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A Marijuana Breakthrough?
The Scotsman ^ | Nov. 5, 2004 | David Kohn

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."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: leroylovesoros; wodlist
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To: G Larry
With legalization, the availability, portability, ease of use, and popularity among our youth, it would have significant and negative consequences for our society.

As does alcohol, but I don't want that banned.

The idea that a joint would simply be an alternative to a couple beers at the end of the day is willful ignorance.

Let me guess: you think Reefer Madness was a documentary.

181 posted on 11/08/2004 4:37:27 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Lurking2Long
We like reality, we like our loved ones alive rather than killed by drunk and stoned drivers, we don't like living in single-wide trailers with other trash, we believe that every brain cell is precious, we are still "high" from the election, and we believe in handling our problems head on rather than hallucinating them away...

Ah, so you support banning alcohol. You should be aware that the last time this was tried it was a miserable failure ... as is the current ban on marijuana.

182 posted on 11/08/2004 4:40:21 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Military family member
I've used rope from this era before and, if properly cared for, is just as strong as it ever was and has none of the problems of the nylon or other polymer-based products, the biggest being its ability to work in the cold.

I guess that is why those multi-million dollar racing yachts use hemp rigging ...

183 posted on 11/08/2004 4:41:16 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: bigjoesaddle

No man -- I'm DAVE!!


184 posted on 11/08/2004 4:41:18 PM PST by Iron Eagle
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To: WildTurkey

Same with military vessels.


185 posted on 11/08/2004 4:41:58 PM PST by CWOJackson
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To: Labyrinthos
I gained 15 lb. that semester, which I eventially dropped, not because I stopped smoking pot, but because I switched to more nutrious munchies.

Any suggestions? I've got the "legal munchies" from taking prescription Paxil, and could use some ideas on healthy things to eat, since it causes an urge to snack as a side effect.

186 posted on 11/08/2004 4:42:15 PM PST by Ichneumon ("...she might as well have been a space alien." - Bill Clinton, on Hillary, "My Life", p. 182)
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To: Military family member; robertpaulsen
Poly Hemp Rope

The appearance of natural hemp rope, with the durability of twisted plastic. A rugged nautical look.


187 posted on 11/08/2004 4:44:22 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: WildTurkey
Many scientists believe that human activity produces global warming.

I should have known WildTurkey would be one of the first to post on this thread. The logic you are using is similar to the logic Democrats are using to claim Bush stole this election - we don't have any proof, but that will not stop us.

You claimed there is no medical use for marijuana (in another thread) and now we have evidence you are wrong. Do you concede defeat? No, like the Democrats, you don't let the facts get in your way.

188 posted on 11/08/2004 4:44:39 PM PST by Last Visible Dog
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To: robertpaulsen; finnigan2
We've simply learned from our experience with alcohol that banning a recreational chemical causes more problems than it solves.

No. We've simply learned from our experience with alcohol that banning alcohol caused more problems than it solved.

Marijuana is not different in any relevant respect from alcohol.

Alcohol prohibition lasted what, 13 short years?

Marijuana has been illegal for almost 70 years now with no end in sight.

We were smarter then.

Marijuana use dropped over 60% from its high point in 1979.

Alcohol use dropped substantially during the same period with no preceding significant change in its legal status.

189 posted on 11/08/2004 4:45:27 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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To: Military family member; robertpaulsen

"Of late years the Manilla rope has in the American fishery almost entirely superseded hemp as a material for whale-lines; for, though not so durable as hemp, it is stronger, and far more soft and elastic; and I will add (since there is an aesthetics in all things), is much more handsome and becoming to the boat, than hemp. Hemp is a dusky, dark fellow, a sort of Indian; but Manilla is as a golden-haired Circassian to behold."


190 posted on 11/08/2004 4:47:03 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Ahriman
Researchers presented tantalising evidence that cannabinoid drugs can help treat obesity.

That's funny, it always made me want to eat and eat and eat.

This was posted by Muggs - to lazy to log on - but I know it did the same to Timestax.

