- Scientists used synthetic analogues of marijuana on an animal tongue
- They found compounds inhibit information that reaches these neurons
- This could lead to problems speaking, breathing and swallowing food
- The same reaction could also explain the beneficial effects that marijuana has on people suffering from multiple sclerosis
70. Verily, We took the
covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them Messengers. Whenever there
came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of
them they called liars, and others among them they killed.
72. Surely, they have
disbelieved who say: "Allah is the Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam
(Mary)." But the Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: "O Children of Israel!
Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Verily, whosoever sets up partners
in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire
will be his abode . And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)
there are no helpers.
73. Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)." But there is no ilah(god)
(none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah (God -Allah). And if they
cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them. 5. Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread with Food)
Marijuana users can sometimes have difficulty speaking, breathing and swallowing food as a result of muscle weakness.
Now researchers in Spain have conducted a landmark study to shed light on how marijuana reduces the activity of motor neurons that lead to these symptoms.
Motor neurons are nerve cells found in the cerebral cortex of the brain stem, and are responsible for giving orders to muscles in the body.
Researchers at the University of Cadiz, led by Professor Bernardo Moreno, used synthetic analogues of the psychoactive compounds of marijuana to see how they affected these neurons
They looked, in particular, at movements of the tongue and how they responded to the drug.
'During the investigation, we used an animal model in which we studied the alterations produced by synthetic cannabinoids on the activity of the motor neurons,' the researchers wrote
'In doing so, we discovered that these psychoactive compounds inhibit the information that reaches these neurons via the synapses.
'In other words, cannabinoids hinder the transmission of information between neurons.'
All of this could lead to problems speaking, breathing and swallowing food.
But the same reaction could also explain the beneficial effects that marijuana has on people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
The scientists say that by reducing motor neuron activity, people with multiple sclerosis may have temporary relief from their symptoms.
Last week, scientists at the Yale University School of Medicine said they had discovered how cannabis flicks a switch in the brain that turns on hunger.
Research into how the drug affects our brains has revealed it actually suppresses the circuitry controls appetite and allows us to feel full.
The researchers bred mice that had differences in their nerve signalling and monitored their brain activity after they were exposed to the drug.
The study, published in the journal Nature, revealed that mice who had been exposed to cannabis felt hunger, or the munchies.
This was because the brain circuitry that normally made them feel full was instead being used to make them feel hungry, it was found
Colorado State Representative Jared Polis and Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer have introduced two bills on a federal level that would legalize and tax retail cannabis – finally! Polis' federal “Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act” would remove cannabis from the Schedule of Controlled Substances and would leave all regulation rights to the state government – it would not force any states to legalize that do not wish to, but it would provide the federal regulatory framework for the states that do. Blumenauer's "Marijuana Tax Revenue Act" would impose a federal excise tax on retail cannabis sales, as well as an occupational tax for cannabis businesses.
Rep. Blumenauer released a statement with the proposed bill, saying that the “federal prohibition of marijuana has been a failure, wasting tax dollars and ruining countless lives… It is imperative that the federal government become a full partner in building a workable and safe framework.” Beautiful words, a moving statement….Excuse me, I have something in my eye. Allergies, you know. *sniffle*
ALASKA
Under a revised version of Senate Bill 30 (House Bill 79), cannabis would no longer be considered a controlled substance in Alaska. The law has also been revised to include new fines and misdemeanor charges for certain cannabis-related violations, such as selling cannabis without a license, giving cannabis to anyone under the age of 21, possession of more than six plants, manufacturing cannabis extracts using explosive gas, and transporting more than one ounce of cannabis. Don’t forget – recreational cannabis will officially be legal starting February 24th! Mark your calendars, folks!
CONNECTICUT
Representative Kevin Ryan proposed House Bill 5892, “An Act Concerning the Palliative Use of Marijuana for Children,” after being inspired by a family who has been affected by Dravet’s Syndrome, a seizure disorder. After watching their daughter try a number of anti-epileptic drugs with severe side effects and going through a long arduous battle to lead a normal, pain- and seizure-free life, the Meehan family asked for Rep. Ryan’s support and also gained the support of Senator Joseph Crisco, the vice chairman of the committee.
Connecticut has a medical marijuana program, but it is limited to patients 18 years of age and older. House Bill 5892 would lower the age limit and expand the number of plants allowed for home cultivation. Think of the children!
