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Bulletin .

A newsletter about cannabis and cannabinoids as medicine

2013
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    IACM-Bulletin of December 29, 2013

    🏷️ IACM — Good news for IACM members: Talks of the 2013 Conference and internal IACM Mailing Lists

    Many of the talks of the 2013 Conference in Cologne will be made available to current or new IACM members, who have paid their membership fee for 2014, on our website in mid-January. The September 2013 Conference was extremely successful, among others due to the excellent talks and presentations. If you missed them you will be able to see them soon. If you attended the meeting you will be able to see them again and have a closer look at the slides.

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    IACM-Bulletin of December 15, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis does not cause schizophrenia, a study of Harvard University finds

    A new study from Harvard University may help dismiss concerns about the link between cannabis use and schizophrenia. While many still debate the potential for cannabis to cause schizophrenia, researchers at Harvard Medical School say there has “yet to be conclusive evidence that cannabis use may cause psychosis.” Their latest study, published last week in the journal Schizophrenia Research, adds support to the role of genetic factors in schizophrenia, and that cannabis use alone does not increase the risk of developing the disorder.

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    IACM-Bulletin of December 1, 2013

    🌐 Czech Republic — Most patients do not have the financial means to buy cannabis from the pharmacies

    The Czech Republic legalized the medical use of cannabis this year becoming effective on 1 April, but maintained strict restrictions on growing, selling and importing it. For most patients the solution is still growing the plant themselves. Some 20,000 patients who are estimated to be eligible for cannabis treatment have no chance to get it legally - although so far police have largely ignored renegade growers who technically would face prison. Patients and medical experts blame interference by the Health Ministry, which has long fiercely opposed legalizing the medical use of cannabis. "There's a very consistent effort from the Ministry of Health not to make the law really enforced," said Dr Tomas Zabransky, a U.N. and EU adviser on drug issues.

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 17, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease use cannabis to treat their symptoms

    Many patients with inflammatory bowel syndrome find cannabis very helpful for symptom control, including patients with ulcerative colitis, a survey conducted by scientists of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, USA, revealed. A total of 292 patients completed a survey, of whom 12.3% were active cannabis users, 39.0% were past users, and 48.6% were never users.

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    IACM-Bulletin of November 3, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Cells — Basic research shows that non-psychotropic cannabinoids such as cannabidiol are effective anti-cancer drugs in leukaemia

    New research has shown that the non-psychotropic cannabinoids of cannabis could act as effective anti-cancer agents. The anti-cancer properties of THC, the primary psychotropic component of cannabis, have been recognised for many years. The study was carried out by a team at St George’s, University of London with leukaemia cells. The team, led by Dr Wai Liu and colleagues carried out laboratory investigations using a number of cannabinoids, either alone or in combination with each other. Of the cannabinoids studied, each demonstrated anti-cancer properties as effective as those seen in THC. Importantly, they had an increased effect on cancer cells when combined with each other.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 20, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Many people suffering from hyperactivity (ADHD) self-medicate with cannabis

    A sub-group of people suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) self-medicate with cannabis. This is the result of a study conducted at the Department of Psychology of the University at Albany in New York, USA, which examined data of 2811 ADHD patients collected in 2012 from a national U.S. survey of cannabis users.

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    IACM-Bulletin of October 6, 2013

    🏷️ IACM — General Meeting elected Daniela Parolaro as new chairwoman

    The General Meeting on 27 September the IACM elected Daniela Parolaro, a professor at the University of Insubria, Italy, as the new chairwoman. Mark Ware from Canada was elected as second chairman and Franjo Grotenhermen from Germany was re-elected as Executive Director. The following Board Members left the board after many years in office: Manuel Guzman (Spain), Ethan Russo (USA), and Rudolf Brenneisen (Switzerland). New members of the board are Donald Abrams (USA), Jahan Marcu (USA), and Ilya Reznik (Israel). In addition, the following members were re-elected: Arno Hazekamp (The Netherlands), Roger Pertwee (UK), Willy Notcutt (UK), and Kirsten Müller-Vahl (Germany). The patient representatives Michael Krawitz (USA), Alison Myrden (Canada), and Sarah Martin (UK) were re-elected.

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 22, 2013

    🌐 USA — The Supreme Court of Washington says that people before the courts can argue they need cannabis for medical reasons

    People busted for cannabis can argue they needed it for medical reasons, even if they failed to follow the requirements of the state’s medical cannabis law, the Washington Supreme Court said on 19 September. In a 5-4 opinion hailed by advocates of patients who use cannabis, the justices said voters did not get rid of the “medical necessity defense” when they passed the medical marijuana law in 1998.

