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Oregon
Medical Cannabis Community Rallies, Prohibitionist
Candidate Crushed in AG Primary Race |
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Activists
Now Focus on Current and Potential Representatives and Initiatives to be on Ballot
in November Medical
marijuana advocates have a message for Democratic leaders and federal
prosecutors with an eye on political office: Don’t mess with medi-pot. In
Oregon, Dwight Holton, a former US attorney, lost in a landslide after
medical cannabis became a campaign issue and Activists / Advocates - pushing
back against a federally led effort to stem the proliferation of medical
marijuana operations - are claiming major credits. For, you see, this is a big defeat for a former federal
prosecutor who was the early favorite to win the Democratic primary for
Oregon attorney general. As interim U.S. attorney, Dwight Holton called
Oregon’s medical marijuana law a “train wreck” and oversaw efforts to crack
down on medical marijuana clubs and grow operations that he said were fronts
for illegal marijuana sales. Federal prosecutors have led similar crackdowns
in other states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. Actually,
this is the second time the medical cannabis advocate community has defeated
an anti-medical marijuana candidate in a <continued
on page 3 > |
Three Out Of Four Americans Believe Obama
Administration Should "Respect" States' Medical Marijuana Laws
Washington, DC, USA: Seventy-four
percent of Americans believe that the federal government should cease
interfering in states that have legalized the limited use of marijuana as a
medicine, according to a nationwide Mason-Dixon poll of 1,000 likely voters.
<continued
on page 4 > ___________________________________________ Connecticut To Become 17th State To Allow
For The Legal Use Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes - "Today is a day of hope, compassion and
dignity," says Connecticut NORML
Hartford,
CT, USA: First, Members of the Connecticut General
Assembly decided 95 to 51 previously (5/3/12) in favor of legislation to allow for the limited use
and distribution of cannabis as medicine. Democrat Gov. Dannel Malloy also
backs the measure. According to a 2012 statewide Quinnipiac University Poll of over <continued
on page 4 > |
Administration Of Non-Psychotropic
Cannabinoid Mitigates Psychotic Symptoms In Schizophrenics
Mannheim,
Germany: The administration of the non-psychotropic
plant constituent cannabidiol
(CBD) is associated with a significant reduction in psychotic symptoms in
patients with schizophrenia, according to clinical trial data published in the journal Translational
Psychiatry. <continued
on page 4 > _______________________________ Study: Non-Psychotropic Plant Cannabinoids
Counteract Prostate Cancer Growth
Pouzzuoli, Italy: The administration of
non-psychotropic plant cannabinoids, in particular cannabidiol (CBD), inhibit
proliferation and selectively trigger cell suicide of prostate carcinoma,
according to preclinical data to be published in the British Journal of
Pharmacology.
<continued
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* Volume 9, Issue 5 * May * 2012
* www.MercyCenters.org *
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* The MERCY News * |
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_____________________ The MERCY News Report is an
all-volunteer, not-for-profit project to record and broadcast news,
announcements and information about medical cannabis in Oregon, across
America and around the World. For more information about the MERCY News, contact us. Via
Snail Mail: The MERCY
News 1469 Capital
St. NE, Suite 100, Salem, Ore.,
97301 503.363-4588 E-mail: Mercy_Salem@hotmail.com Or
our WWW page: www.MercyCenters.org Check it
out! ___________________________ MERCY On The Tube!
in Salem,
Oregon area thru Capital Community Television, Channel 23.
