Cannabis Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. The symptoms are pain, inflammation and stiffness. Doctors treat RA by reducing pain, inflammation and slowing down joint damage.(Source)

A study in 1998-2002 found that illicit cannabis in the U.K. greatly reduced rheumatoid arthritis pain. The survey found that 100% of the RA sufferers found cannabis reduced symptoms “much better” (72%) or “a little better” (28%).(Source) A study in 2006 with the Cannabis Medicine Savitex showed significant improvement in pain and reduced disease activity.(Source) A 2005 survey of medical cannabis patients in Australia showed that 25% used it to treat rheumatoid arthritis.(Source)

Cannabis helps treat rheumatoid arthritis because of it's ability to reduce joint pain, inflammation and increase immunity. The endocannabinoid system affects receptors in the nervous that target joint tissue and immune cells.(Source) Cannabinoids affect the activity of the COX-2 enzymes which contribute to inflammation from arthritis.(Source) Cannabinoids also have immunosupressive properties which curtail inflammatory molecules called cytokines.(Source)

Souce:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Rheumatic_Disease/rheumatoid_arthritis_ff.asp

http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/6/781.1.full

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16282192

http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/18

http://www.arthritistoday.org/arthritis-treatment/natural-and-alternative-treatments/remedies-and-therapies/medical-marijuana.php

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/51088411_Evaluation_of_the_cyclooxygenase_inhibiting_effects_of_six_major_cannabinoids_isolated_from_Cannabis_sativa

http://www.cannabis-med.org/data/pdf/2001-03-04-5.pdf

Cardiovascular Effects from Cannabis

Cardiovascular Effects from Cannabis

Studies have shown that marijuana in humans can increase heart rate and blood pressure moderately with first initial use. With regular use of cannabis these initial cardiovascular effects rapidly go away. Regular exposure to cannabis shows results of reduced blood pressure, reduced heart rate and increased vasodilation.(Source) Lowered heart rate and blood pressure is also seen in animals studies with cannabis.(Source)

Cannabinoids affect a group of lipids and receptors that control the endocannabinoid system. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid messenger molecule that helps control the heart rate and blood pressure. One way it effects the cardiovascular system is by vasodilation, or enlarging the blood vessels. Vasodilation occurs from a relaxation of artery walls to allow a larger volume of blood flow.(Source)

Dr. Phillip Leveque leads a medical marijuana doctor group with over 100,000 patients. They have found the increase in heart rate and blood pressure to be low and tolerable. In their group they have no reports of dangerous clinical hypertension. For his personal patients they average an age of 48 and have a lower percentile of hypertension than most people of that age not using marijuana.(Source) The first use of cannabis has shown to be safe for patients but still advised to be recommended by a doctor.(Source)

Source:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11106789

http://norml.org/library/item/hypertension

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/110/14/1996.full

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1552-4604.2002.tb06004.x/abstract

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/march142010/hypension-mmj.php

A Theory on Addiction

America's handling of the drug abuse problem has not been a success. In June 1971, President Nixon declared a “War on Drugs” saying that drug abuse was “Public Enemy No. 1”. The political figures continued this war with Nancy Reagan running a campaign of “Just Say No”. Four decades after the start of the War on Drugs Americans have paid more than 1 trillion dollars in arrests and imprisonment for this war. In 2010 more than 50% of all federal prisoners were arrested for drug crimes.(Source)

War on Drug has Increased Prison Population

In Johann Hari new book 'Chasing The Scream - The First And Last Days of the War on Drugs' he shows a different cure to societies addiction problem. He states that addiction comes from being lonely, isolated or depressed with their environment. Instead of looking at it as an addiction problem, Johann Hari says it is more like a bonding problem. He states that when animals are in a positive environment, the addiction tendencies fall to the wayside.(Source)

This concept by Johann Hari's is demonstrated in a study with mice and two water bottles. The mice in the study were given an option to drink from a water bottle containing water or water laced with heroin or cocaine. The mice were in small cages and in isolation. The water with drugs were always chosen. Another study is well known as Bruce Alexander's “Rat Park”. The mice were put in the cage with other mice, food, more space and exercise equipment. With a better environment to live in, the mice chose the water that did not have drugs.(Source)

Johann Hari's theory is justified in a living example of history. The American soldiers that went to Vietnam were found to have a large heroin addiction problem. Forty percent of soldiers had tried heroin and 20 percent were addicted. The government was setting up for a large rehabilitation program to deal with the soldiers coming home after the war. Surprisingly ninety-five percent of the soldiers that were addicted stopped on their own when they returned home. This confirms the correlation between a positive environment and a decrease in addictive behavior.(Source)

Hari shows and example of a government showing postive results with reducing addiction. Portugal has shown proof of social to bonding reducing addiction for the last fifteen years. With one of the worst drug problems in Europe, Portugal decriminalized all drugs. The money they saved on drug related arrests and imprisonment was used for reconnecting people. They used the money for subsidized jobs, housing and clinics to socially deal with their problems in a comforting way. With this new approach Portugal's injection drug use is down by 50 percent. America with it's drug addiction failings can benefit from decriminalizing drugs and improving social society.(Source)

Source:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/drug-war-mass-incarceration_n_3034310.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-real-cause-of-addicti_b_6506936.html

http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/sen/committee/371/ille/presentation/alexender-e.htm

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2010.00046.x/abstract

http://bjc.oxfordjournals.org/content/50/6/999.abstract

Harlequin Strain

Harlequin Marijuana Strain is High in CBD

Harlequin strain is for patients of medical marijuana looking for high pain relief. Harlequin is known for its high potency of the cannabinoid CBD. A ratio of 5:2 CBD to THC gives medication that is low in psycho-active sedation. Having some THC allows for the analgesic to be more effective than other strains that are void of THC. Harlequin is 75% sativa dominant which gives the effects of alertness while giving the ability to relax.

