The American public is beginning to discover what scientist have know for 20+ years: Cannabinoids boost the endocannabiod system for the relief of many diverse ailment. The growing knowledge that cannabis is in fact a safe medicinal agent for many under treated conditions is causing a push for medical cannabis legislation across our great country. This is playing out in hearings around the nation where states are entertaining legalizing the use of medical marijuana. This includes the state of Texas where testimony for HB 3785, legislation that would make it legal for patients who have a doctor’s recommendation to acquire and use cannabis, was heard on April 28, 2015. 67 people testified in favor of the bill. More people were prepared to testify but the committee asked that unless people had something new to offer that they pass on their turn in the interest of time. Not one person testified against the bill. The brave testimonies ranged from heart-breaking and gut-wrenching to scientific, including four different doctors.
Here is my testimony given for HB 3785 that briefly explains why cannabis can be such an effective medicine:
Why Is Cannabis Good Medicine?
Cannabis is a highly versatile herb that provides relief for many different ailments with a high degree of safety. There are few cannabis receptors in the part of the brain that control heartbeat or breathing (Donald Abrams 2009). This is why no one has died from its over consumption – unlike the situation with opiates.
The reasons that cannabis benefits so many different ailments boils down to the fact that a class of chemicals produced in the cannabis plant – known as cannabinoids – mimic chemicals in the human body called endocannabinoids – or the cannabinoids within.
The Endocannabinoid System
These endocannabinoids along with a series of enzymes and receptors throughout the body make up the Endocannabinoid system or the ECS, which serves as a primary biological harm reduction system tasked with bringing the body back into balance or homeostasis whenever it is challenged by stress, infection, injury or lifestyle.
It regulates, modulates or plays role in every major biological function of the human body including but not limited to:
- pain control
- mood
- immune function
- newborn suckling
- appetite reward
- temperature regulation
- memory
- inflammation regulation
- neuroprotection
(Marzo 1998)
The ECS is critical to human survival.
Cannabinoids Boost the Endocannabinoid System
When it is no longer able to regulate itself, cannabinoids and other chemicals from the cannabis plant, when properly used, may help stimulate the ECS in a safe, therapeutic and non-toxic way.
The country’s foremost expert in cannabis science, and my mentor is neurologist Dr. Ethan Russo. He explains in the document I am providing for you, that the ECS has a network of chemicals that when coupled together result in what is known as an “entourage effect” or a boosting effect that provides an enhancement for the management of pain, inflammation or other problem (Russo 2015).
The same is true for cannabis. The major and minor chemical components of the plant are vastly more therapeutic together than when isolated and together have fewer side-effects (John M. Mcpartland 2001).
It is for this reason that whole-plant cannabis is almost always a more effective medicinal agent than a single isolated product such as CBD-only products or the synthetic THC drug, Marinol® (Russo 2001).
Most pharmaceutical drugs are designed to address a primary problem and bring comfort. Cannabis is much more dynamic, stimulating the ECS to address many problems at once in multiple biological layers, not only bringing comfort but restoration in many cases. And, its safety profile is superior to any modern pharmaceutical medicine – including aspirin. We have more scientific data about cannabis than 95% of all FDA approved drugs (Carter 2014).
It is time that we bring science to the forefront of our cannabis policy and dissolve the cloud of shame, secrecy, and fear around the use of this potentially SAFE and legitimate medicine.
Please vote YES for HB 3785.
This blog was written by Nishi Whiteley marketing consultant, cannabis educator and author to the upcoming book, “Chronic Relief: a guide to cannabis for the chronically and terminally ill.” Learn more at https://mychronicrelief.com/bio-nishi-whiteley-author-speaker/
Read more of the testimonies given that day: http://txcann.com/2015/04/28/texans-hear-tearful-testimony-on-behalf-of-medical-marijuana-bill/#more-3947
Watch video of the testimonies for HB 3785 with Nishi Whiteley’s testimony starting at 9:54: http://tlchouse.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=37&clip_id=10993
Bibliography & Recommended Reading
Carter, Gregory T. “Cannabis in the Management of Neuromuscular Disorders.” The Eighth National Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics – The Endocannabinoid System and Age-related Illness. Portland: Patients Out of Time, 2014. NA.
Donald Abrams, Andrew Guzman. “Cannabinoids and Cancer.” In Integrative Oncology, by Andrew Weil, Donald Abrams, 147-170. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Ethan B. Russo, Jo. “Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects.” British Journal of Pharmacology, 2001: 1344-1364.