Call In – 503.588-6444 - on Friday at 7pm, or See us on Wednesdays
at 06:30pm, Thursdays at 07:00pm, Fridays at 10:30pm and Saturdays at
06:00pm. Visit – http://mercycenters.org/tv/ |
About
MERCY – The Medical Cannabis Resource Center MERCY is a non-profit, grass roots organization
founded by patients, their friends and family and other compassionate and
concerned citizens in the area and is dedicated to helping and advocating for
those involved with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). MERCY is based in the
Salem, Oregon area and staffed on a volunteer basis. The
purpose is to get medicine to patients in the short-term while working with
them to establish their own independent sources. To
this end we provide, among other things, ongoing education to people and
groups organizing clinics and other Patient Resources, individual physicians
and other healthcare providers about the OMMP, cannabis as medicine and
doctor rights in general. The mission of the organization
is to help people and change the laws. We advocate reasonable, fair and effective
marijuana laws and policies, and strive to educate, register and empower
voters to implement such policies. Our philosophy is one of teaching
people to fish, rather than being dependent upon others. Want to get your Card? Need Medicine Now? Welcome to The Club! MERCY – the Medical Cannabis Resource Center
hosts Mercy Club Meetings every Wednesday at - 1469 Capital
Street NE, Suite #100, Salem, 97301 – from 7pm to 9pm to
help folks get their card, network patients to medicine, assist in finding a
grower or getting to grow themselves, or ways and means to medicate along
other info and resources depending on the issue. visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. The Doctor is In ... Salem! * MERCY is Educating Doctors on signing for their
Patients; Referring people to Medical Cannabis Consultations when their
regular care physician won't sign for them; and listing all Clinics around
the state in order to help folks Qualify for the OMMP and otherwise Get their
Cards. For our Referral Doc in Salem,
get your records to – 1469 Capital Street NE, Suite
#100, Salem, 97301, NOTE: There is a $25 non-refundable deposit
required. Transportation and Delivery
Services available for those in need.
For our Physician Packet to educate your Doctor, or a List of Clinics
around the state, visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. Other Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
Opportunities for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be. * whether Social meeting, Open to public
–or- Cardholders Only * visit: http://mercycenters.org/events/Meets.html ! Also Forums - a means to
communicate and network on medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and
around the world. A list of
Forums, Chat Rooms, Bulletin Boards and other Online Resources for the
Medical Cannabis Patient, CareGiver, Family Member, Patient-to-Be and Other
Interested Parties. * Resources > Patients (plus) > Online
> Forums * Know any? Let everybody else know!
Visit: http://mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! |
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<continued from OREGON
MEDICAL CANNABIS COMMUNITY RALLIES, page 1 > state Attorney General race. In 2010,
we defeated Steve Cooley in a very close race for California Attorney
General. And these are not the only recent victories. How Congressman Sylvestre Reyes' Anti-Pot Lobbying Cost
Him His Job In early
2009, El Paso Rep. Sylvestre Reyes (D) warned city council members that, if
they approved a resolution calling for a debate on marijuana legalization,
the city would jeopardize its federal funding. Instead,
what turned out to be at risk was Reyes' seat in the House of Representatives
in 2012. On Tuesday
(5/29/12) night, El Paso voters ousted Reyes in a Democratic primary, in
favor of the council member who had pushed the 2009 legalization resolution,
Beto O'Rourke. Any
day now, Connecticut will become the 17th state to adopt medical cannabis
laws. Last week, 73% of President Obama's own party in Congress voted against
his policy of cracking down on medical marijuana, and the week before, Democratic
leader Nancy Pelosi stood up to condemn Drug Enforcement Administration raids
in medical cannabis states. These are pretty exciting times for a movement
under attack, but this momentum is no accident. Advocates have worked hard to create strong relationships in
their communities, and as a result elected officials and bureaucrats have become
invested in creating programs that would meet the needs of their
constituents. As the population of medical cannabis patients grew, we began
meeting each other, organizing, networking information and building pools of
resources. There are now over 1 million state-approved medical cannabis patients in
this country. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who is medical
cannabis patient, or os thinking about it. Parents suffering from cancer and
MS are tired of asking their kids to find marijuana for them for their
treatment, families are tired of watching loved ones needlessly suffer from
chronic pain and the side effects of cancer treatment because they do not
want to break "federal law," and the nation is tired of government misinformation
about the medical benefits of cannabis. Even more importantly, elected
officials are hearing these discussions at their dinner tables. And the medical cannabis
community continues to |
grow every day. Thousands of physicians feel comfortable
in the regulated systems of access and are recommending cannabis therapies.
