cannabisnews.com: When Spliff Gets in Your Eyes... 





When Spliff Gets in Your Eyes... 
Posted by CN Staff on July 07, 2004 at 12:37:26 PT
By Giles Tremlett in Madrid
Source: Guardian Unlimited UK
We knew it gave people the munchies and made them giggle. Now researchers claim to have found a new property in cannabis - it helps us see in the dark. Scientists made their discovery after becoming intrigued by Moroccan fishermen who not only failed to lose their sense of direction after smoking generous amounts of local kif, a mixture of cannabis and tobacco, but seemed to navigate better on dark nights.
"They attribute their ability to see to the consumption of kif that they spend entire hours smoking before getting into their barques," one of the research team, drawn from the US, Spain and Morocco, reported. Jamaican fishermen have reportedly shown a similar reaction, suggesting that there may be something medically useful in cannabis apart from the pain-deadening properties already spotted by doctors treating cancer patients. Equipped with a machine for measuring night vision, the researchers headed for the Rif valley, the centre of Morocco's flourishing cannabis trade. "High-grade sifted cannabis was mixed with tobacco in a 2:1 ratio and smoked as kif by subjects employing a traditional sebsi pipe," the team write in the latest Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Three "kif-experienced" Moroccan volunteers were then invited to make "numerous inhalations". The volunteers demonstrated "consistent improvements" in tests, leading the researchers to suggest that further studies should be conducted. The researchers admit that the results have turned the ancient wisdom of Persian and Arab scientists, who suggested that cannabis made vision fuzzier, on its head. But their results backed up claims by the Observer columnist Sue Arnold, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa and is officially registered blind. She noticed several years ago that drawing on strong Jamaican skunk suddenly and temporarily enabled her to see things clearly. But Ms Arnold has since warned of side-effects that could impede night-time navigation. "Only trouble was," she said, "I couldn't stand up." Special Report: Drugs in Britain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/0,2759,178206,00.htmlSource: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK) Author: Giles Tremlett in MadridPublished: Wednesday, July 7, 2004Copyright: 2004 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #4 posted by FoM on July 08, 2004 at 20:20:39 PT
Dr. Russo
I just want to say it's good to see you! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 07, 2004 at 23:45:02 PT
Not New, but Can It Help Medically
Dr. Fistusa,
   This effect was reported by Dr. West in the journal, Nature, in 1992. It was then reported again in 1999 in Morocco by my research partner Abderrahmane Merzouki, based on observations, also in 1992. However, no one tested the concept to prove the case based on scientific methods until we did so together in 2002. Here are comments I sent to the article author:“I read with interest the Guardian story about cannabis and night vision. I was the principle investigator for that research, and would like to comment upon it. 
	An ethnobotanical study requires that experiments be reproduced in a manner that parallels as closely as possible the original conditions. As such, the investigation was performed with Moroccan subjects in the Rif Mountains with smoked crude sifted cannabis resin mixed with tobacco. Obviously, this does not represent a viable delivery system for a prescription product to be utilised in a clinical setting. What is more, the preliminary experimental portion of the study with oral Marinol® (synthetic THC, the primary psychoactive component of cannabis)confirmed that doses required to obtain improvements in dark adaptation and scotopic sensitivity occurred at levels of intake that were distinctly intoxicating to the subjects on an acute basis.
	A rigourous scientific investigation of this benefit on night vision would endeavour to ascertain if it could lead to a practical therapeutic result with an approvable prescription cannabis product. That would require subsequent performance of a totally objective double-blind study of electroretinography in subjects receiving a non-smoked standardised cannabis based medicine, such as GW Pharmaceuticals Sativex. If positive results were seen in normal and retinitis pigmentosa subjects without adverse events at acceptable dose levels, then a long-term clinical study with the same material could elucidate whether improvements in night or day vision are possible, and whether additional neuroprotective or retina-protective benefits are realised. This hope represents the primary motivation and raison d'ętre for the research.”
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by drfistusa on July 07, 2004 at 14:19:44 PT
What BS! Jamaican fisherman use it!
it is well known in jamaica that night fishing and navagating around coral reefs at night ,that night vision is greatly enhanced by ganga, I am sure this is well known in many areas for a long long time, nothing NEW!!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Virgil on July 07, 2004 at 13:25:24 PT
Blind mind disease
Now researchers claim to have found a new property in cannabis - it helps us see in the dark.Just the thought of cannabis causes a shutdown of the thinking process and it seems to be highly concentrated in the politicians. It may help some people see with their eyes, but it is well established that it causes blind mind disease.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment