Liberating the Herb Superb - Cannabis Medical Update

 

Research is now expanding exponentially as it is been understood why this vegetable is so effective.

I suspect we have truly passed the tipping point in all this and that momentum alone will carry this home..

 I have never been slightly interested in the so called recreational aspects of cannabis simply because too much of even a good thing impairs and damages  Yet occasional use in the raw juice form is powerfully supported and needs to be made easy, particularly for the THC free blends..

Liberating the Herb Superb

“All Cannabis Use is Medicinal” Whether You Know it Or Not

 

By Justin Gardner

http://nexusilluminati.blogspot.ca/2016/03/declassified-health-liberating-herb.html

In the past two years, we have witnessed a sea of change in the attitude of Americans toward cannabis. Colorado made history by becoming the first state to completely decriminalize possession and use of the plant, with Washington and other states soon following.

Medical cannabis use is now legal in 23 states, and others will soon be joining that list. Polls find that a solid majority of Americans support cannabis legalization, especially for medicinal use. The Free Thought Project has reported on many incredible ways that cannabis is being used to treat a variety 
 
People are also realizing that the war on cannabis—and all drugs for that matter—is a war on people carried out by law enforcement to restrict freedom and to extort millions of dollars for victimless behavior. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) gains a sizable amount of revenue through cannabis seizures. The dried plant also provides ample opportunity for local law enforcement to carry out its favorite, most insidious form of extortion known as Civil Asset Forfeiture.

The good news is that these abuses of human rights are being exposed, and law enforcement is sounding ever more desperate as justification for their actions withers under the advance of reason and logic. When cannabis is finally decriminalized everywhere, our evolution from the days of Reefer Madness will provide an entertaining yet tragic documentary.

The fight continues, and we must build on the momentum if we are to see it to completion. The arguments for legalization are many, and they are sound. But perhaps the entire narrative needs to be reconsidered as we make the final push.

Daniel Macris, owner of Halycon Organics, suggests that the very idea of “recreational use” is flawed, and actually hampers the progress toward legalization.

““Recreational cannabis use” is the most detrimental phrase our industry faces today.

Over half the U.S. population supports “recreational use” of cannabis. Unfortunately, those whose don’t support recreational use, oppose it vitriolically. “Recreational cannabis” is exactly what the opposition is fighting to prevent.

The flip side to this is that over 80% of Americans support medical cannabis use and over 85% support freedom in healthcare decisions. All of these statistics are trending upwards.

In the South, “recreational cannabis use” is a non-starter and a debate that cannot be empirically won. On the other hand, “medical cannabis use” is a debate we win. And we don’t need to manipulate our messaging to change the debate, we need only to correctly identify ‘medicinal use.’”

The basis for this argument lies in our increasing understanding of a part of human physiology known as the endocannabinoid system, which is turning out to be vital to many life-supporting processes.

In 2006, the National Institutes of Health reported:

“The recent identification of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands has triggered an exponential growth of studies exploring the endocannabinoid system and its regulatory functions in health and disease…

In the past decade, the endocannabinoid system has been implicated in a growing number of physiological functions, both in the central and peripheral nervous systems and in peripheral organs. More importantly, modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system turned out to hold therapeutic promise in a wide range of disparate diseases and pathological conditions, ranging from mood and anxiety disorders, movement disorders such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, to cancer, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, glaucoma, obesity/metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, to name just a few.”

We have seen an explosion of studies looking at the medicinal use of cannabis and its extracts, and they center on “modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system” as described above. With modern technology, we are discovering the mechanics of something known to the ancients—cannabis is a medicine. People have used it this way for thousands of years.

We can now extract even non-psychoactive components of cannabis, such as cannabidiol, to successfully treat debilitating conditions such as epileptic seizures. We can find out which phytocannabinoids are the most beneficial to specific diseases, and figure out exactly how much of the extract is needed for best results.

