Hey 420 people! Help me refute my Step-mother's anti-Marijuana research!

[THsea]

Basically, when I started telling my family about how I chose to control my Crohn's Disease most were unsure... Well, my Step-mother wasn't! :rolleyes3

She started spouting off with unsubstantiated claims, like it "spaces out the synapses in your brain" (i can't find anything say thing anywhere online), causes long term depression, and etc. And guys...be afraid! Its completely proven according to her! She just doesn't know who proved it or where to find it...

Just today I found this lovely article printed out in front of the computer for my reading enjoyment!

Chronic Marijuana Smoking Affects Brain Chemistry, Molecular Imaging Shows

ScienceDaily (June 6, 2011) – Definitive proof of an adverse effect of chronic marijuana use revealed at SNM's 58th Annual Meeting could lead to potential drug treatments and aid other research involved in cannabinoid receptors, a neurotransmission system receiving a lot of attention. Scientists used molecular imaging to visualize changes in the brains of heavy marijuana smokers versus non-smokers and found that abuse of the drug led to a decreased number of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, which are involved in not just pleasure, appetite and pain tolerance but a host of other psychological and physiological functions of the body.

"Addictions are a major medical and socioeconomic problem," says Jussi Hirvonen, MD, PhD, lead author of the collaborative study between the National Institute of Mental Health and National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md. "Unfortunately, we do not fully understand the neurobiological mechanisms involved in addiction. With this study, we were able to show for the first time that people who abuse cannabis have abnormalities of the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. This information may prove critical for the development of novel treatments for cannabis abuse. Furthermore, this research shows that the decreased receptors in people who abuse cannabis return to normal when they stop smoking the drug."

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the number-one illicit drug of choice in America. The psychoactive chemical in marijuana, or cannabis, is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which binds to numerous cannabinoid receptors in the brain and throughout the body when smoked or ingested, producing a distinctive high. Cannabinoid receptors in the brain influence a range of mental states and actions, including pleasure, concentration, perception of time and memory, sensory perception, and coordination of movement. There are also cannabinoid receptors throughout the body involved in a wide range of functions of the digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems of the body. Currently two subtypes of cannabinoid receptors are known, CB1 and CB2, the former being involved mostly in functions of the central nervous system and the latter more in functions of the immune system and in stem cells of the circulatory system.

For this study, researchers recruited 30 chronic daily cannabis smokers who were then monitored at a closed inpatient facility for approximately four weeks. The subjects were imaged using positron emission tomography (PET), which provides information about physiological processes in the body. Subjects were injected with a radioligand, 18F-FMPEP-d2, which is a combination of a radioactive fluorine isotope and a neurotransmitter analog that binds with CB1 brain receptors.

Results of the study show that receptor number was decreased about 20 percent in brains of cannabis smokers when compared to healthy control subjects with limited exposure to cannabis during their lifetime. These changes were found to have a correlation with the number of years subjects had smoked. Of the original 30 cannabis smokers, 14 of the subjects underwent a second PET scan after about a month of abstinence. There was a marked increase in receptor activity in those areas that had been decreased at the outset of the study, an indication that while chronic cannabis smoking causes downregulation of CB1 receptors, the damage is reversible with abstinence.

Information gleaned from this and future studies may help other research exploring the role of PET imaging of CB1 receptors -- not just for drug use, but also for a range of human diseases, including metabolic disease and cancer.

Source: Chronic marijuana smoking affects brain chemistry, molecular imaging shows

Well done Ma'am! So guys, lets get at it!

First I underlined Chronic Marijuana and wrote...

This category does not include me, this article doesn't even define what that means. But most studies I have read say 5+ joints a day for years... I use usually less than a joints quantity in a day.

OKAY, now this is for you 420 mag, I would say its more like a joints quantity without needing symptomatic relief... However, joint size is really relative too! I hate arguing these things because of all the loosely defined terms in the first place! I can get by on about .4 of a gram for a day. Vaporizing. I do use more than that, but that is because I like it! And I believe it is safe. I would define a joint at around .8 of a gram, but thats just me. Some days I do have more than that, but I also have nerve damage I medicate for.. But Don't tell her! Or I maybe called an addict/ Chronic Abuser!!

I didn't really want to go around underlining everything, so I went to the end underlining reversible with abstinence.. and wrote

means there are no permanent effects...

I wrote a little extra at the bottom..

