cannabisnews.com: The Drug Issue: Mental Marijuana
The Drug Issue: Mental Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on August 21, 2004 at 15:22:50 PT
By Philip Dawdy
Source: Seattle Weekly
Smoking marijuana, the federal government constantly reminds us, is dangerous in every way. It impairs cognitive functioning, makes you high, and, because it’s smoked, is a demon in a bong hit—and so on. A counterargument is that pot has helped thousands of cancer and AIDS patients, for example, contend with side effects of their illnesses and treatments. There is also evidence that marijuana works for some psychiatric disorders as well, principally depression and bipolar disorder. Among some people, pot is jokingly referred to as “green Prozac.” The problem is you can’t legally take a toke for psychiatric diagnoses.
“I think cannabis has a lot of potential in the treatment of mental illness,” says Lester Grinspoon, emeritus professor of psychiatry at the Harvard School of Medicine. He says that it can be an effective treatment for bipolar disorder and depression. Like any medicine, he cautions, it won’t work for everyone. Grinspoon has, over the last three decades, been one of the few psychiatrists who’ll speak publicly on mental marijuana. Most of the evidence to support use of pot as medicine is anecdotal; i.e., it seems to help AIDS and cancer patients contend with their diseases and handle the nausea they often experience from treatment, so there must be something to it. Many people also report that it provides a quick lift from the bowels of depression. My own anecdotal, ahem, experience is that pot does indeed boost my mood from the badlands of depression and lower me from the Mount Everests of mania. I have no idea why or how, nor do I especially care—I’m one of those people who find Prozac and its progeny to be barely effective and with enough nasty side effects to outweigh the benefits. But I’ll never tell that to the Drug Enforcement Administration or drug czar John Walters. Instead, I’ll let the Israeli army speak for me. Two weeks ago, it announced that it would provide, on an experimental basis, medical marijuana to troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, another mental illness. Good enough for an army, good enough for me. But in states with medical marijuana laws, each attempt to get depression or bipolar disorder added to the list of ailments for which the kine can be oh-so-kind has been shot down. For example, four years ago, the Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission was petitioned to add mental illness to its list of approved uses of medical marijuana. The commission denied the request. It argued that there was no lock-solid scientific evidence that weed worked for mental illness. The odd thing is that it had approved pot for treatment of Alzheimer’s, Krohn’s disease, chronic pain, and wasting syndrome based upon—you guessed it—anecdotal evidence. The feds would like to keep any evidence that reefer is an Rx anecdotal—no peer-reviewed, double-blind studies here—as it bolsters their case that there’s no scientific proof that pot works for anything except getting people high. It’s the evil weed. As proof, the DEA touts the following from a 1999 scientific report: It states that “ . . . there is little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication.” The report was prepared by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), part of the independent National Academies of Science. Interestingly, the feds lifted that quote from deep in the report. But perhaps more telling is that only one sentence later, the report says: “The personal medical use of smoked marijuana—regardless of whether or not it is approved—to treat certain symptoms is reason enough to advocate clinical trials to assess the degree to which the symptoms or course of diseases are affected.” The IOM backed that up with several strong recommendations that medical marijuana should be thoroughly studied—you know, like scientists study every other treatment under the sun. To date, that hasn’t happened. “Who is going to get approval from an institutional review board to break the law?” asks Grinspoon. Researchers must have their studies cleared by such boards before they can do experiments with humans. He likens the situation to that of lithium. Its efficacy for treating mental illness was found by accident in the 1940s by an Australian scientist. The evidence was anecdotal. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that the feds allowed it to be used in this country, despite the fact that it was saving lives on the other side of the globe. That’s not to say that marijuana is the new lithium or an all-conquering antidepressant. This is not an argument for 40 grams to freedom. Most psych meds work quite well for an estimated 60 percent to 70 percent of patients. It’s the remaining 30 percent to 40 percent who are in a sketchier situation. If the approved meds don’t work at all or barely work their alleged magic, where are you supposed to turn? Psychiatrists cannot exactly say. They usually prescribe another med such as Lexapro, a new antidepressant that’s all the rage these days. Personally, I found that marijuana had a positive effect quite by accident, especially when dealing with short-lived psychoses. Medications for that typically take hours or days to work—and when you are in that state, you aren’t interested in anything but relief by any means necessary, stat. So let’s assume that weed works for a minority of the mentally ill. Doctors usually come back with the assertion that pot has too many side effects, such as respiratory ailments, to even consider its use. I wonder what universe they live in. Long-term use of psych meds themselves carries a host of side effects, which have been poorly evaluated in long-term studies—kidney and liver damage chief among them, along with nausea, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, sleep interference, and hair loss. And they talk about the side effects of marijuana? By comparison, pot’s side effects are almost minimal. So, I’ll take that medical marijuana any day—I’d simply like to do it legally. Note: Can reefer cure madness? The case for legalizing ‘green Prozac.’Source: Seattle Weekly (WA)Author: Philip DawdyPublished: August 18 - 24, 2004Copyright: 2004 Seattle WeeklyContact: letters seattleweekly.comWebsite: http://www.seattleweekly.com/Related Article & Web Site:Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicinehttp://www.rxmarihuana.com/Pot Shots for Israeli Soldiershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19285.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on August 23, 2004 at 17:36:09 PT
Just One More Comment
When I said I've seen what I said online it isn't here on CNews. It's been on other web sites I have visited over the years to read. People here have been really good at saying what they mean. Last night on another thread I said I would never want to go there and Dankhank thought I meant New York. I meant the RNC. Typing what we mean is really hard to do even though we see what we mean very clearly.
