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 Gehrig’s disease - Parkinson’s 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."
Don't worry. Now that we have taken away all the toy guns/sticks shaped like toy guns/ and even DRAWINGS of toy guns away, not to mention banned the dangerous activity known as snowball fights, we can concentrate on wrapping the children up in bubble wrap.
For over 40 years, the Feds have poured tens of millions of dollars into research to prove the deleterious effects of marijuana, and came up empty. Thus, government scientists invented the 'Gateway' hypothesis, which is almost Hegelian in its 'constructive' metaphysics.
Now, REAL scientists discover that the demon weed actually has all sorts of possible uses, to almost no informed person's surprise.
Read 'The Emperor's New Clothes', and understand everything you need to know about the relationship between the State and the Intellectuals.
But, Marinol is given fairly often to patients that for other reasons...( too many to list..) have appetite suppression.
FWIW--
Almost happened to me once...hehehe
ROFLOL!!
You know...I've read what you wrote 7 times, and I still don't know what you said.
Guess you were not a good reefer driver...
It doesn't make sense to me that the people who are so against the legalization of marijuana don't have the same problems with alcohol.
I watched my father-in-law die a horrible death from cirrhosis and won't be surprised if the same fate awaits my own father. They both destroyed their families because they couldn't put the bottle down. Fortunately, neither of them killed anyone while driving drunk, but that was pure luck.
Alcohol kills people and destroys their loved ones lives, yet it's still legal and I think it should remain that way. I don't think everyone should be denied the pleasure of a drink or two because some people can't control themselves. And I feel the same way about marijuana.
That's a lot different than allowing street use. Cocaine for example, is a very valuable legitimate drug, as well as being a hot seller on every street corner in the country. Oxycontin is an underground street drug, but it is also validly prescribed everyday.
Also, these natural compounds are incredibly complex, and the lab geeks can refine literally hundreds of useful (or not) compounds from them.
Thanks for the entertainment. Pothead.
You raise a good point. This would keep Michael Moore occupied for years. And with the munchies, he'd be too fat to leave the house.
Pipe smokers are wussies.
Sounding like a pro... LOL.
'The Emperor's New Clothes'
ISBN: 1-878125-02-8
Library of Congress No: 90-164252
Should be required Civics text +/- 8th. grade. Might help return the Liberty and Freedom to this country.....if it isn't too late already.
Maybe not, but it does make you misspell simple words like "impair".
LOL!....I cannot tell a lie :)
SO does a bottle of wine...:)
Anyone with half a brain knows they shouldn't be behind the wheel after they've consumed enough alcohol that it impairs their ability to think.
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