Barriers to research

“When the substances involved may also include potentially forbidden substances resembling THC, which are subject to regulatory scheduling, the barriers to research become greater still. One may wonder, however, how much additional time might have been required to discover the Endo-cannabinoid System (ECS) were not cannabis there to lead the way. Despite its seeming ubiquity, and obvious importance as a homeostatic regulator of human physiology, the ECS topic receives short shrift in contemporary medical education, if mentioned at all. This educational deficit, born perhaps of lingering prejudice towards a plant called cannabis, must surely end soon, as it is contrary and detrimental to potential significant contributions to public health.”

– Ethan B. Russo

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Why We Fight For Reform – by Mark Kichman

Martin Luther King Jr. has been admired in my family well before I was born. In virtually every house in my family, there are pictures of Mr. King hanging on the walls, and quotes plastered on everything from coffee mugs to school projects. Martin Luther King Jr. was an amazing person, and I am delighted to celebrate his life and achievements on Martin Luther King Jr. Day every year.

As a cannabis activist, I often wonder what Martin Luther King Jr. would think of the marijuana reform movement. I like to think that not only would he be proud of the reform movement’s victories, but that he would have been a cannabis activist himself. I don’t think that Mr. King was a cannabis consumer, as there’s zero evidence that he ever consumed marijuana at all. But supporting marijuana reform is much more than just being a consumer and fighting for your personal right to consume.

I’m happy to say that I know a lot of people that support marijuana reform, yet have never consumed cannabis. Those people support marijuana reform because they support equality, because they support compassion, and because they support social justice. Those of course are all things that Martin Luther King Jr. stood for too.

Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for what was right, even when it wasn’t popular, and even when it meant risking everything. His efforts are what ultimately cost him his life. To say that Martin Luther King Jr. is honorable and amazing is one of the biggest understatements of all time. Marijuana activists should strive to be like Mr. King. Marijuana activists should be willing to risk it all in the name of truth and justice, even when it isn’t popular or easy, and especially when it isn’t popular or easy.

On MLK Day remember why you fight for reform, and strive to be more like Mr. King. Below are some of his quotes, all of which I feel apply to the battle to end marijuana prohibition:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

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Freedom from Tyranny

Fifty-three years ago I was standing in a sea of black people when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. It was a peaceful crowd. There were a few whites, but not many. My sister and I were standing near one of the TV cameras and near the end of the speech I saw the red light go on. We were on live TV. At the time we didn’t know how important that day was.

We are still working on Dr. King’s dream to be free from tyranny. President Nixon’s war on marijuana began a decade later. That war has ruined the lives of many blacks. It was a clever ruse. Prohibiting marijuana has no rational basis. Cannabis is a medicinal herb that is also used socially. Today we are creating a new paradigm where Cannabis is no longer demonized.

The healing properties of Cannabis are recognized by the vast majority of Americans, but the laws are slow to change. Anti-marijuana propaganda has produced an irrational fear. The Cannabis Wave community is revealing the truth and creating a new landscape. The tyranny of the past will no longer stand.

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Respect for Cannabis

Let’s talk about respect. As a member of Cannabis Wave, you are one of the people who respects Cannabis. Too many people don’t respect the cannabis plant. They think it’s just garbage. They’ve been told a lot of stories about the “devil weed”. They blame it for making them do stupid things.

In reality, cannabis changes the way you perceive the world. It shifts your focus onto the now. Thoughts about the past and future recede into the distance. This adjustment allows new ideas to percolate into your mind.

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The “Laugh Factor”

One of the issues we need to address is the “laugh factor” associated with cannabis. After decades of propaganda and jokes about marijuana, people tend to laugh when talking about the medical use of cannabis.

We need to put that behind us so we can let people know that cannabis is a valuable medicine.

Why does marijuana make people laugh?

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Cannabis Friendly Jobs

We have a lot of work to do. The laws are changing rapidly and people who secretly used cannabis are coming into the light! It’s a rough call. The old guys manipulated the laws on marijuana that made it difficult to be open about cannabis use.

Many companies have policies that discriminate against people who use cannabis. These policies are changing.

Cannabis Wave is creating a job exchange to match people looking for work with employers who are cannabis friendly.

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Marijuana propaganda

Cannabis has been used by humans for thousands of years. Today, we are coming out of a period of ignorance and suppression. Cannabis is both medicinal and social. The artificial barrier society has built between medical use and recreational use will come down when people realize that this plant is valuable for it’s ability to do many things.

There is nothing to fear from marijuana. The negative propaganda about marijuana is just that … propaganda which is designed to promote fear.

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Cannabis Wave membership

Let us ride the Cannabis Wave!

Determined by time, we find ourselves at a new beginning. So many Cannabis initiates have been undermined by mentioning the word marijuana that the discussion ends there, not having the tools of knowledge to go further in detail.

Our stories get lost in the criminal system and the essence of the plant itself gets lost in commercial enterprise.

We all have a voice and common interest in the new Cannabis arena. But so many questions go un-answered. The cloak of illusion is a strong fabric which can be raised if we all understand the real truth.

That’s exactly why we have created the Cannabis Wave forum. To tell your truth with integrity and honor. To know the Cannabis history, the political agenda. The awe-inspiring magic of the plant itself.

Let us ride the Wave together. Welcome.

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Medical Cannabis: What they don’t want you to know about.




Posted on November 5, 2015
“Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal impacts. However, marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the substantial medical literature explaining a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality … Merely stated, scientists have been not able to give animals enough cannabis to cause death … In practical terms, marijuana can not induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity … In stringent medical terms, marijuana is far much safer than numerous foods we typically consume … Cannabis, in its natural type, is one of the safest therapeutically active drugs understood to man.”– DEA Administrative Law Judge, FL Young, 1988

Maybe the best oppression produced by the current legislation with regard to marijuana is that relating to its potential medical usage. The use of marijuana is mainly regulated under the Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 and according to this it has no medical value. However, present clinical research and the statements of thousands of individuals from the past and present fully oppose this claim.

