Re: Marijuana for MS --

[Guest guest]

I think I'm opposed to it just because it is a mind-altering drug, I had a misspent youth doing it, but noticed it made my brain like magazine paper, incapable of absorbing anything. Do we really need to get stupider? I feel bad for people with debilitating diseases, but Marijuana can't be the best solution.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Marijuana for MS --

Marijuana for MS -- Does it Help or Do Users Just Mind Less?

Does marijuana reduce the debilitating physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ... or does it just help patients care a little less about them? If you or a loved one suffers from MS, this could be a very important question.

It’s widely accepted that marijuana has some therapeutic value for MS-related symptoms, including for painful muscle spasticity. In fact, clinical studies have demonstrated that when two of marijuana’s active ingredients, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are isolated and then combined into a drug, they can reduce muscle spasticity with only minor psychotropic effects. Sativex, a pharmaceutical formulation of marijuana that is approved for neuropathic pain in MS patients in Canada but not in the US, contains both ingredients.

Yet for many, the intoxicating effects of marijuana’s ingredients are troubling.

With the hope of making a case for FDA approval here, researchers at the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation in Los Angeles selected six recent randomized controlled trials involving a total of 481 patients with MS who took oral preparations of combination THC and CBD extracts. The findings are interesting -- according to the admittedly subjective reports of the patients, the extracts relieved spasticity... but when several objective measures of spasticity (including a mobility index and patients’ "walk time") were examined, no significant improvements were evident. And, though the combination dose was thought to keep people from getting high, patients in each of the six trials experienced adverse effects in the form of intoxication and sedation. The study was published last December in the online journal BMC Neurology.

Good Stuff or Not?

So -- is marijuana helpful for MS patients? The answer, according to Moses , MD, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and a nationally recognized MS expert, is yes and no. Dr. told me that although many MS patients (including some of his own) report that marijuana is effective in alleviating spasticity, he said that there are no standards regulating how it should be used and "the data proving its efficacy is weak and its side effects are worrisome."

One challenge, he explained, is that scientists still don’t understand why marijuana helps. "We know that it works on receptors in the brain, but marijuana does not have a direct effect on the muscles, so it is difficult to break away the drug’s general well-being effects from its anti-spasticity effects," he said. He also pointed out that little is known about marijuana’s systemic and long-term effects on MS patients, which is of potential concern. Therefore, Dr. remains "very cautious" about recommending marijuana to his patients, "especially when other agents are available on the market that can effectively control spasticity, such as baclofen and tizanidine," he said. (Note: There is also little data on long-term effects of these drugs and they, too, have side effects.) The National Multiple Sclerosis Society takes a similar stance -- it does not recommend medical marijuana, citing "insufficient evidence of a clear benefit compared with existing therapies and issues of side effects, systemic effects and long-term effects."

Dr. believes that there may come a day when new marijuana agents will be manufactured that offer the anti-spasticity effects without the side effects. Until then, he recommends staying with FDA-approved drugs for MS-related spasticity.

Source(s): Moses , MD, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, professor of immunology and neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

[Guest guest]

I didn't read the whole article - not yet, anyway. I couldn't get past the opening question! Let me paraphrase it the way my mind heard it."Does Marijuana really help or do the users just feel better?"Um, ... wouldn't that be really helping?! I mean, isn't that the point to any pain killer Big Pharm sells? Or hypnosis? Or accupuncture? Or massage or biofeedback or exercise or diet or ....I think you get where I might be going with this.Besides. I think the author may have very carefully chosen the phrase "mind less". Mindless, right?! Hm. Seems slanted against a very natural and useful plant. I think I will never (EVER) understand the fear campaign against poor .EVERYTHING is in the mind of the individual. Health included. It is where our perceived reality begins.Ev"A hundred million miracles are happening every day!"

Marijuana for MS -- Does it Help or Do Users Just Mind Less?,_._,___

[Guest guest]



Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic. I think it should be legalized. It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an appetite.

I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to the toxic medications that are prescribed.

Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces. It's ridiculous to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at least alleviate pollution.

The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry. If you read up on it you will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since. These families had extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.

Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.

Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if I were sick

[Guest guest]

I live in the middle of the controversy, here in Eureka CA Humboldt

County. I go to College of the Redwoods. I see people stone out of

their minds in class, driving school buses, working jobs, teaching our

kids.

Do I think it should be legalized? Most definitely.

