No evidence for withdrawal symptoms from cannabis based medicinal extracts
February 24th, 2009Posted by Guest
This guest post was written by Jahan Marcu, a cannabis researcher who is a member of ASA’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.
In a press release issued February 24th 2009, GW pharmaceuticals reported that there is no evidence of withdrawal from long term use of Sativex, an oral cannabis spray. The study looked at 36 MS (Multiple Sclerosis) patients who used the medicine for over 3 years. The patients were divided into two groups for this 4 week investigation. One group kept using Sativex and the other switched to placebo (no drug). Of course, without their medicine, patient’s muscle spasms became worse. The link between cannabis for the treatment of spasms has been established for a long time, over 150 years ago. Yet, this is study may provide some unique evidence that cannabis, if allowed to be researched for medical use, can grow into a safe and effective medicine.
Before we can understand the meaning of these findings, we should take a minute to review how Sativex is made. Sativex is an extract of two cannabis varieties. This isn’t a crude extract, but precise and scientific removal of all the essential plant components. Cannabinoids and terpenes are extracted from soil grown plants which produce a specific ratio of the active ingredients. GW has different types of stable cannabis plants available for their work, such as varieties that have been cultivated to produce a certain cannabinoid or ingredient. Of the more than 70 cannabinoids that can be found on the plant, generally the two most common molecules are THC and CBD. Thus, GW basically combines a THC-rich and CBD-rich plant to maximize specific therapeutic actions (decrease muscle spasms) and minimize negative effects (withdrawal symptoms).
Combining different strains or varieties of cannabis to create a medicine with virtually no withdrawal or side effects may seem counter intuitive to some people or it may even sound like a plot for a Pineapple Express sequel. However, the individual compounds found in cannabis varieties, produce different beneficial effects and sometimes even opposite effects. With the help of science these compounds can be measured, plant materials can be mixed, extracted, and delivered with precision.
Furthermore, not only were there no withdrawal symptoms reported but there were little or no negative effects reported that are usually associated with a long term THC treatment. Pure THC and cannabis (or cannabis extracts) have unique properties which separate them from each other.
This surprising detail may be partially due to misconceptions resulting from restrictions on cannabis research in the U.S; most of the public knowledge on the negative effects of cannabis comes from studies looking at the effects of pure THC. For lack of a better analogy, this is like studying the effects of beer by giving research subjects pure alcohol.
When given the opportunity and access to openly investigate cannabis, researchers can readily provide a cannabis medicine with symptom specificity. GW’s ongoing work demonstrates that with proper knowledge and scientific methods, a safe and effective medicine can be made from mixtures of soil grown cannabis plants.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Thanks, for the analysis, Jahan! Now, if only we could remove those barriers to research in the U.S — starting with elimination of the U.S. monopoly on the supply of cannabis available for research!
March 6th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Of course there are no withdrawl effects from pot. It’s been hocus from the git go. Pension seeking federalie demagoges have been lying their asses off to us for decades about all this stuff.
What is this horse shit about THC your article just put up? THC is supposed to be addictive, is it? ANYONE who comes off with such crap is wrong. period. I smoke butane extracted hash oil and there is no hangover, no addiction. NONE.
I also smoke lots of keefer and potent Jack Herer and Trinity that makes me nice and stoned and I can lose the hellish pain of my three broken ribs and broken spine from an asshole driving too fast and text messaging at the same time hitting me and flipping my car end for end three times.
NO, ZERO, addiction to THC. zero. stop kissing the cops asses because you may accidentally inform someone who needs pot that it can addict them.
The only reason this lie gets out is because the feds terrorized on the physician community and got them to wobble on this issue. Well, they haven’t got to little old me. Iowa murdered my eleven year old daughter with a FDA approved drug so don’t expect me to come running to those scumsuckers, either. Get your facts right, I depend on you folks, too.
Go Go Go Carl Olsen! he’s my neighbor and a genius who has been hurt on like I have in his own way.
