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A Marijuana Breakthrough?
The Scotsman ^ | Nov. 5, 2004 | David Kohn

Posted on 11/05/2004 1:38:10 PM PST by Ahriman

A decade ago, when Daniele Piomelli went to scientific conferences, he was often the only researcher studying cannabinoids, the class of chemicals that give marijuana users a high. His work often drew sniggers and jokes; but not any more. At the recent annual Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego last week, scientists delivered almost 200 papers on the subject.

Why all the attention? Many scientists believe marijuana-like drugs might be able to treat a wide range of diseases, far beyond the nausea and chronic pain typically treated with medical marijuana.

Researchers presented tantalising evidence that cannabinoid drugs can help treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease - Parkinson’s disease and obesity. Other researchers are studying whether the compounds can help victims of stroke and multiple sclerosis.

Although the chemicals work on the same area of the nervous system, the new drugs are much more refined and targeted than marijuana, with few of its side effects.

"Cannabinoids have a lot of pharmaceutical potential," says Piomelli, a neuroscientist at the University of California. "A lot of people are very excited."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: leroylovesoros; wodlist
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To: ravingnutter
Oh yeah...the marinol argument.

Go read the article. It is not about smoking marijuana. It is about Marinol research. You said legalize "it" referring back to the article (Marinol) and marinol is already legal.!

21 posted on 11/05/2004 1:56:28 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: WildTurkey

Doesn't that depend upon what one eats? Back in my college days I was known to consume a couple of pints of Hagen-Daz in a single sitting. I gained 15 lb. that semester, which I eventially dropped, not because I stopped smoking pot, but because I switched to more nutrious munchies.


22 posted on 11/05/2004 1:58:55 PM PST by Labyrinthos
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To: Fallstaff
Why don't conservatives want to open this market to our economy?

Some of us do.

23 posted on 11/05/2004 2:00:12 PM PST by Freebird Forever
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To: mondoman

Legalize it, put a whopping new tax on it for Social Security bail out, institute personalized social security accounts for people under.....fifty who elect to participate.
yeah, that's the ticket.


Exactly... I dont see how the current laws are anything different than a period in our history called prohibition. I dont think drugs that are seariously harmful to citizens should be legalized; however, we've all been told that marijuana is a 'gateway' drug, so if marijuana was legalized, would people have easy access to drug dealers that could introduce people to other illegal substances? No! The only argument out there that I see as somewhat legitmate is that it is amoral. But if that is the case then why is alchohol legal?


24 posted on 11/05/2004 2:04:00 PM PST by Fallstaff
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To: Labyrinthos
Doesn't that depend upon what one eats? Back in my college days I was known to consume a couple of pints of Hagen-Daz in a single sitting. I gained 15 lb. that semester, which I eventially dropped, not because I stopped smoking pot, but because I switched to more nutrious munchies.

I don't need pot to down two pints of H-D. I don't keep it around because I can put on that 15 pounds in a lot less than a semester!

25 posted on 11/05/2004 2:05:13 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Huck

No, more like plucking the chicken**


26 posted on 11/05/2004 2:08:39 PM PST by John_7Diamonds
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To: rhombus
Is there nothing Cannabis can't do?

It makes good Rope. :|

27 posted on 11/05/2004 2:08:42 PM PST by Coffee_drinker (Careful with those grapes TahRaZA)
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To: Ahriman

Keep it illegal. When you can't nail a criminal for one thing, or hold a murder suspect on bail, you can often jail them on drug charges. It's a great tool for law enforcement.


28 posted on 11/05/2004 2:09:22 PM PST by SteveMcKing
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To: Ahriman
"Cannabinoids have a lot of pharmaceutical potential," says Piomelli, a neuroscientist at the University of California. "A lot of people are very excited."


Yeah, like dude, there were all these other dudes really excited, but for some reason, ahhh, I can't remember their names.

Man, am I hungry. Got some brownies?
29 posted on 11/05/2004 2:09:33 PM PST by Mr. Jazzy (Lets all see how many days Kerry shows up for his job in the Senate, NOW!!!)
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To: Fallstaff
"Legalize it. Why don't conservatives want to open this market to our economy?"

- I'm told by a police officer neighbor that there is no roadside test for cannabis intoxication. Want to go to court to watch a pothead walk free with a wave and a song after crushing your child with a 3,000 lb. weapon?
30 posted on 11/05/2004 2:10:42 PM PST by finnigan2
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To: Fallstaff

What makes you think their will be a market? Why should I buy dope from a store when I can get better stuff from my present connection??

No need to increase the users of an addictive substance and no need to provide a new source. There is plenty of dope now.

John


31 posted on 11/05/2004 2:11:32 PM PST by John_7Diamonds
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To: Coffee_drinker
It makes good Rope. :|

But apparently, not good enough. Synthetic rope lasts longer, is more consistent, and can be tailored to the required application.

For example, low stretch ropes for sail lines and ropes with more stretch for mooring.

32 posted on 11/05/2004 2:12:25 PM PST by WildTurkey
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To: Caesar Soze

Pleeze....Pot is no where near the addiction from legalized opiates..


33 posted on 11/05/2004 2:12:42 PM PST by missyme
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To: WildTurkey
I excercise after smoking...

34 posted on 11/05/2004 2:12:45 PM PST by evets (God bless president George W. Bush)
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To: Ahriman

35 posted on 11/05/2004 2:14:23 PM PST by ol painless (ol' painless is out of the bag)
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To: finnigan2

Like most Drunks do....Pot does not impare your driving...
ANd if we are honest with ourselves I would say most freepers at one time or another in there life on earth have driven drunk...


36 posted on 11/05/2004 2:15:36 PM PST by missyme
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To: Huck

All I know is that its a damn shame that decades of delays in this resarch has been caused by Prohibition.


37 posted on 11/05/2004 2:15:55 PM PST by Wolfie (Happy 4:20!)
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To: Mr. Jazzy

"Keep it illegal. When you can't nail a criminal for one thing, or hold a murder suspect on bail, you can often jail them on drug charges. It's a great tool for law enforcement."

This is illogical. Why don't you nail them on murder charges? You know the whole point is the drug won't be associated with criminality. If you read history, it will tell you that making substances illegal that a large part of the people use only produces more crime. Why not make laws that makes it illegal to posses in cars? If you dont think that most of the violence in urban America is drug related your dilusional. Why not take this "gateway drug" and make it accessable to all law abiding citizens so that they are not associated with criminality. It was easier for me to get pot in middle school than it was beer. I think this solves alot of problems.


38 posted on 11/05/2004 2:17:21 PM PST by Fallstaff
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To: WildTurkey
Sorry. I guess that kicks the 'legalize medical marijuana' theme right out the door.

Dang tootin'. Wouldn't want folks accidentally having any fun now, would we?

39 posted on 11/05/2004 2:18:35 PM PST by laredo44 (Liberty is not the problem)
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To: WildTurkey
Synthetic rope lasts longer

Not if it's exposed to UV (sunlight).

BTW Marinol is a particular brand of legal synthetic THC. Not a generic term for legal pot.

40 posted on 11/05/2004 2:19:22 PM PST by Dinsdale
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