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Cannabis, Medicinally Active Plant-Based Medicines

Getting into the science behind medical cannabis.

By Richard HuffmanPublished 7 years ago 11 min read
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I'm thanking cannabis every day of my life; as the quality of my life is improved by the utilization of the best, and safest plant-based medicines ever created by Mother Nature, or God... whatever your heart believes.

So, I've been off the air, sorta, for a few weeks. My lovely wife, Debbie, has been feeling crappy. Possibly her hiatal hernia acting up bad, or gallstones. Still trying to find a specialist that doesn't change his/her mind every other day. At first, she went to the Dr's office thinking hernia. But one doc said it could be gallstones. But then, they sent her a form about putting in the "Bravo" pill in her esophagus to check for GERD. It's not GERD! There's no reflux! Friggin idiots trying to fish more money from the insurance company. They're supposed to be doing an ultrasound for the stones first! Not implant this Bravo pill in her esophagus and then have it removed 30 days later. Ignoramus!

Well, anyhoo, I'm going to be getting into some of the science behind medicinal cannabis.

Cannabinoid history stretches back thousands of years, and there are currently thousands of peer-reviewed studies in scientific publications documenting the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. As I've said before, all vertebrate life on this planet has an endo-cannabinoid system. These cannabinoids help regulate ALL bodily systems! ALL! And cannabinoids react on our bodies by regulating homeostasis, and the mechanisms of the phytocannabinoids impact on us; biologically, have a vast, multidimensional process of healing.

Marinol, (Dronabinol) is bigPharma's answer to cancer treatment. However! ALL Marinol does is help with the pain and nausea associated with chemotherapy and radiation use. Cannabis concentrates actually do those actions, AND you don't have to go through the poisoning of your system with chemo drugs and radiation. All they do is make us lose our hair, and feel sicker, as well as only putting the cancer into 'remission,' which is cancer-speak for, "You'll carry around this cancer; and now you'll also be carrying around the chemo and radiation poisons for the rest of your life!" That's unacceptable! And it's proven that chemotherapy and radiation use NEVER, ever leaves the body. And within 10 to 15 years, the cancers resurface, along with the chemo/rads, and can kill the patient before they realize that they're sick again! Think on this... when you find that 'lump,' and go to the Dr's office, that lump's been there for a while already. And cannabinoids cure cancers.

We go to the Dr's office for help, and health. That's it. Couldn't be simpler, huh? Not! My doc's got it right, though. He waited through my going through oxycontin (prescribed by him, after going through all possible light opiates, like hydrocodone, which contains a lot of Acetominophen/Tylenol) and psych meds like Venlafaxine, Clonopin, and Seroquel from my psychiatrist too. After the blackout, and I had started getting my SSDI checks, I was able to drop the psych. I'd gained 50 pounds, and my personality changed. Then, with the blackout at the wheel in 2013, after 18 months of oxycontin and psych meds, the Dr & Debbie and I discussed changing things. In fact, I was going to his office that day to drop the psych meds, and discuss morphine sulfate together with cannabis. Quetiapine (Seroquel) is a holdover from the psychiatrist. It's used for certain mental/mood disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar mania, or depression. I'm using it because it helps me sleep, and it's awesome as a muscle relaxant for me. And, believe it or not, but it's what I use it for. My pain levels affect my PTSD. Seroquel helps by making my muscles relax, and I get a little woozy from the Seroquel, but not the weed, or morphine! I'm not sure why, but it's helping, and I'm not dependant on it. I'm never going to be dependant on my morphine either, because cannabis is used to attenuate the symptoms of all addictions.