HAWAII
The Senate Health Committee recently held a hearing in Honolulu on Senate Bill 596, which would reduce the penalty for the possession of an ounce or less of cannabis down to a civil fine of up to $100. The town hall-style meeting heard testimony from various groups in the community using the 19 other states that have decriminalized cannabis without issue. Senator Josh Green passed the bill after making some amendments. Huzzah Hawaii!
ILLINOIS
A legal case in Illinois creates a whole new challenge for state lawmakers to consider and a non-profit company is at the center of the controversy. Shelby County Community Service runs an alcohol and drug treatment center, is a federally certified tax-exempt non-profit organization, andrecently won a coveted cultivation license to grow medical marijuana. Shiloh Agronomics, a for-profit company, brought the lawsuit against Shelby County after Shiloh lost out on their bid for a cultivation license from the state. They, with their attorney Sean Britton, argue that, as a federally certified non-profit organization, they should not have been eligible to receive a license in the first place.
IOWA
After signing a CBD oil bill into law last year, Governor Terry Branstadt is considering new legislation that would expand medical marijuana in the state and allow for certain licensed businesses to distribute medical marijuana to those who need it most. Gov. Branstadt said he will consider it, particularly after testimony from veterans who described their struggles with PTSD, but that he would like to confer with Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, who is now tasked with overseeing the new Illinois Medical Cannabis Pilot Program.
MICHIGAN
Michigan lawmakers have introduced a full four new bills that seek to clarify the murky waters of Michigan’s medical marijuana program. One would allow “provision centers” to provide safe access points for patients, but would also allow for regulatory measures such as annual health inspections and required lab testing. Two companion bills would allow for the various forms of cannabis that are currently restricted, such as edibles, concentrates, and cannabis-infused topical treatments, and the final bill would clarify that cannabis flower is not the only form of marijuana allowed.
I'm glad to see these lawmakers back in action but they faced continued resistance in the state, which has had a long and troubled history with maintaining safe access for medical marijuana patients, not to mention offering legal protection to medical patients – just ask the corrections officers with valid medical marijuana recommendations currently facing charges for the possession of homemade cannabis butter.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire has a new decriminalization bill up for debate! House Bill 618-FN would reduce some harsh penalties for the possession of cannabis, which currently could potentially land you in jail for one year with a fine of up to $2,000. Under the proposed law, adults found with an ounce or less of cannabis would be subject to a $100 fine, with anyone under the age of 21 facing a suspended license. Teenagers would face the dreaded “parental notification,” as well as community service and participation in a substance abuse program (which is still infinitely better than a criminal charge on your record for the rest of your young life).
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico’s medical marijuana program may be facing some major changes. A hearing officer’s recommendations include dropping a proposed requirement for patient fingerprinting – an unnecessary and invasive procedure. There was also a recommendation to increase the allowable concentration of THC in cannabis for patients – a much more reasonable proposal.
The hearing officer, attorney Susan Hapka, penned the recommendations for the Medical Cannabis Program of New Mexico after listening to hours of testimony from patients and providers during a public hearing, but there is no set timeframe on when these changes may be finalized. It’s all in the hands of the Health Department now!
NORTH DAKOTA
Representative Pam Anderson of Fargo, fulfilling her civil duty to the public and listening to a request from one of her constituents who suffers from chronic pain, submitted a bill to legalize medical marijuana in the state of North Dakota. It is with the heaviest of hearts that I must report that the measure was rejected, despite hours of testimony from people suffering from chronic painand from parents of critically ill children. Rep. Anderson, a freshman lawmaker, said in a powerful statement, “This is not a drug issue but a quality of life issue for the people of North Dakota.” Thank you, Rep. Anderson, for going to bat for your constituents!
OHIO
Ohio’s cannabis legalization efforts have been hindered by a very unusual problem: each other! There are multiple groups hoping to bring legal cannabis to the Buckeye State and so far, none are backing down. The Ohio chapter for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws brought the groups together in an attempt to have a “respectful and thoughtful” discussion on the topic, but it quickly became clear that the groups were all in competition to submit ballot initiatives with similar, albeit competing plans for legal cannabis in Ohio.
Come on, Ohio, what did the Beatles teach us? Come together! (Right now!)
TENNESSEE
Two Tennessee lawmakers have introduced companion bills that would legalize the possession and casual exchange of up to half an ounce of cannabis. Anything over an ounce would become a misdemeanor charge with a $100 fine. The “casual exchange” working is some of the strangest we’ve seen in reference to cannabis, but hey, that’s progress and we’ll take it!