State and local governments are figuring out how to make safe access a
win-win for patients and their communities. Throughout the country, thousands
of patients work with their partners in labor, medical associations, veterans
groups, patients groups, and political organizations to establish local laws,
change federal laws and otherwise allow regulated access to a medicine that
millions of Americans need – and in some cases is the only thing that works! Hello,
Mr. President? This Is Your Wake-Up
Call Not only in campaign promises but in several memos
since, Barak and the Obama Administaration have stated they would not only
recognize Medical Cannabis (marijuana) but support/defend those elements in
compliance with state laws. Yet the
opposite has happened and Obama is on track to set a new record for busts
topping even the Bush League administration he contrasted himself against to
get our votes. Instead of backing-off
or even allowing the Truth and Consequences, we’ve only gotten more Lies and
Raids. He nominated the most virilent
pot-head hater since Anslinger to head the DEA, the Drug Czar continues to
say Marijuana Isn’t Medicine and the Federal jihad against Medical Cannabis
in Oregon even swept up Federal Medical Cannabis Patient (yes, Federal!) Elvy
Mussika, putting her thru all kinds of hell – just to name a few. As Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access (ASA)
writes, “we became the target of federal crackdowns on state-licensed
caregivers and dispensaries. President Obama has increased enforcement
against us even as his reelection looms. But state and federal leaders, with
grassroots support, are pushing back. Yesterday a poll confirmed that access to medical marijuana is
overwhelmingly popular, and today New York elected officials will announce a push to make the Empire State the eighteenth
to provide for well-regulated access to cannabis. The next time the Obama campaign decides to
pursue politically-motivated charges against state medical marijuana regimes,
I suggest his campaign manager Jim Messina call Steve Cooley or Dwight Holton
and ask if they regret underestimating the medical cannabis community. <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> Politicians
come and go. But public compassion for suffering patients is here to stay.” For more info, to see comments or to post yours, Visit -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steph-sherer/medical-marijuana-politicians_b_1522396.html
-and- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/pot-sylvestre-reyes-beto-orourke_n_1555576.html?ref=mostpopular _____________________________________________________________ <continued from THREE OUT OF FOUR AMERICANS BELIEVE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION SHOULD "RESPECT" STATES' MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS, page 1 > According
to the poll, 74 percent of respondents - including 67 percent of
self-identified Republicans - believe that the Obama administration should
"respect the medical marijuana laws" in those states that have
legalized its use, cultivation, and distribution. Only 15 percent of those
polled said they supported the federal government's ongoing use of
"federal resources to arrest and prosecute individuals who are acting in
compliance" with the medicinal cannabis laws of their state. In
recent months, the Obama administration has taken various actions to
interfere in the enactment of statewide medical marijuana laws. These efforts
have included threatening state employees with federal prosecution and
targeting the landlords of state-licensed cannabis dispensaries. The actions
contradict a pledge Obama made in March 2008, as a Presidential candidate,
when he promised to cease utilizing "Justice Department resources
to try and circumvent state laws" regarding medical cannabis. The
survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted between May 10 and May 14 by
Mason-Dixon Polling & Research. The margin for error is ±3 percent. Last
week, members of the United States House of Representatives voted 262 to 163 to
defeat a federal budget amendment that sought to prevent the federal
government from spending taxpayers' dollars to target medical
marijuana-related activities that are compliant with state law. One hundred
and thirty-five Democrats and 28 Republicans voted
in support of the amendment. Read the full poll here: http://www.mpp.org/assets/pdfs/download-materials/MPP-M-D-Poll-5-12.pdf.
_____________________________________________________________ Rasmussen
Poll: Majority Of Voters Favor Legalizing Marijuana Like Alcohol
Asbury
Park, NJ, USA: Nearly six out of ten American
voters believe that the personal use of marijuana should no longer be a
criminal offense, and 56 percent of Americans say that the substance |
ought to be legalized
like alcohol, according to a nationwide Rasmussen telephone poll of 1,000 likely voters. According
to the poll, 58 percent of respondents believe that it should not be a crime
"for someone to smoke marijuana" in private. Only 32 percent of
respondents believed that A solid
majority of respondents, 56 percent, also said that they favored
"legalizing marijuana and regulating it like alcohol or
cigarettes." (Thirty-four percent were opposed.) Among males polled, 61 percent
favored legalization versus 52 percent of females. A majority of respondents
of every age group polled favored legalizing cannabis, including 50 percent
of those age 65 and older. However, among those respondents with children,
only 49 percent said that they favored legalization. Support
for legalizing cannabis rose to 57 percent when pollsters' asked: Do you
favor legalizing marijuana if "no one under 18 could buy it, it was
banned in public, and there were strict penalties for driving under the influence."
