Page 27 - Spring 2019 Journal

MODERN-DAY CANNABIS
Cannabis contains two chemical compo-
nents of medical interest: tetrahydrocannabi- nol (THC)—the plant’s famous psychoactive component—and cannabidiol (CBD), which is considered non-psychoactive. Both compounds are extracted from the plant’s cannabinoid ac- ids through exposure to heat or other forms of “activation” (called decarboxylation).3
The highly fat-soluble cannabinoids in mar- ijuana are stored in the fat (lipid) portion of our cells. While stored in fatty tissue, cannabinoids can continue to affect mental performance, the immune system and other cellular activity after initial exposure. Unlike alcohol, which leaves the bloodstream in four to five hours, the psychoactive components of marijuana can remain in the body for days or weeks, impairing neurological function and reaction times.4 Thus, daily or weekly users never completely detox from the drug and may be at risk for poor judg- ment and slowed reactions leading to automobile accidents long after use.
Today’s marijuana is a far cry from the native weed that 1930s jazz musicians used for relaxation. Cannabis potency has been increas- ing over the past seventy years.5 In the 1960s, cannabis had a THC content in the range of 0.5 to 3 percent. By the 1990s, the THC content had risen to around 6 to 8 percent, and today most
cannabis flowers sold in dispensaries contain 20 percent or more THC.6 In fact, cannabis concentrates such as THC butter or hash oil and “shatter” (oil extractions that use butane as a solvent) can reach a THC content of more than 90 percent.7 High Times magazine even sponsors a breeding competition called the Cannabis Cup (“the world’s leading marijuana trade show”), which has taken the 1960s term “flower power” to a whole new level.8
A writer for stoppot.org describes the ominous implications of today’s highly potent cannabis (nicknamed “skunk”), which has risen in THC potency from 0.5 percent to 95 percent: “Calling skunk ‛medical marijuana’ in itself is a joke. CBD, the potentially beneficial compound has been largely bred out in favor of THC, the psychoactive ingredient. . . . That is not medi- cine. It is a lethal weapon. The result has been psychotic episodes. . . and suicides from coast to coast. . . . It is happening to enough young people that Congress should take note and de- fer to medical science and the FDA as to what constitutes a safe and efficacious medicine.”9
A DRUG, NOT A CURE-ALL
Cannabis has drug-like effects, some of
which may be useful in medicine, but it is not a cure-all, and—like all drugs—it has side effects, including addiction. The U.S. Drug
Today’s marijuana
is a far cry from the native weed that 1930s jazz musicians used for relaxation.
ARTICLE SUMMARY
• Cannabis has drug-like effects, some of which may be useful in medicine, but it is not a cure-all.
• Cannabis potency has been increasing over the past seventy years.
• After tobacco and alcohol, cannabis accounts for more dependence than any other drug or drug group, and cannabis use carries considerable risk of psychiatric illness and other serious outcomes.
• The THC in marijuana increases the release of dopamine from the brain and, over time, can lead to serious neurotransmitter imbalances.
• Our bodies produce natural cannabinoids from animal fats in our diet. When well-regulated, these endocannabinoids are “feel-good chemicals” that ensure production of the proper amount of dopamine and cortisol.
• The research on cannabis outcomes for seizure-afflicted individuals is mixed. Seizure disorders often respond well to a diet very high in fats and low in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
• The evidence for marijuana as a pain reliever is also weak.
• Thus far, cancer studies have reached mixed conclusions. Marijuana users exposed to the drug’s potent THC
component may be more at risk for cancer, while results for CBD are inconclusive.
• Advocates for medical marijuana often uncritically credit all forms of marijuana and all methods of consuming marijuana as having therapeutic benefits, but patients and providers need to carefully consider dosing, potency, purity, potential adverse effects and other factors before entering this new medical frontier.
SPRING 2019
Wise Traditions
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