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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Lupus / October 2003Cannabis May Suppress Immune System
Apologies if this has been posted before but I thought it was very interesting in view of recent plans in the UK to legalise a cannabis based medicine for pain releif. ----------------------------------------- http://my.webmd.com/content/article/63/72090.htm Cannabis May Suppress Immune System Could Lead to New Autoimmune Disorder Treatments, Say Researchers April 15, 2003 -- Cannabis may offer hope to people with autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Cannabis seems to decrease inflammation in the body by suppressing certain parts of the immune system. Researchers are hoping this finding will lead to new treatments. Previous studies have hinted at immune system abnormalities among cannabis users -- specifically, in the function of immune system cells called T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. While these cells help the body fight infections, no direct link with lowered immunity has yet been shown. In this study, researchers tested the blood of 29 cannabis smokers -- 13 occasional users and 16 regular users (weekly or daily use). They compared the results with a group of 32 nonsmokers. Again, researchers found that cannabis smokers had fewer immune-enhancing natural killer cells and lymphocytes, and higher levels of a protein that may promote tumor growth, called interleukin-10. These changes can dampen the immune system's response to infection, increasing susceptibility to infections and promoting growth of tumors, states lead researcher Roberta Pacifici, PhD, with the Instituto Superiore di Sanita in Rome, Italy. But researchers also say this finding could lead to new treatments for people with autoimmune disorders. Current treatments suppress the immune system -- thereby calming the abnormal immune response that plagues people with the conditions. Cannabis lowers levels of the inflammation-promoting protein interleukin-2 and raises levels of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10. Both of these findings could be of potential benefit for treating autoimmune disorders one day. -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" From what I've read, it doesn't supress the immune system, but it inhibits it. Let's get Mair to try it & see as it's legal out there if her doc o.k.'s it. <g> Not that I know this from experience, but it can be taken in so many forms that one would not need to destroy the lungs or get the high in order to benefit from it. However, it'll never become legal in the U.S., if the pharmaceutical companies have any say. Do you get the feeling I'm ranting a bit? : ) Maggie I've been following the cannabis research on pain releif for a while now and at first, they tried taking out the THC, which is the bit of it that gets people stoned but that did nothing at all for anyone. So they left in the THC and found that for severe pain, it was just as effective as many opiates. I can't find the link (damn FibroFog!) but months back it was announced that a cannabis based medicine was going to be tested in the UK, around the end of this year, beginning of next, around the time the laws about cannabis are changing. Apparently the kinds of people who will receive this medicine are those suffering from cancer or AID's but it came as quite a surprise to read that it may actually help Lupus sufferers too! I 'fess that I've smoked medicinally for years to help me sleep and find that it does indeed help pain too. Not everyone I've spoke to can say the same but well the same goes for 'scribed meds, what works for some doesn't work for others! I think that if someone can legally get their docs say so to try it for Lupus, then it's well worth a go because it is a natural product and not addictive despite what many ill informed people think. There are no bad side effects unless you count getting the munchies and putting on weight<g>. If the trials and research prove that it can help Lupus and chronic pain sufferers, then perhaps a lot of hard work and petitioning may just get it available in the US eventually. I know that the pharmy comps won't want it to become legal cos people won't want to buy all the other junk they sell! Here in the UK the laws are changing so that if you get caught with cannabis for personal use, then any further action is discretionary on the part of the police. In other words if you are nice to the policeman, he'll let you go but if you get nasty, he'll arrest you<g> A few months ago in the UK, a man was caught with around 100 plants in his house and said it was for "medicinal" purposes. All that happened was the police took away his plants and growing equipment .... no fines, charges or anything! In the US, he prolly would have got 5 years! LOL -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" > From what I've read, it doesn't supress the immune system, but it > inhibits it. Let's get Mair to try it & see as it's legal out there if [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Maggie Well, there ya go Kcat! You can go back to the UK, just in time for the clinical trials. Is it true what they say? That the marijuana that's on the streets is treated to make people really high & the stuff that's grown for medicinal purposes is not so potent? Also the stuff that used to be smoked in the 60's wasn't like it is today, is it? They say it *used* to E...X...P...AaAaA...N...D the mind, not fry it. Maggie : ) > Well, there ya go Kcat! You can go back to the UK, just in time for the > clinical trials. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Maggie : ) The stuff now is mostly hybrids, grown for max THC, the substance that get's you stoned but there are two basic forms of cannabis widely available, bush which is the dried natural plant (is the strongest of the two and a little goes a long way;-), the solid form which is much cheaper but can also contain just about anything, including boot polish! The hybrid varieties also give a better yield so probably the stuff that they are growing to make the meds with is a hybrid cos they are easier and faster to grow too. Can't remember exactly how long it take to mature but think that it's around 3 to 4 months with the right growing conditions, which is PDQ! Most people growing for (personal) medicinal purposes seem to choose the hybrids. What really interests me about this new medicine is peoples attitudes towards it and I wonder how many people would refuse it if offered it because of what it is and I wonder how many doc's will refuse to 'scribe it because of their personal preduces? -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" Some may have heard this, but the US government does supply cannabis to some people. The list will never grow, however. They stopped the program at some point, but those on the list still receive it straight from the federal government, or at least they *did* a few years ago. I remember when they voted to legalize it in California. That's when I read all the info & found it so interesting, however, it would have to be legalized for me to use it as therapy simply because of the individuals I would have to associate myself with in order to attain it. Oh, and that jail thing. : ) I actually look for the drug companies to put it in a pill form & THEN we'll get to benefit from it!!!! I've been on a rampage with the US drug system lately. Many people in the US are having their meds imported from Canada & of course the pharmaceutical giants want it stopped pronto! It's dangerous, ya see? Yet, they are currently alive to tell other's how much they save. Hmmm?! We are the only country on Earth with *no* price controls when it comes to meds & we're about to have a drug war of a different variety, I believe. I have already enlisted! Maggie : ) > Some may have heard this, but the US government does supply cannabis to > some people. The list will never grow, however. They stopped the > program at some point, but those on the list still receive it straight > from the federal government, or at least they *did* a few years ago. That's interesting, never heard that before. > I remember when they voted to legalize it in California. That's when I > read all the info & found it so interesting, however, it would have to > be legalized for me to use it as therapy simply because of the > individuals I would have to associate myself with in order to attain it. > Oh, and that jail thing. : ) Many people are confused with the chang in the law in the UK, it's not being legalised, just being declassified and under certain circumstances decriminlized, so that if you where to grow your own and get caught, then you probably would just get the stuff taken off you and a slap on the wrist. > I actually look for the drug companies to put it in a pill form & THEN > we'll get to benefit from it!!!! I've been on a rampage with the US > drug system lately. The form that's going to be available here is apparantly a medicine rather than a pill. I guess that the medicine is going to taste really disgusting as a derterant<g> > Many people in the US are having their meds imported from Canada & of > course the pharmaceutical giants want it stopped pronto! It's > dangerous, ya see? Yet, they are currently alive to tell other's how > much they save. Hmmm?! We are the only country on Earth with *no* > price controls when it comes to meds & we're about to have a drug war of > a different variety, I believe. I have already enlisted! When I was 'scribed the Diazepam, I did a search on it, as you do with new meds and was gobsmacked when some US prices came up for it $45 for 30 pills, which I think would work out about ?30 here! I asked someone "in the know" about street prices in the UK and she said that it was usually around 50p a pill, which is far less than your "legal" prices! In the UK we have a fixed price per item 'scrip system. Can't remember the price per item coz I get mine free (think it's around ?6 ) but it doesn't matter what the drug, it's the same for everything. You aren't actually paying for the drug though, you are paying a contribution towards the NHS. I've read in other groups, where some peoples contribution towards their meds is as much as $200-$300 a month and they frequently just can't afford to buy them. That really is shocking and many people must suffer because of not being able to afford what they need:-(( -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" In the UK hemp seeds are available in health shops. It is used culinary, and also it is commonly sold in bird seed mix. Also we have a lot of hemp oil in health shops. You need a licence to grow it. Some places sell hemp clothes. At the moment I am into sprouting and I am wondering if sprouting counts as growing? Using it has, I understand, become a non arrestable ofence, correct me if I am wrong Andy. But selling is an offence punishable by prison sentence. The law is full of contradictions!  