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    IACM-Bulletin of September 8, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis improves cancer symptoms and reduces side effects of anti-cancer medications in an open clinical study

    In an open clinical study with cancer patients all symptoms improved significantly. Researches of the Division of Oncology of the Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, and the Faculty of Medicine in Haifa, Israel, followed patients with a medicinal cannabis license to evaluate the advantages and side effects of using cannabis by cancer patients. The study included two interviews based on questionnaires regarding symptoms and side effects, the first held on the day the license was issued and the second 6-8 weeks later.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 25, 2013

    🌐 USA — Sanjay Gupta of CNN says that Americans have been systematically misled about cannabis

    Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, apologized for opposing the medical use of cannabis and stated "I did part of that misleading." He apologized for publicly opposing cannabis legalization, saying there was "no scientific basis" to claim cannabis had no medical benefits. "We have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that," he wrote in a post on 8 August on CNN.com. He noted the high rates of prescription drug deaths, and said, "I couldn’t find one documented case of someone dying of a marijuana overdose." In January 2011, Gupta was named "one of the 10 most influential celebrities" by Forbes magazine.

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    IACM-Bulletin of August 11, 2013

    🌐 USA — Illinois is the 20th state to legalize the medical use of cannabis

    A law allowing cannabis to be used for medical purposes in Illinois was signed on 1 August by Governor Pat Quinn, making it the second most populous state in the country after California to permit medicinal use of the drug. "Over the years, I've been moved by the brave patients and veterans who are fighting terrible illnesses," Quinn said. "They need and deserve pain relief." The law, which takes effect on 1 January, allows patients diagnosed with one of 35 medical conditions such as cancer, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis to use cannabis as recommended by an Illinois licensed physician.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 28, 2013

    🌐 USA — New Hampshire becomes 19th state to legalize the medical use of cannabis

    On 18 July Governor Maggie Hassan signed a law making New Hampshire the 19th state to allow seriously ill residents to use cannabis to treat their illnesses. "Allowing doctors to provide relief to patients through the use of appropriately regulated and dispensed medical marijuana is the compassionate and right policy for the state of New Hampshire, and this legislation ensures that we approach this policy in the right way with measures to prevent abuse," Hassan said in a statement.

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    IACM-Bulletin of July 14, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis may decrease symptom severity of opiate withdrawal during methadone maintenance treatment

    A new study suggests that symptoms of opiate withdrawal decrease in patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment, who use cannabis. The study with 91 patients has been conducted by researches of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA. Patterns of cannabis use prior to and during methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) were examined to assess possible cannabis-related effects on MMT, particularly during methadone stabilization.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 30, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Animal — THC blocks bleeding and inflammation of the stomach caused by painkillers such as diclofenac

    Moderate doses of THC are able to reduce bleeding and inflammation of the stomach caused by NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). This is the result of studies with mice conducted by researchers of the Department of Psychology of West Virginia University in Morgantown, USA. The mice were fasted, administered THC (oral or injected into the belly), and then treated with the NSAID diclofenac, which induces gastric damage.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 16, 2013

    🌐 USA — An increasing number of people use cannabis to treat medical conditions of animals

    The Associated Press published an article on the medical use of cannabis products in dogs and other animals. Leading the charge is Los Angeles veterinarian Doug Kramer. "I grew tired of euthanizing pets when I wasn't doing everything I could to make their lives better," he said. "I felt like I was letting them down." Some other vets contacted said they share Kramer's view on cannabis, but they wouldn't talk on the record for fear of arrest or other problems.

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    IACM-Bulletin of June 2, 2013

    🌐 World — Three-quarters of doctors would give a cannabis prescription to an advanced cancer patient in pain

    Three-quarters of doctors who responded to a survey about medical cannabis said they would approve the use of the drug to help ease pain in an older woman with advanced breast cancer. In a February issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, doctors were presented with a case, as well as arguments both for and against the use of medical cannabis. Doctors were then asked to decide whether or not they would approve such a prescription for this patient. The case presented to the doctors was Marilyn, a 68-year-old woman with breast cancer that had spread to her lungs and spine. She was undergoing chemotherapy, and said she had little appetite and a great deal of pain. She had tried various medications to relieve her pain, including the opioid oxycodone. She lives in a state where the medical use of cannabis is legal, and asks her physician for a prescription.

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 19, 2013

    🌐 Israel — Patients go on hunger strike to protest against restrictions on the medical use of cannabis

    Patients and doctors are organizing a hunger strike opposite the home of Health Minister Yael German on 23 May to protest new restrictions on the use of medical cannabis. The new procedure, implemented immediately, established a list of conditions for which a patient can receive approval for treatment with cannabis. Among others on the list are patients with metastasizing cancer, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, HIV patients with extreme weight loss, multiple sclerosis patients with muscle spasms and terminal patients with a life expectancy of up to half a year. Patients with pain of neural origin will receive authorization for cannabis only after a year of treatment at recognized pain clinic and following the failure of previous treatments.

