Posted on 11/05/2004 1:38:10 PM PST by Ahriman
A decade ago, when Daniele Piomelli went to scientific conferences, he was often the only researcher studying cannabinoids, the class of chemicals that give marijuana users a high. His work often drew sniggers and jokes; but not any more. At the recent annual Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego last week, scientists delivered almost 200 papers on the subject.
Why all the attention? Many scientists believe marijuana-like drugs might be able to treat a wide range of diseases, far beyond the nausea and chronic pain typically treated with medical marijuana.
Researchers presented tantalising evidence that cannabinoid drugs can help treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - known as ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease - Parkinsons disease and obesity. Other researchers are studying whether the compounds can help victims of stroke and multiple sclerosis.
Although the chemicals work on the same area of the nervous system, the new drugs are much more refined and targeted than marijuana, with few of its side effects.
"Cannabinoids have a lot of pharmaceutical potential," says Piomelli, a neuroscientist at the University of California. "A lot of people are very excited."
JUST SAY NO, unless you are dying from cancer or something.
Otherwise, leave it alone and have a life.
What *is* the "objection to the cannabis plant"? Is there any objection that doesn't apply equally -- or more so -- to alcohol?
This is just plain wrong. Marinol is not the same as Marijuana.
Marinol is only one of the many chemicals which are the active ingredients (yes, plural) in Marijuana.
But you knew that already and ignored it in order to justify a very silly prohibition.
Snigger has been a perfectly legitimate word since before you were born. See verse III, part two of "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes for an example of usage.
http://www.cs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics/highwayman-orig.html
When I was in school this was one of the poems we read in about the 6 th grade.
I'm a conservative and I'm all for legalisation and taxation.
At least, I don't recall any fat hippies!!
You must not have known THAT MANY pot heads ... just like coffe drinkers, they come in all different sizes.
Alcohol and tobacco produce lots of tax revenue and are big business. Marijuana is a weed which will grow anywhere, and thus will generate neither tax revenue nor business profit if anybody was allowed to grow it openly in his back yard
I graduated highschool in '71, I don't need any help understanding pot.
I know, I just sat here watching it.Over and over!
1973 I was driving to TacoTime.Car full of people,Someone put in a eight track tape,PinkFloyd Darkside of the moon.Never heard it before.I'm at a stop sign,Foot in on the clutch,Someone says,Hey it's a stop sign man,Not a light!
Well, I'm sure they can pay for the expensive stuff. I'm talking about the cheap rope we got stuck with in Boy Scouts. Sure, I could learn my knots, but when camping outdoors when it's 30 below, the synthetic ropes most people buy don't work as well as hemp.
OK, you win!
Hemp is a pain in the ass when wet, that's true. Manila rope is better; I've got it on my own boat. I still don't like the plastic and nylon lines. Then may be strong, but they don't handle the same when taken below freezing temps. Granted, I've never used the top quality stuff, simply because I can't afford it, and because I take trying to rig my boat using only 19th entury materials or the equivelent. It's only a little day sailer, but I try.
"A lot of people are very excited."
The word "synthetic" does not appear in the article.
This article is about medical benefits of cannabinoids. Marijuana contains cannabinoids. You have claimed there are no medical uses for marijuana. You are wrong.
Did you actually read the article?
from the article:
Neuroscientist Mary Abood first became interested in cannabinoids after hearing about ALS patients who got some relief from smoking marijuana.
If you go back and read the article, it has nothing to do with marijuana and everything to do with synthetic cannabinoids.
But you can buy good synthetic rope for far less than hemp. Just buy the good stuff, not the cheap stuff from the grocercy store for your camping needs.
BTW, hemp is all wet when it comes to camping needs. Swells and slackens too much when wetted.
Sailing in freezing conditions? You are one dedicated soul!
Did you miss the article I posted about the virtues of synthetic rope over hemp for mountain climbing in freezing conditions?
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Many scientists believe marijuana-like drugs might be able to treat a wide range of diseases,
the new drugs are much more refined and targeted than marijuana, with few of its side effects.
Scientists who use Marinol, a legal but tightly regulated marijuana-like drug,
They believe marijuana has too many negatives to be a truly effective drug, with side effects that include memory problems, decreased immunity and possible addiction.
Marijuana has another drawback. From a scientific standpoint, Giuffrida says, its "a very dirty drug".
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