John M. Mcpartland, Ethan B. Russo. “Cannabis and Cannabis Extracts: Greater than the Sum of Their Parts?” Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 2001: 103-132.
Marzo, Vincenzo Di. “‘Endocannabinoids’ and other fatty acid derivatives with cannabimimetic properties: biochemistry and possible physiopathological relevance.” Biochemica et Biophysica, 1998: 153-175.
Russo, Ethan B. Introduction to the Endocannabinoid System. subject overview, Los Angeles: PHYTECS, 2015.
Is this a hoax?. Siting “superiority safety” – “its safety profile is superior to any modern pharmaceutical medicine – including aspirin. We have more scientific data about cannabis than 95% of all FDA approved drugs” just makes all involved look like buffoons. If that were actually true, studies would be submitted for review, products would be approved by the FDA, and standards for dose and frequency developed under research conditions would exist, along with safety information.
The “Exit Drug” invoked more laughter. One dude saying smoking weed helped him is, well, good for the dude. Period.
The “No one died” poster? There is a lot more to life than breathing and heartbeat. If that’s where the bar is set, your aspirations are below ground level.
There are much better arguments and quotes and actual facts with data from educated people smart enough to speak for the cause, but you are only hurting it.
Dear Cheryl,
With respect, no, this is NOT a hoax. In fact, the safety profile of cannabis is better than Aspirin. Around 1000 people a year die in the U.S. due to problems associated with Aspirin. Cannabis has been used for centuries with no deaths from overconsumption. Cannabis indeed does have the a superior safety profile to any modern medicine according to Dr. Ethan Russo, neurologist, noted cannabis scientist and drug researcher. There are few cannabinoid receptors in the brain that control heart beat and breathing, unlike the case with opiates. This, combined with the fact that cannabis has a low rate of toxicity and does not have lasting side effects, are what gives cannabis a superior safety profile.
Dr. Gregory Carter, who presented to the 2014 Patients Out of Time Conference in Oregon in May 2014, talked about how cannabis is an excellent therapeutic agent for the treatment of ALS and other neurological disorders. He also said in his presentation, “We have more information about cannabis than 95% of all FDA approved medicines.” I’m sorry you think it makes us look like buffoons. The buffoons, in our eyes, are the ones who are unwilling to look at the exiting evidence that support the safety and efficacy of cannabis as medicine, the ones who deter research and drug development, and refuse to bring science to the forefront of the cannabis conversation.
Per your point, “if that were actually true, studies would be submitted for review, product would be approved by the FDA, and standards for dose and frequency developed under research condition would exist, along with safety information,” please visit these excellent resources to see what is in fact being done:
• http://www.clinicaltrials.gov,
• http://www.pubmed.gov,
• https://mychronicrelief.com/resources
• http://www.cannabis-med.org.
Information and clinical studies are not the same thing. While we do have an immense amount of information about cannabis, research has been hindered in the U.S. because of the Schedule 1 classification of cannabis and the ridiculous extra hurdles that those wishing to research cannabis must endure. Even so, research on cannabis, cannabinoids, and the endocannabinoid system has exploded and warrants the de-scheduling of cannabis and the elimination of barriers to research and drug development.
Cannabinoids have been shown in the research to help people get off of prescription drugs, street drugs and alcohol. I’m not sure how that is funny.
While we agree that there is more to life than breathing and having a heartbeat, you cannot have life without either. We do what we do because cannabis, when used appropriately, can help some people get their life back! While that isn’t the case for all people who use cannabis, we believe that everyone deserves the right and the chance to have access to this safe herb that can provide relief which in turn leads to better living. The “No One Died” poster, just like each of our other posters, is intended to offer a sharable morsel of information about the issue. This point is particularly important in light of the skyrocketing number of accidental deaths and overdoses of opiate drugs which slow heart rate and breath.
While our content may not resonate with you, it resonates with others. We agree that there are many credible voices in the cannabis science space. Many of them can be found in our video library https://mychronicrelief.com/cannabis-videos. Our goal here is to bring science to the forefront of the conversation about cannabis to help dissolve the cloud of shame, secrecy and controversy about the use of this legitimate medicine. In so doing, we produce a variety of sharable content intended for different audiences. This website is something that I curate at my own expense. It is not my business, but my passion project – a love offering to help others live better.
Thank you for taking the time to take a look at our site. I hope you will find something here that is helpful. Should you wish to provide constructive input we look forward to hearing from you.