Medical Cannabis Can be an Effective Opioid Substitute


Opioids and THC have analgesic effects because they block pain signals in our nervous system. THC is a plant cannabinoid, most commonly known for its psychoactive effects and causing the “high” associated with cannabis consumption. The THC cannabinoid binds to the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system, while opioids bind to opioid receptors.

CBD is another cannabinoid that is known for its therapeutic effects. It binds to many different receptors in the brain and can lessen the effects of THC. Evidence suggests CBD can reduce drug cravings and opioid withdrawal symptoms, which suggests CBD could be an effective treatment for opioid addiction.

Opioids and THC in combination offer comparable pain-relieving effects compared to opioids alone. This interaction can be used to reduce opioid doses for pain management and slowly wean patients off opioid medications altogether as they switch to cannabis-based treatments.

Several studies indicate that cannabis interacts with opioids and alters the associated pain-relieving effects. When co-administered, patients can use a lower dose of opioids and achieve the same level of pain relief, thereby reducing the risk of side effects and addiction.

Cannabinoid and opioid pain-relieving effects both work by binding to receptors at the surface of cells and setting off a sequence of events in the cell that result in no pain signal release. The parallel mechanisms of action for opioids and cannabis allow for effective pain relief with co-administration.

For these reasons, cannabis is believed to supplement the effectiveness of opioids in pain management. When THC and morphine are used together, for example, the same level of pain relief is observed at lower doses compared to morphine treatments alone.

If implemented, this treatment method could be effective in reducing opioid use and the associated negative side effects. Patients could start taking smaller doses of opioids to avoid addiction and relapse, since the addition of THC would provide comparable pain relief. This has the potential to effectively wean patients off their opioid regimen. Further research is needed to determine the exact mechanisms of interaction between opioids and cannabinoids, and to investigate new treatment plans for patients seeking improved chronic pain management.

Much more at Leafly

CBD Use Trending Among Athletes


Recently, cannabis products like CBD oil have become increasingly popular among athletes looking for a natural, non-toxic alternative to powerful medications and over-the-counter drugs. Many sports push the human body to the brink of its endurance and capabilities; CBD can assist in the prevention of and recovery from injuries during training and competition. 

CBD for athletes has become a popular topic in locker rooms and gyms as a safe alternative to pain medications, not only because it is non-psychoactive and not addictive, but also due to CBD’s effectiveness in supporting health and wellness among athletes. 

When our bodies are taken to their limits time and again, it is important to take steps to promote overall health and to properly recover from intense physical exertion. CBD has been demonstrated to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that are now effectively being applied to sports medicine.

CBD regulates immune cells to minimize pain and has the capability of reducing inflammation, helping in the recovery of intense physical activity and even injury. An overwhelming number of pain patients prefer using cannabinoids like CBD for pain over prescription opioids and many are able to reduce or even remove prescription medications from their routines, reducing the risk of overdose or addiction. Even minor pain relief can be more safely managed with CBD rather than NSAIDs like ibuprofen, which when taken frequently can cause an increased risk of heart failure and internal bleeding. 

According to the U.S. government patent 6,630,507, CBD is also an effective antioxidant and neuroprotectant. This suggests CBD may protect brain cells.

CBD can be used to simply supplement the body’s natural endocannabinoid system, which assists the body in achieving homeostasis (balance). 

However, as more and more athletes are coming out in favor of CBD, they are running into prohibitive testing regulations, causing them to either eschew safe CBD oil use for prescription medications or risk sanctions from their sport’s governing bodies.

CBD can be an effective alternative or supplement to the painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication that athletes receive throughout their career. A 2011 study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that 52% of retired National Football League players used opiates during their career, while 71% of them reported some sort of painkillers abuse. 

NFL players and other athletes may also benefit from CBD's ability to protect the brain. The NFL is suffering from an epidemic of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative neurological disease caused by concussions and repeated blows to the head. Former NFL All-Pro Nick Lowery, a spokesperson for Kannalife™ Sciences, recently went on a two-day media blitz in order to promote the role CBD can play in preventing CTE. Kannalife™ Sciences is currently working with a license on patent 6,630,507 to develop a CBD-based drug to combat CTE. 

Stoner Gift Ideas Under $75 The Vape Pen Pouch by Cedar and Finch


The Vape Pen Pouch
by Cedar and Finch

The Vape Pen Pouch is designed with a long pocket to hold most pen-style vapes and a short pocket next to it for a spare cartridge. 

A classier, more sanitary alternative to letting your pen roll around in your pocket, purse or drawer. 

Made from imported leather. Available in Rose and Honey

Available at: Cedar and Finch



MMJ vs Chronic Stress


Chronic stress is inevitable in today’s time. Work, family, and finances, just to name a few, apply a tremendous amount of pressure on our everyday lives. This constant pressure leads to constant stress, something that can manifest itself emotionally, as well as physically. Rather than turn to prescription medications for help, one new study suggests cannabis might hold the key to alleviating one of chronic stress’ most unfortunate side effects.

Stress affects every single person on a daily basis. Eventually, chronic stress becomes overwhelming, to the point it can cause noticeable changes to mentality or physical appearance.

