Medical Marijuana

[Max10]

I am curious what members think about marijuana as an alternative therapy for both emotional and physical conditions. Until 2 years ago I was a daily pot user. I used it to distract my mind from both physical pain & as emotional escape from my teen years of abuse and resulting PTSD. As an untreated survivor of childhood sexual abuse(CSA) I kept my emotions numbed with pot. I used it for 40+ years! That's also how long I had been stuffing my emotions regarding the CSA. As part of my counseling and for legal reasons I was not allowed to use it during the past 2 years of therapy. Though I like sobriety and dreaming again, I don't like that the alternative is to use narcotics for pain relief. My treatment for CSA is almost complete and soon what I choose to put in my body will be my choice. In the state I live in I qualify for a medical marijuana permit because of chronic pain. I'm considering using it again but find myself wondering if I will like the effects. I do look forward to using it topically which has no effect on the mind but does help with the pain. I made an incredible medicated massage oil that worked far better than any OTC medications or prescribed ones.
So step up and let me know what you folks feel about this controversial alternative therapy. Thanks in advance.

 

[GDPR]

I personally see nothing wrong with using it medicinally. If it helps,then it's probably a safer alternative to narcotics.

 

[Max10]

No replies but many views? Is marijuana taboo here. Just curious...

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I personally see nothing wrong with using it medicinally. If it helps,then it's probably a safer alternative to narcotics.

As long as you understand that cannabis is not "safe" either. All drugs, whether they are produced by pharmaceutical companies, or home grown, or bought on the street, come with risks.

Doctors weigh risks against benefits when prescribing. Few people who self-prescribe do so.

In particular, it is now very clear from a good deal of research evidence that if you are prone to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, to mention just a few, regular or prolonged use of cannabis will make those conditions worse over time. Not may make them worse. Will make them worse.

Moreover, when bought on the street, it may contain all sorts of additives, imaginable and almost inconceivable, that in themselves are harmful.

There's a reason Health Canada, the FDA, and similar agencies are hesitant to give blanket approval to medical marijuana. As with anything, it requires a cost-benefits or risk analysis. With cancer and chemotherapy, in many cases the benefits outweigh the risks. With other conditions, that is less certain or simply not true.

 

[Banned]

I think part of the issue is many readers may be taking medications for mood or health disorders. Encouraging/advising the use of a mind altering substance and one that is still illegal in most parts of the world and definitely Canada where the forum is based is just not ethical.

There have been many discussions on here in th past regarding marijuana, many of which turned a little sideways for those reasons.

---------- Post Merged at 06:58 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:58 PM ----------

Dr. Baxter and I were posting at the same time...

 

[Max10]

Moreover, when bought on the street, it may contain all sorts of additives, imaginable and almost inconceivable, that in themselves are harmful.

I have never in 42 years of using marijuana encountered additives of any kind. That is a myth that the war on drugs put out there to scare people. With regards to the rest of your reply, David, I am OK with agreeing to disagree. I am well informed on the many benefits of marijuana as medicine and am active in working to legalize it's use. It is far less harmful than alcohol and prescription pain medications but the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies do not want us to be able to use a plant they can't profit off of. The war on marijuana has been a horrible waste of money and has needlessly destroyed many peoples lives. Tobacco is deadly yet they allow it's use and even profit from it. It has been proven through research that marijuana does not cause cancer and in fact the fresh flowers of the female plant ingested without heating it not only doesn't get a patient stoned, it has been shown to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. This has been documented and is a fact.
Oops....I was ranting...my apologies. Stepping down from the podium.:rofl:

---------- Post Merged at 06:16 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:09 PM ----------

I understand that and will respect that...Thanks

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I have never in 42 years of using marijuana encountered additives of any kind.

Then you have been very fortunate.

That is a myth that the war on drugs put out there to scare people.

No, I can assure you it is not.

With regards to the rest of your reply, David, I am OK with agreeing to disagree. I am well informed on the many benefits of marijuana as medicine and am active in working to legalize it's use. It is far less harmful than alcohol and prescription pain medications but the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies do not want us to be able to use a plant they can't profit off of. The war on marijuana has been a horrible waste of money and has needlessly destroyed many peoples lives.

This is not about the war on drugs and if that's your agenda is raising this issue the thread will be closed. That is a political issue, not a mental health issue.

Tobacco is deadly yet they allow it's use and even profit from it.

A fallacious argument. Yes tobacco is deadly. Yes alcohol for some people is deadly. What has this to do with the issue of the risks and benefits of cannabis? Again, we are a mental health forum. You can find other places to debate politics.

It has been proven through research that marijuana does not cause cancer and in fact the fresh flowers of the female plant ingested without heating it not only doesn't get a patient stoned, it has been shown to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. This has been documented and is a fact.

That has nothing to do with my comments regarding the effects on mental health. I also don't know that to be a fact at all. Sources?

I also forgot to add that for those already taking prescribed psychotropic medications, the potential interactions between prescribed drugs and street drugs is at best uncertain and in certain cases mixing them may have very undesirable effects.

 

[forgetmenot]

My thoughts are for cancer for conditions where a person is dying and needs to be kept pain free then yes the medical approved drug should be used
Pot does destroy ones mental capacity seen it take many down especially as stated people with schizophrenia mood disorders so no i would never advise anyone to use this as a coping mechanism not when there are safer medications out there.

 

[GDPR]

it is now very clear from a good deal of research evidence that if you are prone to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, to mention just a few, regular or prolonged use of cannabis will make those conditions worse over time. Not may make them worse. Will make them worse

I had started smoking it again,but I am afraid to now after reading this.