The recreational use will skyrocket for a very short time. Then it

will tank as the cigarette companies get their product out (they're

already tooled up and have plants ready to start manufacturing).

And our local economy will take a turn for the worse, that we may

never recover from. If it can't be grown illegally, then the income

our locals depend on will be taken away. Jobs will be lost, housing

markets will crash, tourism will tank.

Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing for

any reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.

No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will be

needed for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.

All these people that I see every day that push for legalization of

pot using medical needs as a smokescreen really are just looking for a

way to get high and not pay the price. I tell them to at least be

honest about their drug addictions.

Okay, off my soap box now.

Peace, love, laughter

We have an obligation to understand the ramifications of the things we

do, and to choose to do them -- or not -- with our eyes open.

Discuss  natural alternate health options at:

health/

and finally start feeling good about yourself

Follow our Political Science project called, " Homeless Not Helpless in

Humboldt " at:

homelessnothopelessinhumboldt/

Look for me at FaceBook:

http://www.facebook.com

Ybarra

and say " hi "

Enter " The Mind of Guido " at:

http://themindofguido.blogspot.com/

and leave a comment

On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 7:07 AM, SV <shavig@...> wrote:

>

> Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic.  I think it should be

legalized.  It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an

appetite.

>

> I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to

the toxic medications that are prescribed.

>

> Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana

possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces.  It's ridiculous

to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at

least alleviate pollution.

>

> The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the

Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry.  If you read up on it you

will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through

the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since.  These families had

extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.

>

> Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.

>

> Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and

transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if

I were sick

[Guest guest]

Actually it was Anhauser Busch that put out the movie Reefer madness that made the public so fearful of it.

I'm sure Rockefeller with his patent medicine, made of crude oil [the mind-set from which we get allopathic medicine- the sickness industry], and Firestone who liked the Status Quo, who were the biggest lobbiest for making it illegal.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

 Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic. I think it should be legalized. It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an appetite.

I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to the toxic medications that are prescribed.

Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces. It's ridiculous to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at least alleviate pollution.

The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry. If you read up on it you will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since. These families had extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.

Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.

Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if I were sick

[Guest guest]

Quote] Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing forAny reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will beNeeded for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.[/quote

It is this reason also I am against it, i.e. Willow bark is a lovely relief for headaches, Aspirin is not, it is a harsh, cruel chemical. [i'm allergic to it and it's not benevolent, and it isn't 'good' for anyone even if they don't have a reaction]

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

I live in the middle of the controversy, here in Eureka CA HumboldtCounty. I go to College of the Redwoods. I see people stone out oftheir minds in class, driving school buses, working jobs, teaching ourkids.Do I think it should be legalized? Most definitely.The recreational use will skyrocket for a very short time. Then itwill tank as the cigarette companies get their product out (they'realready tooled up and have plants ready to start manufacturing).And our local economy will take a turn for the worse, that we maynever recover from. If it can't be grown illegally, then the incomeour locals depend on will be taken away. Jobs will be lost, housingmarkets will crash, tourism will tank.Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing forany reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will beneeded for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.All these people that I see every day that push for legalization ofpot using medical needs as a smokescreen really are just looking for away to get high and not pay the price. I tell them to at least behonest about their drug addictions.Okay, off my soap box now.Peace, love, laughterWe have an obligation to understand the ramifications of the things wedo, and to choose to do them -- or not -- with our eyes open.Discuss natural alternate health options at:health/and finally start feeling good about yourselfFollow our Political Science project called, "Homeless Not Helpless inHumboldt" at:homelessnothopelessinhumboldt/Look for me at FaceBook:http://www.facebook.com Ybarraand say "hi"Enter "The Mind of Guido" at:http://themindofguido.blogspot.com/and leave a commentOn Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 7:07 AM, SV <shavigverizon (DOT) net> wrote:>> Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic. I think it should be legalized. It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an appetite.>> I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to the toxic medications that are prescribed.>> Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces. It's ridiculous to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at least alleviate pollution.>> The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry. If you read up on it you will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since. These families had extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.>> Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.>> Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if I were sick

[Guest guest]

LOL, Shari!

Coincidence???<G>

Sharyn

From: health [mailto:health ] On Behalf Of SV

Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic.

[Guest guest]

Gotta love good conversation..

I will say this.. I've seen the good and the bad... the worse is no worse than a drunk and alcohol is legal.. I don't anyone should be able to drive when using it for at least 24 hours after useage. I've seen it take away pain when nothing else would. I've seen people really messed up on it (funny but really messed up)

BUT like anything else.. all in moderation.. ephedra was banned because of what it did.. it wasn't the ephedra.. it was the people using it.

