Mixing the Pot? 7 Ways Marijuana Interacts with Medicines

By Rachael Rettner

Photo Credit: Brian Goodman/Shutterstock

Marijuana interactions

Marijuana is currently not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for any medical condition, but a number of states do allow people to use the drug for medical or recreational purposes. Still, users should be aware that marijuana may interact with other prescription medications.

Although there's been limited research on marijuana's potential drug interactions, here's what doctors know about how marijuana interacts with other medications:

Viagra

Photo Credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported | SElefant

 

Viagra

Marijuana may interact with drugs, including Viagra, that are broken down by chemicals in the liver known as cytochrome P450 enzymes, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's because compounds in marijuana can inhibit these enzymes. Therefore, marijuana may prevent other drugs from being broken down properly.

As a result, people who smoke marijuana and take these drugs may have increased levels of these other drugs in their blood, which "may cause increased effects or potentially serious adverse reactions," the Mayo Clinic said.

In one case, reported in 2002 by researchers in the United Kingdom, a 41-year-old man had a heart attack after taking marijuana and Viagra together. The researchers said they could not prove that the marijuana-Viagra combination was definitely the cause of the man's heart attack; however, they did say that doctors "should be aware" of the effects of inhibiting cytochrome P450 enzymes when prescribing Viagra. 

 

Warfarin

Photo Credit: hafakot/Shutterstock.com

 

Warfarin

Another commonly prescribed drug that's broken down by the cytochrome P450 enzymes is the blood thinner warfarin, which is prescribed to treat and prevent blood clots. In 2009, doctors at the Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Wyoming reported the case of a 56-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with stomach bleeding after smoking marijuana frequently while taking warfarin. He went home after a week in the hospital, but then was readmitted just 15 days later with a nosebleed and bruising. He told his doctors that he smoked marijuana, and he was counseled on the potential interactions of marijuana and warfarin.

Because marijuana affects the cytochrome P450 enzymes, it may inhibit the breakdown of warfarin, leading to an increase in warfarin's effects, the report said. The man stopped smoking marijuana and did not experience further bleeding complications over the next nine months during which the researchers followed up with him. 

 

Benzodiazepines

Photo Credit: Mike Flippo/Shutterstock.com

 

Benzodiazepines

When people take benzodiazepines — which include muscle relaxants as well as drugs that treat anxiety, such as Valium — in combination with marijuana, the result can be "central nervous system depression," according to according to a 2007 review paper in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. This means that people can experience decreased breathing and heart rates, and loss of consciousness.

According to the Mayo Clinic, marijuana can increase the drowsiness caused by benzodiazepines and some other drugs (such as barbiturates and codeine). Therefore, people need to be cautious if they drive or operate machinery after using these drugs with marijuana, the Mayo Clinic said.

Ketoconazole

Photo Credit: mikeledray/Shutterstock.com

 

Ketoconazole

The antifungal medication ketoconazole also inhibitscytochrome P450 enzymes. When this medication is taken with marijuana, it slows the breakdown of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in the body. So, taking the two drugs together may increase the concentration of THC in the body, according to a 2014 article in the trade journal Pharmacy Times.

Prozac

The antidepressant fluoxetine, commonly called by its brand name Prozac, can inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes. This means that, like ketoconazole, fluoxetine mayslow down the metabolism of THC and therefore increase the concentration of THC in the body.

In 1991, researchers reported a case of a 21-year-old who experienced severe mania and psychosis after taking fluoxetine and using marijuana. The researchers hypothesized that marijuana might also increase levels of the chemical serotonin in the brain, which would enhance the effects of fluoxetine, but this is not proven.

Rifampin

The antibiotic medication rifampin, which is used to treat tuberculosis and Legionnaires' disease,can boost the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes. This means that rifampinmay speed up the breakdown of THC, reducing the levels of that substance in the body, according to the Pharmacy Times.

 

 

Diabetes medications

Marijuana may affect people's blood-sugar levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Indeed, some studies have found that marijuana users are less resistant to the effects of insulin, the hormone that helps blood sugar get inside cells, which could mean that their systems are better able to control their blood sugar levels.

But on the flip side, other studies have found that marijuana users are at increased risk of developing prediabetes, a condition in which people have elevated blood sugar levels.

People who take marijuana with drugs for diabetes should be monitored closely, and adjustments to their medications may be necessary, the Mayo Clinic said.

Pot Use Among Cancer Patients Is A Lot More Common Than You’d Think

Almost one-quarter of cancer patients in a study said they used medical marijuana in the past year.

Sara G. Miller

Jason W Lacey via Getty Images

One of the most well-known purported uses for medical marijuana is to alleviate symptoms related to cancer treatment, and a new study finds that use of the drug among cancer patients is not uncommon.

In the study, which included more than 900 cancer patients in Seattle, nearly one-quarter reported using medical marijuana in the past year. In addition, almost all the participants said they wanted to learn more about medical marijuana, according to the study, published today (Sept. 25) in the journal Cancer.

But existing research on marijuana’s effects on cancer-related symptoms is limited, the researchers said. Indeed, the study underscores the need for more research into the risks and benefits of marijuana use among cancer patients, lead study author Dr. Steven Pergam, a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, said in a statement.

Cancer patients want information about marijuana use during their treatment, but they aren’t getting this information from their doctors, Pergam said. Because of this, patients instead seek information from “alternate, nonscientific sources,” he said.

In the study, the researchers surveyed cancer patients at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, a cancer treatment center. The survey included questions about marijuana use among cancer patients, as well as questions about the patients’ beliefs surrounding the drug.

The researchers found that 24 percent of the patients in the study were “active users,” meaning that they had used marijuana in the past year for cancer-related symptoms, and 21 percent reported using the drug in the past month. These rates are more than double those reported in national surveys of any type of marijuana user, the researchers said.

Among the active users, the researchers found that 74 percent reported using marijuana at least once a week, 56 reported using the drug at least once a day and 31 percent reported using the drug multiple times a day. Smoking and consuming edibles were the most common ways of using the drug, the researchers found.

Three-quarters of the active users said they used the drug to help with physical symptoms, including pain and nausea, and two-thirds reported that they used marijuana to help with psychiatric symptoms, including stress and sleep problems.

Active users were more likely than people who never used the drug to cite legalization as a reason for using marijuana, the researchers found. Active users were also younger than those who didn’t use the drug or who had used the drug in the past but quit, according to the study.

And though 74 percent of the people in the study said that they would like information on medical marijuana from their cancer teams, less than 15 percent actually received information from their health care providers. Instead, most people sought out information from friends, family members, media sources or other cancer patients, the researchers found.

The researchers noted that the study had limitations. For example, it’s possible that the people who completed the survey were more likely to have an interest in medical marijuana, the researchers said.

In addition, because the study was carried out at only one cancer-treatment center and in a state where recreational marijuana use is legal, the findings may not apply to people across the country, the researchers said.

Republican Senator Wants to Make Marijuana Easier to Study

By Helen Clark

Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah has introduced a bill to relax medical marijuana research regulations.

Medical marijuana is now legal in 29 states, but the drug’s various effects on the human body are a mystery in many ways.

Federal regulations have made it difficult for scientists to study marijuana’s effects on human health.
But Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, may finally help make it easier to understand what exactly marijuana does to the body.

