Friday, May 31, 2013

Could Marijuana Treat Schizophrenia?

Researchers find cannabidiol is as effective as standard antipsychotic drugs—with fewer side effects.

Image: 
Cannabidiol and THC affect the brain
differently Photo via
A compound found in marijuana can help treat schizophrenia as effectively as standard antipsychotic drugs—and with fewer side effects—according to the results of a new clinical trial, reports The Fix columnist Maia Szalavitz in Time. Researchers at University of Cologne in Germany studied 39 people with schizophrenia, all hospitalized for a psychotic episode. Twenty of the patients were given cannabidiol (CBD), a substance found in marijuana that is associated with its mellowing, anti-anxiety effects (not THC—the main ingredient in marijuana, which has been found to worsen schizophrenia). The other participants were given amisulpride, an antipsychotic medication. At the end of the four-week trial, both groups showed significant clinical improvement in their schizophrenic symptoms. “The results were amazing,” says Daniele Piomelli, professor of pharmacology at the University of California-Irvine and a co-author of the study. “Not only was [CBD] as effective as standard antipsychotics, but it was also essentially free of the typical side effects seen with antipsychotic drugs.” Antipsychotic medications can cause serious, sometimes permanent movement disorders and other side effects such as weight gain and movement problems. In the study, these side effects were observed in those taking amisulpride, but not in those taking CBD. “These exciting findings should stimulate a great deal of research,” says Dr. John Krystal, chair of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, who was not associated with the study. He noted that CBD, in addition to having fewer side effects, also seemed to work better on schizophrenia’s negative symptoms, which are notoriously difficult to treat, including: social withdrawal, blunting of pleasure, and lack of motivation

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Hemp Oil, The Non-Toxic / Sustainable / Solution

This is a UN-REAL,  we have open fields to plant Hemp, we wouldn't have this mess! AMERICA NEEDS HEMP BACK!
Almost any thing made from Big Oil, can be made with Hemp Oil, Non Toxic!

Israel: Researcher Finds Low Doses of THC Can Halt Brain Damage





CannabisProtectsBrainCells
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
It's been known for some time that the cannabinoids in marijuana are neuroprotectants, that is, they help guard your brain cells from damage. Now, an Israeli researcher has uncovered more evidence that low doses of THC, the chief psychoactive component of marijuana, can protect the brain both before and after injury.
Professor Yosef Sarne of Tel Aviv University's Adelson Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine said he has discovered that low doses of THC protect the brain from long-term cognitive damage in the wake of injury from hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), seizures, or toxic drugs, reports American Friends of Tel Aviv University.
Previous studies had concentrated on injecting high doses of THC within a short time frame, usually within 30 minutes before or after the injury. But Prof. Sarne's current research shows that even extremely low doses of THC -- about 1,000 to 10,000 times less than in a joint -- administered from one to seven days before, or from one to three days after, a brain injury can boost biochemical processes which help protect brain cells and preserve cognitive function over time.
This treatment could be applicable to many cases of brain injury, especially in light of the long time frame for administration and the low dosage, according to Prof. Sarne.
Sarne and his fellow researchers found that low doses of THC had a large impact on cell signalling, preventing cell death and promoting neuronal growth factors (neurogenesis). This led to a series of experiments designed to test the neuroprotective properties of THC in response to various brain injuries.
Researchers injected mice in the lab with a single low dose of THC either before or after exposing them to brain trauma. A control group of mice sustained brain injury with no THC treatment. When the mice were examined three to seven weeks after initial injury, the THC mice performed better in behavioral tests measuring learning and memory.
Biochemical studies also showed larger amounts of neuroprotective chemicals in the THC group compared to the control group. The researchers concluded that THC can prevent long-term cognitive damage that results from brain injury.
Due to the long therapeutic time window, THC can be used not only to treat brain injuries after they occur, but also to help prevent damage from injuries that might occur in the future, according to Sarne. For example, cardiopulmonary heart-lung machines used in open heart surgery can sometimes interrupt the blood supply to the brain, causing brain trauma; THC can be delivered beforehand to help prevent damage from this occurrence.
Professor Sarne is now working with Professor Edith Hochhausen of the Rabin Medical Center to test the ability of low doses of THC to prevent damage to the heart. Preliminary results indicate they will find the same protective phenomenon in relation to cardiac ischemia, in which the heart muscle doesn't receive sufficient blood flow.
(Graphic: The Weed Report)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Gov. John Hickenlooper Makes me proud to be an American Again!


It is a Great day in History when a Man like Gov. Hickenlooper Stands Strong for his STATE of Colorado!      Now I challenge the other Governors to follow!


SB13-241Industrial Hemp Growers Registration DOASchwartz & Crowder / Coram & FischerConcerning the creation of a program in the department of agriculture to regulate industrial hemp production and making an appropriation.