The Harlequin strain is a cross between the Columbian Gold, Swiss and Thai sativa with a Nepalese Indica Landrace strain. The smell has been described as sweet and tropical while the taste is fairly bland to sweet. The buds are thick with trichome orange hairs which overtake the green in the bud. Most strains while being cultivated increase in CBD while maturing. Harlequin is unique in that its highest concentration of CBD is earlier and diminishes with maturity.

OUTCO typically stocks Harlequin as a tincture for patients. Our staff in El Cajon just outside of San Diego is knowledgeable and compassionate to care for their members needs. Patients describe Harlequin for helping pain, seizures, anxiety, stress, nausea and muscle spasms. Please stop by or contact us for individual attention to your questions and needs.

Source:

http://www.leafly.com/sativa/harlequin

http://www.marijuana.com/news/2013/08/harlequin-marijuana-strain-review-and-photos-high-in-cbd-low-in-thc/

The Eagle Scout Strain

Eagle Scout Cannabis Strain

One of the newest top shelf strains that OUTCO has available is the Eagle Scout Strain. As an indica dominant flower with great potency you better “Be Prepared” for this one. Eagle Scout is a cross between the favorites Girl Scout Cookie and Skywalker OG.

Eagle Scout Strain has a spicy sweet smell and fruity and savory flavor. The flowers have a good balance of green and purple leaves with orange hairs. The bud wears frosty resin all over like badges on a boy scout.

Patients describe the effects as a head high with full body relaxation. Eagle Scout is perfect as a medicine for night-time use because of it's sedative qualities. Patients report excellent results as a pain reliever, and a treatment for PTSD, depression, insomnia, and nausea. It has the ability to increase appetite.

OUTCO is a medical marijuana dispensary in El Cajon California. We serve all of San Diego County with fully legal quality medicine. Contact our knowledgeable staff on your treatment needs.

How Cannabis Helps with Creativity

One common trait of famous people in society is their ability to be creative. Marijuana has been known for enhancing creativity. There is scientific basis evidence to support the correlation to cannabis and thinking outside the box. Many famous artists have admitted to the use of marijuana.

Alice Flaherty from the Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School researched how creativity worked in the brain. Different parts of the brain work on creativity in different ways to give balance. The Frontal Lobe judges ideas and decides the values of the idea and divergent thinking. The Temporal Lobe gives idea generation with no concern about quality.(Source)

Research has shown that the frontal lobe activity increases with a rise in cerebral blood flow (CBF).(Source) Smoking cannabis increases Cerebral blood flow. Studies have shown that the CBF peaks thirty minutes after smoking.(Source)

An increase in dopamine allows for the mind to have more inhibited and novel thoughts.(Source) Cannabis has been shown to increase dopamine levels.(Source) Dopamine allows the brain to disregard outside “white noise” stimulus. This allows the brain to focus on a certain thought and enhance all of the possibilities giving to creativity.(Source)

It's not a surprise that popular figures in society benefit from the use of cannabis. On the TV show 60 Minutes Lady Gaga told the reporter “I smoke a lot of pot when I write music.” Marijuana residue was found in pipe fragments of William Shakespeare's garden. Carl Sagan was a big advocate to marijuana and the decriminalizing of it in society. Bill Gates was known to smoke weed in college and a strong advocate for legalizing marijuana in his state of Washington.(Source)

Source:

https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~issues/articles/18.2_Talise_J_Marijuana_1.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2571074/

http://www.biblioteca.juriquilla.unam.mx/WONDERLAND/collect/inb_Lucene/index/assoc/HASH01cc.dir/doc.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1324250

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18754005

http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/10673775

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/7-successful-famous-cannabis-smoking-geniuses

Ruling Allows Concentrates to be Legal in California

Marijuana Concentrates

For over a year, Californians were unclear on whether concentrates were legal. For medical marijuana users, a court ruling made patients feel on edge. Patients throughout the state, and of our patient at Outco, will be glad to know that the ruling was overturned just a short time ago, and it is now clear that concentrates can be used as a legal delivery mechanism.

In 2013, Sean Patrick Mulcrevy was charged with unlawful possession of concentrated cannabis. The ruling issued by El Dorado Superior Court Judge James R. Wagoner determined that Mulcrevy had committed a misdemeanor, noting that he violated his probation from failure “to obey all laws.” On December 22, 2014, the three-justice panel of the 3^rd District Court of Appeal reversed the ruling. They made an important statement that marijuana concentrates are protected under the 1996 Medical Marijuana Law of California.

In 1996 California Proposition 215 stated:

“all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L.,whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant, its seeds or resin.”

The justices M. Kathleen Butz, Vance W. Rays and Cole Blease based their ruling on the interpretation of that proposition.

Source:

http://www.thedailychronic.net/2014/39558/concentrates-proteced-under-medical-marijuana-law-california-court-rules/