The slight gain in overall support was largely because of a spike in support
among respondents with children (49 percent to 58 percent) and
self-identified Republicans (48 percent to 52 percent). The
margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of
confidence. Commenting
on the poll, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said, "This poll
illustrates, once again, that the public's growing frustration with marijuana
prohibition and their desire for market based alternatives crosses
conventional ideological and political boundaries." He added: "By and large, voters of all ages and all ideological
persuasions support regulating cannabis like alcohol, and they reject the
failed policy of arresting, prosecuting, and incarcerating responsible adult
marijuana consumers. Lawmakers at the state and federal level ought to
recognize this sea change in public opinion and realize that marijuana law
reform is no longer viewed by voters as a political liability, but rather as
a political opportunity." <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> In 2011, a nationwide Gallup
poll reported that 50 percent of Americans support legalizing the use of
cannabis for adults. Forty-six percent of respondents said they opposed the
idea. Most
recently, an April 2012 Rasmussen Reports telephone survey reported
that 47 percent of adults "believe the country should legalize and tax
marijuana in order to help solve the nation's fiscal problems."
Forty-two percent of respondents disagreed, while ten percent were undecided. For more
information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at
(202) 483-5500, or Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. _____________________________________________________________ Angus Reid Poll: Three Quarters Of Americans
Oppose Prison For Pot Offenses
Vancouver,
Canada: Three out of four Americans favor the use
of fines or probation in lieu of criminal sanctions for marijuana offenders,
according to an Angus Reid Public opinion poll of 1,011 US adults. According
to the poll, 74 percent of respondents said that they favored
the imposition of "alternative penalties" - such as fines,
probation, or community service - rather than prison for those found to have
violated marijuana possession laws. By contrast, only 41 percent of
respondents favored such penalties for credit card fraud, and only one-third
of those polled favored alternative sentencing for drunk driving offenders. Among
Canadian respondents, 78 percent prefer fines in lieu of prison for minor
marijuana offenders. Among British respondents, 70 percent endorsed
sentencing alternatives. The
margin of error is +/-2.2% for Great Britain, and +/-3.1% for Canada and the
United States. The
Angus Reid poll comes just weeks after a national
telephone poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports found that a plurality of
Americans now support legalizing and taxing the production and sale of
cannabis. According to the poll of 1,000 adults, 47 percent of adults
"believe the country should legalize and tax marijuana in order to help
solve the nation's fiscal problems." Forty-two percent of respondents
disagreed, while ten percent were undecided. In 2011,
a nationwide Gallup
poll reported that 50 percent of Americans support legalizing the use of
cannabis for adults. Forty-six percent of respondents said they opposed the
idea. The 2011 Gallup survey results marked the first time that the polling
firm, |
which
has tracked
Americans' attitudes toward marijuana since the late 1960s, reported that
more Americans support legalizing cannabis than oppose it. For more information, please contact
Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from STUDY: ADMINISTRATION OF NON-PSYCHOTROPIC
CANNABINOID MITIGATES PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS IN SCHIZOPHRENICS, page 1 > An international team of researchers from Germany
and the United States performed a four week, double-blind, randomized
clinical trial assessing the clinical relevance of cannabidiol versus
amisulpride, a potent antipsychotic agent, in patients with acute
schizophrenia. Researchers
reported that the administration of either substance was associated with
significant clinical improvement, but they acknowledged, "[C]annabidiol
displayed a markedly superior side-effect profile." Amisulpride
is categorized as Investigators
concluded, "Our results provide evidence that the non-cannabimimetic
constituent of marijuana, cannabidiol, exerts clinically relevant
antipsychotic effects that are associated with marked tolerability and
safety, when compared with current medications. ... The results ...
potentially represent a completely new mechanism in the treatment of
schizophrenia." A review
of CBD's safety profile in humans, published online in 2011 in the scientific
journal Current Drug Safety, concluded that the cannabinoid is
non-toxic, safe, and well tolerated in humans, even in high doses. Separate
investigations of CBD have documented the cannabinoid to possess a variety of therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory,
anti-diabetic, anti-epileptic, anti-cancer, and bone-stimulating properties. For more information, please contact
Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of
the study, "Cannabidiol enhances anandamide signaling and alleviates
psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia," is available online here: http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v2/n3/full/tp201215a.html. |
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<continued from CONNECTICUT
TO BECOME 17TH STATE TO ALLOW FOR THE LEGAL USE OF MARIJUANA FOR MEDICINAL
PURPOSES, page 1 > 1,600 residents, 68
percent of voters endorsed the measure.