This only proves a psycho-active chemical has a measurable effect on the brain...Then, speculation as to what it may entail. Does not prove any functional or adverse effects. All psycho-active chemicals would show some measurable effect on the brain, that is what they do... Furthermore, if something can be used to the point of daily abuse and not cause any permanent effects... I think that shows how benign its effects are. I appreciate the concern, but words like "chronic use" and "abuse" do not define how I medicate.

I wont be handing in this "assignment" until I get a little feedback from you guys. I'll be printing out a fresh one and writing the final draft out after some feedback, if anyone has suggestions on how to rewrite it better..

I really don't want to get studies for her, I really don't care what she thinks... Its more that she wants to be right than anything for her. I kind of doubt she even read the article beyond the first sentence! It just irritates me that she is so bent on proving me wrong, when I have said to them all... I have researched this a lot before ever trying it, and made the decision based on it being an effective and one of the safest options for me to control my disease.

I'm sure there will be more to come! More readings left out innocently by the computer, and I will post them here for us to discuss! I think this will be good for us all really, to help us be better able to refute peoples claims against us. Go team 420!



PS: just to be sure we're all on the same page.. I don't disagree with the study, just how it is presented in this article. The study says it effects the brain, we all know that (neutral statement). The article on the other hand claims it to be adverse..

 

[PetFlora]

There are none so blind as those who buy into the governments propaganda. If they had an open mind they would know 911 was an inside job, that GMOs and vaccines are about population control. Too difficult to assimilate

 

[branson111190]

A link to an article I wrote is here: Article On Why Marijuana Is Safe
And you have my permission to present it to her . Also , don't forget to mention that there are many factors that go into testing and studies , and a lot of it is tainted and affected by other factors . There's factors that scientists for the government don't mention , for example:
Marijuana Causes Cancer - The other factors that actually caused the cancer was either from the diet of the persons being tested , environmental factors , and other health related/genetic issues . Red meat has been linked to cancer , certain environments with heavy pollution/radiation cause cancer , Tupperware and other household products have cancer causing agents , if they smoke cigarettes or not , and recently it's been discovered that marijuana cures cancer .

Long term effects of marijuana (the "serious" ones) are increased tolerance for some , overall lower blood pressure (not a dangerous level though) , decreased sperm count (irrelevant because it's barely affected) , change of hormones (also irrelevant) and a few others . So tell her to do some research herself like a true person would . Find five sources of biased , unbiased , for and against it , and cross check everything . That's what I've been doing for years . I've probably read hundreds of sources . Help her become less ignorant .

 

[Gription]

Check out Top Anti-Drug Researcher Changes His Mind, Says Legalize Marijuana | StoptheDrugWar.org

It mentions the protective effect of MJ.

 

[THsea]

Well I guess everyone wants to just post studies and not read or respond to the article posted I thought the article was stand-alone bad enough to find fault in... Did I already take it to town guys?

How about this... If you are going to post studies for me to present her, nothing from pro-drug sites. Find articles and studies with sources that don't make it seem fishy. Sending people who are ignorantly taught to be anti-cannabis most likely will not respond well to things from "stop the drug war". Even if the article is legit... There are many great articles on Tashkin from more neutral sites, so don't worry about posting them, I'm not looking for lung based info, etc... Focusing on the brain for this little number she gave me... But its good to know we have this here for when she starts clinging to other avenues. Thank you Gription!

Branson, throwing other info at her as to other reasons why it is safe... Do not point to why she is wrong... She will still say "well, it still is wrecking your CB receptors!".. Which, I feel the article she gave me refutes by saying abstinence will make everything normal. I do love when you say

So tell her to do some research herself like a true person would . Find five sources of biased , unbiased , for and against it , and cross check everything.

That is gold! However, she will say "I am doing research, what do you think this is? I'm getting things from legitimate proven science websites!".. But I think the cross checking is a good thing to throw at her. Though that is hard to do... What I find is that people interpret data from the same studies in ways that is beneficial to their belief...Glad you read a bunch of studies brother, no adult should use any medicine without being informed thoroughly.

Like I said, I don't really care what she thinks, but want to refute when she is getting a little in my face. Like also stated, I don't see anything that points to anything negative in the study.. Less activity of certain CB sites would be expected when you are throwing tons of agonist and ant-agonist chemicals at it daily... This doesn't present anything functionally wrong with that.

I have already seen all of these articles guys! I do appreciate it, but it isn't what I was asking for... Glad to have them here in case someone comes in and wants the reading, but for the purposes of refuting this article, lets stick to cannabis and its long term effect on brain function... This is her main argument, that I will become retarded.