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

From: Suzanne <suziesgoats@...>health Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 8:17:15 AMSubject: Marijuana for MS --

Marijuana for MS -- Does it Help or Do Users Just Mind Less?

Does marijuana reduce the debilitating physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ... or does it just help patients care a little less about them? If you or a loved one suffers from MS, this could be a very important question.

It’s widely accepted that marijuana has some therapeutic value for MS-related symptoms, including for painful muscle spasticity. In fact, clinical studies have demonstrated that when two of marijuana’s active ingredients, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are isolated and then combined into a drug, they can reduce muscle spasticity with only minor psychotropic effects. Sativex, a pharmaceutical formulation of marijuana that is approved for neuropathic pain in MS patients in Canada but not in the US, contains both ingredients.

Yet for many, the intoxicating effects of marijuana’s ingredients are troubling.

With the hope of making a case for FDA approval here, researchers at the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation in Los Angeles selected six recent randomized controlled trials involving a total of 481 patients with MS who took oral preparations of combination THC and CBD extracts. The findings are interesting -- according to the admittedly subjective reports of the patients, the extracts relieved spasticity... but when several objective measures of spasticity (including a mobility index and patients’ "walk time") were examined, no significant improvements were evident. And, though the combination dose was thought to keep people from getting high, patients in each of the six trials experienced adverse effects in the form of intoxication and sedation. The study was published last December in the online journal BMC Neurology.

Good Stuff or Not?

So -- is marijuana helpful for MS patients? The answer, according to Moses , MD, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and a nationally recognized MS expert, is yes and no. Dr. told me that although many MS patients (including some of his own) report that marijuana is effective in alleviating spasticity, he said that there are no standards regulating how it should be used and "the data proving its efficacy is weak and its side effects are worrisome."

One challenge, he explained, is that scientists still don’t understand why marijuana helps. "We know that it works on receptors in the brain, but marijuana does not have a direct effect on the muscles, so it is difficult to break away the drug’s general well-being effects from its anti-spasticity effects," he said. He also pointed out that little is known about marijuana’s systemic and long-term effects on MS patients, which is of potential concern. Therefore, Dr. remains "very cautious" about recommending marijuana to his patients, "especially when other agents are available on the market that can effectively control spasticity, such as baclofen and tizanidine," he said. (Note: There is also little data on long-term effects of these drugs and they, too, have side effects.) The National Multiple Sclerosis Society takes a similar stance -- it does not recommend

medical marijuana, citing "insufficient evidence of a clear benefit compared with existing therapies and issues of side effects, systemic effects and long-term effects."

Dr. believes that there may come a day when new marijuana agents will be manufactured that offer the anti-spasticity effects without the side effects. Until then, he recommends staying with FDA-approved drugs for MS-related spasticity.

Source(s): Moses , MD, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, professor of immunology and neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

[Guest guest]

I haven't followed this whole thread. (mostly because I'm getting emails

either late or not at all, I love ) I do see where you're coming from

though . I'm speaking from the point of view of a person who has a

" physical " addiction to narcotic pain medication. I take as little as I can

but I need something to help with the constant awful pain that I have. I

have personally tried smoking marijuana instead of taking the narcotics. It

worked just about as well as all those pills did, and the studies find that

it doesn't damage the kidneys and liver as badly as the narcotics do. I

just couldn't stand the burning in my throat from smoking it along with that

awful taste and smell, (not to mention the illegal part) so I stopped. I

know so little about it since I never smoked it when I was growing up. I

never did any drugs until I got hurt and had to take these meds for my back.

It would be nice if it came in a pill or something that you couldn't taste

or smell that would work just as well as smoking it. But like you

say.......once the big business folk get their hands on it then it may never

be the same. Too much of something would be added and too much of something

else taken away.

I really haven't given much thought to the financial part of it. As I said

I'm just speaking from the point of someone for whom it did actually work.

It's such a shame but I think you might be right about what would happen if

it became legalized in this country. (the US I mean)

Lynn

--------------------------------------------------

From: " Ybarra " <deuteronomy2929@...>

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 10:20 AM

<health >

Subject: Re: Marijuana for MS --

.. I see people stone out of

> their minds in class, driving school buses, working jobs, teaching our

> kids.

