American College of Physicians; Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana, 2008

Marijuanas and Glaucoma

American College of Physicians; Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana, 2008

Common marijuana adverse effects

Notes: Cannabinoids have been shown to have neuroprotective properties and to reduce High Intraocular Pressure which is a known risk factor for glaucoma

Notes: Smoking marijuana increases heart rate and may drop blood pressure. Other undesirable effects include: short term memory loss, motor skill problems, and inability to take in information. Chronic use leads to an increase in cancer. And possible withdrawal symptoms include: irritability and sleep problems.

Pg # 3 Citation: Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Topic: Topic: State legislation regarding Medical marijuana Notes: There are sixteen states that have enacted laws to make marijuana use for medicinal reasons legal. The states are: Alaska, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia

Pg # 4 Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Topic: States that have decriminalized marijuana and/or legalized it for recreational use Notes:

There are 14 states that have decriminalized marijuana. Which means that no prison time or criminal record will be placed for first time possession of any small amount. The states that have decriminalized are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon

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Citation: NORML (website), 2012

Topic: Safety Profile of Medical Marijuana

Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and HIV

Notes: Cannabinoids are unable to induce fatal overdose. Regardless of potency or quantity. Though its active parts do indeed produce physiological and euphoric effects. Increased risks are among adolescents, pregnant women, and those with mental illnesses.

Cannabis is used in one in three patients in North America with HIV/Aids. Furthermore, sixty percent of HIV/AIDS patients self identify as medical marijuana users. Studies show that patients who use cannabis have a significant increase in food intake. Also cannabis use in patients significantly reduced neuropathic pain intensity.

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Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and Cancer

Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and ALS

Studies have shown that THC administration decreases recurring malignant tumor growth in patients. Cannabinoids also inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cell lines such as, breast, prostate, skin, leukemia, and lung carcinoma. Many experts feel that cannabinoids have the ability to be the latest in anti cancer drugs. Recent preclinical studies have shown that cannabinoid have the ability to delay ALS progression. Also, other trials have shown that cannabinoids can moderate ALS progression and possibly extend life. Personal anecdotal from patients have also offset some symptoms. Though obviously these anecdotal stories do not hold scientific value.

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Citation: Iversen, 2005

Topic: Long term effects of cannabis usage

Citation: Kalant, 1996

Topic: Adverse effects of cannabis on health

Notes:

Notes:

There are several adverse effects of high intake levels and prolonged usage of marijuana. Including: lower educational achievement, psychiatric illness, and diminishment of cognitive functions. Though in comparison to other dugs cannabis is a relatively safe drug.

Several studies indicate that there is a link between cannabis and schizophrenia. Cognitive impairments are a common problem when under the influence. Long-term usage may result in permanent effects of memory loss and trouble processing information. Heavy use of cannabis has significant risks to an individual.

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Citation: Bonsor, 2001 Notes:

Topic: History of Marijuana Plant

Citation: Bonsor, 2001 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana in the body

Cannabis Sativa was first cultivated thousands of years ago. The leaves are arranged palmately and are very common around the world. The origin of the plant is believed to be traced back to India just north of the Himalayas. Cannabis plants usually have 2 flowers, a male and a female.

When marijuana is consumed, the chemiscals of the drug enter the bloodstream and head to the brain and the rest of the body. The most powerful chemical in marijuana is THC and gives the user the high effect. Marijuana can be smoked or eaten. When smoked THC goes directly to the lungs. Though when eaten the effects are longer.

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Citation: Bonser, 2001 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and the Brain

Citation: Bonser, 2001

Topic: Other Physiological effects of Marijuana

Notes: Other common side effects of the inhalation of marijuana include trouble with learning, anxiety, and increased hear rate. Also, endocannbinoids bind with receptors in the brain and ultimately activate hunger. Users often call this phenomenon the munchies.

When THC enters the system, it binds with cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are responsible for short-term memory, coordination, learning, and problem solving. When THC bings with receptors inside the hippocampus, which is located in the temporal lobe, it heavily influences short term memory loss. When THC binds to the cerebellum, physical motor skills are further effected.

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Citation: Bonser, 2001 Notes:

Topic: Further effects of Marijuana use

Citation: Bonser, 2001 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana Usage

THC in marijuana may wear off in a few hours, though the chemicals contain in it maintain to stay in the body anywhere from 20 hours to 10 days. Depending on the potency of the marijuana consumed. Marijuana users ae still susceptible to many of the same problems cigarette smokers are faced with such as bronchitis and other lung problems.

Marijuana is an incredibly common substance. It can be found in homes or farms in all different regions. Marijuana is also smuggled into the United State from Mexico, Cambodia, and even Thailand. Indoor cultivation has come to be quite common these days considering the relentless pursuit of the DEA.