191 posted on 11/08/2004 4:54:03 PM PST by timestax
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To: Military family member

"At the beginning of the 20th century the choice of running rigging was very limited. Hemp rope and other natural fibres were all that was available. In the 30's Nylon and other man-made fibres were being developed. This led to a revolution in the rope industry. Man made fibres were less prone to environmental damage, less stretch, lighter, stronger and less water absorption. These new fibres enabled rigs, which could be tensioned up more it also reduced weight aloft. Since the introduction of these man made fibres in the first half of the century technology has moved on and the properties of the ropes have been gradually improving."


192 posted on 11/08/2004 5:07:07 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Military family member
I've used rope from this era before and, if properly cared for, is just as strong as it ever was and has none of the problems of the nylon or other polymer-based products, the biggest being its ability to work in the cold.

Pit Schubert, President UIAA Safety Commission

The fear of a rope failure comes from the time, when hemp ropes were used, until the end of the fifties. Many of those hemp ropes were broken. I lost two friends at that time. If hemp ropes were wet and later on dried, they dried only at the surface. Because of the capillary effect, the dampness stayed for a long time in the rope, and because hemp is a natural product, the hemp rotted. At that time it was possible to tear a used 15 mm rope by hand force.

Two of my friends tested their hemp rope at the end of the climbing season in such a way. They fixed the rope at a door handle. Together they pulled with their body weight, the door handle withstood the force, but not the rope. - At that time the rope was intended while climbing only to help the second climber, if he had not enough power (and for abseiling). For the first climber it was not allowed to fall, because of the possibility of rope failure. - If nowadays sport climbers use hemp ropes we would have hundreds of thousands of injured or killed climbers each year. This danger ended with the use of ropes made from Polyamide (Perlon, Nylon), since the end of the fifties. From that time on the number of rope failures decreased dramatically, because Perlon and Nylon can not rot and because of their better strength (more correctly: because of the higher energy absorbing capacity of this plastic material).

193 posted on 11/08/2004 5:15:43 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Military family member
I've often wondered why all uses for this plant were stopped, other than the obvious fear of misuse.

Perhaps because better materials came along ...

194 posted on 11/08/2004 5:16:35 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Know your rights
Marijuana use dropped over 60% from its high point in 1979.

Alcohol use dropped substantially during the same period with no preceding significant change in its legal status.

Except for:

  1. Higher minimun age limits
  2. Lower BAC driving limits

195 posted on 11/08/2004 5:19:24 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: robertpaulsen
You want my opinion? The only reason for the hullabaloo in "hemp as paper" is like the push for "medical" marijuana -- to immunize the public against their objection to the cannabis plant. It's a "camel's nose" approach to marijuana legalization.

Immunizing against thier objections, or are they becoming immune to the source of their objections? The generation that got it's opinions about marijuana from watching Reefer Madness is getting thin. The generation that got to read the Schaefer Report before it got buried is still here.

196 posted on 11/08/2004 5:20:19 PM PST by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Last Visible Dog
You claimed there is no medical use for marijuana (in another thread) and now we have evidence you are wrong. Do you concede defeat? No, like the Democrats, you don't let the facts get in your way.

This thread is about synthetic cannaboids, not smoked marijuana.

197 posted on 11/08/2004 5:20:59 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Ichneumon

Carrots, snap peas, celery, peppers, and low fat blue cheeze dressing to dip the veggies in; salted sunflower seeds in the shell; and fig newtons.


198 posted on 11/08/2004 5:38:44 PM PST by Labyrinthos
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To: SteveMcKing
Keep it illegal. When you can't nail a criminal for one thing, or hold a murder suspect on bail, you can often jail them on drug charges. It's a great tool for law enforcement.

That would be an equally "good" (*cough*) argument for outlawing booze and cigarettes.

"Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We WANT them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against then you'll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We're after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you'd better get wise to it. There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one MAKES them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted - and you create a nation of law-breakers - and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Rearden, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."
-- From "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand

199 posted on 11/08/2004 5:45:19 PM PST by Ichneumon ("...she might as well have been a space alien." - Bill Clinton, on Hillary, "My Life", p. 182)
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To: Ichneumon

JUST SAY NO!


200 posted on 11/08/2004 5:45:45 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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