Scientific knowledge will validate what many cannabis users already know—the plant can provide relief from certain ailments and stimulate some of the best human qualities such as creativity and empathy.

Macris has interviewed several people and found they use cannabis for conditions that would otherwise be treated with pharmaceutical drugs in the current paradigm.

“It makes me relax,” “It helps me sleep,” “It calms me down,” “It helps me think,” “It helps my stomach calm down,” and it “It helps me talk to people,” are some of the ways people have said cannabis helps them.

All of these conditions—anxiety, sleep disorder, ADHD, inflamed bowels, and social anxiety—are targeted by pharmaceutical companies that vigorously advertise their manufactured pills with government complicity.

“Recreational cannabis users are using cannabis for medical purposes, they just don’t realize it,” says Macris.

 

When someone says they are a “recreational user,” they should consider saying “therapeutic user.” This will be far more effective in the push to completely decriminalize cannabis, as “recreational” implies that it can be abused on the level of alcohol or other drugs. Government may insist on keeping the distinction, as they can tax “recreational” use much more than medical use.

In any case, we can garner much more support from fellow citizens when legalization efforts are rightfully carried under the banner of medical use.

From The Free Thought Project @ http://thefreethoughtproject.com/war-weed-quicker-realize-all-cannabis-medicinal/

 

The Amazing Health Benefits of Juicing Raw Cannabis (Marijuana) Leaves

Contrary to popular belief, the marijuana plant is a whole lot more than just a psychoactive drug that “stoners” use to get high. In raw form, marijuana leaves and buds are actually loaded with a non-psychoactive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer nutrient compound known as cannabidiol (CBD) that is proving to be a miracle “superfood” capable of preventing and reversing a host of chronic illnesses.

Though you may not have heard much about it, the CBD found in the marijuana plant — marijuana is technically just a vegetable, by the way — is a highly medicinal substance with unique immune-regulating capabilities. Since the human body already contains a built-in endogenous cannabinoid system, complete with cannabinoid receptors, inputting CBD from marijuana can help normalize the body’s functional systems, including cell communication and proper immune function.

The way CBDs work is that they bridge the gap of neurotransmission in the central nervous system, including in the brain, by providing a two-way system of communication that completes a positive “feedback loop,” according to Dr. William Courtney, a medical marijuana expert and founder of Cannabis International.

As opposed to a one-way transmission, which can promote chronic inflammation of healthy tissue, the unique two-way transmission system engaged by marijuana CBDs mimics the body’s own natural two-way communications system. So individuals whose systems are compromised by autoimmune disorders, cellular dysfunction, chronic inflammation, cancer cells, and various other illnesses can derive a wide range of health-promoting benefits simply by consuming CBDs. And one of the best ways to obtain CBDs is to juice raw marijuana leaves and buds, according to Dr. Courtney, who currently runs a clinic in Luxembourg that provides raw cannabis medicinal services to patients in need.

“CBD works on receptors, and as it turns out, we have cannabinoids in our bodies, endogenous cannabinoids, that turn out to be very effective at regulating immune functions, nerve functions, bone functions,” says Dr. Ethan Russo, a Seattle, Wash.-area physician who is also a senior advisor to GW Pharmaceuticals, a British drug company that is utilizing CBDs in a new marijuana mouth spray known as Sativex.

“There’s a tendency to discount claims when something appears to be good for everything, but there’s a reason this is the case. The endogenous cannabinoid system acts as a modulator in fine-tuning a lot of these systems, and if something is deranged biochemically in a person’s body, it may well be that a cannabinoid system can bring things back into balance.”

The Power of Raw Cannabis

LEAF

Be sure to check out these amazing videos from Cannabis International that explain more about how raw cannabis, and specifically the CBDs found inside the plant, work to promote health and reverse disease:

While some U.S. states like California and Colorado are beginning to recognize and accept that marijuana has legitimate therapeutic value, the federal government continues to classify marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug with “no currently accepted medical use.” And as long as it remains classified in this way, most Americans will never have the opportunity to experience the healing potential of this vital superfood.

