General Discussion

kpete

(72,013 posts) Tue May 15, 2012, 04:48 PM May 2012

Study: Marijuana Helps With Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that medical marijuana helps relieve some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The study found that marijuana helped reduce muscle pain and spasticity. From the Canadian Medical Association Journal:

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, conducted a randomized, double-blinded controlled trial with 30 participants to understand whether smoked cannabis can have an effect on muscle spasticity in people whose spasticity does not respond well to existing treatment. The average age of participants was 50 years, and 63% were female. More than half of the participants needed walking aids, and 20% used wheelchairs.

Most trials have focused on the effect of oral cannabis rather than smoked cannabis.

Rather than rely on self-reporting by patients regarding their muscle spasticity — a subjective measure — health professionals rated the spasticity of each participant’s joints on the modified Ashworth scale, a common objective tool to evaluate intensity of muscle tone. The researchers found that participants in the smoked cannabis group experienced an almost one-third decrease on the Ashworth scale — 2.74 points — from a baseline score of 9.3, meaning spasticity improved, compared with the placebo group. As well, pain scores decreased by about 50%.

http://www.cmaj.ca/site/misc/pr/14may12_pr.xhtml
http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2012/05/15/study-marijuana-helps-with-multiple-sclerosis-symptoms/

16 replies

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Highlight:

Study: Marijuana Helps With Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms (Original Post) kpete May 2012 OP

oh no! outlaw this healthful herb immediately! librechik May 2012 #1

I wonder if Mitt would rethink his position on EC May 2012 #2

I'd lay serious odds that the good Mrs. Rmoney is already availing herself of medical cannabis. kestrel91316 May 2012 #7

What? earthside May 2012 #3

Bullshit! Ezlivin May 2012 #4

Burgess contributers felix_numinous May 2012 #6

Du rec. Nt xchrom May 2012 #5

How on earth did UCSD manage to conduct this study? kestrel91316 May 2012 #8

I sure hope so, they are helping to bash the president. They belong in jail for that. /nt Dragonfli May 2012 #11

Of course it does. We have barely scratched the surface of what this astonishing plant Egalitarian Thug May 2012 #9

SO!! It doesn't matter, Obama and Holder know what is best for us, these "scientists", need to stop Dragonfli May 2012 #10

it would be just like humans to miss the natural 'free' healing drug right in front of us spanone May 2012 #12

MS has long been on the MMJ list. Ruby the Liberal May 2012 #13

I have MS and am in the middle of a bout with vertigo that started Sun Mojorabbit May 2012 #16

I'm about to MMedicate for my neuromuscular disease NightWatcher May 2012 #14

just don't let on to this guy Tsiyu May 2012 #15

librechik

(30,676 posts)

1. oh no! outlaw this healthful herb immediately!

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 04:52 PM

May 2012

this sort of comfort and relief cannot be allowed to those sinful smokers. God wants them to suffer! They can only be allowed to take factory made expensive and ineffective chemicals!

I'm scared! Thank you Emperor Romney!

do i need to add the sarcasm smilie?

EC

(12,287 posts)

2. I wonder if Mitt would rethink his position on

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 04:54 PM

May 2012

MM for his wife? Although the horse riding is one of the better therapies that many cannot afford and Bush cut the benefits for this. My daughter was a therapist that had her patients out at the horse ranch riding...

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)

7. I'd lay serious odds that the good Mrs. Rmoney is already availing herself of medical cannabis.

Reply to EC (Reply #2)

Tue May 15, 2012, 07:19 PM

May 2012

With Mittens' approval.

Just can't allow the Little People to benefit from it. They'll just use it for pleasure.

earthside

(6,960 posts)

3. What?

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 05:01 PM

May 2012

Attorney General Holder must be asleep at the switch!

The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine research lab is lucky it didn't get raided.