I am living with my step-mother(SM) and dad for a bit until about the end of the year... You all will love this one, the SM said this lovely number..
"We can lose everything if they find pot in here, you cant have any while staying with us!"
I looked up the law... I would be fined $100 for less than an ounce.. I guess she thinks I would have pounds and would be dealing? I guess medicinal use means that to her, I don't know...Or they are really in trouble financially.

Now.. She said this a week after saying I could smoke in the shed... Really raising the wtf flag there. I told them I would make pills if anything at all.. As I would like to minimize all of our risk... But they seem to forget that anytime they bring up cannabis.

 

[branson111190]

She's a classic "I'm a mother and I know everything" mom . Well , there's an article by Jack Herer in the memorial section , which lists about one hundred sources that she can sit down and look at throw that in her face and she what she has to say after her self righteousness is blown to pieces by self-indulged ignorance and her plagued mind is cleansed .

edit: i also found an article that a top doctor who all against marijuana and was funded to be against it , discovered that it's actually safe and admitted to it . i cant find it though but the website was endthewarondrugs.org or something like that . hopefully you can find it

 

[primebadboy]

Marijuana And Crohn's Disease/Gastrointestinal Disorders permalink

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

O'Shaughnessy's published a study in its Autumn 2005 issue entitled "Cannabis Alleviates Symptoms of Crohn's Disease," by Jeff Hergenrather, M.D., that found:

"[Crohn's] patients described marked improvements with the use of cannabis.

Beneficial effects were reported for appetite, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, activity, and depression. Patients also reported that cannabis use resulted in weight gain, fewer stools per day and fewer flare-ups of less severity...

Cannabis-using Crohn's patients not only report significant relief of their symptoms, they are also able to reduce the amount of immunosuppressive medications that have been a mainstay of conventional treatment...

Crohn's disease is so debilitating and life-threatening and so difficult to manage with conventional medications it is very encouraging to find that cannabis is proving to be an effective treatment for it right now."
(Autumn 2005) O'Shaughnessy's


The Journal of Clinical Investigation published an article in April, 2004 by F. Massa et.al. from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, entitled "The Endogenous Cannabinoid System Protects Against Colonic Inflammation," that found:

"The major active constitutent of the plant Cannabis sativa (marijuana), THC, and a variety of natural and synthetic cannabinoids have been shown to possess... anti-inflammatory activities...

Results indicate that the endogenous cannabinoid system represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of intestinal disease conditions characterized by excessive inflammatory responses."
(April 2004) The Journal of Clinical Investigation


Gut, a peer-reviewed medical journal, published a June 2001 review entitled "Cannabinoids and the Gastrointestinal Tract" by R. Pertwee, Ph.D., that found:

"Cannabinoid receptor agonists delay gastric emptying in humans as well as in rodents, and they may also inhibit human gastric acid secretion.

It is also worth noting that there have been a number of anecdotal accounts of the effective use of cannabis in the past against dysentery and cholera."
(June 2001) Gut


Cell and Tissue Research published an article in October 2000 entitled "Localization of CB1-Cannabinoid Receptor Immunoreactivity in the Porcine Enteric Nervous System" by A. Kulkarni-Narla et al. that observed:

"Cannabis has been used for centuries in the medicinal treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. "
(October 2000) Cell and Tissue Research


The United Kingdom Parliament's 1998 Science and Technology-Ninth Report noted:

"Dr. Anita Holdcroft of Hammersmith Hospital...has reported the results of a placebo-controlled trial of cannabis in a patient with severe chronic pain of gastrointestinal origin...

The patient's demand for morphine was substantially lower during treatment with cannabis than during a period of placebo treatment."
(1998) United Kingdom Parliament

 

[THsea]

She's a classic "I'm a mother and I know everything" mom . Well , there's an article by Jack Herer in the memorial section , which lists about one hundred sources that she can sit down and look at throw that in her face and she what she has to say after her self righteousness is blown to pieces by self-indulged ignorance and her plagued mind is cleansed .

Hey buddy! I like this idea! Now we're getting somewhere!

If you don't mind... Do you remember which one? There are two pages on the Memorial Section, and I cannot figure out which one by the title. If I find it before you I'll post the link here. Thank you again!

Your totally right about the "I'm a mother" thing. She is a very smart lady, its just disappointing to me how often she runs her mouth without actually knowing.. She should be smart enough to know not to do that.. Then again, she blames cannabis for wrecking her brother.. Who used all kinds of crazy drugs, and still drinks.. He blames it too, they must be awesome geniuses to have isolated the cannabis problems over everything else! Can't wait to see their lab!