But Cannabis International and other groups are continuing to educate the public about why marijuana is a food essential, and how legalizing it could change the world. To learn more, be sure to visit: http://cannabisinternational.org  

From Why Don’t You Try This @ http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/02/health-benefits-of-juicing-raw-cannabis.html

10 Incredible Ways Eating Cannabis Oil Could Save Your Life

 

Just because a substance is illegal does not mean it is bad. In fact, many legal substances are responsible for a variety of ailments, prescription drugs alone are responsible for killing over 100,000 people each year.

Cannabis might’ve been considered a harmful drug for many decades but all of this is about to change. Dozens of peer-reviewed studies have shown the health benefits of cannabis ranging from weight-loss, to cancer-killing capabilities. Here’s a breakdown of the ten most important (and groundbreaking) studies published in recent years.

1. THC May Treat Inflammatory Diseases and Cancer By Altering Genes

 

A government funded study published by the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that THC may actually alter certain genes in our body, which can result in a positive effect on a number of conditions, especially cancers and inflammatory diseases. This is the first study of its kind to find such a direct link between cannabinoids, and the alteration of genes.

2. Cannabis Combats Brain Degeneration and Increases Stamina

 

A study conducted at the Institute of Molecular Psychiatry at the University of Bonn in Germany found that cannabis triggers the release of antioxidants, which acts as a cleansing mechanism, resulting in the removal of damaged cells and improving the efficiency of mitochondria, the energy source that powers cells, potentially increasing stamina.

“These discoveries shed new insight on how natural marijuana cannabinoids hold the capacity to literally kill the brain inflammation responsible for causing cognitive decline, neural failure, and brain degeneration”, says Gery Wenk, a professor of neuroscience, immunology and medical genetics at Ohio State University.

 

3. Cannabis Can Stop Seizures

 

A study published by the British Journal of Pharmacology found that cannabis can stop seizures due to its “significant anticonvulsant effects”.

4. THC Provides Protection from Heart Attacks

 

Research published this year in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology found that even minuscule amounts of THC can provide protection from heart attacks, as well as reduce the potential cardiovascular damage associated with suffering one.

For the study researchers administered extremely small amounts of THC; 0.002 mg/kg, which is up to 10,000 times less potent than the average joint. Despite how small the dose was, researchers found it to be effective at protecting against heart attacks when administered 2 to 48 hours before an attack, and found it to help relieve the symptoms when administered afterward.

“[THC] is a safe and effective treatment that reduces myocardial ischemic (heart attack) damage”, states the study. It concludes: “[O]ur study provides novel evidence for the beneficial use of extremely low doses of THC, doses that do not elicit any psychoactive side effects, in order to protect the heart from ischemic insults. THC can be used as a pre-conditioning drug in cases in which ischemic insult to the heart is anticipated, such as during cardiac surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention.”

5. Cannabinoids Found to Reduce 90% of Skin Cancer in Just 20 Weeks

 

Researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health had a study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, which found that cannabinoids can reduce up to 90% of skin cancer in just a 20 week period in animal models.

6. THC May Be Helpful in Combating HIV

 

A study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology found researchers infecting white blood cells with the HIV virus, before then exposing the cells to synthesized THC. After doing so, the cells saw a drastic decrease in the rate of HIV-1 infection.

7. Cannabinoids May Be Best Medication For Those With PTSD

 

A study conducted by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine, and funded by the National Institute of Health, found that those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had a lower number of active cannabinoid receptors in the brain. According to researchers, this study paves the way towards using cannabis as an effective medication for the condition, given that cannabinoids activate the body’s cannabinoid receptors.

8. Cannabis Can Treat Osteoarthritis

 

A study published in the journal PLOS One, as well as by the National Institute of Health, found strong evidence that activation of our body’s cannabinoid receptors – something done naturally by cannabis – can treat osteoarthritis (OA), which, according to the study’s researchers, is “a prevalent disease accompanied by chronic, debilitating pain”. It’s the most common joint disorder.

