SweetSue's Class Notes

[SweetSue]

Their concern is confirmation bias on the part of participants. If they believe it will work it is more likely to work, i.e. the placebo effect.

Double blind studies with controls are the gold standard. Even they have limitations (what population was studied, etc;...). Self report surveys are vulnerable to a number of biases including not just confirmation but also related to social acceptance and to perceived bias of researchers per the study participants (IOW, how do those taking the survey perceive what the researchers' aims are in doing the study) among other biases.

Thank you, my voice of reason. Lol!

It‘s so refreshing for me to know I‘m surrounded by so many warriors with sane voices who understand that we’re not making this shit up, but we still have to accommodate. More than anything I want to set aside my own anger and bias. Sometimes the work feels like it could be overwhelming. You all keep me balanced.

Losing the men I loved to diseases that might have....... old news, and no excuse for bad science.

People who take the time to respond fit into a separate class to begin with. All studies have some bias, whether acknowledged or not. There was something you were curious about going in, and you’re bound to be somewhat focused on that, making it more likely you’ll notice results that confirm it.

Humans..... you gotta love them.

One by one people find unexpected and welcomed relief with cannabis. Educate enough people and suddenly they start making discoveries their great-grandparents grew up knowing. The power of knowledge.

 

[Alafornia]

I do not disagree. My dad could have benefitted (alzheimer's). My FIL the same (parkinson disease).

The big problem with doing gold standard studies in an academic institution is federal prohibition. The feds just got spanked by a judge a few months ago for not responding as congressionally mandated to applications to do those studies. The feds are holding up the research and if anything is to be done we will have to elect people who support legal research and legal use. The current congress and current executive administration do not fully support those aims. The people must demand better.

 

[SweetSue]

Conclusion: With increased use of medical cannabis as pharmacotherapy for pain comes a need for comprehensive risk-benefit discussions that take into account cannabis' significant possible side effects

WTH do they mean?

Damn! Sometimes the fear level makes me want to sit down and cry.

Zero deaths - count ’em - 0.0000 deaths in the entire of human history from using cannabis, one of the planet’s gold standards for curative therapies for ....... for forever.

Euphoria...... are we really that frightened of controllable euphoria? People read this crap and buy into it, then use it to write restrictive laws that keep cannabis out of the hands of the masses. All built on the shifting sands of lies.

 

[SweetSue]

I do not disagree. My dad could have benefitted (alzheimer's). My FIL the same (parkinson disease).

The big problem with doing gold standard studies in an academic institution is federal prohibition. The feds just got spanked by a judge a few months ago for not responding as congressionally mandated to applications to do those studies. The feds are holding up the research and if anything is to be done we will have to elect people who support legal research and legal use. The current congress and current executive administration do not fully support those aims. The people must demand better.

The people are afraid. Can we blame them?

In my universe, this hopeless feeling behind the tears will almost immediately be replaced by a fierce drive to learn to write better.

 

[SweetSue]

I knew going in that working on this article about pain was going to be emotional tenuous. I’ll get through it, with all of you beside me. One day in and I’m already angry and crying. Won’t this be fun guys?

 

[InTheShed]

and it’s cannabinoids that turn off the flow of serotonin.

Can you link where that comes from? It would seem that indicates THC could be a cause of depression stemming from a lack of serotonin.

It's an interesting thing: Let's look at the criteria for substance abuse.

This seems like a reasonable definition, as long as they adhere to the "related to" aspect to solve for cause/effect:
"Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)"

Double blind studies with controls are the gold standard.

It's hard to do a double blind study with something that gets you stoned!

How have we allowed ourselves to become so brainwashed that feeling good is a criminal action?
Euphoria...... are we really that frightened of controllable euphoria?

This is confirmation bias on your part. Your lifestyle is specific to you and cannot be extrapolated to the entire population of folks who may benefit from cannabis. Many folks who take Vicodin dread the "euphoria" that comes with it, while others purchase it specifically for that reason. If one wants to use a drug for its benefits, the fact that it comes with euphoria will not be a universal positive as you feel it should.

This is why the researchers consider it a bug and not a feature. Most people do not have the luxury to spend their lives in a state of drug-created euphoria as a side effect of their medication.

 

[Alafornia]

Conclusion: With increased use of medical cannabis as pharmacotherapy for pain comes a need for comprehensive risk-benefit discussions that take into account cannabis' significant possible side effects

WTH do they mean?

Damn! Sometimes the fear level makes me want to sit down and cry.

Zero deaths - count ’em - 0.0000 deaths in the entire of human history from using cannabis, one of the planet’s gold standards for curative therapies for ....... for forever.

Euphoria...... are we really that frightened of controllable euphoria? People read this crap and buy into it, then use it to write restrictive laws that keep cannabis out of the hands of the masses. All built on the shifting sands of lies.

Amen, sister.

There are other potential adverse effects including dizziness (increased risk of falls), anxiety, somnolence, and others. That said, these exact same effects are not unique to cannabis and can be found in a variety of drugs from opioids to muscle relaxers, etc;...

Any time a medication is prescribed/recommended there should be a discussion of possible side effects and how to alleviate/mitigate them if encountered.