International Updates
AUSTRALIA
The Australian Medical Cannabis Users Association recently discovered the destruction of nearly 2,500 cannabis plants in Nimbin that were intended for therapeutic use. The plants had been destroyed by Australian police, putting pressure on the medical cannabis communities. Meanwhile, the New South Wales government has been grappling with cannabis supply issues during the first stages of clinical trials for the effectiveness of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The associationcalled for police support from the union, attempting to alleviate the tension between the two groups. Police have had increased presence in the area under the code name Operation Saturation, conducting helicopter raids with a drug-testing bus in Nimbin, a town known as the medical cannabis capital of Australia. Such a shame, Australia.
URUGUAY
Officials recently made the announcement that cannabis produced for medical purposes in Uruguay will now be cultivated to have higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than recreational cannabis and, as a result, will be more expensive than recreationally cultivated marijuana. For those who are unaware, this is quite unlike the current medical vs. recreational price trends in the United States, where the higher excise taxes cause recreational cannabis to be somewhat (occasionally significantly) more expensive than medical marijuana
“Skunk stole Snow’s soul”, “Just say no, Snow” – these were just some of the headlines this week in response to Jon Snow’s blogpost and video recounting his experience of smoking ‘skunk’-type cannabis as part of a scientific study at University College London (UCL) which will be shown in a live TV programme – Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial – on Channel 4 on March 3.
We wanted to answer some of the questions raised by people about the trial as well as providing some of the wider context about this study, plus its aims and rationale.
The study forms part of an ongoing research program into the effects of drugs on human cognition, emotion and behaviour at UCL’s Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit (CPU). Our cannabis research over the last six years has highlighted how different strains of cannabis have different effects. The cannabis plant contains around 100 unique ingredients called ‘cannabinoids’.
The two most prominent of these are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the stuff that makes you stoned. Our previous research, and that of a recent study by di Forti and colleagues, suggests that CBD may be a kind of antidote to some of the harmful effects of THC. It is clearly important to investigate this further given that cannabis was smoked by two million people in the UK last year and that around a third of 16-24 year olds have tried the drug.
In the study which Jon Snow and others took part, we are comparing the effects of two different types of cannabis. One type has high levels of THC but virtually no CBD and is often referred to as “skunk”. The other type, sometimes called hash, generally has a lower level of THC and substantial amounts of CBD. In the UK, 80% of the cannabis sold nowadays is skunk, making it hard for people to access cannabis with a THC-CBD balance.
The increasing market dominance of skunk over the last decade has occurred alongside an increase in the numbers of people seeking treatment for cannabis addiction. About 10% of cannabis users now fit clinical criteria for addiction to the drug. We are concerned that skunk is far more addictive than other forms of cannabis and that it provokes greater paranoid episodes and and memory loss. Up until now, no one has ever compared the effects of hash or skunk in controlled scientific study.
We designed our study so that the level of THC in the two types of cannabis was exactly the same – essentially this meant doubling the weight of hash relative to skunk. So the only difference in the two drugs was the CBD in hash. Under our Home Office licence, we imported both types of cannabis as medical cannabis from The Netherlands. We also imported the inactive placebo – which looked and smelled the same as the real cannabis – from the same medical supplier.
Each of out 16 volunteers came to the laboratory on three separate days and inhaled the placebo, skunk and hash which had been evaporated into a balloon. Neither the researcher nor the participant knew which drug they would be receiving. This kind of design (placebo-controlled and double blind) is a gold standard in medical research, although we are aware that this context is not typical. We also conducted cannabis research in natural settings. The study was ethically approved and all volunteers gave informed consent which meant they could opt out of the study at any point for any reason.
After inhaling a moderate amount of cannabis (about a third of a spliff) or placebo, volunteers carried out a range of tasks, some outside and some inside a brain scanner. These tasks were designed to explore potential positive as well as negative effects of the drugs. We used a technology known as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI); a way of looking at patterns of brain activity while subjects perform various tasks. This kind of technology is necessary in order to understand the effects of cannabis in the human brain, although a downside of this approach is that subjects have to lie very still in a narrow, noisy cylinder for about an hour. Some people find the scanner quite claustrophobic even when they haven’t taken a drug.
Jon Snow’s very negative experience was therefore understandable even though it was uncommon. The vast majority of our volunteers completed the brain scanning session and all the other tests, and many of them said that they enjoyed the experience on cannabis more than on placebo. Jon himself carried out all the tasks outside the scanner and apologised profusely that he couldn’t tolerate being inside the scanner.