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Citation: Bonser, 2001 Notes:

Topic: Further Marijuana Usage

Citation: NORML (website), 2012

Topic: Marijuana and Tourettes Syndrome

Notes: In several clinical trials, a 25 year old patient has a 10mg of delta-9THC and investigators have reported that the patients overall tick level has dramatically dropped. In another double-blind placebo controlled trial a dosage of 10mg delta-9-THC dramatically reduced ticks in the long term and patients did not suffer any detrimental effects.

Common methods to consume marijuana include: tobacco paper(joint), cigar paper(blunt), pip, bong, and even food. Marijuana cuts across all races, age groups, and gender. The prevalence of marijuana use in teenagers doubled from 1992 to 1999: One out of every 13 kids aged 12 to 17 were current users of marijuana in 1999.

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Citation: NORML (website), 2012

Topic: Marijuana and Alzheimers Disease

Citation: NORML (website), 2012

Topic: Marijuana and Gastrointestinal Disorders

Notes: Investigators at The Scripps Research Institute in California in 2006 reported that THC inhibits the enzyme responsible for the aggregation of amyloid plaque the primary marker for Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, investigators at Ohio State University, rats dosed with THC had a 50 percent improvement in memory.

Notes: Gastrointestinal disorders such as different bowel diseases and Crohns disease can be inhibited through marijuana use. Preclinical studies have shown that marijuana activated receptors that suppress gastrointestinal motility, inhibits intestinal secretion, and reduce acid reflux.

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Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and Sleep Apnea Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Topic: Marijuana and Incontinence

Sleep apnea is directly related to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and even heart attacks. One preclinical study is cited in the scientific literature investigating the role of cannabinoids on sleeprelated apnea investigators reported that doses of delta-9-THC and the endocannabinoid oleamide each stabilized respiration during sleep and blocked serotonin-induced exacerbation of sleep apnea in a statistically significant manner.

Notes: Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control. Statistics show that one in ten Americans at elderly ages suffer from incontinence. In recent investigative studies, Following cannabinoid therapy, "urinary urgency, the number of and volume of incontinence episodes, frequency and nocturia all decreased significantly," investigators determined.

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Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana and Fibromyalgia

Citation: NORML (website), 2012

Topic: Marijuana and Multiple Sclerosis

Notes: Throughout the coarse of an individual with multiple sclerosis, the patient commonly becomes permanently disabled. According to recent statistics, nearly 200 people are diagnosed weekly. investigators at the University of California at San Diego reported in 2008 that inhaled cannabis significantly reduced objective measures of pain intensity and spasticity in patients with MS in a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Fibromyalgia is the chronic pain of muscles and increase in tenderness of different parts of the body. Where medical use is legal, physicians commonly issue cannabis to treat different musculoskeletal disorders such as fibromyalgia. In recent trials, marijuana is helped with the relief of pain and muscle stiffness. Marijuana plays a great factor in the eluviation of pain.

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Citation: Citation: NORML (website), 2012 Notes: Although studies and journals show that long-term use of marijuana do indeed have effects on cognitive abilities, the extent commonly greatly exaggerated. A recent study found that long-term smokers who used once a week, "showed virtually no significant differences from control subjects (those who had smoked marijuana less than 50 times in their lives) on a battery of 10 neuropsychological tests." Notes: Topic: Cannabis and Cognition Zimmer, 1997

Topic: Correlation of medical marijuana and general marijuana use

Statistics have shown that in areas that have legalized medical use of marijuana for a prolonged time, have not seen any sort of increased usage of recreational use of marijuana. For example citizens in Netherlands who have had access to marijuana in its entirety have found no escalation overall cannabis use.

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Watson, 1999 Notes:

THC Citation: Lynskey, 2003 Notes: In a recent study, individuals who used cannabis at an early age had a dramatic increase in probability to abuse other drugs and/or alcohol. Early access to cannabis increases the tendency to try other illegal drugs and it provides easier routs to obtain other drugs. Topic: Is marijuana s gateway drug?

THC is the primary ingredient in marijuana and is the substance that produces most of the effects of the usage. All recent studies have indicated that the behavioral effects of THC are receptor mediated. Neurons in the brain are activated when a compound binds to its receptor, which is a protein typically located on the cell surface. Thus, THC will exert its effects only after binding to its receptor. [...] Binding to a receptor triggers an event or a series of events in the cell that results in a change in the cell's activity, its gene regulation, or the signals that it sends to neighboring cells." Pg # Pg # 25

Citation: Watson, 1999 Notes:

Topic: Marijuana Addictiveness

Citation: Watso, 1999

Topic: Marijuana and its relation to causing cancer

Notes: There is no clear cut evidence that marijuana is a cancer causing agent. Though further studies show that marijuana smoke is a definite risk factor regarding respiratory cancer.

"In summary, although few marijuana users develop dependence, some do. But they appear to be less likely to do so than users of other drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), and marijuana dependence appears to be less severe than dependence on other drugs.... Marijuana users are generally far less dependent on their substance in comparison to other substance users.

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