Medical

Cannabis indica.

President Rodrigo Duterte has made headlines around the world with his deadly drug policy. But despite the bloody drug war, which the "Asian Trump" kicked off in 2016, the Philippines might still approve medicinal cannabis shortly. More about this here. Duterte already indicated back in 2016 that he had no problem with medicinal cannabis: “I will not deprive the Filipinos of the benefits of medical marijuana.” He later added when speaking to the media in the Philippines: “Medical marijuana, yes, because it is really an ingredient of modern medicine now.

JERUSALEM — Israel, which has been at the forefront of research into medical marijuana and the drug’s commercialization, took a major step on Sunday toward officially decriminalizing its recreational use.At a time when many American states and European countries are loosening marijuana laws, the Israeli cabinet approved a plan that would impose fines rather than criminal penalties on those caught using the drug in public.Growing and selling marijuana, which is widely used here recreationally and medicinally, would remain illegal.“On the

German authorities say they expect to have a cannabis-growing program up and running in 2019 after the country approved legislation allowing some patients to get the drug as a prescription medication.


Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices said Friday that it's setting up a "cannabis agency" to oversee the growing program. It plans to solicit bids from throughout the European Union to find companies to run it.
The program's first cannabis is expected to be available in 2019.

Teens should think twice if they believe the negative effects from misusing medication to treat ADHD are short-term. In fact, problems associated with prescription stimulant misuse can last through age 35, according to a new University of Michigan study.

But using medication to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as prescribed by doctors does not show long-term negative effects.
However, high school students who use prescription stimulant medication on their own—without a doctor's orders—are less likely to obtain a four-year college degree and more likely to develop a substance use disorder as adults.

Credit: UCLA
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Vital Statistics Reports, more than one in five U.S. births now occur in states where marijuana is legal. That's triggered a concern among health professionals about the use of marijuana by pregnant women.

Along with the broader availability of marijuana comes the perception that it is a harmless substance, health professionals say.

A dried flower bud of the Cannabis plant. Credit: Public Domain
An influential doctors group is beefing up warnings about marijuana's potential harms for teens amid increasingly lax laws and attitudes on pot use.

Many parents use the drug and think it's OK for their kids, but "we would rather not mess around with the developing brain," said Dr. Seth Ammerman.
The advice comes in a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, published Monday in Pediatrics. The group opposes medical and recreational marijuana use for kids.

Our body’s natural cannabinoid receptors may play an important role in reducing inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease (PD).
Parkinson’s disease patient showing a flexed walking posture pictured in 1892. Photo appeared in Nouvelle Iconographie de la Salpètrière, vol. 5. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Once again, ground breaking cannabinoid research is announced by researchers at Madrid’s Complutense University. Chronic inflammation anywhere in our bodies is a destructive process; in the brain it is particularly insidious. “Inflammation is an important pathogenic factor in Parkinson’s disease (PD),” remind the Spanish researchers in this new study.

Will Smith – Concussion
Cannabis reduces traumatic brain injury!
Far too few know this benefit of medical marijuana use and treatment. The general public, the NFL, and coaches across the country may soon get that opportunity.
The SONY movie, “Concussion,” examining brain trauma in the NFL, presents a unique opportunity to educate about benefits of cannabis for traumatic brain injury.

Cannabidiol (CBD) ©-designer491 Fotolia
CBD, the medically remarkable cannabinoid from marijuana works much better with other cannabinoids in ‘entourage.’ My last post covered some of the political wrangling, with some states passing CBD-only laws and thinking they are done with medical marijuana. This entourage effect proves them wrong, and show that whole plant extracts with multiple cannabinoids, especially THC, work far better than CBD-only medications.
A major problem with CBD-only medication is a bell-shaped dose-response.