9. Cannabis May Prevent Organ Transplants From Being Rejected

 

An importand study published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology found that cannabis may actually prevent organs from being rejected during transplant, which often leads to death. The irony in this is that in most countries, people are refused organ transplants if their blood tests positive for cannabis, even if they’re a qualified medical cannabis patient in an area where its legal.

10. Cannabis May Grow Stem Cells, Repair the Brain After Injury

 

A study published in the December issue of the journal Biochemical Society Transactions, and published online early by the National Institute of Health, found that the brain’s endocannabinoid system – which is activated through cannabis use – has neuroprotective and immunomodulatory capabilities, and may actually lead to the growth of stem cells.

The Human Endocanniboid System

Bottom Line

 

Humans and animals alike naturally synthesize endocannabinoids, chemical compounds that activate the same receptors as THC, the active component of marijuana. This is the main reason why ingesting cannabis is so good for the body.

From Daily Health Post @ http://dailyhealthpost.com/cannabis-oil-health-benefits/

This is the homemade cannabis oil recipe that people are using to treat cancer

 

 

 

The re-entrance of marijuana into the main stream consciousness has come on the back of revelations that the herb has massive cancer curing potential.  The cannabinoids, molecules within the plant, enter the human body on consumption and bind with receptors that are already in place.  Our bodies are made to handle this stuff.

The resulting endocannabinoids that are released by the human body perform a variety of positive effects, including regulation of cell growth.  The fact that we have receptors for the chemical seems to indicate that we are evolved to eat the plant and the positive impact the chemicals have on our system further implies that.

One of the most popular ways to consume the plant is by smoking it, but the excess chemicals from the fire can cause unnecessary damage.  Rick Simpson, a pioneer in the medical cannabis field, has mastered the art of cannabis oil production and released his technique to the world for free.

You can support Rick on his website; here is a condensed version of the process of making hemp oil.

Start with one ounce of dried herb. One ounce will typically produce 3-4 grams of oil, although the amount of oil produced per ounce will vary strain to strain. A pound of dried material will yield about two ounces of high quality oil.

IMPORTANT: These instructions are directly summarized from Rick Simpson’s website. Be VERY careful when boiling solvent off, the fumes are extremely flammable. AVOID smoking, sparks, stove-tops and red hot heating elements. Set up a fan to blow fumes away from the pot, and set up in a well-ventilated area for whole process.

1. Place the completely dry material in a plastic bucket.

2. Dampen the material with the solvent you are using. Many solvents can be used. You can use pure naphtha, ether, butane, or 99% isopropyl alcohol. Two gallons of solvent is required to extract the THC from one pound, and 500 ml is enough for an ounce.

3. Crush the plant material using a stick of clean, untreated wood or any other similar device. Although the material will be damp, it will still be relatively easy to crush up because it is so dry.

4. Continue to crush the material with the stick, while adding solvent until the plant material is completely covered and soaked. Remain stirring the mixture for about three minutes. As you do this, the THC is dissolved off the material into the solvent.

5. Pour the solvent oil mixture off the plant material into another bucket. At this point you have stripped the material of about 80% of its THC.

6. Second wash: again add solvent to the mixture and work for another three minutes to extract the remaining THC.

7. Pour this solvent oil mix into the bucket containing the first mix that was previously poured out.

8. Discard the twice washed plant material.

9. Pour the solvent oil mixture through a coffee filter into a clean container.

10. Boil the solvent off: a rice cooker will boil the solvent off nicely, and will hold over a half gallon of solvent mixture. CAUTION: avoid stove-tops, red hot elements, sparks, cigarettes and open flames as the fumes are extremely flammable.