I talked about this during my session today.I was trying to justify using it medicinally. My T said the difference in taking prescribed medication and smoking weed is medication isn't used to avoid thoughts,feelings and memories,like I am using weed for.

It really made me stop and think......

 

[Andy]

In particular, it is now very clear from a good deal of research evidence that if you are prone to depression, anxiety, panic attacks, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder, to mention just a few, regular or prolonged use of cannabis will make those conditions worse over time. Not may make them worse. Will make them worse.

I use to smoke weed (not as chronic as some people I know, but enough) and I found it indeed made my depression,anxiety and moods much worse. My mood would swing a lot!

 

[GDPR]

How long does it take for weed to leave your system?Does it depend on how long/often you partake?

I haven't smoked at all since reading this thread,and I'm just curious how long it will take for it to be completely gone.

 

[forgetmenot]

I am not sure hun but i do know it stays in your system for days I would think it depends how much you smoke

I also know for testing purposes the hair follicles can be used weeks after and it shows up there to let doc know if one has been using or not at least at CAMH that is how they tested for it.

 

[GDPR]

I'm not worried about being tested,well unless I happen to get injured at work or something,cause then I would be tested automatically.

I have just been thinking "OMG,I have drugs in my system.I'm a mother,that makes me awful",and I just want it out of my system.

 

[JohnRolphr]

I am not sure hun but i do know it stays in your system for days I would think it depends how much you smoke

I also know for testing purposes the hair follicles can be used weeks after and it shows up there to let doc know if one has been using or not at least at CAMH that is how they tested for it.

Thanks for your info.

 

[JohnRolphr]

I am also not worried about that.

________________________
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Eugene, Oregon

 

[PrincessX]

The medical marijuana is "medical" only when prescribed and bought from inspected sources. If you have psychological problems, you might want to avoid marijuana, as it can change the course of mental illness for the worse from what I have read so far. It is astonishing that smoking marijuana does not have as much side effects on the respiratory system, as it does on the nervous system.

 

[Chronic_Pain_Survivor]

I have had Chronic Pain for over 5 years now and after a bevy of Opiate Pain meds and alternative therapies (Physio, Massage, Osteo, Acup, etc.) the ONLY thing that takes my focus off of the pain is Medical Cannabis. It has been a life saver for me, and my doctor supports it as well, so does the pain support group I belong to. I have come into contact with so many pain survivors and everyone is using Medical Cannabis and not one has said that it does not help. There are so many good side effects compared to Opiate drugs, which I have lots of past experience with. I also have depression and anxiety and guess what, it helps with that too.

Please note that you don't have to smoke it! I refuse to smoke the bad chemicals from actually burning the herb, so I vaporize it. Anyone considering trying it, do some research on vaporizors. I use a hand held device that heats the herb without combustion, and only the THC/CBD's get released, not the carcinogens.

Here in Canada it is legal to use Medical Cannabis with a doctors prescription and we have great Licensed Producers who are growing pesticide/mold free strains that are under government regulation, with varying degrees of CBD and THC Cannabinoids in them. Lets erase the bad "Stigma" against it, you don't have to get stoned from it, if you choose a low THC strain and high CBD strain. In my opinion it will be the medicine of the future...

 

[forgetmenot]

I have been researching i guess about the ways this drug can be given safely really.

New strains that can target certain illnesses Alzheimer seizures cancer pain control and people suffering from PTSD
Yes it comes in vapour form It can target specific areas of the brain and not have ill effects like the street version does.

It was a doctor that told me to watch a documentary on it i was so naive really still thinking about it as pot a street drug so harmful but these plants are grown by scientist that only take the good parts of the plant and use it to help people who are suffering very controlled research it is.

 

[PrincessX]

I don't know. I was looking at hard science in the medical journals that I have access to (quite a few), and I also had a chat with some MDs on the issue, since it is an interesting one. Basically, there is not enough scientific evidence yet for the most common uses of Medical Marijuana.
What they do know is, that it is not the magic cure for everything and it doesn't affect everyone the same way, meaning response to it is variable and inconsistent.
Regardless, Marijuana will be legal in Canada pretty soon, according to the new Prime Minister, so anybody could buy some and use it any way they like. I will not be one of the first customers eager to experiment with my health, just a personal stand. But I understand it helps some people and any new drug that helps is a wonderful invention.
On the side note, there has been so little progress made in inventing new drugs this century, it is plain painful. Most of the major pharmaceutical drugs were "discovered" and approved some generations ago.

 

[Chronic_Pain_Survivor]

I know there is minimal hard science on it, but I think that is changing...once science catches up to how Cannabis helps so many people, I think they will be forced to look at it hard. Don't get me started on Pharmaceuticals, lol...I have tried lots, and like one Osteo/Physiotherapist said to me "they are chemical poison", I firmly believe that is true based on the many bad side effects I have had to deal with for many years while using Pharmaceuticals.

While with Cannabis, I can only recount the good side effects.

Have a look at the Human Bodies natural endocannabinoid system, seems interesting to me that a natural plant (Cannabis) can enhance that system, the natural cannabinoid system that protects cells against viruses, harmful bacteria, cancer, and other malignancies. Cannabinoids are even in Human Breast Milk, why does science not talk about that? I have done alot of research prior to using Medical Cannabis for pain, and I can't find anything negative about it.

Have a read of this article, I think it sums up some of my points... http://norml.org/library/item/introduction-to-the-endocannabinoid-system