 

[THsea]

Marijuana And Crohn's Disease/Gastrointestinal Disorders permalink ......

I really appreciate this, but again, please read the topic and first post! I know it helps with crohn's, I have read these things. I am looking to refute the info she is throwing at me. Please, please stay on topic people!

This would do well in our medical facts threads though, if it isn't already there.

 

[branson111190]

Here you go sir: Emporer No Clothes

and lol you should have her talk to me . My conversational/negotiation skills are quite apt for getting people to side with marijuana .

 

[THsea]

Here you go sir: Emporer No Clothes

and lol you should have her talk to me . My conversational/negotiation skills are quite apt for getting people to side with marijuana .

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar!

I am pretty decent at conversation myself... But am finding that people who did not think themselves into a mess, cannot be thought out of it easily. They aren't really thinking with facts and is why they cling so desperately.
Which is why I want proofs. This isn't a religious debate, but it almost feels like the same waste of time!! That is largely why I more want to refute than prove.

 

[branson111190]

I'm not sure if others are capable of this , but I have tought myself some psychologist skills . Through my own experience I have learned that when you want to win an argument , you have do the following:
Be analytical of a person body language , which includes the face .
Be analytical of a person tone of voice , and how/when it changes based upon what you say
Be arrogant , but not too arrogant , you don't want to get yourself in a corner with something you can't comeback at !
Understand how a person thinks ; this can vary from person to person , but everyone is generally the same , with a few unique differences to watch out for
Be analytical of what buttons to push to what ones to avoid . You basically want to "get inside their head"
And there's some things I can't really explain , but you should pick up on some stuff as you move on in life . The human psyche is a very complex thing , but can also be very simple if you know how to manipulate it . If you want more advice , just ask me on how to argue something with her and I'll do my best to help you out

Goodluck

 

[THsea]

Thanks branson! but like I said, I just don't really care what she thinks. It doesn't effect me too much, I more want to refute when she is getting irritating... And arm myself with specific information incase she tries to bring up crap around our other family members (who honestly trust me more on the subject, since they know I researched the poo out of this before ever trying it). The rest of the fam also realizes that even if it has some negative effects, its better than the meds I was on... My SM keeps bringing up new research... And I just say, unless you can give me something safer and more effective now, that isn't an argument to stop.

Once I am out of this house I do not intend to keep up contact with her, or allow her over to my new residence because of other issues. Mainly being manipulative and sneaky, which I just cannot respect and do not want in my life.

 

[branson111190]

I think , my friend , we are on the same boat . I am currently saving up to move out because of issues with me and my mom . And your welcome , anytime ! And I use the same argument , if there's something better than weed , then by all means sign me up ... but the truth is there isn't (that we know of) . Maybe there's a magic fountain in the amazon rainforest that scures all and lets you live forever ...

 

[TorturedSoul]

You have a problem. I understand "when food attacks us," lol. (Yeah, I know - "and there's a lot more to it.") You've chosen to use cannabis in your treatment regime.

Your step-mother has issues with your chosen plan of treatment. I could make a few comments about the mouth-breather set not only being happily led around by the ring in their nose but - worse - having helped install that ring themselves... But that wouldn't be helpful and when family is concerned, we (a) know this and (b) don't need to be reminded of the obvious.

So break it down to this simple question: Is your quality of life better, worse, or comparable to your life with NO treatment and your life with "traditional" (not) treatment plans for Crohn's? Not just where your symptoms are concerned, but the entire 24/7/52 picture. Feel free to include the affects upon your family (in BOTH situations), but count only actual things and not things that involve family's (faulty) perceptions.

Call me crazy, but that's pretty much all that counts: Will cannabis improve the quality of your life?

I don't have time to give your quoted text the proper attention right now, but a couple of things jumped out at me. Take a bunch of "regular" cannabis consumers, stick them in an on-site facility where presumably they do not have cannabis deliveries (lol) and you're looking at a "cold-turkey" situation. Swap "cannabis" for "just about anything else" and you're most likely going to see some sort of measurable change in brain activity/function. That period of time is a transition period and results will always be somewhat skewed.

The second thing was the line about "when compared to healthy control subjects with limited exposure to cannabis during their lifetime." <SCRATCHES HEAD> While not everyone is regularly exposed to cannabis, EVERYONE is exposed to cannabinoids on a regular basis. They are in our brains - and used by our brains.