> Do I think it should be legalized? Most definitely.

>

> The recreational use will skyrocket for a very short time. Then it

> will tank as the cigarette companies get their product out

> And our local economy will take a turn for the worse, that we may

> never recover from.

> Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing for

> any reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.

> All these people that I see every day that push for legalization of

> pot using medical needs as a smokescreen really are just looking for a

> way to get high

at least be

> honest about their drug addictions.

[Guest guest]

I can't imagine that long term narcotic use to be any different except that they will kill you faster. Since I have been taking these narcs I have lost so much of my ability to concentrate. Some food is mind altering. I believe one of them is (my favorite) chocolate in it's pure form. So far the only difference that I can find between the narcotics and marijuana is that marijuana does not harm the kidneys and liver anywhere near as fast as the narcotics will. I wish I didn't need to take anything at all.

But even if I didn't need to, I'd still eat chocolate.

Lynn

From: webriter

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 9:36 AM

health

Subject: Re: Marijuana for MS --

I think I'm opposed to it just because it is a mind-altering drug, I had a misspent youth doing it, but noticed it made my brain like magazine paper, incapable of absorbing anything. Do we really need to get stupider? I feel bad for people with debilitating diseases, but Marijuana can't be the best solution.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Marijuana for MS --

Marijuana for MS -- Does it Help or Do Users Just Mind Less?

Does marijuana reduce the debilitating physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ... or does it just help patients care a little less about them? If you or a loved one suffers from MS, this could be a very important question.

It’s widely accepted that marijuana has some therapeutic value for MS-related symptoms, including for painful muscle spasticity. In fact, clinical studies have demonstrated that when two of marijuana’s active ingredients, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are isolated and then combined into a drug, they can reduce muscle spasticity with only minor psychotropic effects. Sativex, a pharmaceutical formulation of marijuana that is approved for neuropathic pain in MS patients in Canada but not in the US, contains both ingredients.

Yet for many, the intoxicating effects of marijuana’s ingredients are troubling.

With the hope of making a case for FDA approval here, researchers at the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation in Los Angeles selected six recent randomized controlled trials involving a total of 481 patients with MS who took oral preparations of combination THC and CBD extracts. The findings are interesting -- according to the admittedly subjective reports of the patients, the extracts relieved spasticity... but when several objective measures of spasticity (including a mobility index and patients’ "walk time") were examined, no significant improvements were evident. And, though the combination dose was thought to keep people from getting high, patients in each of the six trials experienced adverse effects in the form of intoxication and sedation. The study was published last December in the online journal BMC Neurology.

Good Stuff or Not?

So -- is marijuana helpful for MS patients? The answer, according to Moses , MD, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and a nationally recognized MS expert, is yes and no. Dr. told me that although many MS patients (including some of his own) report that marijuana is effective in alleviating spasticity, he said that there are no standards regulating how it should be used and "the data proving its efficacy is weak and its side effects are worrisome."

One challenge, he explained, is that scientists still don’t understand why marijuana helps. "We know that it works on receptors in the brain, but marijuana does not have a direct effect on the muscles, so it is difficult to break away the drug’s general well-being effects from its anti-spasticity effects," he said. He also pointed out that little is known about marijuana’s systemic and long-term effects on MS patients, which is of potential concern. Therefore, Dr. remains "very cautious" about recommending marijuana to his patients, "especially when other agents are available on the market that can effectively control spasticity, such as baclofen and tizanidine," he said. (Note: There is also little data on long-term effects of these drugs and they, too, have side effects.) The National Multiple Sclerosis Society takes a similar stance -- it does not recommend medical marijuana, citing "insufficient evidence of a clear benefit compared with existing therapies and issues of side effects, systemic effects and long-term effects."

Dr. believes that there may come a day when new marijuana agents will be manufactured that offer the anti-spasticity effects without the side effects. Until then, he recommends staying with FDA-approved drugs for MS-related spasticity.

Source(s): Moses , MD, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, professor of immunology and neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

[Guest guest]

Okay, this is too cute. Please remember that I am one who "never" used drugs in my youth and never took anything really before I had my injury and surgery. So I didn't grow up with all the slang or jargin (sp) I never thought to call it " Wanna". I love it!!! Boy, you know life has to be boring when something like this really impresses a person. OR.......it could be all that narcotic effect on my brain over the years. Either way I though it was cute. I imagine there is much more out there like this that I'm unaware of.

