Cannabis
Therapeutic use (a hot-button topic today, but not a new concept- see reference 7 for mention of research from 1889)
A. References on the growing body of knowledge concerning the effects of cannabinoids in the (human) body (with apologies to mice and other animal models)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabidiol
As a nurse (soon to be retiring), I have been following the expansion of the use and research on medical marijuana with great interest. There have been times that I shake my head over the obsession of the medical community that any medical use be strictly separated from the potential for intoxication. Then I got to thinking that, after all, it wouldn't be good if, say, your blood pressure med or your diabetes med was effective in controlling BP or blood sugar, but also happened to leave you giggling in the corner or off raving through the kitchen in search of munchies- so I guess I see their point.
That said, one might also consider the effects of stress, depression, anxiety, sadness, PTSD and despair on body systems. A certain level of benign mood amelioration would likely not be amiss in the treatment of inflammatory conditions, cancer, nausea of chemotherapy and other such conditions. The same might be said for those old-school physicians who would prescribe 'a glass of sherry with dinner if desired' (I have actually seen that prescription.)
One would like also to observe that the sherry is likely to be considerably less expensive if a preceding doctor's visit prescription and the attendant regulation and dispensing were not required. The same can be said about marijuana. (It's a PLANT.)
B. Links regarding the possibility that cannabis, specifically delta-9THC, may be of use in treating opiate withdrawal. (chronological order)
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/988178 (1976) 2. http://www.ukcia.org/research/medline/5f.htm (1981)
3. From the Parliament of Canada report on cannabis (see expansion below; mulitiple links and discussion)
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19444734 (2009)
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001945/ (2012)
(pubmed 2012 no mention of this option. Instead has clonidine, buprenorphine, and methadone)
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis (2012)
Opioid dependence
'...Injections of THC eliminate dependence on opiates in stressed rats, according to a research team at the Laboratory for Physiopathology of Diseases of the Central Nervous System (France) in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.[81] Deprived of their mothers at birth, rats become hypersensitive to the rewarding effect of morphine and heroin (substances belonging to the opiate family), and rapidly become dependent. When these rats were administered THC, they no longer developed typical morphine-dependent behavior. In the striatum, a region of the brain involved in drug dependence, the production of endogenous enkephalins was restored under THC, whereas it diminished in rats stressed from birth which had not received THC. Researchers believe the findings could lead to therapeutic alternatives to existing substitution treatments.[81]
'...In humans, drug treatment subjects who use cannabis intermittently are found to be more likely to adhere to treatment for opioid dependence.[82] Historically, similar findings were reported by Edward Birch, who, in 1889, reported success in treating opiate and chloral addiction with cannabis.'
(so they've known about this since 1889?)
Taking a step back and looking at the experimental design; this one makes you wonder if rats NOT stressed from birth by being deprived of their mothers would be as susceptible to developing morphine dependency in the first place. It may be that a nurturing early environment promotes development of endorphins and makes one less lonely, sad, and craving the comfort of ‘any-orphins’ (‘orphans need orphins’?)
3. (expanded) PARLIAMENT OF CANADA,
SPECIAL COMMITTEES,
REPORT OF THE SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ILLEGAL DRUGS
FINAL REPORT: CANNABIS: OUR POSITION FOR A CANADIAN PUBLIC POLICY (2001-2002)
http://www.parl.gc.ca/SenCommitteeBusiness/CommitteeReports.aspx?parl=37&ses=1&Language=E&comm_id=85(front page)
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/ille/rep/repfinalvol1part5-e.htm#Chapter 9 (general discussion of therapeutic use of cannabis)
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/ille/rep/repfinalvol2part2-e.htm#Chapter 17 (use in treatment for opiate addiction)
'...One final comment: some of the people who appeared before us observed that in certain cases cannabis maintenance could be used in combination with other forms of withdrawal and treatment for dependency on opiates. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies on the subject–for good reason! However, we should note, as we did in Chapter 5, that cannabinoid and opioid systems engage in complex interactions, and we may be justified in assuming that the consumption of D9-THC could cause a dopaminergic response that could reduce opiate withdrawal.'
Also mentioned in http://www.cannabismd.net/ , under the topic heading 'Addiction' with references from the 1800s to present day. Inquiring minds want to know why, if cannabis does indeed have the virtue of allowing relief and recovery for opiate withdrawal, it is not used for this; instead of having the use of cannabis itself criminalized.