DENVER — Tuesday, May 28, 2013 — Gov. John Hickenlooper signed these bills into law today.946527_368382969948042_1881701098_n
by Ali Papademetriou
Coloradoans were thrilled on Monday after discovering that their state’s House passed SB 13-241, a bill that would legally allow industrial hemp cultivation.
Lifting the federal brand on hemp as being an illicit substance, regardless of hemp containing only less than 1% of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, is becoming a popular state-level trend recently. Washington State, Missouri, New Hampshire, California, and Kentucky have all been working to legalize industrial hemp.
Colorado’s House vote was unanimous – 34 to 1 and was lightly amended after already being passed out of the Senate. Now the legislation is on its way back to the Senate and considering the Senate already passed its first version, the chances of the Senate turning down the bill are essentially non-existent. It will then be up to Governor Hickenlooper to determine whether or not the bill will be signed into state law.
If it becomes law, SB 13-241 would “repeal the industrial hemp remediation pilot program in the department of public health and environment, enacted by House Bill 12-1099, and replace the pilot program with a program in the department of agriculture that requires a person seeking to engage in industrial hemp cultivation for commercial purposes or to grow industrial hemp for research and development purposes to register with he department.”
Fundamentally, the bill would rename the department’s program regarding hemp and what it can be used for.
The bill specifies that with an appropriate registration issued by the program, growers may “engage in industrial hemp cultivation for commercial purposes or grow industrial hemp outdoors on not more than ten acres for research and development purposes.”
Interestingly, the bill also acts as a creed for the conception of the industrial hemp committee. “The Industrial Hemp Committee is hereby established. The chair of the agriculture, livestock, and natural resources committee in the house of representatives and the chair of the agriculture, natural resources, and energy committee in the senate shall jointly appoint seven members to the industrial hemp remediation pilot program committee which is hereby established,” reads the bill.
It is stipulated in the bill that someone interested in cultivating industrial hemp must first apply to the department for a registration from the committee by the first of May of the year in which they wish to grow.
The applicant wishing to cultivate the hemp also has to inform the committee of specific information including the geographical location of where the hemp is going to be grown and personal information belonging to the applicant such as their home address. Each registration is valid for only one year.
If signed into law, the commissioner will adopt the rules of the new provision to allow hemp cultivation registrations by March 1, 2014.

SB13-241Industrial Hemp Growers Registration DOASchwartz & Crowder / Coram & FischerConcerning the creation of a program in the department of agriculture to regulate industrial hemp production and making an appropriation.

Friday, May 24, 2013

New Study: Marijuana Can Help Schizophrenia Patients

By "Radical" Russ Belville

The Impact of Cannabis Use on Cognitive Functioning in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Existing Findings and New Data in a First-Episode Sample.
YĆ¼cel M, Bora E, Lubman DI, Solowij N, Brewer WJ, Cotton SM, Conus P, Takagi MJ, Fornito A, Wood SJ, McGorry PD, Pantelis C.
Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, National Neuroscience Facility, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry Street, Carlton South, Victoria 3053, Australia.
Cannabis use is highly prevalent among people with schizophrenia, and coupled with impaired cognition, is thought to heighten the risk of illness onset. However, while heavy cannabis use has been associated with cognitive deficits in long-term users, studies among patients with schizophrenia have been contradictory.
This article consists of 2 studies. In Study I, a meta-analysis of 10 studies comprising 572 patients with established schizophrenia (with and without comorbid cannabis use) was conducted. Patients with a history of cannabis use were found to have superior neuropsychological functioning. This finding was largely driven by studies that included patients with a lifetime history of cannabis use rather than current or recent use.
In Study II, we examined the neuropsychological performance of 85 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 43 healthy nonusing controls. Relative to controls, FEP patients with a history of cannabis use (FEP + CANN; n = 59) displayed only selective neuropsychological impairments while those without a history (FEP – CANN; n = 26) displayed generalized deficits. When directly compared, FEP + CANN patients performed better on tests of visual memory, working memory, and executive functioning. Patients with early onset cannabis use had less neuropsychological impairment than patients with later onset use.
Together, these findings suggest that patients with schizophrenia or FEP with a history of cannabis use have superior neuropsychological functioning compared with nonusing patients. This association between better cognitive performance and cannabis use in schizophrenia may be driven by a subgroup of “neurocognitively less impaired” patients, who only developed psychosis after a relatively early initiation into cannabis use.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Derek Cross Hemp Cookbook Author Invites You to the 2013 Texas Regional NORML Conference

2013 Texas Regional NORML Conference
Come see me Speak about The Health Benefits of Industrial Hemp, And learn the Economic Impacts of Industrial Hemp! I will also be holding a Cooking with Hemp Workshop! I look forward to talking with you and answering questions you might have!
Industrial Hemp Belongs back in Americas soil once again!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Grabing Prohibition by the Horns in Texas / 2013 Texas Regional NORML Conference


  I would like to Thank, DFW Norml for the Great Honor to be able to Speak and hold a Hemp Cooking Workshop!!!  
 
  I will be speaking about Industrial Hemp, and also Hemp Healthy Cooking!  It will Be Packed with Information!
 
Spread the Word, Sew the Seed by Sharing this with all of your Family and Friends.
 
Hemp Healthy Today, is a Proud Sponsor!  Stop in and say Howdy, and let me know how you are, "Grabbing Prohibition by the Horns"!
 
Have a Hemp Healthy Day,
Derek Cross
 
  It’s high time Texas grabbed prohibition by the horns! DFW NORML proudly presents the Texas Regional NORML Conference in downtown Fort Worth from June 7 – 9.

This historic event includes over a dozen speakers such as Keith Stroup, founder of
NORML, expert cultivation and concentrate tips, medicinal alternatives to smoking, an exclusive screening of the new documentary American Drug War 2 - Cannabis Destiny, patient testimonials, a hemp fashion show, reception and live art show, two after parties, vendors, prizes and more than a few surprises.