Ezlivin

(8,153 posts)

4. Bullshit!

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 05:31 PM

May 2012

'Cause my representative (Burgess) told me this in his response to my request for leniency on medical marijuana patients:

The United States is fighting a costly war against drugs, in terms of dollars and lives that are irrevocably changed by this modern day scourge. It is my opinion that any legalization of substances such as marijuana will undermine the ongoing efforts by the drug enforcement community to curb this epidemic that has consumed so many Americans. Marijuana is a controlled substance, and legalizing or relaxing criminal penalties on the drug will only open the doors for further illegal activities.

As for marijuana's therapeutic value, research indicates that its value as a legitimate pain therapy is minimal at best. In 1997, the National Institutes of Health convened a group of experts which concluded that scientific evidence was insufficient to definitively assess marijuana's therapeutic potential and advised that the traditional scientific process should be allowed to evaluate the drug's use for certain disorders. In its 1999 report, Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, the Institute of Medicine

He never mentions the fact that the "costly war against drugs" has been going for over 30 years and still hasn't succeeded, the same failed, costly drug war that he wants to continue indefinitely.

felix_numinous

(5,198 posts)

6. Burgess contributers

Reply to Ezlivin (Reply #4)

Tue May 15, 2012, 06:17 PM

May 2012

reveal the usual suspects, big PAC money, and big pharma has been generous. Sorry he's your rep

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00025219

xchrom

(108,903 posts)

5. Du rec. Nt

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 05:40 PM

May 2012

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)

8. How on earth did UCSD manage to conduct this study?

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 07:25 PM

May 2012

I predict that DEA/DOJ will now go after the researchers and departments involved and somebody is going to jail.

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)

11. I sure hope so, they are helping to bash the president. They belong in jail for that. /nt

Reply to kestrel91316 (Reply #8)

Tue May 15, 2012, 09:16 PM

May 2012

Egalitarian Thug

(12,448 posts)

9. Of course it does. We have barely scratched the surface of what this astonishing plant

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 08:14 PM

May 2012

can do for us and our world. I could (and probably will at some point) go on for pages about the possibilities we are discovering about this plant.

K&R

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)

10. SO!! It doesn't matter, Obama and Holder know what is best for us, these "scientists", need to stop

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 09:15 PM

May 2012

bashing and hating, they obviously want a Romney presidency. To disagree with Obama's policy is, in my opinion, the same as treason and should result in a death sentence or at least life imprisonment.

He knows things we don't, and knows what is best, not us, we only know what he is able to teach.

These bashing threads are getting too much to take.

spanone

(135,862 posts)

12. it would be just like humans to miss the natural 'free' healing drug right in front of us

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 09:17 PM

May 2012

just like us

Ruby the Liberal

(26,219 posts)

13. MS has long been on the MMJ list.

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 09:22 PM

May 2012

It also helps with nausea that can come from extended bouts of vertigo.

Free the weed.

Mojorabbit

(16,020 posts)

16. I have MS and am in the middle of a bout with vertigo that started Sun

Reply to Ruby the Liberal (Reply #13)

Wed May 16, 2012, 12:40 AM

May 2012

I do what I need to to survive these flares. I am just miserable and needed to vent. I hate nausea. I'd rather have pain than nausea any day.

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

14. I'm about to MMedicate for my neuromuscular disease

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 10:26 PM

May 2012

I've got a weird, rare one (Dermatomyositis ) and as my quads are wasting it hurts pretty bad. The oxy and other crap isn't touching it, but only leaves me dealing with medicine head.

My law abiding, never smoking pot, family has been notified and is cool. They just want me to be careful.

Tsiyu

(18,186 posts)

15. just don't let on to this guy

Reply to kpete (Original post)

Tue May 15, 2012, 11:53 PM

May 2012

I've been working a lot and just caught this reply.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=673880

Whatever you do, send no link to this thread

There might occur a ginormous rift in the Space/Time continuum ( which hemp could patch up, if only it were legal

)

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