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    IACM-Bulletin of May 5, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — THC reduces agitation and aggressive behaviour in patients with severe dementia in an open clinical study

    In 40 patients with severe Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia a treatment with oral THC was associated with significant decreases in agitation, as well as improvements in sleep duration and appetite. This is the result of a study at the McLean Hospital Geriatric Neuropsychiatry Inpatient Unit at Harvard Medical School in Belmont, USA. Using a retrospective systematic chart review, 40 patients diagnosed with dementia and treated with oral THC (dronabinol) for behavioural or appetite disturbances were analysed. A group of geriatric psychiatrists consulted medical records to rate the patients' behaviours prior to initiation of THC treatment and following up to seven days of treatment.

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 21, 2013

    🌐 USA — Maryland will become the 19th state to legalize the medical use of cannabis

    The Maryland legislature approved the use of cannabis for medical purposes on 8 April, and Governor Martin O'Malley has said he would sign the measure and make Maryland the next state to legalize the medicinal use of cannabis. The Democratic-controlled state Senate passed the bill by a 42-4 vote. The House of Representatives had approved it last month.

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    IACM-Bulletin of April 7, 2013

    🌐 USA — Maryland’s House of Representatives approves a bill allowing the medical use of cannabis

    Legislation to legalize medical cannabis passed the House of Representatives of Maryland on 25 March, sending the measure to the Senate. The bill would allow cannabis to be distributed through academic research centres by doctors and nurses. Similar measures have failed in previous years, but this year Governor Martin O'Malley dropped his opposition and backed the proposal.

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 24, 2013

    🌐 Germany — Selling of Sativex may be stopped after disagreement on acceptable price

    GW Pharmaceuticals and Almirall may stop selling their cannabis drug Sativex in Germany after health authorities refused to agree a price that the companies view as acceptable. GW - which developed the spray as a treatment for spasticity in multiple sclerosis - said the German authorities had determined a price that was significantly lower than in other European countries. According to an article in the Deutsche Apotheker Zeitung (German Pharmacists Journal) Almirall will get only between 150 and 173.30 Euros reimbursed by the German health insurances in the future. Currently, Sativex costs 598 Euros in German pharmacies

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    IACM-Bulletin of March 10, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — THC may be detectable in blood of regular cannabis users for weeks, in very low concentrations

    THC may be detectable in whole blood in a large number of daily regular cannabis users above a concentration of 1 ng/ml for 12 days and at lower concentrations even up to more than four weeks. This is the result of a study with 30 daily cannabis smokers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore, led by Dr Marylin Huestis, Chief of the Chemistry and Drug Metabolism Section. Participants temporarily lived in a secure research unit for up to 33 days and daily blood samples were taken.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 24, 2013

    🌐 Italy — New national and regional laws facilitate the medical use of cannabis-based medicines

    On 23 January the Federal Ministry of Health issued a decree for the introduction of plant-based medicinal cannabis drugs (substances and herbal preparations, including extracts and tinctures) into the unified law on narcotics (Table II, Section B, law 309/90). So far, cannabis was considered to be devoid of therapeutic properties and only THC was accepted as a medicinal drug.

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    IACM-Bulletin of February 10, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Human — Cannabis use not associated with statistically increased risk of mortality in patients, who have survived a heart attack

    In a clinical study with 17 patients, who suffered from sleep apnoea, which is defined as pauses in breathing during sleep, THC significantly improved this condition, scientists from the Department of Medicine of the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA, wrote in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. Patients included in the study presented with an apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) of at least 15 per hour, which is defined as sleep apnoea of at least moderate intensity. The AHI is an index of sleep apnoea severity. The pauses in breathing must last for at least 10 seconds and are associated with a decrease in blood oxygenation. The starting dose was 2.5 mg THC once daily which was slowly increased until a maximum of 10 mg once daily.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 27, 2013

    🏷️ Science 🌐 Israel — The medicinal use of cannabis may provide dramatic relief for sufferers of chronic illnesses

    A treatment with cannabis can improve appetite, ease chronic pain, and more, say researchers of Tel Aviv University. “Though controversial, medical cannabis has been gaining ground as a valid therapy, offering relief to suffers of diseases such as cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, ALS and more,“ says a report by Tel Aviv University's American Friends reprinted in Science Daily.

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    IACM-Bulletin of January 13, 2013

    🏷️ Science/Animal — It may not be a good idea to combine cannabinoids and cortisol to treat inflammation

    The combined administration of cannabinoids that activate the CB2 receptor together with glucocorticoids such as cortisol is less effective in the reduction of inflammation than each substance alone. This is the result of basic research conducted by researchers of the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Teramo, Italy. However, it is not yet clear how these results translate to a treatment in humans. The cannabis compound THC activates both the CB1 and the CB2 cannabinoid receptor.

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