Lynn

From: evelyn bailey

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 9:37 AM

Subject: RE: Marijuana for MS --

I think I will never (EVER) understand the fear campaign against poor .EVERYTHING is in the mind of the individual. Health included. It is where our perceived reality begins.

[Guest guest]

I wish you didn't too, I'm so sorry for your pain. Lynn, I'm praying for you. I, myself live off endorphins.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Marijuana for MS --

Marijuana for MS -- Does it Help or Do Users Just Mind Less?

Does marijuana reduce the debilitating physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) ... or does it just help patients care a little less about them? If you or a loved one suffers from MS, this could be a very important question.

It’s widely accepted that marijuana has some therapeutic value for MS-related symptoms, including for painful muscle spasticity. In fact, clinical studies have demonstrated that when two of marijuana’s active ingredients, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are isolated and then combined into a drug, they can reduce muscle spasticity with only minor psychotropic effects. Sativex, a pharmaceutical formulation of marijuana that is approved for neuropathic pain in MS patients in Canada but not in the US, contains both ingredients.

Yet for many, the intoxicating effects of marijuana’s ingredients are troubling.

With the hope of making a case for FDA approval here, researchers at the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation in Los Angeles selected six recent randomized controlled trials involving a total of 481 patients with MS who took oral preparations of combination THC and CBD extracts. The findings are interesting -- according to the admittedly subjective reports of the patients, the extracts relieved spasticity... but when several objective measures of spasticity (including a mobility index and patients’ "walk time") were examined, no significant improvements were evident. And, though the combination dose was thought to keep people from getting high, patients in each of the six trials experienced adverse effects in the form of intoxication and sedation. The study was published last December in the online journal BMC Neurology.

Good Stuff or Not?

So -- is marijuana helpful for MS patients? The answer, according to Moses , MD, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, and a nationally recognized MS expert, is yes and no. Dr. told me that although many MS patients (including some of his own) report that marijuana is effective in alleviating spasticity, he said that there are no standards regulating how it should be used and "the data proving its efficacy is weak and its side effects are worrisome."

One challenge, he explained, is that scientists still don’t understand why marijuana helps. "We know that it works on receptors in the brain, but marijuana does not have a direct effect on the muscles, so it is difficult to break away the drug’s general well-being effects from its anti-spasticity effects," he said. He also pointed out that little is known about marijuana’s systemic and long-term effects on MS patients, which is of potential concern. Therefore, Dr. remains "very cautious" about recommending marijuana to his patients, "especially when other agents are available on the market that can effectively control spasticity, such as baclofen and tizanidine," he said. (Note: There is also little data on long-term effects of these drugs and they, too, have side effects.) The National Multiple Sclerosis Society takes a similar stance -- it does not recommend medical marijuana, citing "insufficient evidence of a clear benefit compared with existing therapies and issues of side effects, systemic effects and long-term effects."

Dr. believes that there may come a day when new marijuana agents will be manufactured that offer the anti-spasticity effects without the side effects. Until then, he recommends staying with FDA-approved drugs for MS-related spasticity.

Source(s): Moses , MD, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, professor of immunology and neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

[Guest guest]

I take an aspirin everyday to help thin my blood for the prevention of a lot of the cardiac stuff. I'm sure you know the deal. What else would be good to do the same thing for me?

Lynn

From: webriter

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 10:33 AM

health

Subject: Re: Marijuana for MS --

Quote] Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing forAny reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will beNeeded for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.[/quote

It is this reason also I am against it, i.e. Willow bark is a lovely relief for headaches, Aspirin is not, it is a harsh, cruel chemical. [i'm allergic to it and it's not benevolent, and it isn't 'good' for anyone even if they don't have a reaction]