Now: cannabinoids are a diverse group of chemical compounds that seek out and attach to our immune receptors, as well as other, specialized receptors. i.e. CB-1, and the THC receptors. CB-2 receptors are on the immune system. The articles I'm going off here mention the "lock & key" metaphor to describe this process. In fact, I've been using that metaphor myself, and I just found that they use that too. They describe the binding sites as the "locks," and the phytocannabinoids we ingest are the "keys" that attach to our ECS's to 'unlock,' or activate the healing process. In '92, researchers found 'Anandamide' for the first time, finding that it binds to our receptors. Then they identified 2-AG, or, 2-arachidonoglycerol. These top two cannabinoids are the most studied as of late. It's believed that there are 200 plus related substances which resembles the endo-cannabinoids, and they compliment the functioning in our systems in the 'entourage effect.' There's still speculation about a third set of cannabinoid receptors, the GPR55 receptor.

Phytocannabinoids and terpenes are in the resinous trichomes, and their effects and amounts vary by conditions such as the drying and curing process, the plant's gender, grow conditions, and harvesting time. The chemical stability of cannabinoidsis are affected by moisture, temperature, light, and storage, but will degrade over time in any storage conditions. Over 100 cannabinoids have been identified in cannabis, many have well documented medicinal value; putting the Schedule of Narcotics to shame for classifying weed as having no medicinal value, and a high risk of addiction, and abuse. All bullshit.

The ECS is a biochemical control system of neuromodulatory lipids, (molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, and fat-soluble vitamins such as, A, D, E, and K, among others), and the specialized receptors are configured to accept certain cannabinoids. "In general, a given receptor will accept only particular classes of compounds and will be unaffected by other compounds, just as a specific key is needed to open a lock."

I've coined the term of catching a foul ball hit into the stands of a baseball game. Our systems 'catch' certain cannabinoids as they pass by the receptors. Like, say... CBG. Cannabigerol binds to CB-1 receptors AND CB-2's as well, yet it functions as a competitive antagonist for the CB-1's. CBG is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid with the potential to relieve pain, especially neuropathic pain, where tests suggest a higher efficacy than CBD. It can inhibit the uptake of GABA in the brain, which can decrease anxiety and muscle tension with tests on mice showing CBG induces antidepressant effects similar to imipramine, (Tofranil) used to treat major depression. It's also shown to improve a model of inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. And it induces production of the body's natural skin moisturizers, holding promise for dry-skin syndromes with the potential for more skin issues. All that, and Glaucoma too! Cannabigerol has shown to relieve intraocular pressure! Pain, anxiety, inflammation, skin disorders, glaucoma, neuroprotective, antiseptic, and anti-tumoral/cancer. Especially useful for a broad range of cancers, including breast, lung, liver, pancreatic, skin, ovarian, renal, bladder, and colon cancer! ALL that from one single cannabinoid!

Now, one article states, "Cannabis, (the proper name for weed) has been used for millennia as a medicine. As aspirins and opiates rose in popularity, weed use declined, and was officially criminalized in 1937—AGAINST the advice of the AMA, (American Medical Association)!" Against the advice of the AMA!

Now, neurons are long, dangly things that like to keep distance between themselves. Bridging the gap (synapse), chemicals called neurotransmitters deliver messages by travelling from neuron to neuron and attaching onto molecules called the cannabinoid receptors. And guess what? There's a special kind of neurotransmitter called an endo-cannabinoid. Yep, our bodies make their own version of weed! Our bodies release their own internal endocannabinoids in response to pain, inflammation, stress, or issues related to mood, or fear, in an attempt to heal itself. Since phytocannabinoids resemble, look like, or act like our own internally manufactured cannabinoids, they're able to slip by and latch onto the receptors in our brains, and the rest of the ECS. Like catching that foul ball at the baseball game, our ECS grabs the cannabinoids it needs, and uses them where they're needed!

I've added three out of my last 7 videos on YouTube. Generally talking up cannabis, and putting down J. Sessions, Attorney General, and Anti-weed Nazi! My YouTube channel address is [email protected] and I've got 111 vids! A milestone for the legalization movement for medical cannabis!

It's not hard, really, to look at all the scientific research and proof of the efficacy of hemp oil and cannabis use for our health care overall. In my videos, I go in-depth into the facts. I have been tagging the President, and I started tagging NJ Senator Cory Booker, who's trying to pass a bill that would help the legalization.