Pollsters reported, "There is no gender, partisan, income, age or
education group opposed" to legalizing marijuana as a physician-recommended
therapy. Then Members
of the Connecticut Senate on Saturday, May 5, voted 21 to 13 in favor of HB 5389, the Palliative Use of Marijuana Act. Their vote
follows similar approval by the General Assembly. Saturday's vote clears the
way for Democrat Gov. Dannel Malloy, a supporter of the Act, to sign the bill
into law. So, Connecticut
will become the 17th state
since 1996 to allow for the limited legalization of medicinal cannabis. It
will be the fourth New England state to do so, joining Maine, Rhode Island, and
Vermont. "Today
is a day of hope, compassion and dignity and I Williams
added: "Connecticut had an opportunity to be a leader in America on this
issue. Our strategy and dedication has obviously paid off." The
Palliative Use of Marijuana Act mandates the state to license a limited number of
producers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Patients require a
recommendation from their doctor to become a state-registered 'qualifying
patient.' Patients will obtain cannabis via licensed pharmacists, who must
acquire permits to dispense the substance from the state Department of
Consumer Protection. The
majority of the new law, once signed by the Governor, will take effect on
October 1, 2012. The Department of Consumer Protection will begin enacting a
detailed regulatory framework for the law upon its passage. Last year, Connecticut NORML took a lead role in the |
passage
of separate statewide legislation that decriminalized
the possession of marijuana by adults from a criminal misdemeanor (punishable
by one year in jail and a $1,000 fine) to a non-criminal infraction,
punishable by a fine, no arrest or jail time, and no criminal record. Since
then, the state has seen a dramatic reduction in the total number of marijuana
arrests. Said
Williams: "When I formed Connecticut NORML 18 months ago, I wrote a
five-year plan with the goal to decriminalize possession and legalize medical
marijuana. I would have never dreamed we could do it as quickly as we
did." For more information,
please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500,
or Erik Williams, Executive Director of Connecticut NORML, at: ewilliams@campaignswon.com. _____________________________________________________________ New Hampshire: House Members Pass Medical
Cannabis Measure By Veto-Proof Majority
Concord,
NH, USA: Members of the New Hampshire House of
Representatives voted 236 to 96 last week in favor of legislation that
would allow for the personal cultivation and use of cannabis for therapeutic
purposes. The veto-proof majority approval came following renewed veto threats by Democrat Gov. John Lynch, who previously rejected a separate, more restrictive medical
marijuana measure in 2009. As
passed by the House, Senate Bill
409 allows qualified patients to possess up to four cannabis plants
and/or six ounces of marijuana for therapeutic purposes. Members of the Senate had previously
passed the measure in March by a 13 to 11 vote. Because
House members added a fiscal note to the bill, it must now go before the
House Finance Committee before returning to the Senate for a concurrence
vote. The measure requires three additional Senate votes in order to override
Gov. Lynch's anticipated veto. Separate legislation -- HB 1526, which sought to decriminalize the
possession of up to one-half ounce of marijuana for adults for non-medical
purposes -- was rejected by the Senate on Wednesday. The House had
previously voted in favor of the measure in March.For more information on
Senate Bill 409, please visit NORML's 'Take Action Center' here: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=61134391 |
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Rhode Island: Governor Signs Legislation
Authorizing State-Licensed Medical Marijuana 'Compassion Centers'
Providence,
RI, USA: Governor Lincoln Chafee signed legislation into law last week authorizing the creation of state-licensed 'compassion
centers' to engage in the production and distribution of cannabis for
authorized patients. It is the second time since 2009 that state lawmakers
have approved legislation allowing for the state regulation of medical
marijuana facilities. Under
the new law, Senate Bill 2555, health regulators will license three
not-for-profit entities, known as 'compassion centers,' to operate within the
state. Compassion centers will not be allowed to cultivate more than 150
cannabis plants on the premises at any one time, only 99 of which may be
mature. Centers will also be restricted to possessing no more than 1,500
ounces of usable product at any one time. Lawmakers
have suggested that the imposed statutory limits will lower the likelihood of
federal law enforcement officials interfering with the implementation of the law. At least
one other state, New Mexico, imposes
similar caps on authorized dispensaries.