Signaturefor an alternative look at current events, go to http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/ > In the UK hemp seeds are available in health shops. It is used culinary, > and also it is commonly sold in bird seed mix. Also we have a lot of hemp [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I am wrong Andy. But selling is an offence punishable by prison sentence. > The law is full of contradictions! Technically it's a "discreasionary" offence, cannabis has been downgraded in terms of seriousness but it is not decriminalized, which means it's up to the person discovering what you are up to to decide. If you only have a small amount in your possession then it can be taken as "for personal use" and you'll just get it taken off you and a slap on the wrist. Whereas if you have a couple of ounces in your pocket or cut and weighed pieces, then they will assume that you are a dealer and you will get arrested and charged. -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" Believe me, Mair is fully willing to try it... but my docs aren't going to okay it for me because of my "track record."(alcohol). Mair > From what I've read, it doesn't supress the immune system, but it > inhibits it. Let's get Mair to try it & see as it's legal out there if [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Maggie > Believe me, Mair is fully willing to try it... but my docs aren't going to > okay it for me because of my "track record."(alcohol). > > Mair <snip> See, I consider pot much different from alcohol. People who ingest THC are calm, and those who ingest alcohol are often violent and depressed after ingesting. How many times have you heard pot causing fights in the streets or bars, and compare this to alcohol. Though the addictive personalities are apt to become addicted psychologically to THC as much as anything. -Sharon Signature"Don't make me come down there..." -God Yes, I believe the same. I *like* pot, darn it. Most of the docs who give out these prescriptions are "special" docs down in oakland... for sure none of my docs would prescribe it, and when I worked at the hospital, I never had a report of an AIDS patient being prescribed smokable pot. They did have the pills (capsules) marinol, which was used for nausea. Oh well, Mair > > Believe me, Mair is fully willing to try it... but my docs aren't going to > > okay it for me because of my "track record."(alcohol). [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > -Sharon The thing is, by legalising pot, it will also do a lot to reduce crime in many ways and the governments will get their share of the profits by taxing it but it is so easy to grow that mostly people will grow their own rather than pay daft prices for it so they will lose out that way. Guess the only way to claw back some money would be to charge people for licenses to grow it<g> You are right about it being an anti-nausea thing, the only way people are sick when taking it is usually when they've had large amounts of alcohol before hand. -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" > Yes, I believe the same. I *like* pot, darn it. Most of the docs who give > out these prescriptions are "special" docs down in oakland... for sure none [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > "Don't make me come down there..." > > -God > > Believe me, Mair is fully willing to try it... but my docs aren't going to > > okay it for me because of my "track record."(alcohol). [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > personalities are apt to become addicted psychologically to THC as much > as anything. You are right pot is very different from alcohol and there are far more deaths every year from alcohol than all illegal drugs combined. You are also right about only people with addictive personalities becoming addicted to the properties of pot but it is not actually addictive to the average person. People can get addicted to many things, sex, food, exercise, even news groups <g> -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" dearest Mair - you are a prime candidate - the links and research abound - they (docs) generally will not simply prescribe, you have to ask for it and you will also have to convince them it works, in other words try and see if it works - however just a couple of weeks ago the federal Supreme ourt judge decded not to rule on the issue of doctors and patients privacy and the prescriptive/medical efficacies of pain treatment, therefore upholding states rights and the bill before the senate askeing for downgrade from class 4 is well supported - will need more, so vote! > Believe me, Mair is fully willing to try it... but my docs aren't going to > okay it for me because of my "track record."(alcohol). [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > > > Maggie like.. oh wow maaaaan... sigh.. miss the old days sometimes. :-) I'll be glad to help in a clinical trial. bad kitty baaaad kitty. > like.. oh wow maaaaan... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > bad kitty baaaad kitty. LOL It'll be interesting to see what happens that's for sure! I think it helps anyway;-) -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" Last time I smoked that stuff I got sooooo dredfully ill to the point I swore I would never ever do it again. Not worth the vomiting, and headaches. I was told I had a allergic reaction to it tho. Melody in cali >Last time I smoked that stuff I got sooooo dredfully ill to the point I >swore I would never ever do it again. Not worth the vomiting, and >headaches. I was told I had a allergic reaction to it tho. Melody in >cali yeah - bleah, that would be a turn-off. last time I smoked some - I was still under the drinking age... :-) I had a friend who would just go to sleep when she smoked. No giggles, no munchies, just zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. well, that was boring and I stopped sharing with her. :-) > >Last time I smoked that stuff I got sooooo dredfully ill to the point I > >swore I would never ever do it again. Not worth the vomiting, and [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > well, that was boring and I stopped sharing with her. :-) LOL I've know people like that, one was a boyfriend who said that he'd rather I smoked that than cigarettes coz he quite like the smell of it but hated ciggies. He never smoked anything himself but when ever he sat next to me, he'd go out like a light<g> -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" LOL @ boyfriend peachy :)! > LOL @ boyfriend peachy :)! I think he knew and just liked it <g> -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" [ >last time I smoked some - I was still under the drinking age... :-) Wild child :) SignatureAndy [Chair, N E Lupus Group] See http://www.kitzbuhel.demon.co.uk/lupus for more! >[ >> >>last time I smoked some - I was still under the drinking age... :-) >> >Wild child :) cats are never innocent >>[ >>> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >cats are never innocent Macavity? SignatureAndy [Chair, N E Lupus Group] See http://www.kitzbuhel.demon.co.uk/lupus for more! "In article <t37opv8bcjunoe5tltk13bi3jsd1802a5m@4ax.com>, kcat > >last time I smoked some - I was still under the drinking age... :-) > > > Wild child :) Andy me thinks KC is referring to cat nip:))) In article <gscnb.77473$3f.60794@twister01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>, bruce <mcode0693@rogers.com> wrote [ >Andy me thinks KC is referring to cat nip:))) Me knows she isn't :) SignatureAndy [Chair, N E Lupus Group] See http://www.kitzbuhel.demon.co.uk/lupus for more! > In article > <gscnb.77473$3f.60794@twister01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>, bruce [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > Me knows she isn't :) <g> it has many names to many people;-) -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" >"In article <t37opv8bcjunoe5tltk13bi3jsd1802a5m@4ax.com>, kcat >> >last time I smoked some - I was still under the drinking age... :-) >> > >> Wild child :) > >Andy me thinks KC is referring to cat nip:))) :-) Nah - that stuff goes in tea - not rolled in paper. I am a law-abiding citizen these days - though I admit, i'd like the law to change somewhat. the potential for THC as a medication is pretty intriguing. Amazing how "evil" pot is but how much more harmful legal drugs are out there and being prescribed haphazardly. > Last time I smoked that stuff I got sooooo dredfully ill to the point I > swore I would never ever do it again. Not worth the vomiting, and > headaches. I was told I had a allergic reaction to it tho. Melody in > cali sorry to hear it, but I guess anyone can have an allergic reaction to anything:-(( Well if it ever does become a legal medicine, then at least you know to avoid it:-) -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" do you think lots of stem, leaf, and seeds or what do they call it "shake" and not the good ole bud? Unfortunately, Calif voters may have voted to legalize it for "medicinal" use and we were serious about it! BUT the Federal Government has been screwing with the Calif Law and prosecuting people under Federal Laws of Possessing, growing, harvesting etc etc etc. The Feds are also threatening to take the medical license of any doctor that Rx's pot for his/her patients. Of course that has not stopped many people and the fight goes on! The Feds close them down they get arrested and another club opens. Easier to buy it on the street discreetly and consume what you want and need for your levels of pain etc....but you are still smoking in the closet! <g> Some areas the local law just ignores people that are using, growing etc and in some areas the cops are confused on what it is they are supposed to be doing and then in good ole small towns like the one I live in they think they are the "drug Gestapo". Will be a long time before they get this all sorted out and people can come out of the closet. Such a shame! As it is not going to go away. Hugs, Sherry > > Last time I smoked that stuff I got sooooo dredfully ill to the point I > > swore I would never ever do it again. Not worth the vomiting, and [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Peachy > email is valid, just remove "nospam" Bud is the best stuff but what a lot of people do is just cut so much of the plant off and leave enough so that it grows back again. Stem isn't as good as leaf and leaf isn't as good as bud. What a lot of people do is take out the twiggy stem bits and grind up the rest, with just a bit of stem. some people just grind up the whole lot though. A coffee grinder does a pretty good job of grinding it up;-) Any kind of partial legalisation can cause confusion, I would imagine especially in the US where you have different laws and punishments in different states and then you have the Federal Government too. At least in the UK the law is the same everywhere except for little enforced archaic town laws that no one remembers or enforces:-) Next year, I know of many people who use for medicinal purposes who are planning on taking the chance on growing thier own rather that pay rip off street prices for bush, cos it's that which is most beneficial. So long as they only grow a max of three plants in various stages of growth, then should they get caught, the worst that will happen is they'll get their stuff taken away, no charges or fines, so long as they can prove it is for medicinal purposes and they are not dealing. -- Peachy email is valid, just remove "nospam" > do you think lots of stem, leaf, and seeds or what do they call it "shake" > and not the good ole bud? [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Peachy > > email is valid, just remove "nospam" |
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