With prolonged exposure to the constant pressure and stress, depression can easily set in. While many suffer from depression due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, it can also be caused by the rigorous demands of everyday life.
The endocannabinoid system, the part of our brain that is responsible for how we behave, feel, think and respond, is greatly affected by chronic stress. Over an extended period of time, chronic stress will interrupt the production of these important cannabinoids, leading to mood swings, breakdowns, and depression. Scientists at the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute were researching chronic stress and the endocannabinoid system when they noticed something unexpected.

Scientists at the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute were researching chronic stress and the endocannabinoid system when they noticed something unexpected.

We know that certain compounds in cannabis – THC and CBD – have the ability to mirror our own chemical responses found in the endocannabinoid system. However, scientists found that cannabis has the ability to combat depression specifically caused by chronic stress.

THC and CBD can essentially replace the chemicals missing from an individual’s endocannabinoid system and act as a mood stabilizer, effectively erasing the depression.

A 2007 study from McGill University suggested THC could be an effective anti-depressant in low doses. Researchers found that THC can raise serotonin levels in “depressed” mice in the same way as prescription SSRI’s, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

However, when the cannabis levels increased past a certain point, the effects were nullified. Despite being performed on mice, the research delivered astonishing information for the treatment of depression.

Rather than consuming harsh prescription drugs like Prozac or Zoloft, which greatly alter brain functions with artificial compounds, those suffering from depression could simply consume cannabis. In states with medical cannabis laws, there are even specially formulated strains meant to specifically treat the symptoms of depression.

Over time, we’re likely to see an increase in the research surrounding cannabis and mental health. It has already proven to relieve even the most debilitating cases of PTSD and anxiety, as well as reduce the risk for potentially serious side effects often found with routine treatment options.

Combating depression is just one more benefit offered by the purest medication on the planet.


via: HERB

A Quarter of Cancer Patients use MMJ for Symptoms


Regardless of the type of cancer that a patient is suffering from, medical cannabis has the potential to ease the symptoms of either the illness itself, side effects of common treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, or both. Since medical marijuana was first legalized over twenty years ago in California, there has been a growing number of people in 29 states across the nation and D.C. have turned to medical marijuana as a safer and often more effective alternative. 

A recent survey out of Washington state suggests that at least 25% of all cancer patients are using medical marijuana. The study included over 900 patients from the Seattle Cancer Center Alliance. Over two-thirds of the patients surveyed said they had used medical marijuana in the past, while a quarter of those surveyed (25%) said they have used it in the past year. Slightly less (21%) said that they had used the herb in the last month, and 18% reported that they had used medical marijuana within the last week.

“Cancer patients desire, but are not receiving, information from their cancer doctors about marijuana use during their treatment, so many of them are seeking information from alternate nonscientific sources,” said study author Dr. Steven Pergam of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Of those surveyed, most current users said that they either smoked or consumed edibles to take the medical cannabis. They also stated that the most common reasons for consuming cannabis were to ease symptoms of pain and nausea and to cope with mental health symptoms like stress, depression and insomnia. The results of the study were published in the online peer-reviewed journal, Cancer. 

“We hope that this study helps to open up the door for more studies aimed at evaluating the risks and benefits of marijuana in this population,” Pegram said in a journal news release. “This is important because if we do not educate our patients about marijuana, they will continue to get their information elsewhere.” 

The study also found that 74% of patients wanted to be provided with more information about medical marijuana as a treatment option, but that they wanted to be given that information from cancer care providers. Since the majority of healthcare providers are not properly trained and educated to provide information about medical marijuana, patients end up searching for the information on their own, generally online.

via: the Marijuana Times

Chemotherapy More Effective with MMJ Cannabinoids


Researchers from St. George’s University of London recently confirmed that chemotherapy is most effective when used in conjunction with cannabinoids for the treatment of leukemia.

Dr. Wai Liu, a Research Fellow at St. George’s Division of Clinical Sciences, published the study in the International Journal of Oncology:

“Phytocannabinoids possess anticancer activity when used alone, and a number have also been shown to combine favorably with each other in vitro in leukemia cells to generate improved activity. We have investigated the effect of pairing cannabinoids and assessed their anticancer activity in cell line models. Those most effective were then used with the common anti-leukemia drugs cytarabine and vincristine, and the effects of this combination therapy on cell death studied in vitro. Results show a number of cannabinoids could be paired together to generate an effect superior to that achieved if the components were used individually.”

Phytocannabinoids, more commonly referred to as Cannabinoids,  are the active chemicals in marijuana/cannabis. Once extracted and purified from the plant, these natural compounds have demonstrated their anticancer assets, particularly for those suffering from specific forms of brain cancer.

Liu and his team discovered that by properly timing the combination of chemotherapy treatments with cannabinoids, patients had better results than when treated with just chemotherapy. In other words, thanks to cannabinoids, beneficial effects can be achieved with reduced doses of the chemotherapy.

Per the study’s results, the reduced dosage of chemotherapy could potentially translate to fewer side effects. “Our results suggest that when certain cannabinoids are paired together, the resulting product can be combined synergistically with common anti-leukemia drugs allowing the dose of the cytotoxic agents to be dramatically reduced yet still remain efficacious.” 

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