Marijuana Could Prevent Alzheimer's

The United States government has been lying about marijuana for many decades now. They have told us it is a dangerous drug (and classified it with drugs that are truly dangerous), even though it is widely known that an overdose causing bodily harm (or death) is impossible with that gentle herb. They have tried to convince us that it impairs the ability to drive safely much like alcohol, even though several studies have shown that people who have used marijuana are no more dangerous than drivers who have used no drug at all.

But perhaps the most pernicious lie of them all is that they claim marijuana has no medicinal value This lie is not only used to keep the gentle drug illegal, but to ignore state laws making marijuana a prescription drug. And even though President Obama promised not to do so, his administration is still trying to arrest people with legal prescriptions for marijuana and close dispensaries of the drug (even though state law says they are legal).

The truth is that marijuana is of value in many medical diseases and conditions. It is especially helpful in relieving neuropathic pain, in restoring the appetites of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, in relieving nervous tension, in moderating the effect of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and promising ongoing studies are being done that show it may have a medical use in many other things, including diabetes. And now a new study shows that marijuana may actually prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease, which would truly be wonderful for hundreds of thousands of Americans (and many others around the world). Here's part of an article in the London newspaper, The Daily Mail, regarding the new research:


Cannabis may help keep Alzheimer's disease at bay.

In experiments, a marijuana-based medicine triggered the formation of new brain cells and cut inflammation linked to dementia.

The researchers say that using the information to create a pill suitable for people could help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's.For some sufferers, drugs can delay the progress of devastating symptoms such as memory loss and the erosion of ability to do everyday things such as washing.
However, there they do not work for everyone and, with the number of patients forecast to double in a generation, there is a desperate need for new treatments.

The US researchers studied the properties of a man-made drug based on THC, the chemical behind the 'high' of cannabis.

When elderly rats were given the drug for three weeks, it improved their memory, making it easier for them to find their way round a water maze, the Society for Neuroscience's annual conference heard yesterday (WEDS).

Researcher Dr Yannick Marchalant said; 'Old rats are not very good at that task.  When we gave them the drug, it made them a little better at that task.'

Other experiments showed that the drug acts on parts of the brain involved in memory, appetite, pain and mood.

The Ohio State University experiments also showed that the drug cut inflammation in the brain and may trigger the production of new neurons or brain cells.

Researcher Professor Gary Wenk said: 'When we're young, we produce neurons and our memory works fine.

'When we age, the process slows down, so we have a decrease in new cell formation through normal ageing.

'You need these cells to come back and help form new memories and we found that this THC-like agent can influence the creation of these cells.'

Although the drug used was not suitable for use in people, the results could aid the creation of new medicines for Alzheimer's.

It is likely such a drug would be taken to prevent the disease, rather than treat it.

Asked if those with a family history of Alzheimer's should smoke cannabis to prevent them developing the disease, Dr Wenk said: 'We're not saying that but it might actually work.

'What we are saying its that it appears that a safe, legal substance that mimics the important properties of marijuana can work on the brain to prevent memory impairments in ageing.  So that's really hopeful.'


Isn't it time to legalize marijuana? We spend millions (perhaps billions) of dollars each year in a vain and fruitless attempt to stop the importation and use of marijuana, and to arrest and keep in prison those who smoke the drug. Wouldn't it make more sense to legalize it and tax it, especially in light of our current recession? It would create many jobs and provide a steady stream of revenue for all levels of government. And it would allow doctors to use this drug to treat many millions of patients.