State lawmakers initially
enacted legislation allowing for the authorization of 'compassion
centers' in 2009. However,
Gov. Chafee suspended
the law in 2011, stating, "[L]arge-scale commercial operations such as
Rhode Island's compassion centers (would) be potential targets of 'vigorous'
criminal and civil enforcement efforts by the federal government."
Earlier this year, Gov. Chafee agreed to revisit the issue and to work with
lawmakers to amend the law so that a limited number of small-scale
distribution centers could apply for state licenses. In
response to the legislature's actions, US Attorney Peter Neronha has said he will continue to oversee the enforcement of
federal drug laws. However, he has not specifically said whether 'compassion
centers' will be targeted. Three
states - Colorado, Maine, and New Mexico - presently issue licenses to allow
for the state-sanctioned production and distribution of cannabis. So far,
dispensary facilities in those states have operated largely without federal
interference. Similar
licensing legislation approved in recent years in Arizona, New Jersey,
Vermont, and Washington, DC has yet to be implemented by local lawmakers. |
In
February, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell announced that he was suspending
the implementation of a similar licensing program in that state. Rhode Island
lawmakers legalized
the limited use and cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic purposes in 2006.
Over 3,000 Rhode Islanders are presently authorized under state law to use
cannabis. For more
information regarding Rhode Island's medicinal cannabis law, please visit: http://norml.org/legal/item/rhode-island-medical-marijuana. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from STUDY: NON-PSYCHOTROPIC PLANT CANNABINOIDS
COUNTERACT PROSTATE CANCER GROWTH, page 1 > An international team of investigators from Italy and the United
Kingdom assessed the anti-cancer properties of various non-psychoactive
synthetic and botanical cannabinoids, including CBD, CBG (cannabigerol), CBN
(cannabinol) and THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin), in vivo and in
vitro (in culture). Researchers
reported, "The ... data presented here allow us to suggest that non-THC
cannabinoids, and CBD in particular, retard proliferation and cause apoptosis
(programmed cell death) of prostate carcinoma growth via a combination of
cannabinoid receptor-independent cellular and molecular mechanisms. ... We
suggest that non-THC cannabinoids ... might provide the basis for the development
of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of prostate
carcinoma." Prostate cancer is
the second most common cancer in American men. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in American males,
trailing only behind lung cancer. Authors
of the study concluded, "[T]he effects reported here, together with
previously reported cannabinoid receptor-mediated effects of THC on PCCs
(prostate carcinoma cells), might provide momentum to clinical studies on
cannabinoids and cannabis extracts as a therapy for human prostate carcinoma,
either in addition to currently used treatments, or as stand alones, as
suggested also by our present in vivo data." A separate study of cannabinoids on prostate cancer
published in the present edition of the Indian Journal of Neurology
also concluded, "Prostate cancer cells possess increased expression of
both cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors, and stimulation of these results decrease
in cell viability, increased apoptosis, and decreased androgen receptor
expression and prostate-specific antigen excretion. ... It is our conclusion
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<continued from STUDY: NON-PSYCHOTROPIC PLANT CANNABINOIDS
COUNTERACT PROSTATE CANCER GROWTH, previous page> involving medicinal cannabis or other cannabinoid agonists,
comparing clinical markers such as PSA with controls, especially in men with
bone metastatic prostate cancer, whom would not only benefit from the
possible anti-androgenic effects of cannabinoids but also from analgesia of
bone pain, improving quality of life, while reducing narcotic consumption and
preventing opioid dependence." Cannabinoids and endocannabinoids have been
consistently shown to be potent
anti-cancer inhibitors in preclinical models, halting the proliferation
of glioma cells, breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma, and lymphoma, among other
cancer cell lines. For more
information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at paul@norml.org.
