MEDICAL PROPERTIES OF MARIJUANA

This weeks topic is the medical properties of marijuana and its constituents.

But before we go into that I'd like to discuss a related topic: the health
benefits of hemp oil.

A recent article in the British medical journal the Lancet reported that
diets high in salmon and/or mackerel and certain other oily fish tend to
reduce the incidence of prostrate cancer. It turns out the oils deemed most
protective are also found in hemp. So if you would like to take advantage
of this research you are not constrained to eat a lot of fish.

You can read more about fish oils here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1362000/1362552.stm

Now on to medical marijuana.

Marijuana may be good for your ailing joints. In a survey of medical
marijuana users in California 14% were using marijuana for joint pains.
Recent work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem has found that the by
studying the non-psychoactive cannabidiols ( CBDs ) in hashish
(concentrated marijuana ) that an acid derived from a CBD with the code
name HU-320 has an activity comparable to the anti-inflammatory
indomethacin without the considerable gastrointestinal side effects of the
commercial drug. The Hebrew University plans to patent the drug.

Another study on mice in France showed that CBDs actually suppressed the
progression of the joint disease. CBDs in this study were found to suppress
the release of tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ). This is important not only
because it affects joint diseases but also because TNF is an important
factor in cancer.

J. Michael Walker professor of neuroscience at Brown University says that
"... cannabinoid compounds apparently reduce swelling from inflammation,
but more than that, they kill the pain from inflammation specifically."

One of the authors of the Hebrew University studies on CBDs, Raphael
Mechoulam says that human studies have shown that marijuana prevents brain
damage from head injuries and may hold promise for multiple sclerosis,
stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, Tourette's syndrome and even Parkinson's
disease.

Mechoulam believes the irrational legal status of marijuana has slowed
medical research on what could be one of the single most valuable medical
plants on the planet.

The Governor of Illinois is not a proponent of medical marijuana. Its time
to change his mind.

He can be contacted at: 217-782-0244 or governor@state.il.us

Or you can go here for the Governor's mailing address, FAX number, etc.

http://sites.netscape.net/ejpagel/freeej

And while you are at it tell the Governor to Free EJ.

My prior columns can be read at http://www.rockrivertimes.com

M. L. Simon is an industrial controls designer and Libertarian activist