Hatch, who’s against any recreational use of marijuana, introduced a bill earlier this month aimed at relaxing some of the stringent regulations that affect the study of medical marijuana.

“Under current law, those who want to complete research on the benefits of medical marijuana must engage in a complex application process and interact with several federal agencies,” he said.

“These regulatory acrobatics can take researchers over a year, if not more, to complete. And the longer researchers have to wait, the longer patients have to suffer.”

Hatch said he was moved to introduce the bill in part due to the ongoing opioid epidemic and the fact that he’s heard from constituents in Utah who want nonnarcotic pain alternatives.

“Medical marijuana is just one such alternative. And after careful, deliberative thought, I’ve concluded that it’s an alternative worth pursuing,” he said.

Hatch’s bill focuses on making it easier for scientists and doctors to study medical marijuana in laboratory settings.

Difficulties of studying medical marijuana

While 29 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized medical marijuana, it’s classified as a schedule 1 drug.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) defines schedule 1 drugs as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.”

As a result of this classification, researchers and scientists still face difficulty in getting approved substances to study in a laboratory setting.

They also face a daunting approval process to get government-approved medical marijuana.

Researchers who want to study if these drugs can have a medical use face extra scrutiny and regulations from federal agencies, including the DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

These regulations include applying for a special license from the DEA to work with the material, outfitting their laboratory with special safety features, and waiting for marijuana to be grown by the single government-approved grower of medical marijuana.

Dr. Daniel Friedman, an associate professor in the department of neurology at NYU Langone Medical Center, has studied the effects of a marijuana component called cannabinoids on people with epilepsy.

He said the process to start the study involved getting a “one ton safe” and going through multiple checks with federal officials.

“It certainly was challenging, and you know it obviously helped that there was a pharma company who was able to pay for some of the logistical challenges,” he told Healthline.

Friedman said these extra requirements mean researchers may seek backing from a pharmaceutical company for their research. As a result, this affects the kinds of diseases they’re willing and able to study.

“It does become problematic for investigators who are not interested in studying a particular disease state or a disease state that is not in line with what a [pharmaceutical company]is interested in,” he said.

Hatch’s bill, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, would make a variety of changes to the way medical marijuana is regulated for researchers.

These changes include requiring the attorney general to respond to medical marijuana producer applicants within 30 days, not limit the number of manufacturers and distributors who can apply, and meet demand from researchers for medical marijuana.

In addition to Hatch’s bill, another bill introduced by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., would amend federal law to allow states to set their own medical marijuana policies.

Dispensary marijuana vs. laboratory marijuana

Nehal P. Vadhan, PhD, and an associate investigator at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York, said since there’s only one current supplier of medical marijuana, the products available to study may not match what’s in a local dispensary, which are more plant-based.

If researchers want to study aspects of marijuana other than THC, “you’re stuck with what the government produces, which doesn’t have the greatest variety,” he told Healthline.

Advocacy groups have been trying to raise awareness of restrictions on researchers for years. Some said that while the progress is helpful, it doesn’t go far enough.

David Mangone, JD, legislative analyst for the medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, said the fact that Hatch — a Mormon Republican from Utah — had introduced the bill counted as a victory.

“On the one hand, it’s a political victory,” he told Healthline. “I think having a bill that even touches on the subject from Orrin Hatch is considered a win, but on the other hand, we’re of the mind the research is there, the research is done.”

Mangone said there’ve been enough studies that marijuana has some health benefits. It should be clear it has some medicinal benefit.

“[Medical marijuana] programs have been around for 20 years,” he said. “A research bill was more appropriate in the late 1990s and early 2000s.”

Last year, after pressure to change the marijuana classification, the DEA announced they’d allow more producers to grow medical marijuana for research.

However, they didn’t change marijuana’s classification as a schedule 1 drug.

A DEA spokesman said since that announcement, they received 25 applications from potential growers, but the Justice Department has currently suspended those reviews. It’s unclear if there’ll be more producers of medical marijuana.

Still a roadblock

Natalie Ginsberg, policy and advocacy director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), said they “certainly are excited and encouraged… on doing further cannabis research.”

Researchers affiliated with MAPS are currently working on a study to see if marijuana can help veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

However, Ginsberg said even with the legislation, they still have a major roadblock.

The FDA requires that drugs used in a phase III trial be the same as what’s brought to market.

With such a limited supply available to researchers, it’d be difficult for some marijuana products to get through such a drug trial.

“It is something to consider that NIDA is not able to grow the different strains that we requested,” Ginsberg told Healthline. “You have to use the same source of medicine for phase III that you need to use for sale.”

For Friedman, who plans to continue studying how marijuana products affect people with epilepsy, he said his biggest concern is that the restraints on medical marijuana research leave doctors without the ability to give good advice to patients, who want to get medical marijuana from their local dispensary.

“I think it’s important to get the conversation going, especially in the context of this rapidly growing access in all the states,” he said.

How will legalization affect medical marijuana users?

By Sera Wong

Janet Bea* crouched down and covered her head. Her breath came in short bursts. She was about to leave for work, and this was happening, once again. She didn’t know why, or how. Her mind began racing, and she couldn’t stop shaking. She reached for her phone. She couldn’t go to work, not like this. Bea called into work and cancelled her shift so another cashier could take over. Then, she reached for her bong.

“I have really severe panic attacks and anxiety when it comes to working,” Bea says.

Bea has been using medicinal marijuana for years to help ease her anxiety and panic attacks. This is not the first time, and she doesn’t think it will be thelast.

“I don’t even know what my triggers are yet, I’m still working through that. I only know that since then, because I’ve had multiple cashier jobs, something kind of just clicked, and it didn’t go back.”



Bea has been medically assessed and is unable to go back to her job, or any other job.

After a while, her breathing slows and her shaking comes to a stop. It takes an hour or two for her to feel normal again. Sometimes, it takes far longer. She smokes a bowl to calm her nerves. She sits back and focuses purely on breathing.

According to a June 2017 study by Health Canada, there are 201,398 registered medical cannabis users in Canada. Provincially, ,fthe most users are in Ontario, at 86,196.

With marijuana legalization coming up, the importance of weed has become more mainstream.

People who smoke weed have their eyes set on July 2018, the set time for legalization.

Data suggests that not everyone is in favour of legalizing marijuana. According to a poll performed by Abacus Data in January 2016, 38 percent are in favour of legalization and 38 per cent are not. The remaining 24 per cent expressed limited interest in legalization.

But there are still many questions to be answered, and for now, it is not exactly set in stone on how the Liberal government will go about legalization, or how will it impact medical users, especially those here at Ryerson.

At Ryerson, in the heart of downtown Toronto, marijuana smokers can be seen frequenting various places on campus at all times of the day.

Ryerson’s policy on smoking is clear; you cannot smoke in buildings, residences or any property the school owns. While the university doesn’t own the space in between buildings, they do own the nine-metre space from the front of each entrance, making smoking in these spots prohibited. If you find yourself on Gould or Victoria streets, you can technically smoke beyond the nine metres, as these properties are ownedby the City of Toronto.

Ryerson president Mohamed Lachemi says that he is unsure right now how legalization laws will affect campus. “It’s very early for us to give you any information,” Lachemi says. He added that Ryerson, “will definitely engage in some discussion about internal policies.”

As of right now, even if the drug is for medicinal purposes, students won’t be allowed to smoke it on campus.