Some are posted here, but you can check out the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR). LOTS of studies under scientific experiment conditions (iow, controls in place). Results, whether good or bad, are posted. Mainly in .pdf format. Not just the bottom-line results, but the studies themselves.

If you're on "fully-friendly" terms with your step-mother and she's reasonably intelligent, I'd suggest you both sit down together and investigate all their posted studies/experiments.

Good luck!

 

[THsea]

Hey TorturedSoul, I really appreciate your post and the link!

And you know, that is what offends me.. I do not respond well to all the regular treatments... Or even a few "experimental" ones. I have changed my diet completely, but even that doesn't "cure" completely for everyone.. I did not have a good (or even a decent) quality of life for most of my existence. Cannabis gave me a quality of life that I honestly have never known. My crohn's issues actually started in elementary school, but was not diagnosed until my teens.

So yea, that is what offends me. They know this is really the only thing I have available that works. If it were otherwise, I would not be using cannabis regularly. But there is nothing on the market that is anywhere near as effective or as safe. She is the only one in the family who doesn't see it on those terms...

We are on good speaking terms, I am nice to her despite her thinking i will become retarded amongst other (non cannabis) issues... I do not wish to make things hard for my father. But he has basically told her not to bother me about it, so there probably wont be more articles posted in this thread. If more magically appear on the computer desk, I will post them though.
Thanks everyone!

 

[WillyBudz]

Give her a copy of : The Emperor Wears No Clothes: The Authoritative Historical Record of Cannabis and the Conspiracy Against Marijuana

Have her follow up reading the actual articles credited for the information used in the book on cannabis/ hemp, the governments own "studies" showing nothing bad comes from it etc.... It shut my mother right up.


WillyB

* If your conservative / republican (yes, I am guessing but bet I am correct)mother is so into "legit" studies tell her to blame her paranoia on her brain. A few months ago a research center tried to find out the difference between liberals and conservatives using MRI / brain scans. It showed that conservatives Fight or flight center was much larger than in liberals and the part of the brain that is for learning and curiosity was larger in libs........ Tell her it is not her fault she is a screaming, afraid of anything she doesnt understand.............. conservative.

One of the reasons for this study was to find out why 20% of the population is retarded when it comes to giving them 100% verifiable info on a subject that they still refused to take that info into consideration. Some people, no matter what you try and teach them cannot and will not learn or change their opinion even if it is presented to them as 100% fact. BTW, 95% of this 20% were conservatives when asked.


And no, I am not a "liberal"... they are too far to the right for me.

Proud Democratic Socialist.

 

[THsea]

Willy! Thanks for the post!.. Maybe she will read the book, I don't know. I'll grab a copy for her though..You are now the second person to suggest that, and honestly, its a GREAT book.

My issue with not wanting to do that earlier is, well.. Giving her a "pro" marijuana book as opposed to neutral studies is much easier to write off...Even if the studies present in the book are neutral... ya know?

Her "anti" nature does not stem from being a conservative republican, interestingly enough.. She is registered as an "independent". And has quite liberal thinking in most aspects.

Her opposition stems from her brother, who used to smoke a lot of pot, and he blames it solely for his depression later in life. I brought up the fact that he did copious amounts of other drugs, that are more likely to blame.. But the both of them seem convinced. Go figure.

I have trouble figuring out if its my safety she is concerned with, or wanting to be right... its probably a mixture of both.

Cool thing about the study in your edit! Very fascinating!

*could you send me a link (or post it in the thread) to that study? or an article about it?

 

[WillyBudz]

This is the quickest link I could find, there is a lot more about this study out there.

Liberal vs. Conservative: Does the Difference Lie in the Brain? – TIME Healthland

WillyB

Even tho it is a pro cannabis book it is almost purely based on neutral facts from studies by government and scholastic findings.

 

[Goldengoose7]

I stopped trying to reason with the close minded and short sighted years ago. Can't think of anything more pointless.

Just as half of the US population believes that Global Warming is a hoax in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the ignorant seem to delight in their ignorance, and this past decade thanks to entities like Fox News actually have a venue in which to celebrate their stupidity and villify intelligent reasoning. When you have a group of people that try so very hard to remain idiots, who are we to stand in their way?

Don't know why anyone would be surprised when these same type of people accept studies like this as gospel without question.

They deserve to go through life as the clueless morons they were born to be until they get swept up by the third 100 year flood in 5 years or the fourth F5 tornado in the past week.