I read that as standard fare, not necessarily singling out cannabis.

Now when people state that the high is to be avoided - nothing but ignorance and bias in many cases with the exception of those who want or need to avoid those effects for whatever reason (driving, detailed thinking, etc;... it's different for each person and their goals for use are different). Within that context avoiding an unwanted high makes sense. As evidence for a need for prohibition it is pure BS.

 

[Alafornia]

The people are afraid. Can we blame them?

In my universe, this hopeless feeling behind the tears will almost immediately be replaced by a fierce drive to learn to write better.

You already write very well, my dear. I do love your drive and passion. My caution is to not let your advocacy overtake you to the point that you are unable to acknowledge that even cannabis - like any medicine - has undesirable traits for some people. If you are perceived as not being honest it will impair your message. I don't perceive you that way, mind you, but downplaying or failing to acknowledge real adverse effects will not help. Better to admit them and place them in context compared to other treatment modalities.

I knew going in that working on this article about pain was going to be emotional tenuous. I’ll get through it, with all of you beside me. One day in and I’m already angry and crying. Won’t this be fun guys?

Hard to not get angry with the current political environment surrounding this. Please do remember that for all the heartache caused by prohibition it will end soon. Perhaps not soon enough for some but soon. The tipping point is approaching.

Can you link where that comes from? It would seem that indicates THC could be a cause of depression stemming from a lack of serotonin.

This seems like a reasonable definition, as long as they adhere to the "related to" aspect to solve for cause/effect:
"Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)"

It's hard to do a double blind study with something that gets you stoned!

This is confirmation bias on your part. Your lifestyle is specific to you and cannot be extrapolated to the entire population of folks who may benefit from cannabis. Many folks who take Vicodin dread the "euphoria" that comes with it, while others purchase it specifically for that reason. If one wants to use a drug for its benefits, the fact that it comes with euphoria will not be a universal positive as you feel it should.

This is why the researchers consider it a bug and not a feature. Most people do not have the luxury to spend their lives in a state of drug-created euphoria as a side effect of their medication.

My criticism relates to what I consider misapplication of the definitions. Too many do not take into consideration the exclusion criteria and there is enough subjectiveness that prohibitionist can wield those definitions as a weapon and have. Just go to a courtroom and listen to a DA argue a case. Those in the medical field with a bias against it and perhaps ignorance can also misapply the standards and training is severely lacking for most professionals across the board.

 

[SweetSue]

Wise words. I heard them. Thank you.

I‘m being called to participate in tonight’s trivia game. Life is sweet, eh?

Later.

 

[SweetSue]

A little reminder:

Nothing’s wrong here.

Everything always works out.

All the answers we want come from love.​

 

[Alafornia]

You're going to knock it out of the park.

 

[SweetSue]

Everything happens in its right time.

 

[InTheShed]

I‘m being called to participate in tonight’s trivia game.

Nothing’s wrong here.
Everything always works out.
All the answers we want come from love.

Please remember those are not answers to trivia questions!

 

[SweetSue]

Please remember those are not answers to trivia questions!

 

[SweetSue]

Just dropping this off. I’ll be back tomorrow to try and answer that question about serotonin @InTheShed.

Source


Modulation of the Serotonin System by Endocannabinoid Signaling
Samir Haj-Dahmane and Roh-Yu Shen

Many neurochemical studies have since directly examined how eCB signaling modulates the function of the 5-HT system. The results of these studies show that the eCB signaling influences 5-HT release. Indeed, in vivo activation of the CB1 receptors has been shown to inhibit 5-HT release in the projection areas of DR 5-HT neurons such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (Egashira et al., 2002). Similarly, in cortical slice preparation, stimulation of these receptors reduces the electrically and calcium-induced 5-HT release (Nakazi et al., 2000). In contrast, pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors has been shown to enhance the basal extracellular levels of 5-HT in the medial prefrontal cortex (Aso et al., 2009; Darmani et al., 2003; Tzavara et al., 2003). Taken together, the results of these studies indicate that eCBs reduce serotonin release in the CNS via the activation of CB1 receptors.

In addition to the modulation of serotonin release, eCB signaling has also been shown to control the function and expression of various 5-HT receptors in the CNS.

 

[SweetSue]

One point though @InTheShed,

It’s not necessary to be high to use cannabis. To restrict THC because euphoria is the concern is to overlook the obvious truths that CBD will modulate THC in proper ratio, and that THC can be controlled by restricting the dose volumes. Microdosing..... that’s why we go that route.

Saying cannabis is dangerously euphoric when the government restricts access to proper cannabis-based medicines and perpetuate the lies just doesn’t sit well with me.

 

[InTheShed]

It's interesting that your response to my post is much more considered than the original posts to which I replied. I think that's what Alafornia was referring to when he mentioned your advocacy overtaking you.

 

[SweetSue]

I can’t walk around angry at the medical/industrial complex in the world and our country in particular and claim to love without condition, can I?

Yeah..... I’ll get that straight.

 

[SweetSue]

I came here to do a simple grow journal. That seems a long time ago.

 

[InTheShed]

That was six years and many dozens of journals ago!