| Proven Facts on the Benefits of Marijuana for Arthritis | | | | National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath. |
| Patients | | | | Noted as "the first controlled trial of a CBM [cannabis |
| Any number of marijuana users, whether medicinal or | | | | based medicine] in the symptomatic treatment of RA |
| recreational, will tell you that "Mary J" is great for | | | | in humans", the study was based on several facts: |
| relaxation. In fact, you would probably receive a list of | | | | - Marijuana has historically been used as a pain |
| problems the drug has helped relieve or alleviate all | | | | treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, although its |
| together. | | | | therapeutic potential has never been evaluated in a |
| As an arthritis patient looking for alternatives to | | | | clinical study. |
| synthesized medicines, unable to use traditional | | | | - THC and CBD, the two main components of |
| medications or physically unreceptive to traditional | | | | marijuana, have been recognized as "key therapeutic |
| medication, you may be skeptical. You may be | | | | constituents that act synergistically together and with |
| disbelieving. You may, in fact, consider marijuana users | | | | other plant constituents." |
| to be a little lacking in the intelligence quotient, merely | | | | - THC has shown pain relieving abilities for both |
| trying to make their drug use acceptable. | | | | nociceptive and neropathic pain. |
| However, as the title of this article indicates, there is | | | | - CBD has shown the ability to block the progression |
| scientifically proven evidence that medicinal marijuana | | | | of rheumatoid arthritis, while both THC and CBD have |
| can, indeed, provide relief from arthritic pain. | | | | anti-inflammatory effects. |
| What is Medicinal Marijuana? | | | | "In comparison with placebo, the CBM produced |
| First, it must be noted that there are two major | | | | statistically significant improvements in pain on |
| differences between medicinal marijuana and | | | | movement, pain at rest, quality of sleep, DAS28 and |
| commercial or "street" marijuana. | | | | the SF-MPQ pain at present component. There was |
| 1. Commercial marijuana can come from any number | | | | no effect on morning stiffness but baseline scores |
| of cannabis strains. Different strains have varying pain | | | | were low. The large majority of adverse effects were |
| relieving, anti-inflammatory, etc. potencies. The potency | | | | mild or moderate, and there were no adverse |
| of commercial marijuana can't be guaranteed. | | | | effect-related withdrawals or serious adverse effects |
| Medicinal marijuana strains, on the other hand, are | | | | in the active treatment group." |
| chosen for specifically for their potency and effects. | | | | Due to the surprising responses, the researchers |
| 2. Some commercial marijuana has been fertilized with | | | | ended the study with a call for more studies. "We |
| unsafe fertilizers. These fertilizers may contain metal | | | | believe this to be the first controlled study of a CBM in |
| derivatives and other toxic substances or by-products. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis, and the results are encouraging. |
| Medicinal marijuana is fertilized carefully, with the health | | | | The beneficial effects occurred in the context of a |
| of the patient in mind, with nontoxic fertilizers. | | | | dosing regime restricted to evening dosing in order to |
| It is not recommended that one buy commercial | | | | minimize any possible intoxication-type reactions. |
| marijuana (or marihuana) to replace a prescription for | | | | However, 24-h dosing with this CBM (Sativex) using a |
| medicinal marijuana. | | | | self-titration regime in the context of multiple sclerosis |
| Proven Benefits of Marijuana for Arthritis Patients | | | | resulted in only minimal intoxication scores [9]. Larger, |
| Although the legal aspects in many countries, funding | | | | more prolonged studies of CBM in rheumatoid arthritis |
| and other issues inhibit the number of studies on the | | | | are indicated." |
| therapeutic aspects of marijuana, there is still a | | | | In 2006, the Center of Drug Discovery in Boston, |
| surprising amounts of information available. The facts | | | | Massachusetts published a study entitled The |
| so far are clear: | | | | Cannabinergic System as a Target for |
| - Marijuana has shown to be an anti-inflammatory | | | | Anti-inflammatory Therapies. With habitual cannabis |
| - The potential for cannabis use to help inflammation | | | | use proven to affect the immune system, |
| and muscle spasms have been proven for several | | | | endocannabinoid research has helped to understand |
| illnesses | | | | the effects through cell-based or in vivo animal testing. |
| - Marijuana has been used as a pain treatment for | | | | According to the study, these tests "suggest that |
| hundreds of years, if not thousands (some records | | | | regulation of the endocannabinoid circuitry can impact |
| date back to B.C.) | | | | almost every major function associated with the |
| - Studies suggest that marijuana may not only help | | | | immune system.... the results suggest therapeutic |
| inflammation, but may lower the actual growth of the | | | | opportunities for a variety of inflammatory diseases |
| disease itself | | | | such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, |
| Dr. Tom Mikuriya, a member of Mensa and several | | | | inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, allergic |
| well-known organizations studying medicinal marijuana, | | | | asthma, and autoimmune diabetes through modulation |
| wrote in 2002: | | | | of the endocannabinoid system." |
| "Clinical interviews of over 6500 members at cannabis | | | | Although many a naysayer mentions the potentials for |
| buyers clubs and patients in my office practice lead to | | | | overdose, it must be noted that there has never been |
| this generalization: Many illnesses or conditions present | | | | one documented case of someone overdosing on |
| with both inflammation and muscle spasm. Cannabis is | | | | marijuana, whether through recreational or medicinal |
| both an antispasmodic and anti inflammatory." | | | | use. As well, many are concerned about |
| Well known and respected as an authority on the | | | | cancer-causing agents through inhaling the smoke, but |
| therapeutic uses of marijuana, Dr Mikuriya also states | | | | a comprehensive study in 2006 could show no proof |
| "Chronic inflammatory conditions like arthritis and | | | | of marijuana causing lung cancer. |
| lumbosacral disease responds well to cannabis | | | | Finally, remember that medical marijuana should not be |
| compared with other analgesics." | | | | smoked. Using it in baking or with a vaporizer will offer |
| In 2005, Rheumatology Advance Access online | | | | the therapeutic benefits needed to alleviate arthritis |
| published a study by Dr. Blake et al of the Royal | | | | symptoms. |