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Comment #22 posted by FoM on August 23, 2004 at 17:04:47 PT
Hope
That could be. I'm not blaming her but more trying to say that sometimes we shouldn't try to make a point. When I am upset my mind goes very fast. I try to slow myself down before I speak or it all comes out all wrong. I've seen it over the years online where a point is being made and then it goes off in a different direction and the point gets lost in the comment. Do you know what I mean?
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Comment #21 posted by Hope on August 23, 2004 at 17:00:16 PT
Plus
the way she wrote the word marijuana...{{{{ Marijuana }}}}meant she probably didn't have any for any relief.
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Comment #20 posted by Hope on August 23, 2004 at 16:57:59 PT
FoM
Perhaps when it was written the woman was in some stage of an "attack". A friend had one once. She freaked out to say the least and was in terrible pain.
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on August 23, 2004 at 16:27:16 PT
Siege and Everyone
I hadn't caught up on this thread and my husband said someone said something about the long post. I barely found the cannabis issue when I went thru it. I had to try to figure out the disease issue and missed the cannabis point. It's not your fault but one thing I wanted to say about the post is it is all over the place. The disease got way too much attention and most of it wasn't really true. You don't die from this disease (generally). When people use Cannabis for pain they should really try to say why and that is all. I'm not sure why people sometimes have a hard time separating their feelings about an issue and making a point. That's all I really thought I should say.
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Comment #18 posted by ekim on August 22, 2004 at 20:23:46 PT
Endometriosis?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/082304W.shtml
http://www.leap.cc
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Comment #17 posted by BGreen on August 22, 2004 at 07:17:01 PT
YellowMonkey, Getting A Grant Is Easy
The lesson we've learned from Dr. Ethan Russo and other researchers is that objectivity will get you NOTHING!The only way to secure financing and, in the case of researchers needing access to cannabis for their studies, getting actual legal access, you MUST state your intention of finding the HARM done BY cannabis in the area you're studying.No qualifiers like "if" or "may" will get you anything.If you then happen to come to some other actual conclusion other than "cannabis causes mental illness" you can kiss any future grants and access goodbye.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #16 posted by siege on August 22, 2004 at 07:06:03 PT
yellow monkey
have you tried this one http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitioncannabisfoodfuelfiberfarmaceuticals.showMessage?topicID=45.topic
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitioncannabisfoodfuelfiberfarmaceut
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Comment #15 posted by siege on August 22, 2004 at 06:30:28 PT
yellow monkey
are you working on your Master's Thesis, for your
M S - Master of Science in psychology?
Sorry the "Take Action" was so long. IT was to do with Cannabis.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on August 22, 2004 at 04:12:00 PT
Quote from the comment posted by siege
"I am but one human being, who has suffered over 32 years, and even had at one time lived as a so-called criminal because{{{{ Marijuana }}}} was my only avenue to functionality."
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Comment #13 posted by YellowMonkey on August 22, 2004 at 03:42:45 PT:
Returning back to topic here...
I am currently an undergrad student majoring in psychology. I am interested primarily in doing research, including research of marijuana and its effects on mental health, disorders, sexual response, and etc.If anyone knows of any good resources, any organizations giving grants for research in this area, or any good tips on getting grants, I would greatly appreciate it.As far as endometriosis, it is terrible and i deeply sympathize with those who suffer from it, however, i wish that long post was placed else where. I feel that it is taking away attention from another important topic which is rarely discussed. cannabis and psychologically beneficial uses of.Those who are in the field of psychology, or those with interest or those with any thoughts on this issue, I would love to hear from you.
