Re: Marijuana Question
Good points. The unfortunate part is that since it's schedule 1 there have been very few proper studies done in the US. Most have been done by anti-drug groups which obviously are subject to strong confirmation bias. Much of THC's touted benefits are based off of large amounts of anecdotal evidence, and even though the subject pool is huge and the results are somewhat uniform there's no way to control the variables enough to unequivocally say "THC cures/aids in ___".
Considering the number of active constituents of marijuana, it seems likely to me that it could offer potential treatments, particularly for mental illness, provided research continues. Current research on cannabinoids and schizophrenia is showing some interesting results. Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid is showing promise as an antipsychotic with the ability to ameliorate symptoms of schizophrenia, including negative symptoms. This is even more interesting because it's been long held that marijuana induces psychosis in schizophrenics, however, at least some are now questiong that belief. More research is needed because this is an area where psychopharmacologists have a limited armamentarium.
Drug Test Anal. 2013 Jan;5(1):46-51. doi: 10.1002/dta.1425. Epub 2012 Oct 25.
Medical use of cannabis. Cannabidiol: a new light for schizophrenia?Medical use of cannabis. Cannabidiol: a new l... [Drug Test Anal. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI
Deiana S.
Abstract
The medical properties of cannabis have been known for many centuries; its first documented use dates back to 2800 BC when it was described for its hallucinogenic and pain-relieving properties. In the first half of the twentieth century, a number of pharmaceutical companies marked cannabis for indications such as asthma and pain, but since then its use has sharply declined, mainly due to its unpredictable effects, but also for socio-political issues. Recently, great attention has been directed to the medical properties of phytocannabinoids present in the cannabis plant alongside the main constituent ??-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC); these include cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV). Evidence suggests an association between cannabis and schizophrenia: schizophrenics show a higher use of marijuana as compared to the healthy population. Additionally, the use of marijuana can trigger psychotic episodes in schizophrenic patients, and this has been ascribed to THC. Given the need to reduce the side effects of marketed antipsychotics, and their weak efficacy on some schizophrenic symptoms, cannabinoids have been suggested as a possible alternative treatment for schizophrenia. CBD, a non-psychoactive constituent of the Cannabis sativa plant, has been receiving growing attention for its anti-psychotic-like properties.
Evidence suggests that CBD can ameliorate positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Behavioural and neurochemical models suggest that CBD has a pharmacological profile similar to that of atypical anti-psychotic drugs and a clinical trial reported that this cannabinoid is a well-tolerated alternative treatment for schizophrenia.
Curr Pharm Des. 2013 Jun 14.
Cannabinoids and Schizophrenia: Therapeutic Prospects.Cannabinoids and Schizophrenia: Therapeutic P... [Curr Pharm Des. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI
Robson PJ, Guy GW, Di Marzo V.
Abstract
Approximately one third of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not achieve adequate symptom control with standard antipsychotic drugs (APs). Some of these may prove responsive to clozapine, but non-response to APs remains an important clinical problem and cause of increased health care costs. In a significant proportion of patients, schizophrenia is associated with natural and iatrogenic metabolic abnormalities (obesity, dyslipidaemia, impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes mellitus), hyperadrenalism and an exaggerated HPA response to stress, and chronic systemic inflammation. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the brain plays an important role in maintaining normal mental health. ECS modulates emotion, reward processing, sleep regulation, aversive memory extinction and HPA axis regulation. ECS overactivity contributes to visceral fat accumulation, insulin resistance and impaired energy expenditure. The cannabis plant synthesises a large number of pharmacologically active compounds unique to it known as phytocannabinoids. In contrast to the euphoric and pro-psychotic effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), certain non-intoxicating phytocannabinoids have emerged in pre-clinical and clinical models as potential APs. Since the likely mechanism of action does not rely upon dopamine D2 receptor antagonism, synergistic combinations with existing APs are plausible. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) are well established and are summarised below.
Preliminary data reviewed in this paper suggest that CBD in combination with a CB1 receptor neutral antagonist could not only augment the effects of standard APs but also target the metabolic, inflammatory and stress-related components of the schizophrenia phenotype.
Schizophr Res. 2013 Dec 2. pii: S0920-9964(13)00610-5. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.11.014. [Epub ahead of print]
A controlled family study of cannabis users with and without psychosis. A controlled family study of cannabis users wi... [Schizophr Res. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI
Proal AC, Fleming J, Galvez-Buccollini JA, Delisi LE.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cannabis is one of the most highly abused illicit drugs in the world. Several studies suggest a link between adolescent cannabis use and schizophrenia. An understanding of this link would have significant implications for legalization of cannabis and its medicinal value. The present study aims to determine whether familial morbid risk for schizophrenia is the crucial factor that underlies the association of adolescent cannabis use with the development of schizophrenia.
METHODS: Consecutively obtained probands were recruited into four samples: sample 1: 87 non-psychotic controls with no drug use; sample 2: 84 non-psychotic controls with cannabis use; sample 3: 32 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum psychosis with no drug use; sample 4: 76 patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis with cannabis use. All cannabis using subjects used this drug during adolescence, and no other substance, with the exception of alcohol. Structured interviews of probands and family informants were used to obtain diagnostic information about probands and all their known relatives.
RESULTS: There was an increased morbid risk for schizophrenia in relatives of the cannabis using and non-using patient samples compared with their respective non-psychotic control samples (p=.002, p<.001 respectively). There was no significant difference in morbid risk for schizophrenia between relatives of the patients who use or do not use cannabis (p=.43).
CONCLUSIONS:
The results of the current study suggest that having an increased familial morbid risk for schizophrenia may be the underlying basis for schizophrenia in cannabis users and not cannabis use by itself.