Cannabis has been used as a medication worldwide for at least 5000 years. It was part of the British Formulary up until 1971 when the Misuse Of Drugs Act was passed, resulting in it being banned. The heyday of cannabis medicine was around the completion of the nineteenth century, where it was utilized for a variety of signs in a number of kinds. The enjoyment of the intro of hypodermic syringes and injectable opiates lowered its usage somewhat, in addition to newer miracle drugs. Nevertheless, in retrospect a few of these new drugs have shown inefficient in some individuals and have dangers inherent in their use. Unfortunately, the present state of our War on (some) Drugs legal policies have actually avoided its legal usage and limited any research efforts that brave researchers have actually attempted.

It appears nearly farcical that currently in the UK, so-called controlled substances such as heroin and cocaine, whilst being illegal to utilize recreationally, are offered on prescription whereas the fairly harmless marijuana plant can not be used, it being deemed ineffective and too dangerous to utilize even under complete medical supervision. This is no longer a popular viewpoint. Numerous studies have actually been done recently, and practically inevitably they have actually come out with support for medical marijuana usage whether the study is restricted to choose groups (e.g. Doctors) or to the general public. Indeed specific mandates in the United States have actually caused some states (for example California and Arizona in 1996) ‘legalising’ marijuana for medical use. However, it is not a possible option as marijuana use is still a federal crime.

Medicinal properties of marijuana

Marijuana has actually been claimed to assist with an a lot of comprehensive signs. Nevertheless, research has developed three significant homes which are medically helpful. Marijuana is:

an analgesic (eases discomfort).
an anti-emetic (alleviates queasiness and vomiting).
a hunger stimulant (induces hunger).

As can be inferred from the above, marijuana has a number of possible applications in medical treatment. Usually, most research study and usage seems to focus on cancer chemotherapy, AIDS and MS. For details of these, and a small amount of the large another array of disorders that individuals have asserted to utilize cannabis effectively for see the medical usages page.One must not limit its possible applications to these symptoms, however. Large quantities of anecdotal evidence and increasing amounts of contemporary research recommend other usages as varied as conditions of the body such as glaucoma, illness of the mind such as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and until-now untreatable conditions such as certain types of tumour growth. Recent research likewise reveals cannabis has anti-oxidative and neuroprotection properties.

So why is marijuana not offered on prescription?

This question might puzzle some readers! The basic response is that cannabis can not be prescribed for any reason due to the Abuse of Drugs Act. This is obviously not an acceptable response. For a substance to end up being a ‘medication’ and hence formally prescribable, it should be certified by the Medicines Control Firm as being suitable. This needs 2 measures– safety (harmfulness to the user) and effectiveness (efficiency for its designated function). However, marijuana has apparently been consistently shown to be both safe and efficious. In regards to security, cannabis has actually never ever been proven to have actually caused even a single death straight. Its toxicity level is so low that no human has actually handled to take in enough to cause a fatal reaction. This is very unusual for modern-day medications. Every year, through overdoses, allergic reactions, contraindications and for other reasons thousands of people die through making use of legitimately prescribed medications. According to NIDA statistics, the common pain-killer Aspirin kills around 2000 individuals in America annually. As it has actually never been achieved it is unreliable, but experts have estimated that in order to consume sufficient marijuana to die from its toxicity, you would have to have literally a number of countless times the amount that people would make use of to medicate or throughout entertainment. Compare these with legal drugs– Aspirin for instance could be fatal (and is certainly extremely harmful) if simply 20 times the advised dose is taken. When it comes to its effectiveness, ignoring the legal status, time and time again it is shown to assist. Countless individuals testify to how it has helped them, and research study is constantly done which shows significant medical benefits in a broad range of conditions.

As time proceed, the significant issue of using cannabis clinically becomes taken increasingly more seriously. Not only do people head out of their way to treat themselves with marijuana regardless of the possible repercussions of law-breaking, but now a company has actually been set up specifically to investigate the possible healing uses of marijuana. GW Pharmaceuticals is now (lawfully) conducting a research study into medical usages of marijuana. They have encountered no significant unexpected health-related problems and are carrying out trials with the hope of getting a cannabis-based medicine accredited for prescribed usage within 3 years. They will apply for the licence in the near future, and the UK Government has actually suggested that if provided, they will enable the medication to become legal to recommend. More information can be found on our GW Pharmaceuticals page.

In July 2001, Canada ended up being the first country to legalise marijuana for medical usage. In Canada, marijuana can be legally recommended by physicians, albeit under heavy constraints. People with terminal diseases, having less than a year to live, along with those with certain given conditions (for instance HELP, arthritis, cancer) will be enabled to utilize marijuana medicinally if they have a type signed by their medical professional and 2 other professionals. Unfortunately at this time it might be difficult for some people to use it medicinally in practice due to the absence of supply. The certified client or a called agent can grow marijuana for their use, however, no-one else is enabled to cultivate or sell any type of cannabis for any factor. However, the federal government has funded a cannabis ranch which primarily produces materials for research purposes and in the future it is most likely that medical patients will have the ability to get their cannabis from them.

Whatever the case, it needs to be kept in mind that whatever anybody’s personal views are on the topic, thousands of individuals do treat themselves clinically with cannabis. They invest excessive quantities time and money in order to get their supply, without any guarantee of its strength, quality or purity. They risk confiscation, fines, rap sheets and imprisonment. Why would they do this if cannabis was not a reliable medication– certainly so effective it is worth running the risk of everything rather than utilize a medication that the authorities have considered ‘legal’?