The primary goals for the Texas Regional NORML Conference are:

1.) Give Texans an honest, entertaining and interactive cannabis education.

2.) Showcase the strength of the Texas effort to end prohibition.

3.) Call all Texans to action because now is the time to get involved!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Worth Repeating: It’s Official! Cannabinoids Kill All Types of Cancer

By On

Comedian Tommy Chong talks benefits of legalizing marijuana

Tommy Chong thinks the legalization of marijuana will save America and the world.
 
Tommy Chong. File. (UPI Photo/Heinz Ruckemann)
Tommy Chong. File. (UPI Photo/Heinz Ruckemann)
License photo
Updated May 16, 2013 at 6:43 AM
Published: May 16, 2013 at 6:22 AM
Grammy Award winning comedian Tommy Chong has spent years mocking the use of marijuana, but these days he doesn't see it as a laughing matter.
According to Phillly.com the comedian spoke of the legalization of the drug as the cure for everything that's wrong a in America.
"Look at the situation we're in now. Sequesters. Cuts. Everything cut across the board. Now, the government is tapped into the biggest cash crop in the world," Chong said. "There's little manufacturing cost. You don't have to do anything except watch it grow and get a couple of hippies to cut it and then put it in a bag."

The 74-year-old comedian noted that the argument supporting the medical uses of cannabis has gotten 20 states to legalize it.
"Hemp itself is going to save the world," he said.


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Charlotte's Web and Zaki's Journey / Cannabis and Epilepsy

So, My friends, WATCH this and Express Your Compassion! I bet this Video Brings Tears to your eyes of JOY for these Families and Yet brings tears of Frustration because of its Legal Status! It did Mine! Start Learning, Helping and Curing. Put yourself in these parents shoes, and the patients. Please Share and Give your feed back!

What is the E-cannabinoid system?


By Richard Shrubb

An area of interest to medical scientists is the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) – a lot of new research has come out in the last few years that suggest new treatments for a range of disorders from Multiple Sclerosis to schizophrenia.
I put up a link to a series of research papers that were published last year, on the NORML Facebook page and found that people misunderstood its meaning. I have had two people come up to me and say “my ECS is low on cannabis so I have to top it up”. You talk to a drugs expert and he’ll laugh as hard as someone who hears a guy planning on getting pissed say “there’s too much blood in my alcohol system” for the first time…
Endocannabinoid system Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are made inside your body. They are known as cannabinoids because they are similar to the chemicals in cannabis you consume from the marijuana plant.
A 2004 paper suggests that endocannabinoid receptors are “densely distributed in areas of the brain related to motor control, cognition, emotional responses, motivated behaviour and homeostasis. Outside the brain, the endocannabinoid system is one of the crucial modulators of the autonomic nervous system, the immune system and microcirculation.” This means that endocannabinoids can inpact on a variety of things from moving your hands to the way you perceive the world – even the way your heart beats and your ability to fight diseases.
If you can interfere with motor control using the ECS you could help cramping with Multiple Sclerosis. This is how cannabis eases them. Dealing with emotional responses through the way the ECS works, you can control anxiety. Some people report that smoking pot controls this. Recent research in medical science may illustrate some of the reasons cannabis is therapeutic for a range of conditions, and may well be the next big thing in medical research.
The ECS was first suggested as a system of neural receptors and chemicals in the 1960’s. Scientists really got their teeth into it in around 2000 and only in the last eight years have there been a fair understanding. In science, a decade is very little. There is a lot more to learn.
Cannabinoid receptors were discovered in the body in a variety of cells, including the spinal cord, certain glands and sex organs. According to cannabis-med.org “The discovery of specific cannabinoid receptors prompted the search for putative naturally-occurring chemicals that interact with the receptors, the endocannabinoids.”
A major endocannabinoid is called anandamide (AEA). Ananda in Sanskrit for bliss. Anandamide is thus the “bliss” chemical.
A classic way of getting yourself stoned, as I do as without drugs, is get a blast of exercise. This was previously thought as endorphins which are endo-opioids, and bind to the receptors that also bind to opiates like heroin and morphine. A 2004 paper suggested that “runner’s high” is in fact a buildup of endocannabinoids in the body. “Using trained male college students running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike for 50 minutes at 70–80% of maximum heart rate, we found that exercise of moderate intensity dramatically increased concentrations of anandamide in blood plasma.” This why people like me tend to do better for a blast on the hills rather than a blast on a bhong.
Research in 2009 by a New York university said that THC from cannabis binds to the same receptors in cells as AEA. “Naturally occurring AEA levels have been shown to curb pain without the negative side effects, such as motor coordination problems, of molecules like THC that can also bind the cannabinoid receptor.” This paper was promoted by the US National Institute on Drug Abuse as suggesting a way of curbing “marijuana addiction” through the development of a patch.
The same paper also suggested that if synthesized, anandamide could be used as a drug instead of THC as THC has side effects that NIDA and the DEA dislike. Since 2000, other cannabinoids have been researched that bind to the same receptor in cells such as Cannabidiol (CBD) which don’t have the same psychoactive effects that the DEA disapproves of.
In 2004, a paper published by the Oxford Journal of Alcohol and Alcoholism suggested that a range of therapies could be derived from the ECS. “These new tools have enabled the study of the physiological roles played by the endocannabinoids and have opened up new strategies in the treatment of pain, obesity, neurological diseases including multiple sclerosis, emotional disturbances such as anxiety and other psychiatric disorders including drug addiction.”
Is it true then that you’re low on endocannabinoids if you need a spliff? My response, trying to take an objective view on cannabis, is that if you think you need any drug from outside your body for a recreational purpose there is something wrong with your relationship with that drug. I used to have a problem of too much blood in my alcohol system but have dealt with that for nearly 8 years. If you need it for pain relief? That’s fine. There may one day be something understood about depression, epilepsy, psychosis, and the ECS may even be used to naturally fight cancer tumours. This differs from a craving for a joint and using it as your way out of the world.
My next piece will look at the relationship between phytocannabinoids and the ECS. What is shown to be helped, and what may be helped with weed?