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

I live in the middle of the controversy, here in Eureka CA HumboldtCounty. I go to College of the Redwoods. I see people stone out oftheir minds in class, driving school buses, working jobs, teaching ourkids.Do I think it should be legalized? Most definitely.The recreational use will skyrocket for a very short time. Then itwill tank as the cigarette companies get their product out (they'realready tooled up and have plants ready to start manufacturing).And our local economy will take a turn for the worse, that we maynever recover from. If it can't be grown illegally, then the incomeour locals depend on will be taken away. Jobs will be lost, housingmarkets will crash, tourism will tank.Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing forany reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will beneeded for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.All these people that I see every day that push for legalization ofpot using medical needs as a smokescreen really are just looking for away to get high and not pay the price. I tell them to at least behonest about their drug addictions.Okay, off my soap box now.Peace, love, laughterWe have an obligation to understand the ramifications of the things wedo, and to choose to do them -- or not -- with our eyes open.Discuss natural alternate health options at:health/and finally start feeling good about yourselfFollow our Political Science project called, "Homeless Not Helpless inHumboldt" at:homelessnothopelessinhumboldt/Look for me at FaceBook:http://www.facebook.com Ybarraand say "hi"Enter "The Mind of Guido" at:http://themindofguido.blogspot.com/and leave a commentOn Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 7:07 AM, SV <shavigverizon (DOT) net> wrote:>> Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic. I think it should be legalized. It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an appetite.>> I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to the toxic medications that are prescribed.>> Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces. It's ridiculous to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at least alleviate pollution.>> The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry. If you read up on it you will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since. These families had extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.>> Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.>> Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if I were sick

[Guest guest]

Okay, like I said before, stupid here doesn't get it. Can you explain that joke to me?

Lynn

From: Sharyn E. Cerniglia

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 10:47 AM

health

Subject: RE: Marijuana for MS --

LOL, Shari! Coincidence???<G>

Sharyn

From: health [mailto:health ] On Behalf Of SV

Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic.

[Guest guest]

There's always brownies!<VBG>

Sharyn

-----Original Message-----

From: health

[mailto:health ] On Behalf Of Pearlmoon

It would be nice if it came in a pill or something that you couldn't taste

or smell that would work just as well as smoking it.

[Guest guest]

This is on coumadin, but it may help you in you r quest.. I've had this in my info files.

Natural Supplements, vitamins, herbs and CoumadinCertain supplements have blood thinning potential and should be used with caution by those who are on blood thinning medication such as Coumadin. These natural supplements include, in alphabetical order:Chamomile is a mild relaxation agent and has very mild blood thinning activity. CoQ10 supplement has been associated with an increased risk of bleeding with the use of Coumadin medication.Cranberry juice, sauce or cranberry supplements thin the blood and increase INR levels in patients who are taking Coumadin medication.Dong quai is a Chinese herbal supplement which has natural coumarin derivatives. See Dong Quai for more information. Dong quai increases the effect of Coumadin, increasing the risk of bleeding; therefore, co-administration of dong quai and Coumadin is contraindicated.EGCG, the extract from green tea, may prevent platelet aggregation as potently as aspirin. Fish oils thin the blood and their risk in combination with Coumadin depends on the dose of the fish oils and the dose of Coumadin. Krill oil also also

has long-chained omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA and should be used with caution. Cayenne supplement may increase the risk of bleeding with the use of Coumadin medication.Garlic is a mild blood thinner.Ginger may increase bleeding risk in those who are taking Coumadin pillsGinkgo biloba is an herb used for mental alertness that has some blood thinning potential. Indole3Carbinol is a potent anti-thrombotic agent with anti-platelet activity. Nattokinase is a potent blood thinner compared to other natural herbs and supplements. Always consult

with your doctor before taking Nattokinase, particularly if you are taking Coumadin.Onion has mild blood thinning potentialSt-s-Wort may increase the risk for bleeding when used together with Coumadin medication.White willow bark supplement.

Suzi

From: Pearlmoon <pearlmoon@...>health Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 2:07:10 PMSubject: Re: Marijuana for MS --

I take an aspirin everyday to help thin my blood for the prevention of a lot of the cardiac stuff. I'm sure you know the deal. What else would be good to do the same thing for me?

[Guest guest]

420 has long been a euphemism for

marijuana…

Sharyn

From: health [mailto:health ] On Behalf Of Pearlmoon

Okay, like I said before, stupid here doesn't get

it. Can you explain that joke to me?

From: health

[mailto:health ]

On Behalf Of SV

Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic.

[Guest guest]

I do know celery seed [which is not celery seeds, btw] the herb will help lower blood pressure, does it help thin blood too? I use them instead of pepper.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

I take an aspirin everyday to help thin my blood for the prevention of a lot of the cardiac stuff. I'm sure you know the deal. What else would be good to do the same thing for me?