Full text of the study, "Non-THC cannabinoids counteract prostate
carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo: pro-apoptotic effects and underlying
mechanisms," will appear in the British Journal of Pharmacology. _____________________________________________________________ Medical Marijuana and Anti-Cannabis, Microcephalic, Contentious Cretins: ARE THEY PSYCHOPATHS AGAINST SICK PEOPLE? by Dr. Phil Leveque for Salem-News.com Who really believes the reefer madness line anymore? Ask Dwight Holton. | (MOLALLA, Ore.) - I cannot get over the television advertisements regarding the Oregon Attorney General election. Dwight Holton, a recent carpetbagger to the State, appeared to have lots of money for his T.V. advertisements and it was acutely interesting to me to discover where all this money was coming from. When I found out, almost by accident, I was truly floored. It turned out that Mr. Holton had his own website, holtonfororegon.com/endorsements, in which 190 organizations and individuals outed themselves as *psychopaths*, trying to kill the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and condemning some 50,000-plus Marijuana patients to lives of miserable pain and even death for their egregious ignorance of the great and safe benefits of Cannabis/Marijuana as a highly effective medicine which is even far safer than aspirin or even caffeine or coffee. The first on this list of psychopathic, anti-cannabis cretins were the editorial boards of 14 Oregon newspapers. Most of them have been highly, egregiously condemning of Medical Marijuana even |
though a 5 minute review of computer-borne information would show them that Cannabis/Marijuana is excellent medicine for many diseases. I'm not talking about the recreational users which will and can abuse this valuable medicine and no amount of harassment will stop them anyhow. Oregon has about 60,000 doctor-approved and verified Medical users who will suffer the worst if Holton and his anti-cannabis cretins get the power of the Attorney General position. Twenty-one organizations which include 5 large police forces along with prosecuting attorneys also want to kill the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. Twenty-five County Sheriffs also want to kill the program as do 33 District Attorneys from that many counties. Twenty-six elected officials have joined in the fray. Twenty-three business owners, including one alcohol distillery owner, want to shut down the program. The legal community which must represent attorneys also seem to want the program eliminated. With all of the above obvious resentment of the Medically valuable program it is very notable and exciting that the former judge Ellen Rosenblum actually won by a ratio of about 65% to 35% with her getting about 150,000 of the votes. The anti-cannabis blathering associated with Holtons T.V. advertisements obviously caught the attention of the Medical Marijuana card holders and their friends and family supporters. By last count, as of May 25, 2012, petitions for legalizing Marijuana have approached 100,000 with about 10,000 more petitions arriving each week. The petition leaders expect about 130,000 petitions and hope for 150 thousand. The State requires about 87 thousand valid signatures with no errors of any kind. This is the first time that Medical Marijuana users and friends have been able to come "out of the closet" and vote for something which they find is very valuable, safe medicine. Cannabis/Marijuana is very safe, effective, valuable medicine and the ignorant cretins who oppose it should read a few books about it ...if they can read. Source - http://www.salem-news.com/articles/may302012/holton-marijuana_.php |
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mercycenter@hotmail.com > (503)
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Study:
Cannabis Use Associated With Lower Mortality Risk In Patients With Psychotic
Disorders
Baltimore,
MD, USA: The use of cannabis is
associated with lower mortality risk An international team of investigators from the
University of Maryland School of Medicine and Inje University in South Korea
assessed the impact of a lifetime history substance use on mortality in 762
subjects with schizophrenia or related disorders. Researchers reported, "[W]e observed a lower
mortality risk-adjusted variable in cannabis-users compared to cannabis
non-users despite subjects having similar symptoms and antipsychotic
treatments." Authors speculated that the association between
marijuana use and decreased mortality risk may be because "cannabis
users may (be) higher functioning" and because "cannabis itself may
have some health benefits." They concluded: "To our knowledge, this is one
of the first studies to examine the risk of mortality with cannabis and
alcohol in people with PD (psychotic disorders). This interesting finding of
decreased mortality risk ... in cannabis users is a novel finding and one
that will need replication in larger epidemiological studies." NORML Board Member Dr. Lester Grinspoon,
psychiatrist and former Harvard Medical School professor, similarly noted
that the study's findings, though promising, require replication in separate
trials. "In reading the cannabis literature over the years, I have
learned to be somewhat skeptical about any single report and to maintain a
'wait and see' posture as new data eventually flesh out the reality," he
said. |
To date the association between cannabis use and
psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia is not well understood. While some
studies have associated cannabis use with higher
cognitive functioning - including better
performance on measures of processing speed and verbal skills - other
research has implied that cannabis use, particularly heavy use at an early
age, may
precipitate or exacerbate the disease in those already vulnerable to it.