Richard Shrubb
Richard Shrubb is a freelance journalist with a specific interest in medical science and sailing, for more info about Richard, see his web site www.richardshrubb.co.uk and you can follow Richard on Twitter #Shrubberz

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Hemp, Inc. to Co-Produce Historic Documentary on Commercial-Scale Planting of Hemp



DENVER, May 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After 60 years of industrial hemp growing dormancy in America, hemp grower, Ryan Loflin is set to revitalize commercial-scale hemp growing today in Springfield, Colorado. The historical event will be filmed with Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP), the leader in the industrial hemp industry, serving as one of the Executive Producers. The documentary entitled, "Hemp in America: The Revolution and Hemp Canada: Seeds of Growth," is planned as a two-part film series, to be produced and directed by Diana Oliver , whose credits include, "Hempsters Plant the Seed" which co-starred Woody Harrelson and Willie Nelson .
Bruce Perlowin , CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP) said, "This is monumental for our industry. It will unlock a clean industrial revolution that will be good for the economy, good for jobs and good for the environment."
J. Ryan Loflin , owner of Rocky Mountain Hemp, Inc. (RMH) will be excavating sixty acres of his father's alfalfa farm to plant hemp. In a recent article in The Denver Post, Loflin said, "I believe this is really going to revitalize and strengthen farm communities." Loflin, with business partner, Chris Thompson , will also install a press to squeeze the oil from the seeds and plans to try different seed varieties in an effort to produce the maximum amount of seed oil, in-house, which is in high demand from food and cosmetics manufacturers.
Colorado Amendment 64 and the Industrial hemp farming Act of 2013, which excludes industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana, that is pending this year in Congress, with bipartisan support will give growers, like Loflin, an economic advantage. Suffice to say, there are many challenges growers face, namely financial, operational and legal, as the U.S. Federal law currently prohibits the sale or import of seed that can be propagated. Industrial hemp growers in America also lack federal crop insurance that conventional farmers have access to.
While Loflin makes history today, credit must be given to Alex White Plume , of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, who openly planted and cultivated a hemp crop within the borders of the United States since the federal anti-drug laws in 1968. U.S. federal drug agents raided his farm and destroyed his crop of industrial hemp before he could harvest it for seed as intended.
Today, the hemp planting is scheduled to begin at 10:00am and will be attended by local Springfield news station KRDO News, the Associated Press, and film crew, Hemp Cleans. As one of the Executive Producers, Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP) will provide snippets of this monumental event, as well as interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage on its website www.Hemp.com.
Hemp, Inc.'s TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE
Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP) seeks to benefit many constituencies, not exploit or endanger any group of them. Thus, the publicly-traded company believes in "upstreaming" of a portion of profit from the marketing of their finished hemp goods back to its originator. By Hemp, Inc. focusing on comprehensive investment results—that is, with respect to performance along the interrelated dimensions of people, planet, and profits— our triple bottom line approach can be an important tool to support sustainability goals.
CONTACT:phone: 1-877-221-8351 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-877-221-8351 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
email: info@hemp.com
http://www.hemp.com

Monday, May 13, 2013

CANNABIS CURE FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY


Thank you to Dr. David Berman, for your dedication.

By David Berman, MD

So you say your 15 year old doesn’t pay attention in school, he fidgets in class, is sometimes disruptive and is just barely getting by grade wise. But wait. Recently he’s been doing a lot better. He’s keeping up with his homework and his grades have gone from C minuses to As and Bs. Then all of a sudden he’s back to his old tricks, busted at school for marijuana.

Maybe we need to take a closer look and see if there really is something more significant going on. Maybe, just maybe, the scientists who are studying the endocannabinoid system and clinicians treating patients with cannabis, cannabinoids and anandamide blockers are right and he really is treating his ADHD. Your first reaction is to dismiss that idea. But read on and you won’t be so quick to be influenced by 90 years of unscientific propaganda.

ADHD is a costly problem that strains medical/mental health, educational, and legal institutions. ADHD afflicts 3-5% of Americans. It is one of the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood and in adults frequently results in tragic consequences in professional and personal lives. ADHD is characterized by persistent impairments in attention (or concentration) and/or symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity.

The preponderance of studies show marijuana use is overwhelmingly prevalent with ADHD sufferers, either as a self-medicament or for recreation. While some apply preconceptions that marijuana exacerbates ADHD almost all California cannabinologists believe camnabis and cannabinoids have substantially improved the lives of ADHD sufferers, and with less negative side effects than common stimulant drug ADHD treatments.