God Bless Patients Out of Time, too. You ladies rock me soo well!!
March 8th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I am going through withdrawals right now. I have known many who go through withdrawals. One gets short tempered,usually have different sleep/dream patterns that last for about a week. I just happen to love the vivid dreams I get. I have read some research that states these dreams/nightmares is Definite proof of withdrawals. But people go through withdrawals from coffee,which personally for me is harder to go through. I might not go threw bouts of nausea,cramps, or sweat like a pig. But I do experience withdrawals. We need to keep the Truth out there and not try to whitewash the facts.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:06 am
I too am going cold turkey after 10 years of tests to find out why I could not stop vomiting. I have been smoking pot mixed with tobaco for about 25 years and smoked about 80 to 100 cones a day. My wife found an artical on Canabinoid Hypermisis and it is what has wrecked my life. Its six days into my quit campain and I have just stopped soaking the bed with sweat, my dreams are just returning to normal and my stomach is finally settling down. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my dope and argued for years how it was better than any other addiction, but at 41 I learnt the hard way. Moderation people. P.S I was very fit, playing 250 games of Aussie Rules Football, basketball, cricket, softball, Don’t drink or take any-other drugs
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:15 am
I have used cannabis for 30 years now. I use a vaporiser to minimize smoking damage. I do have some symtoms when I stop for awhile, but I would say it’s far easier than withdrawal… one would experience from tobacco or coffee. Actually, I think coffee is worse! Cannabis is very helpful with depression! I am in my 50′s, and cannabis helped me so much with menopause! I didn’t want to take anti-depressants, addicting and I believe very dangerous. My home burned down, I was homeless and in a new strange area, living in the desert camping. Enough to get depressed over for sure! At least if I smoked, I could lighten up a little! No addiction, no hangover, no loss of life value. I am able to stop when I feel the need easily. I do experience intensified dreaming for a week or so…but other than that, it’s pretty mild compared to legal serously addicting drugs like tobbaco! Hopefully the country can move on from this rediculous scare campaign and realize alcohol is expotentially way more dangerous!
April 27th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Dion: That must be an obscure article since Google has never heard of “Canabinoid Hypermisis” and yahoo only points to this page.
Did you make this up Sgt. Stadanko?
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:43 am
I smoked cigerettes 21 years and the constant nausea caused me to quit. The tobacco contains poison along with that powerful nicotene. The sickness, dizziness unability to think eventually goes away I had to request vacation time to deal with it or I am sure my loss of concentration would have caused several more minor accidents or even a major one. Give yourself a big pat on the back for giving it up. And give one drag off a cigerette to a non smoker and watch them turn green break out in a sweat and get drunk and dizzy . My grandfather was an alcoholic and it nearly killed him THE WITHDRAWALS that is they had to tie him in bed they had to fill his belly button with alcohol to keep him from dt death as a child that was a scry time but hey these two drugs ALCOHOL AND NICOTENE are legal and safe been on the market decades and will continue just as hard drugs the war on drugs just creates high profit jobs for the thugs the more laws enforcement the higher the profit margin for the crooks and thugs. In closing I just want to say I beleive addiction is a mental illness depending which level is low in the brain driving the skoker or user to self medicate to bring the ballance in and be happy we al have the right to a sober happy lifestyle in a perfect world some of us need help. I have not smoked in four years and still once or twice a month I want one but will never again use nicotene. I use a vaporiser for cannabis and do not prefer it to edible forms I just do not want to cough and its a bit hard to gauge how much vapor is inhaled it’s trial and error as we all learn.
November 8th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Sorry Ur mom, its spelt Cannabinoid Hyperemesis and Google showed over 29000 related sites. I have totally given up pot and my sickness has gone. I now smoke cigerettes, it proved the hardest to quit but their next. P.S I was sick for 10 years now completely healed.
April 15th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
One more amazing blog post! I shared this blog on Twitter – you must add a “like” button to your posts.