Marijuana Eases Chronic Pain, Researchers Say

[El Jimador]

Just saw this story tonight...

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainMa...se-chronic-pain-researchers/story?id=11515566

 

[DimeBag65]

"A bigger concern remains the "delivery system," which is substantially worse than tobacco cigarettes due to prolonged exposure to marijuana smoke from holding it in the lungs, commented Dr. Timothy A. Collins of Duke University's Pain and Palliative Care Clinic in Durham, N.C.""""


now that facts are being released about cannabis being a benefit, doctors will still say it is unhealthy and unsafe due to smoking it, the more they hear about and explore other medically accepted mothods of ingesting through edibles, vaping, etc topical application for arthritis ... there are alot of medical applications that are looked over due to the stipulation of just smoking cannabis.

nice to have more released articles about the benefits of cannabis thats for sure

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

i feel they are going the other way... they are gonna say omg its a wonder drug and then say omg its so horrible to smoke so you have to take a marinol or some other wanna be weed drug that big pharma creates...

Then they outlaw it all over again.

 

[DimeBag65]

you are quite right PTB, they are so used to prescribing medications in pill form it will be the accepted form of ingesting cannabis, hopefully as more doctors jump on the bandwagon to write scripts they can spread the information about vaporizing and ingesting, as alternatives for those against it due to inhaling smoke as their form of medicating...

some interesting times ahead in the cannabis scene..

 

[esbe]

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/abst...fcef0d78ba2b68a0c40c84a2&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

Smoked cannabis for chronic neuropathic pain: a randomized controlled trial

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica] Mark A. Ware 1, Tongtong Wang 2, Stan Shapiro 2, Ann Robinson 3, Thierry Ducruet 3, Thao Huynh 4, Ann Gamsa 5, Gary J. Bennett 5, Jean-Paul Collet 6 [/FONT] [FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica][SIZE=-1] 1 The Department of Anesthesia, the Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
2 The Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
3 Boreal Primum, Montréal, Que.
4 The Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
5 The Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montréal, Que.
6 The Centre for Applied Health Research and Evaluation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica][SIZE=+2] Abstract[/SIZE][/FONT]
Background: Chronic neuropathic pain affects 1%–2% of the adult population and is often refractory to standard pharmacologic treatment. Patients with chronic pain have reported using smoked cannabis to relieve pain, improve sleep and improve mood.
Methods: Adults with post-traumatic or postsurgical neuropathic pain were randomly assigned to receive cannabis at four potencies (0%, 2.5%, 6% and 9.4% tetrahydrocannabinol) over four 14-day periods in a crossover trial. Participants inhaled a single 25-mg dose through a pipe three times daily for the first five days in each cycle, followed by a nine-day washout period. Daily average pain intensity was measured using an 11-point numeric rating scale. We recorded effects on mood, sleep and quality of life, as well as adverse events.
Results: We recruited 23 participants (mean age 45.4 [standard deviation 12.3] years, 12 women [52%]), of whom 21 completed the trial. The average daily pain intensity, measured on the 11-point numeric rating scale, was lower on the prespecified primary contrast of 9.4% v. 0% tetrahydrocannabinol (5.4 v. 6.1, respectively; difference = 0.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02–1.4). Preparations with intermediate potency yielded intermediate but nonsignificant degrees of relief. Participants receiving 9.4% tetrahydrocannabinol reported improved ability to fall asleep (easier, p = 0.001; faster, p < 0.001; more drowsy, p = 0.003) and improved quality of sleep (less wakefulness, p = 0.01) relative to 0% tetrahydrocannabinol. We found no differences in mood or quality of life. The most common drug-related adverse events during the period when participants received 9.4% tetrahydrocannabinol were headache, dry eyes, burning sensation in areas of neuropathic pain, dizziness, numbness and cough.
Conclusion:: A single inhalation of 25 mg of 9.4% tetrahydrocannabinol herbal cannabis three times daily for five days reduced the intensity of pain, improved sleep and was well tolerated. Further long-term safety and efficacy studies are indicated. (International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Register no. ISRCTN68314063)

 

[hotcoffee]

Wish it helped my chronic pain, but its no analgesic so far. I've been smoking and growing for forty years and yet to experience a truly analgesic cannabis hit. And living with chronic pain, believe me I could use one!

 

[DoobieDuck]

ElJim thanks for posting, Esbe thanks for your addition, DD

 

[ambition]

Does anybody else find it annoying that so many public advocacy groups(NORML, namely) dismiss scientific studies out of hand as mere propaganda when it doesn't benefit us (see: The plethora of studies indicating a link between mental illness and long-term cannabis use), yet hold studies up as "proof" when it does benefit us, as in this case?

 

[bigdaddyc9]

I am a chronic pain patient currently on 480mg of Oxycontin daily.Cannabis helps my chronic pain in 3 ways.It eases my pain,it helps me get to sleep and stay there,and it helps me eat food and keep it down.I went from 410lbs to 234lbs in less than 2 years vomiting daily if not several times a day.Cannabis saved my life.But seeing as how I live in NY I also live in fear of arrest and forfieture of possessions I and my wife worked hard to have.I was just recently robbed of 20 plus grams of med quality weed,and I couldn't call the police.It isn't rec use for me,its real medicine.So now I am screwed as I have no local connections and my outdoor is a month away at least.I will and am suffering every day w/o it.I went to my Pain Doc yesterday and he told me to lock it up w/my Oxys.Told him I already did but I cannot replace 20 grams of Blackberry Kush and others.NY and the USA need to grow a pair and listen to its citizens and the science behind cannabis use.It is appalling that I could be arrested seeking a quality of life guarenteed Americans.Life,Liberty,and the pursuit of happiness.I am in agony daily and only wish to improve my quality of life.My cannabis use effects nobody but me.Why cant I have the same as folks in California,Michigan and Montana?This sucks balls but thanks to ABC for publishing this story.It was needed.Free the weed for those in need!!! BigD