Other universities have already had these discussions. McMaster University recently banned all smoking—including marijuana—on its campuses starting January 2018. The University of Toronto has plans to do the same, but it remains to be seen how the ban will be enforced at its St. George campus, which includes public sidewalks and roadways.

Dr. Melanie Kelly, a professor of pharmacology and ophthalmology at Dalhousie University, and her PhD student, Elizabeth Cairns, both foresee big changes for medical users like Bea, in the coming age of legalization. Both argue that Canada must have two “streams” of marijuana available: recreational and medicinal.

For the use of medical marijuana, there has been substantial evidence that cannabis is effective for chronic pain and nausea as a result of chemotherapy, and effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, according to The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids. There are also reports of medical marijuana having an impact on the treatment of arthritis and epilepsy.

Reports from Harvard Health state that medical marijuana use shows promise for treating anxiety, substance-use disorders, schizophrenia and psychosis.

However, Kelly points out that long-term use of cannabis in some cases can lead to a higher risk of schizophrenia and psychosis.

But for recreational marijuana users, the drug serves a different purpose.

Cairns says that recreational users are looking to get intoxicated through a high concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the component that is responsible for feeling high after use.

Medical use

rs may not be looking for THC, but instead, other chemical constituents, like cannabidiol, which has no psychoactive properties, but rather medicinal benefits.

But with legalization, it’s likely that vendors will be looking to cater to recreation users, says Kelly, meaning products would be more skewed towards them.

Medical users would have a harder time finding the type of cannabis they need.

Some patients are concerned that they will lose access to specific strains (for example, strains with lower levels of THC) because these strains would not entice recreational users, according to A Framework for the Legalization and Regulation of Cannabis in Canada.

“I believe that if it is legalized, they should have an abundance of strains that are available to people based on individual needs,” Bea says. “Definitely start out with a bunch of strains that are proven to be beneficial.”

Similarly, there are concerns that patients who use high-potency strains would also lose access because of limits placed on THC potency.

Kelly says that this is something all students should be aware of when using marijuana, and that it is important that you trust your source.

“You could come across something that’s highly concentrated and dangerous and you might just not know that it’s dangerous,” says Cairns. She maintains that buying from a regulated source is the safest option.

Currently, Toronto Police continue to raid dispensaries, forcing buyers to get their marijuana from other, less reputable sources.

Bea has to rely on dispensaries to get her supply. Even though her doctor approved of her using the drug, they weren’t comfortable prescribing it to her because she’s only 22. Her usual dispensary, Canna Clinic, has been raided multiple times, forcing her to go back to her dealer, where she couldn’t be 100 per cent sure about the strain of her marijuana.

“From a dispensary, you know what you’re getting so you’re able to make a very informed decision,” Bea says. “With mine, I was able to consult with a doctor. You’d be making a more well-informed decision about what you’d be putting in your body.”

When Liam McGregor*, a 20-year old professional communications student at Ryerson, first brought up the idea of medical marijuana to his doctor, he wasn’t nervous at all. He was quite sure, in fact, that this would be a viable option for him.

McGregor sat in his doctor’s office, waiting for his appointment. When he finally got called in, he sat down and told his doctor why he was there.

“I have a really tough time sleeping,” he told his family doctor. “I’ve been trying to switch between many mediums of sleeping pills … I don’t get the proper rehabilitation from products that I can get from the local drugstore.”

His doctor went over all of the uses and details of medical marijuana, ensuring he was well-informed. She wasn’t shutting him down, but listening to him.

“If [you think] this is the best for you, we can take this forward,” she told him. “I just want to make sure that you’re OK with this, and that you’re using it for the intended uses and not abusing it.”

Once he got the green light from her, he ran with it and never looked back, jumping into experimentation with edibles.

Mondays feel long for McGregor. He starts his day at 5 a.m. and doesn’t get home until 10:30 p.m. On days like these, he uses edibles to lull him to a restful sleep.

All licenced and authorized places that sell medical marijuana under Health Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR)

The first time he used edibles to sleep, he made them himself. He isn’t a big fan of the way smoking cannabis makes him feel. He’s a big health freak and diligently did his research beforehand on what amount was good for him, how to bake them, and the ingredients he could use.

He stepped into his kitchen and got to work. Deciding to make muffins, he added coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla extract and saffron to a bowl and got mixing. Then, he added the cannabis.

He baked one batch with raisins and dark chocolate, and one with just dark chocolate.

“It did not taste like how people usually describe it—like heavy, medicinal … they were sweet,” he says. “They tasted like normal muffins.”

He cut one in half, ate it and headed to bed for the night. He woke up after 10 hours. In hindsight, half a muffin might have been too much for him, as he didn’t plan on sleeping for that long. But hey, at least he got some sleep.

The problem with Canada’s regulations on edibles is that there aren’t any.

Regulations for edibles will soon have to be established as the clock ticks down toward legalization.

At a recent House of Commons committee on the Liberal’s proposed cannabis bill, an NDP health official pointed out that prohibition doesn’t and won’t work on edibles, and hasn’t in the past.

“One thing is clear,” Dr. Kelly says. “There is no consensus yet on edibles. So we don’t know what’s going to happen in regards to edibles, or how they will be regulated or anything like that.”

Conversations at Health Canada mentioned putting a gram equivalent to the dried cannabis in edibles to help guide people in their use. Without regulations that are put into place, those who use medical marijuana through edibles will have to switch to smoking, or make their own edibles with strains that may not be medically suitable for them.

Cairns warns that it’s important to keep in mind that just because a drug becomes legal, it does not mean that its without risks.

The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research also details that there is substantial evidence of an association between chronic cannabis smoking and worsened respiratory symptoms, including more frequent bronchitis episodes.

“There’s been an emergence of highly concentrated versions of cannabis such as skunk and wax,” she says, adding that the THC level is at an almost combustible level. “It is a level that you could never

find in the plant itself, so they extract the cannabinoid constituents from the plant and concentrate them in various deliveries.”

McGregor says there needs to be more education on why people use the drug for medicinal purposes.
“If you look at our generation, we’re a lot more open to almost everything and I feel like that’s due to how we were raised,” says McGregor. Previous generations, he says, have a stigma against using the drug.

In 2012, Statistics Canada ran the Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health, where 43 per cent of Canadians reported that they had used marijuana at some time in their lives. Marijuana use was indeed more common and more frequent among 18-to-24 year-olds than in any other age group. Less than one per cent of those aged 45-to-64 re- portedly used cannabis one to three times a month.

“The narrative that you see is guys getting together, going to their dorm, garage or basement and getting a bong and lighting up,” says McGregor. He says that this is inaccurate, as the issues surrounding medical use are often more complex.

But is Canada ready to deal with these complexities?

Things are still in the works. Police continue to make arrests for possession of pot, so it’s abundantly clear that marijuana isn’t legalized until it’s legalized.

Cairns says she thinks the government is leaving a lot of the regulations up to the provinces, which worries her, but overall, she doesn’t know if Canada will be ready for such a change. And right now, it’s unclear as to how Ryerson or other universities will deal with students who use medical marijuana.

The narrative is guys getting together, going to their dorm, garage or basement and getting a bong and lighting up.

There’s still time until next July, and time for many things to change. For now, it’s up in the air.
After consulting her doctor, Bea was ready for the next big step: consulting her mom. When she was feeling confident, after a lot of consideration, she took a deep breath, sat down with her and looked her straight in the eyes.