[Guest guest]

I don't know, but God made the herbs for our healing, Maybe going right back to willow bark tea.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

I live in the middle of the controversy, here in Eureka CA HumboldtCounty. I go to College of the Redwoods. I see people stone out oftheir minds in class, driving school buses, working jobs, teaching ourkids.Do I think it should be legalized? Most definitely.The recreational use will skyrocket for a very short time. Then itwill tank as the cigarette companies get their product out (they'realready tooled up and have plants ready to start manufacturing).And our local economy will take a turn for the worse, that we maynever recover from. If it can't be grown illegally, then the incomeour locals depend on will be taken away. Jobs will be lost, housingmarkets will crash, tourism will tank.Quality will drop, chemicals will be added, and private growing forany reason will be curtailed and made illegal, just like with tobacco.No longer will a small personal plot be allowed. Prescriptions will beneeded for medical use, and guidelines finally set for medical uses.All these people that I see every day that push for legalization ofpot using medical needs as a smokescreen really are just looking for away to get high and not pay the price. I tell them to at least behonest about their drug addictions.Okay, off my soap box now.Peace, love, laughterWe have an obligation to understand the ramifications of the things wedo, and to choose to do them -- or not -- with our eyes open.Discuss natural alternate health options at:health/and finally start feeling good about yourselfFollow our Political Science project called, "Homeless Not Helpless inHumboldt" at:homelessnothopelessinhumboldt/Look for me at FaceBook:http://www.facebook.com Ybarraand say "hi"Enter "The Mind of Guido" at:http://themindofguido.blogspot.com/and leave a commentOn Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 7:07 AM, SV <shavigverizon (DOT) net> wrote:>> Well, today is 4/20 and marijuana is the topic. I think it should be legalized. It helps glaucoma patients as well as giving cancer patients an appetite.>> I don't know about ms folks, but it should be available as an alternative to the toxic medications that are prescribed.>> Our jails are filled to brimming with people who were arrested for marijuana possession and I'm not talking about tons, I'm talking ounces. It's ridiculous to use our resources for a plant that could save lives and stop pollution or at least alleviate pollution.>> The ONLY reason it was made illegal was that the Rockefellers and the the Firestones felt it was a threat to the oil industry. If you read up on it you will discover that in the 1920's when it was made illegal the bill went through the channels the fastest of any bill ever, before or since. These families had extraordinary power and money and influence in the government.>> Okay, I've got to get to work and climb down off my soapbox.>> Shari - a product of the '60s who smoked, toked, ate, sold, imported and transported the green stuff - BUT hasn't touched a bud in 23 years but would if I were sick

[Guest guest]

Celery seed is not well-known in Western herbal medicine, although it has been used medicinally for thousands of years in other parts of the world. During ancient times, Ayurvedic medicine used celery seed to treat colds, flu, water retention, poor digestion, various types of arthritis, and certain diseases of the liver and spleen.

Today, celery seed is used primarily as a diuretic (increasing urine output to help the body get rid of excess water). Celery seed is also suggested for treating arthritis and gout, and to help reduce muscle spasms, calm the nerves, and reduce inflammation. However, there are no scientific studies in humans that show whether celery seed is effective for these conditions or any others. Studies do show that celery seeds act as a mosquito repellent.

A few animal studies suggest that celery seed extracts may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as protect the liver from damaging substances such as the pain reliever acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Preliminary animal studies also show that celery seed may help prevent the formation of cancerous tumors in mice. In humans, researchers have found that people who eat a diet rich in lutein (from celery, spinach, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges, carrots, and greens) were significantly less likely to develop colorectal cancer. However, celery was just one part of their diet, and no one knows whether the effect is due to celery, another food, or some combination of foods.

Plant Description:

The celery plant is slender and stands about 2 - 3 feet tall. It has 3 - 5 segmented leaves and flowers with small white petals. Celery seeds, which are found in the flowers, are very small, tan to dark brown, and have a strong, pleasant smell.

What's It Made Of?:

Celery seeds contain several substances including volatile oils, flavonoids (plant pigments with antioxidant effects that may protect cells from damage), coumarins (chemical compounds that help thin the blood), and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid).

Available Forms:

Fresh or dried seeds Tablets Capsules filled with celery seed oil Celery seed extract

How to Take It:

Pediatric

There are no known scientific reports on the use of celery seed in children, so it is not recommended for children under 18.

Adult

Celery seed oil capsules or tablets: 1 - 2 capsules or tablets 3 times a day, as directed by your health care provider.

Celery seed extract: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp 3 times a day, or as directed by your health care provider. (Always take with plenty of juice or with water at mealtime, unless instructed otherwise.)

Whole celery seeds: Prepare a tea by pouring one cup boiling water over one teaspoon (1 - 3 g) of freshly crushed seeds. Steep for 10 - 20 minutes before straining and drinking. Drink 3 times a day.