As scientists we normally complete a study, analyse the data and then send the written report to an academic medical journal where it will be reviewed by other scientists before any decision is made about publication. The research paper is generally not accessible to the public, and is written using technical, scientific language. The results of this study will be submitted to journals in the same way. First, however, they will be revealed in a Channel 4 TV show (Drugs Live: The Cannabis Trial, 3 March 2015) for which a small number of volunteers were filmed. We feel this is important precisely because most cannabis users don’t read science journals and newspaper reporting of scientific findings on illicit drugs can be misleading.
For several reasons, a few of our participants like Jon were known public figures. Firstly they were used to being filmed and were therefore able to consent to the filming in an ethical way. Second, they were mature individuals who had already achieved in life and whose reputation was unlikely to be tarnished. Most of our other volunteers were young and could be negatively affected in their future careers by appearing on television under the influence of cannabis. Third, Channel 4 largely funded the study (with Drug Science and Beckley) and this clearly benefitted the science as well as television. Involving people in the public eye also helps the program reach a wide audience to engage a wider audience with the science of cannabis.
We look forward to sharing our new findings with the public on March 3. We hope that the TV programme will be engaging and informative whether or not you’re a cannabis user.
Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana[6] and by numerous other names,a[›] is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use as apsychoactive drug and as medicine.[7][8] Pharmacologically, the principalpsychoactive constituent of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); it is one of 483 known compounds in the plant,[9] including at least 84 othercannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN),tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV),[10][11] and cannabigerol (CBG).
Cannabis is often consumed for its psychoactive and physiological effects, which can include heightened mood or euphoria, relaxation,[12]and an increase in appetite.[13] Possible side-effects include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills, reddening of the eyes,[12] and feelings of paranoia or anxiety.[14]
Modern uses of cannabis are as a recreational or medicinal drug, and as part of religious or spiritual rites; the earliest recorded uses date from the 3rd millennium BC.[15] Since the early 20th century cannabis has been subject to legal restrictions with the possession, use, and sale of cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids currentlyillegal in most countries of the world; the United Nations deems it the most-used illicit drug in the world.[16][17] In 2004, the United Nations estimated that global consumption of cannabis indicated that approximately 4% of the adult world population (162 million people) used cannabis annually, and that approximately 0.6% (22.5 million) of people used cannabis daily.[18] Medical marijuana refers to the use of theCannabis plant as a physician-recommended herbal therapy, which is taking place in Canada, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, andseveral U.S. states.
Cannabis has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed.[19] The immediate desired effects from consuming cannabis include relaxation and mild euphoria (the "high" or "stoned" feeling), while some immediate undesired side-effects include a decrease in short-term memory, dry mouth, impaired motor skills and reddening of the eyes.[20] Aside from a subjective change in perception and mood, the most common short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, increased appetite and consumption of food, lowered blood pressure, impairment of short-term and working memory,[21][22] psychomotor coordination, and concentration.
A 2013 literature review said that exposure to marijuana had biologically-based physical, mental, behavioral and social health consequences and was "associated with diseases of the liver (particularly with co-existing hepatitis C), lungs, heart, and vasculature".[23]
Cannabis has been used to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy and people with AIDS, and to treat pain and muscle spasticity.[24] According to a 2013 review, "Safety concerns regarding cannabis include the increased risk of developing schizophrenia with adolescent use, impairments in memory and cognition, accidental pediatric ingestions, and lack of safety packaging for medical cannabis formulations."[24]
The medicinal value of cannabis is disputed. The American Society of Addiction Medicine dismisses the concept of medical cannabis because of concerns about its potential for dependence and adverse health effects. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that the herb cannabis is associated with numerous harmful health effects, and that significant aspects such as content, production, and supply are unregulated. The FDA approves of the prescription of two products (not for smoking) that have pure THC in a small controlled dose as the active substance.[25][26]
Neurological
A 2013 review comparing different structural and functional imaging studies showed morphological brain alterations in long-term cannabis users which were found to possibly correlate to cannabis exposure.[27] A 2010 review found resting blood flow to be lower globally and in prefrontal areas of the brain in cannabis users, when compared to non-users. It was also shown that giving THC or cannabis correlated with increased bloodflow in these areas, and facilitated activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and frontal cortex when participants were presented with assignments demanding use of cognitive capacity.[28] Both reviews noted that some of the studies that they examined had methodological limitations, for example small sample sizes or not distinguishing adequately between cannabis and alcohol consumption
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