“My mom and I-I don’t really keep secrets from her,” Bea says. “She knows pretty much every aspect of my life.”

Bea took her time explaining why she wanted to try, why she was intrigued, what had happened and how she smoked it. Her mother was worried that Bea would become hooked on it for fun.

But the more they talked, the more understanding she became. She was just happy that her daughter was comfortable with talking about it.

“She’s been there, she’s been my age and all that,” Bea says.

Bea knew for a fact that even if her mom didn’t approve, she wouldn’t get angry. She loved her and had complete trust in her. She knew everything was going to turn out alright.

Bea still continues to use medical marijuana every day to help with her anxiety and sleep deprivation. For now, it’s not legal. But it is enough.

*The names of these people have been changed to protect their identity.

Canadians favour marijuana legalization, curious about weed edibles: survey

Cannabis-infused peanut butter cookies are displayed for sale at a Weeds Glass & Gifts medical marijuana dispensary in downtown Vancouver, B.C., on Friday May 1, 2015. The Supreme Court of Canada says medical marijuana can include products other than dried pot, such as cannabis-infused cookies, brownies, oils and tea. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Canadian Press

HALIFAX -- A new survey suggests a large majority of Canadians support the legalization of recreational marijuana use, with many expressing a cautious willingness to try eating pot-infused munchies.

The poll by researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax found that about 68 per cent of people across the country favour the impending legalization of pot, with the bulk of that support in B.C. and Ontario.

The aim of the survey, done over four weeks in August, was to gauge Canadians' perception of recreational marijuana as a food ingredient when it is legalized next July, if they would use it in their diet and, if so, how they would prepare it.

Just over 45 per cent said they would buy food containing marijuana, with 46 per cent saying they would purchase pot-laced baked goods like brownies and muffins if they were legal.

Despite their apparent willingness, the bulk of survey participants indicated they didn't know how to cook with marijuana at home and most said they did not consider it a healthy ingredient.

More than half of those surveyed -- 58.5 per cent -- said they had concerns about children and youth having greater access to recreational marijuana when it is legal.

The project surveyed 1,087 people and had a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Muchas Gracias: How Spain Brought Cannabis to the Americas and Influenced Hispanic Culture

Ross Scully

(ampueroleonardo/iStock)

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes Americans with ancestry in Spanish-speaking nations.

During this month, we celebrate the contributions of these people to the US as well as the various histories and cultures of the countries they represent. Many Hispanic nations celebrate their independence during this month, and September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of several Latin American countries.


To help bring awareness of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we explore Spain’s role in bringing cannabis to the Americas and its indigenous people, how hemp made its way up to California, cannabis’s spread into the United States, and how a famous Mexican folk song referencing “marijuana” came to be.

Cannabis’s Migration Across the Globe

Cannabis plants are believed to have evolved on the steppes of Central Asia, in the regions that are now Mongolia and southern Siberia. Both hemp and psychoactive marijuana were used in ancient China. The plant’s medicinal properties, including its use as an anesthetic during surgery, were supposedly realized and taught by the mythical Chinese emperor Shen Nung in 2737 BC. From China, coastal farmers brought the plant south to Korea.

Historical evidence demonstrates that the Aztecs used several forms of psychoactive drugs.

 

The plant came to the South Asian subcontinent between 2000 BC and 1000 BC, when the region was invaded by the Aryans. Cannabis would become popular in India, where it was celebrated as one of “five kingdoms of herbs … which release us from anxiety” in an ancient Sanskrit poem. The plant arrived in the Middle East between 2000 BC and 1400 BC, where it was likely used by the nomadic Scythians. This group carried the drug into southeast Russia and Ukraine. Germanic tribes brought the drug into central Europe, and marijuana went from there to Britain during the 5th century with the Anglo-Saxon invasions.

Over the following centuries, cannabis migrated to various regions of the world, traveling through Africa and reaching South America before being carried northwards, eventually reaching North America. Responsibility for the introduction of cannabis as an intoxicant in the Americas rests with the Spanish, with some help from the Portuguese. Prior to their conquests, Native Americans used tobacco and other substances in rituals as relaxants and hallucinogens, but not cannabis.

The New World Before Cannabis

There is much archaeological evidence that points to the use of entheogens early in the history of Mesoamerica. “Entheogen” is a word coined by academics denoting plants and substances used for traditional sacred rituals. A large number of inebriants, from tobacco and marijuana to alcohol and opium, have been venerated as gifts from the gods in different cultures at different times.

Entheogens have been used in a ritualized context for thousands of years; their significance is well established in many diverse practices geared towards achieving transcendence. These psychedelic substances have played a pivotal role in the spiritual practices of American cultures for millennia.

The Maya, for example, flourished in Central America from as early as 2000 BC right up until the fall of their last city, Nojpetén, to the Spanish in 1697. Their religion placed a strong emphasis on an individual being a communicator between the physical world and the spiritual world, and hallucinogens would have been helpful in bridging the gap. Mushroom stone effigies, dating to 1000 BC, give evidence that mushrooms were at least revered in a religious way.

Similarly, the ancient Aztecs employed a variety of entheogenic plants and animals within their society from the 14th to 16th centuries. The various species have been identified through their depiction on murals, vases, and other objects. Historical evidence demonstrates that the Aztecs used several forms of psychoactive drugs: The Xochipilli statue gives the identity of several entheogenic plants, and the Florentine Codex vividly describes Aztec culture and society, including the use of entheogenic drugs.

Spain Spreads Hemp Production

Christopher Columbus’ voyage in 1492 led to the Columbian Exchange, the widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations, communicable diseases, ideas, and technology between the Old and New World. It was one of the most significant events concerning ecology, agriculture, and culture in all of human history, and cannabis (hemp) was part of this exchange.

Even before the English and the French were thinking about exploiting the New World, Spain was promoting hemp production in its colonies throughout South America. As early as 1545, hemp seed was sown in the Quillota Valley, near the city of Santiago in Chile. Most of the hemp fiber from these initial experiments were used to make rope for the army stationed in Chile. The rest was used to replace worn-out rigging on ships docked at Santiago. Eventual surpluses were shipped north to Peru. Attempts were also made at cultivating hemp in Peru and Colombia, but only the Chilean experiments proved successful.

Hemp is believed to have been brought to Mexico by Pedro Cuadrado, a conquistador in Cortes’s army, when the conqueror made his second expedition to Mexico. Cuadrado and a friend went into business raising hemp in Mexico and were pretty successful at it. However, in 1550, the Spanish governor forced the two entrepreneurs to limit production because the natives were beginning to use the plants for something other than rope.

Hemp Gets Planted in California

By the 18th century, Spain’s economy began to plummet drastically and the country began to turn to its colonies for a boost. In 1777, experts were dispatched to various colonial outposts in Spanish America to teach the inhabitants the finer points of growing and preparing commercial hemp.

Three years later, orders from Spain instructed all viceroys to encourage hemp production throughout New Spain.

In 1801, the area around San Jose was chosen as an experimental farm area and an earnest effort was made to raise hemp for market.

 

In Mexico, the authorities decided that the province of California would be an ideal place to farm hemp, but the missions and individual farmers in the parishes preferred raising food crops and cattle.

When no hemp arrived for shipment, experts were again deployed to California to instruct the people how to grow and prepare hemp for market.