As we have come to understand more about the brain and the role of dopamine and the endocannabinoid system we are starting to unravel how cannabis, anandamide and dranabinol act to free up dopamine and decrease the overstimulation of the midbrain. But before we jump to the present we need to recognize that ADHD sufferers react differently to stimulant drugs from the average population[4]. This was first noted in 1937 when Dr. Charles Bradley attempted to treat the first recognized cases of ADHD.(ADHD has gone by the names of Minimal Brain Dysfunction [MBD], hyperkinesis, etc.) After trying sedatives his patients became more hyperactive. Noting this paradox he tried amphetamine, which calmed them down.

From that point, stimulants (sympathomimetic drugs) became the mainstay for treating ADHD. It turns out that they work by tying up dopamine transporter thus freeing up dopamine, previously bound to the dopamine transporter, to engage in retrograde inhibition. Dopamine is essentially acting as a damper on neurotransmission by depolarizing the neuron that just released it. The stimulants main draw back is that they come with a host of unacceptable side effects-jitteriness, anxiety, sleep difficulty, appetite suppression and a propensity to be quick to anger.

It turns out that cannabis also frees up dopamine but it has a very benign side effect profile. Noting cannabis’ vastly superior side effect profile DEA Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, after a two-year hearing to reschedule cannabis in 1998 said:

"Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. But marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality .... In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume ... Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."

The results in treating ADHD with cannabis are often spectacular .Patients report grades going from Cs and Ds to As and Bs. Dr. David Bearman, a physician practicing in Santa Barbara California, reports patients have said “I graduated from the Maritime Academy

because I smoked marijuana”, and “I got my Ph. D because of smoking marijuana.” Almost universally ADHD patients who therapeutically used cannabis reported it helped them pay attention in lecture, focus their attention instead of thinking of several ideas almost at the same time, helped them to stay on task and do their homework.

Marijuana Science & the Brain

In the 1940s tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was identified as the major psychoactive in marijuana.In 1964 Israeli scientist Rapheal Mechulam, isolated the most pharmacologically active of the 483 chemical in cannabis,delta 9 THC. While the psychoactive effects of marijuana are still mostly attributed to THC[1] several cannabinoids, flavinoids and terpenoids also from cannabis, are thought to have therapeutic value.

In the 1990s, scientists discovered vast amounts of THC receptors in the mammalian (e.g., cows, dolphins, humans) central nervous system. This system is now known as the endocannabinoid system and is a major part of the human brain. Its importance was accepted when it was learned that THC receptors exist in greater numbers than receptors for hundreds of drugs used in modern medicine. This initiated widespread medical interest in marijuana; new findings appear almost daily in the medical literature.

The first cannabinoid-receptors in the human brain were named CB1 and CB2. They are located in high concentration in the midbrain in the limbic system and in the forebrain of the cerebral cortex. Soon it was found that the human brain produces over 60 endocannabinoids (i.e., THC-like substances). Endocannabinoids exert most of their pharmacological actions by activating the CB1 receptor in the brain. While the brain produces its own cannabinoids, smoking marijuana also stimulates the body's endocannabinoid system.

70% of the brain's job is to inhibit sensory input from the other 30%
Typical ADHD symptoms include distractibility. The most accepted theory about ADHD rests on the fact that about 70% of the brain’s function is to regulate input to the other 30%. The cause of ADHD is probably a decreased ability to suppress sensory input both internal and external input. Basically the brain is overwhelmed with to much information come to fast. In ADHD the brain is cluttered with and too aware of all the nuances of a person’s daily experience. This phenomenon is caused by a dopamine dysfunction.

Dopamine (a neurotransmitter in the brain) is a key suppressor of stimuli to the brain.It works by a unique mechanism, retrograde inhibition. By the dopamine depolarizing the neuron that just released it, that neuron becomes more difficult to stimulate and the speed and frequency of neural firing in that part of the brain is decreased. Without dopamine, we cannot distinguish or maybe we should say, focus and concentrate on what is important information (a boss giving us important instructions) from not so important information (e.g., daydreams). Persons with ADHD have significant irregularities in their dopamine management systems[1]

In the late 1990’s, researchers discovered how Ritalin®, the popular ADHD treatment, works¾it increases dopamine levels[2]. The story would have ended there if Ritalin did not have significant potential to cause permanent brain damage and psychiatric problems[3],[4]. (Bill this seems way too strong) Even non-stimulant ADHD drugs have serious psychiatric problems[5].

Since the endocannabinoid system was discovered, many studies revealed that marijuana also modulates the dopamine system[6] and therefore is a potential ADHD treatment. As recounted in the physicians’ stories below, marijuana may a safer, less costly, and more effective treatment than anything available from the pharmaceutical companies.

Doctors Speak Up

Dr. Claudia Jensen, a 49-year old California pediatrician and mother of 2 teenage daughters, says marijuana might be the best treatment for ADHD. In a recent interview with the FOX news network, she said:
"Why would anyone want to give their child an expensive pill…with unacceptable side effects, when he or she could just go into the backyard, pick a few leaves off a plant and make tea…?"

"Cannabinoids are a very viable alternative to treating adolescents with ADD and ADHD…I have a lot of adult patients who swear by it."

In her testimony, before the House Committee on Government Reform on Marijuana (2004) Dr. Jensen discussed the practice of recommending marijuana to patients with ADHD in an 11-page statement. Her testimony summarized hundreds of published scientific articles on the safety/ efficacy of marijuana that have produced strong scientific evidence that marijuana is important medicine.