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 22:00:56 PT
Hope
They must have come up with better treatments. There wasn't any options for me back when I was very young.
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on August 21, 2004 at 21:51:47 PT
My friends
with endometriosis are all younger than I am, save one.I think they were scraped, and burned, and lasered, and medicated. They were all told they could not have children. They all did. Healthy ones. Thank God.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on August 21, 2004 at 21:47:27 PT
I don't understand either
Isn't that a Congressional Site? Are those your words?
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 21:47:15 PT
Hope
Weren't your friends told that surgery was the only way to permanently stop the tumors from growing? That's what I was told and that was done. People shouldn't die from Endometriosis with surgery as an option. They tried hormone therapy but I didn't take them but a few months because they made me feel so nauseated.
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on August 21, 2004 at 21:26:27 PT
siege
I'm so sorry. You are a very brave person. I have several friends with endometriosis.It's hard.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 19:57:04 PT
siege
Thank you I found it. I didn't understand it though. I didn't know they use drugs to try to treat it. Surgery was the only way I knew about but that was years ago.
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Comment #6 posted by siege on August 21, 2004 at 19:35:56 PT
FoM
right side is soapbox at bottom in red http://congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=6273851&content_dir=ua_congressorg
http://congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=6273851&content_dir=ua_con
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 19:26:09 PT
siege
When I click on the link it says: The Soapbox Alert you've requested is no longer available.
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Comment #4 posted by siege on August 21, 2004 at 19:18:47 PT
FoM
http://congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=6273851&content_dir=ua_con
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 21, 2004 at 18:52:30 PT
siege
Endometriosis is a terrible disease. I went thru 5 major operations until I hit 30 and then it was over. I couldn't get the link to work. Are you writing this or is it from the link. Thanks.
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Comment #2 posted by siege on August 21, 2004 at 18:29:18 PT
off topic Endometriosis?
Compassion: Does it exist with the disease, Endometriosis?
Endo affects over 70 million women and Men, yet funding not available?Endometriosis is a complex disease affecting the auto-immune system, amongst other organs. This disease has been recognized as debilitating and recognized under House Concurrent Resolution 291, passed Oct 1, 2002.Many issues regarding this disease are not only Avoided, but denied, in every aspect of the medical/media communities. Why? The prospect of this disease is just too daunting and depressing-by its very description, and the lack of funding and research. It is not considered Lethal, but it should be! There is no cure, but there should be! Oxford University has done the Only DNA Study (OxyGene Study), and concludes this "is" a form of Cancer! This disease, by its very presence, is "uncontrolled cell growth which impedes and impairs organs to failure". At what point, do we 'all' take a stand, and expose this disease, for not only being the Leading Cause of Infertility, but for a host of other diseases such as MS, Lupus, and many other diseases. When do we expose the insidiousness of this disease to debilitate, and ultimately KILL the patients who actually suffer? OK, you think "kill" is too strong a word? Look up the IAS-International Adhesions Society. According to statistics they have posted, the numbers are only growing, largely in part to the requirement of hospitals to "Report" this form of death:"Intestinal Blockage Due to Abdominal Adhesions"It is quite one thing to suffer long term with an illness, and quite another to suffer the brutalities of so-called Christians in their quest to deny this disease's existence, because it plays on many issues that "Avid Christians" refuse to discuss. In the early days of this disease, the 1920's, women were accused of "shirking their wifely duties", to in the 1970's the removal of DES and other Dioxins from the at-large market. And, yes, those Congressional hearings did at least remove 'some' products for all of our well beings, but "chose" to allow Dioxins in our femine products as they deemed them a "non-digestible". At the same time, doctors were refusing to even diagnose this disease, and in order to avoid the diagnosis, were prescribing birth control! If that was not enough for the Religious Right, doctors also placed Endometriosis "Patients"