In 1801, the area around San Jose was chosen as an experimental farm area and an earnest effort was made to raise hemp for market. From 1807 to 1810, California increased its hemp production from 12,500 to over 220,000 pounds. Production may have continued to increase, but in 1810 the Mexican Revolution effectively detached California from the main seat of government. Consequently, the subsidies that had stimulated hemp production were no longer available, and the commercial production of hemp came to an end.

‘Marijuana’ in Mexico

By the end of the 19th century the use of cannabis was noted in Mexico. It could be found growing in the wild and was commonly cultivated by peasants who mostly smoked it in pipes, but also ate or made infusions of it with sugar cane, milk, and chiles. It was extensively used by curandero, witchdoctors who were repositories of “the old knowledge.” Within a decade, cannabis cigarettes became common, the contents of which were called “marijuana.”

The word “marijuana” was colloquial, though its origins are uncertain. One possible root seems to have been the Mexican military slang phrase “Maria y Juana” (Mary and Jane), meaning a prostitute or brothel where these marijuana-filled cigarettes presumably could be bought and consumed. Others suggest that it may have derived from the Nahuatl phrase mallihuan, meaning “prisoner,” which the Spanish pronunciation later altered. Whatever the case, in the early 20th century, the word was widespread in Mexico and, along with the substance itself, was beginning to creep northwards.

Cannabis’s Arrival in the United States

After this pretty impressive trip through the pre-modern and modern worlds, cannabis finally came to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. It arrived in the southwest United States from Mexico, with immigrants fleeing that country during the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1911.

The revolution that overthrew General Porfiro Diaz in 1910 increased the Mexican migration rate and, inevitably, the use of marijuana in the US. 

 

At that time, Mexico was in a state of upheaval. The dictatorship of General Porfiro Diaz was unpopular and dissent was widespread. This period’s effect on the economy was devastating, and a large number of rank and file Mexicans migrated north over the Rio Grande into Texas and, to a lesser extent, New Mexico. Once there, many settled in shanty-towns and amongst the poorer quarters of towns, finding work as unskilled laborers.

The revolution that overthrew Diaz in 1910 increased the migration rate and, inevitably, the use of marijuana in the US. Gradually, the migrant workforce pushed deeper into the United States, bringing their customs and habits with them, including partaking in cannabis. Consequently, many early prejudices against marijuana use were thinly veiled racist fears of its smokers, often disseminated by reactionary newspapers.

Pancho Villa and the ‘Roach’

The overthrow of General Diaz was engineered by Francisco Madero, whose forces included a man named Doroteo Arango. During another uprising two years later, Arango, who is better known today as Pancho Villa, would fall afoul of one of his commanding officers, General Victoriano Huerta. Villa was arrested and condemned to death, but after escaping from prison, he joined up with troops loyal to him, called the Division del Norte, and fled into the US. A well-known Mexican folksong, “La Cucaracha,” would become the anthem of Pancho Villa’s army:

The cockroach, the cockroach,
Now he cannot walk,
Because he doesn’t have, because he’s lacking,
Marijuana to smoke.

It’s a fun little tune considered to be the Mexican version of “Yankee Doddle Dandy” (with added cannabis references, of course). The song was most likely brought to Mexico from Spain, while the lyrics typically commemorate 19th century conflicts in both countries. Its most famous verses were written during the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920.

There are plenty of stories concerning the origins of the verse containing the “marijuana” reference. Some refer to the “cucaracha” as Pancho Villa’s car, which looked a bit like a cockroach with his soldiers hanging out the sides of it. Others claim that the song is ridiculing the federal forces that the revolutionaries said couldn’t fight without smoking marijuana to increase their bravado. Some say, and this seems most likely, that it was directed at the dictatorial Victoriano Huerta, who was ridiculed by his many enemies as a drunk and pot fiend who lived only for his daily weed.

We can’t definitively confirm the protagonist of the song, but that won’t stop us conjecturing as to the provenance of another term. Maybe “La Cucaracha” is the etymological origin of the modern slang term Americans use for a joint filter or the frustrating, finger-burning remains of a joint: the “roach.”

After all, cucaracha is Spanish for “cockroach,” and “roach” is the sole unstressed syllable in that word. (It’s an admittedly tenuous argument.)

An alternative theory might cite the Spanish phrase “tabaco de cucaracha” as the origin of “roach” considering that the term refers to low-quality or adulterated tobacco. Of course, we can’t say for sure.

Wildly grown marijuana in India Is India really a cannabis country?

By Surbhi Kapila

Cannabis growing wildly by roadside in Shogi, a town in Himachal Pradesh

Some remote locations of India see a wild growth of Marijuana. These untamed greens thrive alongside other bushes and flowering plants, all of which are used by the locals for various purposes.

In many small towns in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, one can find marijuana growing by the roadside, and rather wildly so. The unwanted growth of leaves just occurring there, with no one to claim the otherwise highly prized greens.  As one goes deeper from the towns to the small villages, these plants are be found growing in backyards, house lawns, and even in kitchen gardens, alongside tomatoes and chillies!

Marijuana is, in fact, wildly grown at various places in Himachal Pradesh. The scene is no different in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Goa, which are also infamous for the easy availability of soft drugs.  The cannabis leaf grows in abundance here and is brought to illicit use by both locals and tourists. Although cops and other officials keep a close watch on the trade of the leaves, pedlars have been known to find their way out.

But the growth and use of these leaves have a different purpose in the small homes of the villages of hilly areas such as Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim or Uttarakhand. Locals use them for making traditional cuisine, for medicinal purposes and also for spirituality.

Cannabis cultures

Making chutney or sauce from hemp seeds

“In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, a chutney or sauce made of hemp or marijuana seeds is consumed with daily meals. Known as bhaang chutney, it is a popular, local relish, and is consumed for its rich flavour and other healthy properties, not as a drug,” explains Manoj Upadhyay, a web developer from New Delhi, who hails from Uttarakhand.

“The chutney is not the only side dish made from bhaang seeds. Bhaang ke pakore (hemp fritters), bhaang ki lassi (hemp buttermilk) are other items made from hemp seeds.

With protein, omega- 3, and gamma-linolenic acid, hemp seeds are said to be a dose of good health.

Hemps are not the only seeds that are associated with drugs and used for making delicacies. Seeds of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum)- the plant used to make heroin, are also used in cooking.

“One of the most savoured local bread in Himachal Pradesh is the sidu. A stuffed bread, it is eaten to stay warm in the cold weather, and for that is filled with pulses, dry fruits, spices and opium,” says Harish Sharma, executive chef and general manager at the Aamod Resort in Shogi.

“Afeem dana as the opium seeds are called in Hindi, bring no harm to one if taken in appropriate quantity. They are not illegal either; it is their plant, that is,” explains Sharma.

Opium seeds contain only traces of opiate, but they are themselves not used to make any drug. Opium is extracted from the sap of the opium poppy’s seed pod. The seeds do not have drug effect on humans, for the quantity of morphine they contain is less than what is in some medically prescribed drugs.

“Opium seeds are also broiled with dry fruits, whole wheat grains and jaggery to prepare a mixture that is consumed in extremely cold weather, to keep oneself warm. While the opium and dry fruits work off the cold, jaggery cleanses the body,” shares Sharma.

But while hemp and opium continue to be part of traditional cooking, their plants have been enjoying a spiritual connection.