11. Add solvent to rice cooker until it is about ¾ full and turn on HIGH heat. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area and set up a fan to carry the solvent fumes away. Continue to add mixture to cooker as solvent evaporates until you have added it all to the cooker.

12. As the level in the rice cooker decreases for the last time, add a few drops of water (about 10 drops of water for a pound of dry material). This will help to release the solvent residue, and protect the oil from too much heat.

13. When there is about one inch of solvent-water mixture in the rice cooker, put on your oven mitts and pick the unit up and swirl the contents until the solvent has finished boiling off.

14. When the solvent has been boiled off, turn the cooker to LOW heat. At no point should the oil ever reach over 290 degrees F or 140 degrees C.

15. Keep your oven mitts on and remove the pot containing the oil from the rice cooker. Gently pour the oil into a stainless steel container

16. Place the stainless steel container in a dehydrator, or put it on a gentle heating device such as a coffee warmer. It may take a few hours but the water and volatile terpenes will be evaporated from the oil. When there is no longer any surface activity on the oil, it is ready for use.

17. Suck the oil up in a plastic syringe, or in any other container you see fit. A syringe will make the oil easy to dispense. When the oil cools completely it will have the consistency of thick grease.

For dosage information you can check out more on Rick's website.

From Alternative World News Network @ https://www.minds.com/blog/view/519097515367215104
 

Big Pharma Shaking in Their Boots as 80% of Cannabis Users Give Up Prescriptions Pills for Pot

By Justin Gardner

A new survey conducted by the Centre for Addictions Research of BC helps explain why Big Pharma is so afraid of cannabis. The pharmaceutical and alcohol industries, both powerful influences in Washington, have long lobbied against cannabis legalization in order to protect their profits.

However, the tide has turned as decriminalization of medical and recreational cannabis sweeps the nation and the continent. With legalization, more and more people are discovering how this plant can provide a safe alternative to the dangerous effects of prescription pills.

The survey of 473 adult therapeutic cannabis users found that 87% of respondents gave up prescription medications, alcohol, or other drugs in favor of cannabis. Adults under 40 were likely to give up all three of these for medical cannabis.

The most startling revelation, and one that will have Big Pharma running to their crony lawmakers, is that 80% of respondents reported substituting cannabis for prescription drugs.

 

In addition, 52% said they substituted cannabis for alcohol and 32% said they substituted it for illicit substances. These results indicate a very promising trend of people moving away from dangerously addictive and deadly substances in favor of a miracle plant that has never caused an overdose death.

The finding that cannabis was substituted for all three classes of substances suggests that the medical use of cannabis may play a harm reduction role in the context of use of these substances, and may have implications for abstinence-based substance use treatment approaches. Further research should seek to differentiate between biomedical substitution for prescription pharmaceuticals and psychoactive drug substitution, and to elucidate the mechanisms behind both.

As The Free Thought Project has reported before, the U.S. is in the midst of a painkiller epidemic, with overdose deaths skyrocketing as Big Pharma has secured its grip on government and mainstream medicine. Opioid painkillers and heroin have driven overdose deaths to the point where they are now the leading cause of fatal injuries in the U.S. Alcohol is also killing Americans at a rate not seen in 35 years.

The results of this survey confirm that cannabis is the answer to all of these problems.

Americans for Safe Access has a comprehensive breakdown of conditions that cannabis can treat, and comparisons to prescription pills.

• Chronic Pain
• Arthritis
• Gastrointestinal Disorders
• Movement Disorders
• Multiple Sclerosis

We are just beginning to confirm the benefits of cannabis on other conditions such as anxiety which is normally treated with pills such as Xanax, insomnia which is normally treated with pills such as Ambien, and antidepressants which are treated with pills such as Zoloft. All of these prescription drugs can cause debilitating addiction or severe side-effects.

Although the war on drugs put a stop to medical cannabis research for decades, in recent years we have seen a surge in studies being performed, as prohibition crumbles and the Schedule 1 classification of “no medical benefit” is exposed as a farce.