Her reasons for looking to marijuana as treatment for ADHD?
“The other legal drugs used to treat ADD are helpful in many patients, but they all have side effects….the other five of the nine drugs used to treat ADD in this country haven’t even been scientifically tested…for ADD in children. These are drugs for depression and high blood pressure…Of all the drugs used to treat ADD, cannabis has the least number of serious side effects.

Her explanation for why marijuana is opposed by the pharmaceutical companies:
“The real problem with allowing patients to use Cannabis as a medication is economics…If Cannabis were approved for use in just the ADD/ ADHD market alone, it could significantly impact the $1 Billion a year sales for traditional ADD/ ADHD pharmaceuticals…”

Dr. Tom O'Connell

Dr. Tom O'Connell, a retired surgeon who works with patients in the Bay Area is studying with patients that self-medicate with marijuana. In O’Shaughnessy’s, The Journal of Cannabis in Clinical Practice (Spring 2005) Dr. O'Connell summarized his study of 790 patients:
“…There is universal agreement among applicants who have been diagnosed with and/or treated for ADD that cannabis helps them achieve and retain focus…”

Dr. O’Connell states there is a strong argument for promoting marijuana with ADHD because it is safer than all other medications. In 2004 a statement to Fox news, he said:
“…Although it flies in the face of conventional wisdom, it's nevertheless true that cannabis is far safer and more effective than the prescription agents currently advocated for treatment of ADD-ADHD…”

Is Marijuana Safe?

The preponderance of scientific evidence points to marijuana as being exceptionally safe, for adolescents and adults. Leo Holllister’s two papers Health Aspects of Cannabis (1986) and Health aspects of cannabis: revisited (1998) are widely considered the most authoritative compendia on the safety of marijuana. Hollister’s opinion is best summarized in his 1986 paper:
“…one is forced to conclude that cannabis is relatively safe…toxicity studies of cannabis and its constituents lead to the inescapable conclusion that it is one of the safest drugs ever studied in this way.”

In the many papers that cite Hollister’s work, there is a common theme:
“By any standards, THC must be considered a very safe drug both acutely and on long-term exposure.”

“…although there have been many rumors that the long term use of marijuana leads to irreversible damage to higher brain functions the results of numerous scientific studies have failed to confirm this…Based on the results of the three best studies performed (Schwartz, Pope and Block et al.,) residual cognitive effects are seldom observed and if present are mild in nature.”

FDA Administrative Law Judge Young couldn’t have been clearer in describing the safety of cannabis. He said after a two year FDA rescheduling hearing, that marijuana was one of the safest therapeutic agents known to man. According to ALJ Young marijuana is safer than eating 10 potatoes. His recommendation to reschedule marijuana to schedule II was turned down by President Bushes’ political appointee, FDA Director John Lawn


CANNABINOIDS OFFER EXCITING POSSIBILITIES
With the discovery of cannabinoid receptors and a greater understanding of the endocanabinoid system we stand at the dawn of a new era of understanding how the brain works and applying new solutions. This is a time to look at not only creating new agonists and antagonists based on the cannabinoid molecule but also to recognize the medicinal role that cannabis can play not only in treating ADHD but also possibly seizures, Tourette’s Syndrome, PTSD,OCD and panic attacks. We in the US need to reevaluate our attitude regarding phytochemicals.

There is a contemporary movement that physicians practice evidence based medicine. That is much easier said then done. As the recent Vioxx ® example demonstrates FDA approval does not guarantee that serious side effects won’t be discovered after a studied and FDA approved drug is used by tens of millions, rather than a few thousand test subjects. We need to adopt some of the European respect for the value of hundreds and in some cases (as is the case with cannabis) years of human experience with herbal and natural preparations as some sort of evidence. In some instances these traditional remedies, sometimes ridiculed, have fewer side effects and work as well or better than FDA approved , single chemical drugs.

Let’s face it, not all so called research is done by the federal or state government. Most clinical studies are done by drug companies and they are not an unbiased third party. We most rely on the expertise and over site of the FDA to sort the wheat from the chaff. They must pay attention to the science and methodology of the studies submitted. If possible they should have access to the studies which weren’t submitted to them since pharmaceutical companies have been known to provide biased research, rooted in financial conflict and preconceived notions. Costly proprietary drugs are heavily promoted but herbal remedies, which cost the patient relatively little, have at least until recently, been given relatively short shrift by the medical establishment.

Six years ago the CMA, at their annual leadership conference, urged physicians to be aware of their patients’ use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). Over 60 % of the average doctors patients use CAM, however at least 40% do not share that fact with their physician. One of those herbs [patients use is cannabis and one of the conditions patients have found it’s useful for is treating ADHD.

Physicians, judges, and researchers are beginning to acknowledge the medical value of cannabis. In the case of treatment for ADHD cannabis and cannabinoids are often an effective, safer alternative then sympathomimetic prescription drugs. These stimulant drugs have an unacceptable side effect profile.

If you want to talk about marijuana, choose a physician that has experience with marijuana. More and more physicians are becoming aware of cannabis medicinal value. UCSD is headquarters for the California Marijuana Research Center. They administer 18 FDA approved smoked cannabis medical clinical studies.

These studies are showing good results and being presented at medical meetings. Bayer is marketing tincture of cannabis in Canada under the trade name Sativex .The International Cannabis Research Society has annual meetings discussing progress being made in how cannabis works for patients in a way which patients say "almost seems like its magic".