Other experts have criticized this purported link to be
"overstated" and not
"particularly compelling," noting that increased levels of
cannabis use by the general public has not
yet been positively associated with proportionally rising incidences of
schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.
For more information, please contact Paul Armentano,
NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of
the study, "Alcohol and cannabis use and mortality in people with
schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders," will appear in the
Journal of Psychiatric Research. For additional information on cannabis use
and mental illness, please see the NORML white paper, "Cannabis, Mental
Health, and Context," available online at: _____________________________________________________________ Study: Inhaled
Cannabis Reduces Symptoms In Patients With Treatment-Resistant Multiple
Sclerosis
Investigators at the University of California, San
Diego assessed the use of inhaled cannabis versus placebo in 30 patients with
MS who were unresponsive to conventional |
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treatments. Authors reported that cannabis administration
resulted in a decrease in subjects' spasticity, as measured on the modified
Ashworth scale, and reduced patients' pain scores on a visual analogue scale. "Smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in
symptom and pain reduction in patients with treatment-resistant
spasticity," authors concluded. Investigators cautioned that cannabis-inhalation was
also negatively associated with short-term "acute cognitive
effects." However, they noted that the "clinical significance of
this result is uncertain ... (because) patients were still within the normal
range for their ages and levels of education." Overall, researchers described cannabis therapy as
"generally well tolerated." The trial is one of several recently
published studies funded by the California Center for Medicinal Cannabis
Research demonstrating the short-term safety and efficacy of cannabis in
the treatment of a variety of hard-to-treat disease conditions. Separate clinical trials assessing the
administration of oral cannabis extracts on patients with MS have shown
that cannabinoids can alleviate symptoms of the disease long-term and may
also act in ways to mitigate MS progression. Sativex, an
oral spray containing plant cannabis extracts, is presently legal by
prescription to treat MS-related symptoms in over a dozen countries, including Canada, Germany, Great
Britain, New Zealand, and Spain. Nonetheless, the National MS Society shares
little enthusiasm for cannabis as a potential treatment for multiple
sclerosis in the United States, stating, "Studies completed thus far have not
provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide
substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS." For more information, please contact Paul
Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of
the study, "Smoked cannabis for spasticity in multiple sclerosis: a
randomized, placebo-controlled trial," appears in the Journal of the
Canadian Medical Association. |
Review: Clinical Trials For Cannabis And
Prostate Cancer Warranted
Barbula, Venezuela: Plant cannabinoids possess analgesic and
anti-cancer effects and ought to be assessed in patients with prostate
cancer, according to a literature review published in the Indian Journal of Urology.
A pair of investigators from Venezuela and
the United States assessed the potential use of cannabis in the treatment of
prostate cancer. They concluded: "Prostate cancer cells possess
increased expression of both cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors, and stimulation
of these results in decrease in cell viability, increased apoptosis, and
decreased androgen receptor expression and prostate-specific antigen excretion. ... It is our conclusion that it
would be of interest to conduct clinical trials involving medicinal cannabis
or other cannabinoid agonists, comparing clinical markers such as PSA with
controls, especially in men with bone metastatic prostate cancer, whom would
not only benefit from the possible anti-androgenic effects of cannabinoids
but also from analgesia of bone pain, improving quality of life, while
reducing narcotic consumption and preventing opioid dependence." Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in
American men and the second cause for cancer-related death. Cannabinoids and endocannabinoids have
shown to be potent
anti-cancer inhibitors in preclinical models, halting the proliferation
of glioma cells, breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma, and lymphoma, among other
cancer cell lines. For more
information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.
Full text of the study, "The role of cannabinoids in prostate cancer:
Basic science perspective and potential clinical applications," is
available online here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339795/?tool=pubmed. |
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