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on Provera! So what would be so awful about that, right? Provera makes you have babies with no arms/legs, brain stems unattached to the spinal cord, blindness, and a host of other death defying defects. How bad is it really? Bad enough that your doctor makes you sign a release before prescribing it and demands your acceptance to terminate the pregnancy should it occur after 2 or more forms of birth control. You could never know/understand the pain associated with this disease, to be told you are 'faking' it by the doctors when "they Know" the symptoms, but refuse to diagnose/properly treat. Only to gain your only pregnancy in life thanks to Provera, then to walk escorted (by police) for the pregnancy termination you had NO Choice in making-through that very Christian Line, being judged for what they 'know not'-"MY" medical condition.Compassion? Where. Our families outcast us, the medical community denies us, and yet we struggle to get out of bed after many days of incomprehendable pain and suffering. While we may say, 'we understand', where is the proper dignity in countless tests which all reveal nothing? Where is the Research, so desperately needed 'just' to compete with the intelligence of the English? England openly recognizes this disease as Cancer, as well as many other countries, based on the Results of the Only DNA Study, OxyGene. Our own Government says, Yes, this exists, and yes, we need more education. However, talk is cheap, and I am dying. The media makes it so difficult to even get the story out, because the AMA, specialty boards won't give this disease its just research. Why? It crosses too many specialty barriers.The drugs we get? No testing. Lupron? What a joke. TAP Pharmaceuticals was fined the "largest fine in FDA history" for paying doctors to give the drug to endometriosis patients in order to avoid a Real Lab study as to the efficacy of this drug for this disease. When Prostate Cancer Patients refused it for their treatments, they turned to the Convicted Rapist Communities in our Prisons, to effectively "castrate them chemically". When the Rapists got wise? The bottom fell out of the Lupron market, and that's when doctors were paid OutRight to give the drug out for this "non" approved use. There is No Cure for Endometriosis! And for those of us who find ourselves intestinally incontinent, in daily pain, those who do not suffer could never imagine such daily torture.Thank You, President Bush! You placed in charge of "My Medical Drug Decisions" to a man (a doctor, no less!)at the FDA, who believes Endometriosis can "be cured" by.... More Prayer! Congratulations! You appointed the Religious Right to further my torture, yet claim 'intelligent thought'?!To those who read this: you are the government's "guinea pig". How? Estrogen is injected into meat forms, Beef, Chicken and now, Pork. Estrogen is being linked to all forms of cancer, in some form or fashion, and "birth control pills" ARE Estrogen! If you find 'any' of this disturbing, this is the 'tip of this iceberg'! The CDC, AMA, the Ob/Gyn Boards, along with the GI Boards, the FDA, DEA all shirk their responsibility to over 70 million Americans while pretending this disease deserves "no" attention that is Justly Deserves! I am but one human being, who has suffered over 32 years, and even had at one time lived as a so-called criminal because{{{{ Marijuana }}}} was my only avenue to functionality. I would never wish this on anyone, let alone my enemy. I would never wish for hours of digging excrement out of anyones intestines for the sake of claiming my compassion. Yet, with every day this disease goes unnoticed, or worse, Ignored Outright, our compassion turns to dust.If you think you "don't know anyone"? Think again. Ask around. Then do your own research and make up your own mind. Do I really deserve to be judged for my suffering?Do YOU deserve to be judged for trying to make the best possible medical decision when all the facts are not even represented? My life ended-when I hit 30-and at 43 am dying.Is there Anyone who is hearing this? or, Who Cares? Jesus helped "heal", but so far as I can see, those who claim Jesus in their lives are the very ones responsible for the ignorance that surrounds Endometriosis, and the ultimate cause of why I will die, in conditions that would make a POW shudder with fear, by rectal torture. And that is what the IAS has successfully gotten acknowledgement now-Intestinal Obstruction Due to Abdominal Adhesions.Please know that the ERC (Endometriosis Research Center) or the EA (Endometriosis Assn) had nothing to do with this posting, but are available to help those who suffer. The ERC is dedicated to furthering legislation while the EA is dedicated to furthering Education. Please, donate today, or better yet, get educated on this disease and help those who suffer, just as Jesus would have done-Help The Sick. Help me 'believe' there are more True Christians than there are 'claimers', and contact your local media outlets/congressmen/anyone else you can and demand "more". Demand "more" for your wife, your mother, your sister, (and yes, those sister in laws)or any other woman in your life. She deserves your honest effort. Demand the information that "may" save your ladie's life, if not mine.
God Be With You, and Your Conscience.
http://congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=6273851&content_dir=ua_con
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Comment #1 posted by global_warming on August 21, 2004 at 15:56:48 PT
More Crosses
The steps that Jesus walked, are called the "stations of the cross" there was some person, who was conscripted to carry this burden, for the accused, was incapable, to carry that burden.Might your sense of reality be agitated, if, that man..or women.., rhat carried that cross, for Jesus, might have been a messanger to proclaim the mission of "GOD"
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