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Hemp Healthy Cooking Author Derek Cross

Hemp Raisin Oatmeal Cookies!
Orange Mango Hemp Smoothie
 
Have you included Nutritional Hemp into Your Diet?
 
Derek Cross is a native of Chicago who has traveled the country and found his calling and happiness in Texas. Derek stems from a blended family, and has seeded 5 of his own children, including 2 flowering grandchildren. Derek's love for his wife has never stopped blooming. Derek served as a machinist mate in the U.S. Navy and owned his own electrical contracting company in Wisconsin, before he settled in Texas.
Derek is the author of a new series of cookbooks titled Hemp Healthy Cooking. He was inspired to write the series after seeing the results of hemp's healing benefits first hand. While suffering from eczema and also nerve damage following surgery, Derek was looking for a non-pharmaceutical way to heal himself when he stumbled across an old remedy, hemp seed oil to treat eczema. Derek noticed his eczema had gone away after applications of the hemp oil, so in doing further research, Derek found that hemp contains a lot more health benefits than just the ability to treat eczema. After using hemp oil daily on his skin, Derek started eating the hemp seeds straight from the bag, and was searching for a way to incorporate hemp seeds and hemp oil into his diet to benefit from the omega fatty acids, and enzymes he was reading about. Inspired by a dear friend, who is a gourmet chef, he started cooking with hemp more. He was busy taking notes while in the kitchen, turning out fantastic recipes with hemp seeds and oil. Hemp has become his way of life, and creating hip and trendy recipes everyone can enjoy is his passion. His cookbooks can be found at www.Bakespace.com.
Derek has been spreading Hemp not only on his toast with Honey and Hemp Butter, but has also been spreading Hemp Education to every one he meets, Derek is a Hemp advocate on all fronts, Nutritional, Industrial and Medicinal. He calls himself a "Hemp O' Holic," not only is he busy writing a series of Hemp Healthy Cookbooks, he is also the author of http://hemphealthytoday.blogspot.com. Derek is also an active member of DFW NORML

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Referendums On Medical Marijuana And Hemp - US Virgin Islands

Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Dear NORML Supporter,
We are forwarding you this message on behalf of our allies USVI NORML. Additional information regarding other 2012 statewide ballot initiatives is available at: http://norml.org/join-norml/item/smoke-the-vote.
Sincerely,
The NORML Team

Referendums On Medical Marijuana And Hemp - US Virgin Islands

Contact: Linda Adler
Executive Director, USVI NORML
360-556-6854 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 360-556-6854 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
St. Thomas, USVI:
IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE
USVI NORML congratulates Senator Terrance Nelson on his bold move in seeking to place referendums on the November 2012 ballot regarding medical marijuana and hemp. This follows three diligent years of work by USVI NORML in educating the people and running a citizen's initiative for full legalization of marijuana in 2009/2010. Senator Nelson deserves much gratitude and praise by the many people who have been seeking relief that legalizing both medical marijuana and hemp offer.
USVI NORML and The Green Party of the Virgin Islands join in fully supporting Senator Terrance "Positive" Nelson as he brings forth legislation to put two (2) referendums on the November 2012 Ballot. The first, Bill 29-0349, is a referendum that seeks to put forth the question "Are you in favor of the Legislature enacting legislation that allows for the licensing and regulation of medicinal marijuana patients, care-givers, cultivators and distributions centers?" The second, Bill 29-0350's referendum question currently reads "Are you in favor of promoting the production, processing, manufacture and distribution of industrial hemp in the Virgin Islands?"
Both of these referendums will impact the personal lives of the people. The first will allow patients to choose their type of medication. Rather than being forced to take pharmaceuticals, they would have the choice to use plant-based medicines without legal repercussions. The second would allow for industrial hemp to be grown, harvested, manufactured and sold/exported. Both of these bills, if passed, offer to increase the job market, bring about manufacturing and distribution facilities, boost (medical) tourism, encourage private business ownership, and revitalize the agricultural industry in the United States Virgin Islands. The passing of Bill 29-0349 will also assist in making the USVI a prime destination for tourists from the (currently) eighteen (18) United States and District of Columbia which have legalized Medical Marijuana.
While USVI NORML and The Green Party of the Virgin Islands diligently continue to advocate for full legalization of marijuana, we will actively support and assist in efforts to educate the public regarding medical uses of marijuana and the positive future that industrial hemp offers. Hemp Can Save the Planet!
The public's input and questions are vital to the success of these referendums being passed on November 6, 2012. As we continue our work in educating the public to the facts of marijuana for medical use and of Hemp, we look forward to working very closely with Senator Nelson's team. Educational efforts will include bringing town-hall style meetings in order to dialog with the people; teaching the facts about marijuana and hemp; and answering questions the public have regarding the bills being considered.
Together and separately, USVI NORML and The Green Party of the Virgin Islands are also advocating for changes that will bring the US Virgin Islands into the Green Technology era. We fully support and will join efforts to turn the US Virgin Islands into THE desired location for cutting-edge medical research.
At least 18 of the United States of America (including DC) have legalized medical marijuana. Fifteen (15) countries have some form of legalization or decriminalization of marijuana. These countries include Australia, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Chile, Spain, and Italy. Uruguay is currently asking Parliament to approve an unprecedented law allowing the legalization of marijuana with the government being the only legal seller. While it remains illegal in some countries, there is tolerance for marijuana's use as adjunctive medical treatment and for religious ceremonies.
"The time is past due for the US Virgin Islands to bring about changes to the laws regarding marijuana. The people have been subjected to suffering far too long – both medically and financially. The time is ripe to bring about these changes. USVI NORML supports Senator Nelson and the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in their remarkable move to put these referendums out to the people." states Linda Adler, Executive Director of USVI NORML.
For additional information or to support this effort, contact Linda Adler at usvinorml@gmail.com or 360-556-6854 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 360-556-6854 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Visit USVI NORML's website at www.usvinorml.org.
      2013 DFW NORML Global Marijuana March