A spiritual side

A sadhu smoking marijuana

“In rural Bengal, tamak or marijuana is used for spiritual purposes. From folk singers to sadhus and pilgrims, it is smoked up in the name of god. They believe in the spirituality of the herb,” shares a local, not willing to be named.

“I am also told that in erstwhile Bengal, doctors used to prescribe it as an antidote to blood sugar and hypertension. The uses were explored somewhat but the ban on the plant and its cultivation makes it difficult for Ayurveda practitioners to put cannabis to use properly,” he adds.

Smoking cannabis is often linked with Lord Shiva, the creator of the Universe, according to Hindu mythology. The lord is often portrayed smoking ganjika– Sanskrit for marijuana, or drinking bhaang. 

Although part of a religious belief system, the association of the narcotic and the divine is often personified to sell drugs, and consume in an inappropriate manner.

The village of Malana in Parvati Valley is known for producing the best quality hashish­- a type of drug. ‘Malana cream’, is how the drug from here is available and known world over. People of this village address themselves as the followers of Shiva, and it can only be guessed if the valley is named after his wife, Parvati.

House panel OKs bill on legalizing medical marijuana use

By ERWIN COLCOL, 

 

The House Committee on Health has approved a bill seeking to legalize and regulate the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The House panel unanimously endorsed House Bill 180, otherwise known as the proposed "Philippine Medical Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act," following consultations with patients, advocacy groups, health care practitioners and experts.

The objective of the bill, authored by Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano, is to legalize and regulate the medical use of cannabis, found to have beneficial and therapeutic uses in treating chronic or debilitating medical conditions.

If enacted into law, the measure will establish Medical Cannabis Compassionate Centers (MCCC) which are authorized to sell, supply and dispense cannabis to qualified patients or their caregivers through S3-licensed pharmacists.

The MCCC is licensed by the Department of Health based in department-retained hospitals, specialty hospitals and private tertiary hospitals.

The bill will also provide for the establishment of the Medical Cannabis Research and Safety Compliance Facilities mandated to conduct scientific and medical research on the medical use of cannabis.

The DOH will issue identification cards to qualified medical patients upon certification from physicians with whom they have a bona fide relationship as having debilitating medical condition.

They should also receive therapeutic or palliative benefits from medical cannabis use.

The department will also provide training for medical cannabis physicians.

On the Medical Marijuana Amendment, Trump and Sessions are wrong

Dana Rohrabacher, Senate get it right

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, plants grow at the home of Jeremy Nickle, owner of Hawaiian Holy Smokes, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hawaii says it will be the first state to 

require marijuana transactions to be handled ... 

 

 

By Bruce Fein

 

Never underestimate the dishonesty of politicians.

Exemplary is the opposition of President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to extending the Rohrabacher Medical Marijuana Amendment to prohibit the expenditure of federal funds to prosecute medical marijuana businesses that are operating legally under state law.  At present, 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana.  (The federal Controlled Substances Act would otherwise expose the distributors or users to federal prosecution.)

The amendment made its way into federal law in a 2014 federal appropriations bill.  Three years later, not a crumb of evidence has surfaced suggesting that the amendment had spiked marijuana use or promoted or compounded any tangible evil.

During his 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump earnestly promised to “make medical marijuana widely available to patients, and allow states to decide if they want to fully legalize pot or not.”

As U.S. senator, current Attorney General Sessions’ sound track was high octave opposition to the federal government’s penchant for intruding on state prerogatives over voting rights, detentions of or undocumented immigrants, or otherwise.  As Attorney General, Mr. Sessions has backed away from the Obama administration’s aggressive oversight of local police forces that have chronically violated constitutional rights. 

After making proper deductions for ordinary political dishonesty, voters in 2016 were reasonably confident that Messrs. Trump and Sessions would enthusiastically support an extension of the Rohrabacher Medical Marijuana Amendment.  The idea that the federal government should stick its nose into the medical marijuana business is preposterous.

It has no national security dimension.  It is vastly less risky than alcohol or tobacco. 

And there is nothing in the dynamics of state politics that make state jurisdictions ill-suited to deciding whether their citizens should have access to medical marijuana.  Equally if not more important, every federal dollar expended investigating or prosecuting medical marijuana businesses is a dollar unavailable to detect and prosecute international or home-grown terrorists.  In other words, to oppose the Medical Marijuana Amendment is to provide material assistance to ISIS and other international terrorist organizations.

These facts, however, have not deterred Messrs. Trump and Sessions from abandoning their campaign promises or professed constitutional principles.  Earlier this year in inking a Continuing Resolution to fund the government, Mr. Trump appended a signing statement addressing the Medical Marijuana Amendment which asserted:  “I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”

There may be crazier constitutional interpretations, but if there are, they do not readily come to mind.  The amendment is a federal law that supersedes the Controlled Substances Act.  It represents a time-honored exercise of the congressional power of the purse.  James Madison, father of the U.S. Constitution, elaborated in Federalist 58: “This power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure.”  Thus, Article I, section 9, clause 7 prohibits the executive from spending money “but in consequence of appropriations made by law.” Additionally, the Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. 1341(a)(1)(A) prohibits the executive from expending federal funds not authorized by Congress.  In sum, Mr. Trump’s hint that the Medical Marijuana Amendment transgresses his obligation to faithfully execute the laws is laughable.

In May, Mr. Sessions wrote a letter to Congress vehemently denouncing the Medical Marijuana Amendment.  He referenced “an historic drug epidemic and potentially long-term uptick in violent crime.”  But anything is possible.  Violent crime may have crested and we may potentially witness a long-term downtick.  The attorney general was unable to point to any trends in criminal justice during the three long years since the Amendment became law indicative of pernicious effects.

On Sept. 6, 2017, the House Rules Committee—a puppet of House Speaker Paul Ryan—blocked a floor vote on the Medical Marijuana Amendment.  But the Senate Appropriations Committee has passed it, which makes the amendment a candidate for inclusion in a final spending bill.

Every member of Congress should recognize that a vote against the Amendment is a vote in favor of ISIS, al Qaeda, and sister international terrorist organizations.  They rejoice at witnessing our law enforcement resources squandered on chasing after medical marijuana businesses rather than devoted to capturing, prosecuting or killing them

How marijuana causes memory loss

By Honor Whiteman

Researchers have long suggested marijuana can cause memory loss. Now, a new study provides insight on this association, revealing how cannabinoids in the drug activate receptors in the mitochondria of the brain's memory center to cause amnesia.

 

Researchers have shed light on how cannabinoids affect the brain to cause memory loss.

 

Study leader Dr. Giovanni Marsicano, of the University of Bordeaux in France, and team believe their findings - published in the journal Nature - may lead to the development of new therapeutics that target cannabinoid receptors, without the side effect of memory loss.

Cannabinoids are chemicals present in marijuana, as well as synthetic forms of the drug.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are more than 100 cannabinoids in marijuana, including the main psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

These cannabinoids are similar in structure to cannabinoids that occur in the body naturally, such as anandamide. Naturally occurring cannabinoids function as neurotransmitters; they send signals between nerve cells, or neurons, affecting various brain regions, including those responsible for emotion, movement, coordination, sensory perception, and memory and thinking.

Because THC and other cannabinoids present in marijuana and synthetic forms are similar to naturally occurring cannabinoids, they are able to bind to cannabinoid receptors situated on neurons and activate certain brain regions.