Precautions:

The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, you should take herbs with care, under the supervision of a health care provider.

Pregnant women should not use celery seed because it may lead to uterine bleeding and muscle contractions in the uterus, which could cause miscarriage.

People with active kidney inflammation should also avoid this herb.

Some people who are allergic to birch pollen may also be allergic to celery seed.

Active compounds in celery stems and seeds can cause the skin to become highly sensitive to the sun's UV rays (called photodermatitis). For this reason, people taking celery seed should use sunscreen or sunblock lotions.

Celery seeds should not be taken from a garden packet, because these seeds have usually been treated with chemicals and should not be taken internally.

Possible Interactions:

It is not known whether celery seed interacts with other herbs and medications. However, people who take the following medications should avoid celery seed:

Diuretics (water pills) -- Celery seed also has diuretic properties and could make the effects of these medications stronger, resulting in dehydration. If you take prescription diuretics, talk to your doctor before taking celery seed.

Anticoagulants (blood-thinning medications) -- Celery contains chemicals that may thin the blood and make the effects of these medications stronger, which could increase the risk of excessive bleeding. Do not take celery seed if you also take prescription anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin).

Suzi

List Owner

health

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.

From: webriter <webriter@...>health Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 2:28:56 PMSubject: Re: Marijuana for MS --

I do know celery seed [which is not celery seeds, btw] the herb will help lower blood pressure, does it help thin blood too? I use them instead of pepper.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: [HAWK_Health_ Awareness] Marijuana for MS --

I take an aspirin everyday to help thin my blood for the prevention of a lot of the cardiac stuff. I'm sure you know the deal. What else would be good to do the same thing for me?

[Guest guest]

And He didn't "make" marijuana?  What an herb she is, that Jane ...

On 4/20/2010 2:32 PM, webriter wrote:

 

I

don't know, but God made the herbs for our healing,  Maybe going right

back to willow bark tea.

 

 

 

Katy

Brezger

Matt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and

burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php 

heirloom seeds

Christian-homesteaders/           

 

[Guest guest]

I had a friend who not only had MS, he was also diagnosed with cancer.

Couldn't eat because of the chemo, vomited incessantly and was withering

away to nothing because of lack of nourishment. He traveled out of

state, at the suggestion of his oncologist AND family doctor, got a

script for medical marijuana, and as long as he used it 3-4 times daily

he could eat and keep food down. He started gaining weight and looking

good, was able to get out of a wheel chair for the first time in many

months. The local police showed up one day and arrested him for

possession. He spent a week in jail while family tried to get him out

on bail, the court refused to set bail because of the " drug " charge. DA

was overheard remarking that he was going after 25 to life to set an

example for the " druggies " and the doctors. Of course, while you are in

jail the people in charge are not going to let you smoke pot, it doesn't

matter what your health issues or reasons are, or how many doctors come

forward and say that smoking pot for this young man was a matter of life

and death. It only took 2 days of jail food before the vomiting began

again, by day 7 the vomiting was incessant and that evening, on day 7,

he choked to death on his own vomit, in a jail cell, with no one around,

confined to a wheel chair he didn't have the strength to get out of.

There is absolutely no reason, whatsoever, that pot should not be

legalized. None what so ever. Put personal belief and prejudice aside

and think about what legalization would mean to the sick that benefit

greatly from its use. God put pot on this earth to be used, just like

he planted fruits and vegetables.

[Guest guest]

Thank you so very much Suzie. I'm printing this up and am going to try to put it to use. I appreciate it

Lynn

[Guest guest]

I swear to God, I'm really that ignorant about this herb. Would you just

chop it up and add it to the brownie mix and bake as usual?

Lynn

--------------------------------------------------

From: " Sharyn E. Cerniglia " <sharyncern@...>

Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 3:18 PM

<health >

Subject: RE: Marijuana for MS --

> There's always brownies!<VBG>

>

> Sharyn

[Guest guest]

He made toadstools, flies, and snakes too.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/

-- Re: Marijuana for MS --

And He didn't "make" marijuana? What an herb she is, that Jane ...On 4/20/2010 2:32 PM, webriter wrote:

I don't know, but God made the herbs for our healing, Maybe going right back to willow bark tea.

  Katy BrezgerMatt. 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

http://orchardhouseheirlooms.com/index.php heirloom seedsChristian-homesteaders/