant, can protect the liver from alcohol-generated oxidative stress-induced steatosis. Cannabidiol can prevent acute alcohol-induced liver steatosis in mice,…
A new study published in January’s edition of the journal Addictive Behaviors has concluded that cannabis use does not increase the odds of aggression between intimate partners, whereas alcohol directly increases the possibility of such aggression. For the study, male college students in relationships committed daily surveys for a 90-day period, assessing their cannabis and alcohol use, as well as any act of aggression they committed towards their partner, whether it be physical aggression (any forceful act with the intent of causing injury), psychological aggression (insults, belittling, threats or intimidation) and sexual aggression (forced sexual contact or coercion). The results determined…
A study published in the journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, and published online by the National Institute of Health, has found promising evidence that cannabinoids can provide a natural treatment for the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. “In an experimental mouse model of MS-related spasticity, Sativex [a product made entirely from cannabis] dose-dependently improved hind limb flexion/stiffness and a dosage of 10 mg/kg was shown to be as [or more] effective as the most widely established anti-spasticity treatment baclofen (5 mg/kg)”, claims the study. According to researchers at the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry at Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Italy; “These…
A new study published in the most recent issue of the journal Phytomedicine, and published online by the National Institute of Health, has found that cannabis-based medicines may provide a cure for colon cancer. For the study, researchers “investigated the effect of a standardized Cannabis sativa extract with high content of cannabidiol (CBD), here named CBD BDS, i.e. CBD botanical drug substance, on colorectal cancer cell proliferation and in experimental models of colon cancer in vivo.” While conducting the study, it was found that; “CBD reduced cell proliferation in tumoral, but not in healthy, cells. In vivo, CBD reduced AOM-induced…
Political momentum to legalise and reform cannabis laws gathers pace around the world. North America and South America are pushing forward faster than many parts of Europe at the moment, but European political thinking is showing signs of catching up. Although not widely reported in the mainstream media, the Dutch Government (Department of Security and Justice) has just published a significant report, researched by the RAND Drug Policy Research Centre. The full PDF, in English, can be downloaded here. The report was commissioned by the Dutch Government who wanted an impartial review of the recent groundbreaking decisions to legalize cannabis…
A study published in the November issue of the European Journal of Nutrition has found that hemp seeds may not only treat hypertension, but may have the ability to prevent it as well. “This work determined the ability of hemp seed meal protein hydrolysate (HMH)-containing diets to attenuate elevated blood pressure (hypertension) development in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs)”, states the study’s abstract. “Effects of diets on plasma levels of renin and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) in the SHRs were also determined.” After conducting the study, researchers concluded; “The results suggest that HMH with strong hypotensive effects in SHRs could be…