As a result, cannabinoids can alter normal brain functioning, causing a number of negative mental and physical effects. One such effect may be memory loss; researchers have shown that THC can affect the function of the hippocampus - the brain region responsible for forming memories.

In the new study, Dr. Marsicano and team further explored the relationship between cannabinoids and memory loss.

CB1 cannabinoid receptors in mitochondria regulate memory processes

In recent years, researchers discovered that one cannabinoid receptor called CB1 is located in the mitochondria of nerve cells. Mitochondria are referred to as the "powerhouses" of cells, as they convert the sugar, fat, and proteins we get from food into energy that cells need to function.

For their study, Dr. Marsicano and colleagues used a variety of innovative methods to find that there are CB1 receptors within the mitochondria of hippocampal neurons, and cannabinoids activate these to cause memory loss.

On further investigation, the researchers found that the memory loss triggered by cannabinoids is down to direct activation of CB1 receptors in the mitochondria, which alters mitochondrial activity. CB1 activation blocks the cannabinoid signaling cascade within mitochondria, and it also reduces cellular respiration - a process that enables the conversion of nutrients into energy.
 
In simple terms, the study shows that CB1 cannabinoid receptors in mitochondria control memory processes by adjusting the energy metabolism of mitochondria.

Confirming their findings, the team discovered that genetically eliminating the CB1 receptor from mitochondria in the hippocampus prevents memory loss. It also reduces the movement of mitochondria and the inhibition of neuronal signaling caused by cannabinoids.

'Selective intervention' on CB1 receptors may lead to new therapeutics

Cannabinoids have shown potential benefits for a number of health conditions, including pain, nausea and vomiting, and neurological disorders. However, the researchers note that the use of therapeutic cannabinoids has been hampered by the side effects they present, such as memory loss.

Dr. Marsicano and team believe their findings could fuel the development of new, safer therapies that target cannabinoid receptors.

"[...] a selective intervention on specific CB1 cannabinoid receptors located in the brain in certain specific neurone compartments could be of interest with a view to developing new therapeutic tools based on the most effective and safest cannabinoids in the treatment of certain brain diseases."

Marijuana and 'spice' could trigger seizures, study says

By Honor Whiteman

Researchers suggest that the use of potent cannabinoids have the potential to trigger seizures.

 

While a number of studies have suggested that marijuana may be effective for reducing seizures, new research cautions that potent and synthetic forms of the drug have the opposite effect.

 

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan found that natural tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the psychoactive chemical in marijuana - and the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 caused seizures in mice.

Study leader Olga Malyshevskaya and colleagues say that their findings - which are published in the journal Scientific Reports - should serve as a "public alert" to the potential harms caused by high-potency and synthetic marijuana.

While marijuana remains that "most commonly used illicit drug" in the United States, it is becoming increasingly legalized in individual states for medicinal purposes, recreational purposes, or both.

There has been increasing research for the use of marijuana - particularly a cannabinoid in the drug called cannabidiol (CBD) - in the treatment of seizures in patients with epilepsy, though a debate surrounding its efficacy continues.

The new study from Malyshevskaya and team suggests that general use of high-potency marijuana - that is, marijuana that contains high amounts of THC - may actually trigger seizures.

The research also found that seizures could be prompted by JWH-018, which is a manmade cannabinoid that is the primary component of the synthetic marijuana known as "spice."

Seizure frequency higher with JWH-018

The researchers came to their findings by analyzing the brain activity of male mice after they received THC or JWH-018.

THC was given to the rodents in doses of 10 milligrams per kilogram (the equivalent to around 0.8 milligrams per kilogram in humans) and JWH-018 was administered in doses of 2.5 milligrams per kilogram (the equivalent to around 0.2 milligrams per kilograms in humans).

The team implanted electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyogram electrodes into the brains of the mice, which allowed them to monitor any seizure-related electrical activity in response to the drug compounds.
  The movement and behavior of the rodents was also monitored through video recording.

The study revealed that the mice experienced seizures shortly after administration with both THC and JWH-018, though seizure frequency was significantly higher with JWH-018.

Seizure-related brain activity persisted for 4 hours after the administration of each drug, the team reports, but brain activity had returned to normal by the next day.

Interestingly, the researchers found that pre-treating the mice with AM-251 - which is a compound that binds to the cannabinoid-1-receptor - prevented seizures in response to THC and JWH-018.

As such, the team suggests that cannabinoid receptor antagonists could be useful for preventing seizures in the case of marijuana overdose.

Study warns of possible dangers

According to the researchers, their results "provide strong evidence" that both plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoids have the potential to trigger seizures.

"On the other hand," the authors note, "a substantial body of literature on cannabinoids in animal models shows mostly anticonvulsive effects."

"However," they add, "few of these used EEG recordings to assess epileptic events and many of them induced seizures either electrically or pharmacologically, changing signaling pathways and brain states prior to cannabinoid application."

The team cautions that the doses of THC and JWH-018 used in their study were high and may not represent the doses normally seen with medicinal or recreational use in humans. 

"It would be interesting in the future to also test lower doses, typically used medicinally or recreationally to determine whether the effect is lost or diminished," they add.

Still, they believe that their findings should be viewed as a warning of the potential dangers of cannabinoids, particularly synthetic marijuana. 

Israel's Booming Medical Marijuana Industry Now Offers Hope to Autism Patients

Thanks to the country’s liberal research policies, two studies are progressing that could dramatically improve the lives of autistic kids and their families

Dina Kraft






A 10-year-old autistic boy named Einav and his family were spiraling to a dangerous low point a year ago. The parents soldiered through their son’s rages and obsessive behaviors, not to mention bends that would last entire days into sleepless nights. He would hit them and even throw stones at them.

He would also harm himself by cutting his skin and trying to swallow objects. Once he almost electrocuted himself.

His spent parents, who live in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, traveled with him to Jerusalem to meet Dr. Adi Aran, who heads the neuropediatric unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

In January, Einav became one of Aran’s patients and research subjects. Aran is working on a pair of clinical trials to test medical marijuana oil for children with autism – including children like Einav who experience severe autism.

Some of his patients are nonverbal and prone to extreme outbursts.

“The strain of marijuana Einav receives relaxes him. Here and there outbursts occur, but it’s nothing compared to what we experienced last year,” says his mother, Ronit.

“Autism is still there, it’s part of him. But there’s no doubt: the marijuana saved us.”

An employee sorting freshly harvested cannabis buds at a medical marijuana plantation in northern Israel, March, 2017.

The attempt to find a way to help children and young people with autism is part of a larger story: the growing area of medical marijuana research in Israel. The country has been positioning itself as a leader in the field, bolstered by a Health Ministry that encourages research, and an increase in the number of growers, who also collect evidence on which strains and compounds seem to work best for patients with specific conditions.

Officials like to point out that Israeli researchers are not constrained by the limits in the United States, where the study of medical marijuana is limited because of its classification as a dangerous drug. Israel’s relatively liberal atmosphere for research has also been drawing attention as it attracts international investors looking for a way to get these potential treatments to market.

Researchers, growers and Israeli health officials prefer the term medical cannabis to medical marijuana; they say they’re trying to move away from the stigma associated with the word marijuana.

Confusing cannabinoids

Researchers caution that marijuana is a complicated plant. It has tremendous potential for a range of health problems, but science is still in the early stages of understanding how cannabinoids work.