"We have been, They have seen, We fly this Flag, This Flag of Green around the Courts to Prove it should be free to end the hypocrisy!"           Derek Cross

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Tonight big show talk about 2013 DFW Norml Global Marijuana March / Tune In.

2013 DFW Norml Global Marijuan March / I will be Live at 9pm-11pm, with talk show host, Donnell Ballard on, www.upanddownmagazine.com or tune in by phone@ 347-989-1725 We will be Discussing the March please call in and ask questions. Donnell was the photograher out there taking photos and we will be in tomorrows issue of: La Vida News The Black Voice in Fort Worth, TX. FRONT PAGE and cover 80k readers. Please call in, we need to hear some patients stories and talk about our house bills etc...
On Blog Talk Radio: Call in Live @ 347-989-1725

Hundreds of Texans March in Downtown Fort Worth for the 2013 Global Cann...

DFW Norml Hosted the 2013 Global Marijuana March on May 4, 2013. DFW Norml is an non profit educational organization dedicated to legalizing marijuana in Texas, with Several hundred members on the Crusade to Fight for all patients. The event had over 500+ members of all ages and sizes, some were dressed up in celebratory costume, as others were holding signs, "Cannabis Cures Cancer", "Mom's say Legalize" , and "Inform the Ignorant". Chant's were ringing, "FREE the WEED", Horns of supporters Blowing as cars drove by, people joined in off the street with the DFW Norml Global Marijuana March, as they headed to the Capitol in this massive march Informing locals of Cannabis and it's Medicinal Value. This peaceful protest, was a success for all who participated. This Global Marijuana March stands up for patients all around the world and to inform others that Marijuana provides more than just a Stoner Personification, Marijuana Has been proven to Cure Cancers of all types, as well as aide in other healings. I am a son, a brother, a father and a grandfather, I am a newly active member of DFW Norml, and could not be more proud of all the members whom were in attendance. So, the next time you look at your son, brother, father or grandfather, daughter, sister, mom or grandmother, be proud that they stand up for your rights to use the medicine put on this planet. Texas, We recognize that cannabis prohibition is bad for Texas, and we support the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, responsible adult use, and the production of industrial hemp. I am an author for a blog called, http://hemphealthytoday.blogspot.com I am an author for, Hemp Healthy Cooking: Hemp for Breakfast Hemp Healthy Cooking: Hemp for Lunch Hemp Healthy Today, Derek Cross

Eating Raw Cannabis is Safe - Non toxic & Non Psychoactive


When you consume “raw” cannabis, that is cannabis which has not been heated, you are consuming the cannabinoid acids. THCA and/or CBDA. If you have a strain that is dominant in CBD, then the raw form is delivering CBDA. If you have a high THC strain, then this raw form will deliver THCA. Look up tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or cannabidiolic acid. Those are the A forms of the molecules you are consuming.
Almost all varieties today contain large amounts of THCA which when heated provides THC. By volume (it is reported by weight actually), there is next to no CBDA or CBD in virtually all of the strains currently available. NOT ALL STRAINS ARE THE SAME! EVEN THE SAME NAMES ARE MOST OFTEN NOT THE SAME (mis-named, different grower = different method = different end product)! Over-generalization of this marvelous plant is what is diminishing its stock and ruining the value it has to offer. We’ve done thousands of strain tests and have in-house expertise directly from The Netherlands, we are the most informed laboratory of professional scientists in the US, you can rest assured my comments are correct.
Only about 2% of the strain products available today have CBD above 1 wt% in them. It is RARE! And most likely almost none of it exists in non-medical states today.
Juicing is working because it provides the cannabinoid acids, which are potent anti-inflammatory compounds that help regulate the endocannabinoid system in ways not fully understood just yet. When you juice properly, you consume almost no THC or CBD, it is all THCA and CBDA! That is why you don’t receive any psychoactive effects. Juicing improperly may lead to heating the solution and causing THC to form. The only way to know exactly what you have, strain or juice wise, is to have it tested by a reliable and accurate lab (and not all of the “labs” today operate in that faction either unfortunately).
Only through accurate information dissemination, more thorough understanding and improved patient care will we be able to fully free this marvelous plant! We all have to do our part! Dr. Courtney, who we maintain an excellent relationship with, is a true pioneer in the fashion and we should all aim to support him and his efforts in every way we can. Let’s be sure to get the right information out there to everyone!
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Hemp Healthy's Todays Take: If you have children and they accidentaly found some leaf Marijuana, the worst that could happen is possibly chocking, Vs. Pharmaceuticles, where children have to be rushed to a hospital, and could die even before you get them medical attention. Always practice safe medicine handeling first and foremost no matter what medicine you are in possession of, responsibility is #1.

Non- Toxic
Non- Psychoactive in Raw form.