Quoting the Senator, "Our country's drug laws are badly broken and need to be fixed. They don't make communities any safer, instead they divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impacts low-income communities, and communities of color, and wastes billions in taxpayer dollars each year."

The Senators bill, "The Marijuana Justice Act" would remove the drug from the Controlled Substances Act, making it legal at the federal level, and automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes. It allows the Feds to use federal funds to incentivize states to change their marijuana laws if the drug is not already legal in that state, or if the state's laws unfairly target low-income individuals and people of color. Those currently serving time in Federal prison for use, or possession crimes could petition the courts for resentencing. Drug Policy Alliance associate Queen Adesuyi said in a statement, "...the most ambitious marijuana bill we have seen in Congress."

This pisses off Jeff Sessions, who actually wants to undo all legal cannabis use across the country and hemp-based industry in the 29 states and DC. I'm still pissed off at his ignorant remarks that cannabis users are not good people. He did say, "Good people don't smoke marijuana!" Screw that shit! I'm a good person. I believe this because I've got opiates and legal cannabis. Why do I keep on with my activism? Because I care about other people. J. Sessions actually said that, "I used to think that the KKK was ok until I found out they smoked pot." WTF!? So, I believe that he's a racist, and has no business in government work. Why would he want to undo all the good that's come about from the legalization of cannabis? Answer. He's bought and paid for by either the Cartels, (which he seems to be forgetting about), or the cancer/pharmaceutical/lumber/OPEC, and just any business that may feel threatened by the legalization of cannabis. Hemp has a multi-trillion dollar potential. Just industrial hemp alone! Shampoos, cosmetics, paper, plastic, and the list goes on. I'm not afraid to call Sessions an Anti-weed Nazi. I've tagged him, and asked if he's bought off! I don't care, because if he sends any federal law enforcement officials to my house, I'll be going "live" on Facebook as the shit hits the fan. I'm secure in the knowledge that I'm allowed to call any politician corrupt. We have that right. And cops? We're allowed to film them in their duties, and post it on social media. They cannot tell you to shutdown. I'll close this story out with a few thoughts.

Why try to undo all the good done by legalizing cannabis? That's telling me that Mr Sessions is not just an Anti-weed Nazi, but a total 'weediot,' my nickname for the weed-ignorant. Either that he believes in the negative hype surrounding the use of cannabis, or he knows exactly what good cannabis does, but he considers it a drug, and has lobbyists pushing for the continued prohibition. Cannabis is a vegetable, and a pharmacoligically active plant-based medicine. It cures cancers, and that scares the millionaire Drs who push chemotherapy on cancers that are proven to be unaffected by the chemo/rads! At a 70% attrition rate, the cancer industry kills a million people yearly. Almost 18 million deaths since 2000! That's equal to the population of the top 6 largest American cities! NY, Philly, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Houston. Imagine that! And guess what? Cannabis cures 70% of cancer patients. That's inverse of the death rate. So, since 2000, cannabis could've saved 10 to 14 million lives! I've mentioned it in my latest videos too. Cannabis and cannabinoids are the safest plant-based medicines ever to grace this little spinning blue ball we call home. And industrial hemp alone holds the promise of saving trees, makes 2 forms of biodiesel that emits oxygen instead of pollutants and smog particulates! Paper that needs no bleaching that poisons the groundwater. Recently there was a group (Pod) of whales that beached themselves. Upon autopsy, they found their insides were bound up by oil-based plastics! Hemp plastics are either durable, or quickly biodegradable. Hemp plastics wouldn't have killed the whales.

So, let's get legal, get real, and remember that cannabis use is safer than what you have under your kitchen cabinets. And loads safer than what you had for dinner last night. I'm the personification of the legalization movement for medical cannabis use across the country and I'll not be silenced!

Positive healing vibes from the universe and free the Cannabacaea family from the prison of ignorance!

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About the Creator

Richard Huffman

II'm a 56 year old disabled and homebound veteran who has at least 7 different types of chronic pain syndromes and I am now a medical marijuana patient in Arizona who's an activist for the legalization movement for medical cannabis.

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