Aran is working on a double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 120 autistic children with the results expected next year, after a full year of research has been conducted.

Einav is also part of parallel research: an “open label” clinical study of 60 children and young adults where all the patients have been given the oil. This type of trial is considered less scientifically rigorous since both the researchers and patients know what they are receiving.

In both instances, the patients are given a strain of medical marijuana developed by the Israeli company Breath of Life Pharma, also known as Bol Pharma. This strain is made up mostly of cannabidiol, known as CBD, and a small amount of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main compound in cannabis). Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive.

In recreational use of cannabis, THC is usually at a high level. But the oil blend that the children and young people are receiving in this study is 20 parts CBD to one part THC; drops of the oil are usually placed under the tongue.

From the preliminary – still anecdotal – evidence, a majority of the patients in the open label study have reported less anxiety and fewer outbursts. And about one-third have reported that communication has improved.

Aran notes that patients who have both autism and another condition (or conditions) have so far responded less favorably than those who only have autism.

“This is the only research of its kind in the world, though lots of others are beginning to try,” Aran says. “We are lucky to have access to medical-grade marijuana and a regulatory system that enables and allows for its study.”

Because of the lack of federally funded research, U.S. physicians find themselves in a bind when it comes to advising patients. Although they can authorize a medical marijuana card for patients, they cannot give prescriptions for which varieties and strains might work best for specific conditions and diseases.

Those patients are dependent on the advice of staff at medical marijuana dispensaries, who are often well informed but not medical professionals.

That is beginning to change in Israel. The Health Ministry is leading training sessions in hospitals for physicians, giving them guidance on which specific strains and blends of medical marijuana might work best for a patient’s condition, according to Dr. Michael Dor, who heads the ministry’s medical marijuana research unit.

It was Dor who approved Aran’s study in conjunction with Bol Pharma. It grew out of research that found that medical marijuana was helpful for treating children with epilepsy, some of whom also had autism and whose autism-related behavior also improved.

Hinanit Koltai, a plant molecular biologist examining the possible use of medical marijuana for breast cancer and other conditions, Rishon Letzion, September 2017.

Hinanit Koltai, a plant molecular biologist examining the possible use of medical marijuana for breast cancer and other conditions, Rishon Letzion, September 2017.Tomer Appelbaum

Start of a long road

“Lots of research still needs to be done,” says Bol Pharma CEO Tamir Gedo. “We need to see why it works on one person and not another. This is going to be the first of many trials,” he says, adding he has been encouraged by the results to date.

The Volcani Center, the home of Israel’s Agricultural Research Organization, is home to several studies on medical marijuana. One of its researchers, Dr. Hinanit Koltai, a plant molecular biologist, is examining the possible use of medical marijuana for breast cancer and digestive illnesses.

“When you go to get a medicine, even antibiotics, you know exactly what you are getting,” Koltai says. “We want medical marijuana to be the same.”

Abigail Dar, from the Tel Aviv suburb Ramat Hasharon, treats her nonverbal autistic son Yuval, 24, with medical marijuana and says she has seen markedly fewer aggressive outbursts.

She has become an outspoken advocate for the cause and something of a guru among the parents of autistic children in Israel looking for guidance. She hosts a Facebook page for parents, leads a WhatsApp group and gives lectures trying to educate people about medical marijuana as a possible treatment option.

“What interests me is what really works for the kids,” Dar says. “I’m gathering data and tracking who got what and how he responded to a given strain. For me, this is the way to really understand the cannabiniods and how to really work out what works for our kids.”

As for her own son, Yuval, she says she doesn’t “have to be afraid of him having outbursts anymore. I’m worried I sound terrible. I adore my son, but there were outbursts you could not live with.”

She fears the recent media attention will sell parents a dream that two drops of marijuana oil will cure their child of autism – and that's not what’s happening, she says. “But it does make everything more manageable. We are talking about our kids having less anxiety, restlessness and outbursts, a real game-changer for the quality of life of people with autism and their families and caregivers,” Dar adds.

For Tanya, the homeschooling mother of Leia, a nonverbal, low-functioning, autistic 10-year-old, medical marijuana offers some hope for relief in the form of medication that has already been tested and proved effective.

“We want to get the right treatment for her,” Tanya says. “I’m not expecting miracles. I want it to help Leia sleep, that’s what I want it for. I have no idea what to expect, so I want to give it a try in an organized way.”

White House Drug Policy Office awards $125,000 to prevent youth substance use in Monroe County

The advocate & Democrat

Recently, Richard Baum, acting director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), announced 719 Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program grants totaling $89 million. This represents the largest-ever number of DFC grantees in a single year since the program’s founding.

The grants will provide local community coalitions funding to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. Monroe County Prevention & Wellness Coalition from Madisonville was one of the grant recipients and will receive $125,000 in DFC grant funds to involve and engage their local community to prevent substance use among youth.

“We’re losing more than 60,000 people per year to drug overdose, but if we can stop young people from starting to use drugs in the first place, we can save lives,” said Richard Baum, acting director of National Drug Control Policy. “Our local DFC coalitions are a key part of this effort because they are bringing together parents groups, schools, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, businesses, and others to prevent drug use and improve the health of the community.”

“Our goal is to make Monroe County a safe and drug-free place for our youth,” said Patty Williford. “Prevention is a powerful tool to counteract drug use in our community, and we will use this funding to help youth in Monroe County make healthy choices about substance use.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the DFC Program.

“SAMHSA looks forward to working with its community partners in implementing evidence-based practices to impact the community and help youth,” said Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.

Prescription drug abuse prevention is one of the core measures of effectiveness for local DFC coalitions, and coalitions nationwide have led innovative opioid prevention initiatives. DFC’s 2016 National Evaluation End-of-Year Report found that at least 97 percent of middle school and 93 percent of high school youth report that they have not illicitly used prescription drugs in the past 30 days in DFC communities. Additionally, perception of risk of illicit prescription drug use was generally high (80-84 percent). The report also found that perceived risk of illicit use of prescription drugs was very similar to perceived risk of tobacco use (80-83 percent), and was higher than for both alcohol (69-73 percent) and marijuana use (53-73 percent). Finally, the report detailed that peer disapproval of illicit prescription drug use increased significantly for both age groups within all DFC coalitions.

The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, is the nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use.

Directed by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.

The DFC Program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community coalitions that facilitate youth and adult participation at the community level in local youth drug use prevention efforts.

According to 2016 data, an estimated 3,200 young people per day between the ages of 12 and 17 used drugs for the first time in the preceding year. Research also indicates that high school seniors are more likely to smoke marijuana than cigarettes. A total of 88 percent of DFC coalitions indicate that they focus on heroin, prescription drugs, or both, which is reflective of the ongoing national opioid crisis. Furthermore, 16 percent of high school seniors in 2016 reported binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row) in the past two weeks.

Recognizing that local problems need local solutions, DFC-funded coalitions engage multiple sectors of the community and employ a variety of environmental strategies to address local drug problems.

Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, healthcare and business professionals, law enforcement, and media. By involving the community in a solution-oriented approach, DFC also helps those youth at risk for substance use recognize that the majority of our nation’s youth choose not to use drugs.

Additionally, DFC-funded community coalitions continue to make progress towards achieving the goal of preventing and reducing youth substance use.