Sequoiacrone
December 7th, 2008, 08:33 PM
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IACM-Bulletin of 7 December 2008
--------------------------------------------------------
* Germany: First Patients receive Cannabis from the Dutch
Cannabis Program
* Science/China: In a tomb of a shaman in China 2700 year old
THC containing cannabis was discovered
* Netherlands: New association for the medicinal use of cannabis
* Science: THC in chronic pain
1.
Germany: First Patients receive herbal cannabis from the Dutch
Cannabis Program
On 27. November 2008 four patients were notified by the Federal
Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM) of
the Federal Ministry of Health that they will receive medical
cannabis, produced under the Dutch cannabis program, beginning
in early 2009. Since July 2007 some 30 patients have received
permission from the BfArM to use medical cannabis. However,
the permission generally refers to a liquid cannabis extract
produced by a German firm from Dutch cannabis. This extract did
not offer a satisfactory solution for a number of these patients.
On 3. December the Health Committee of the German Parliament
rejected, as was expected, two largely identical proposals by the
Greens and the Left Party that would have decriminalized the
medical use of physician-recommended cannabis. Medical use
continues to be limited to exceptional cases. The government
parties justified their rejection by saying that regulatory approval
of cannabis-based drugs under federal drug law would meet the
demand by patients. An ongoing multi-centre study is aimed at
achieving the approval of dronabinol for patients with multiple
sclerosis suffering from chronic pain. No information on the status
of the study is available because the participating physicians and
clinics are committed to confidentiality.
(Source: Personal communication)
2.
Science/China: In a tomb of a shaman in China 2700 year old
THC containing cannabis was discovered
The Journal of Experimental Botany has recently published an
article on the biochemical and genetic examination of a 2700 year
old 789 gram cannabis sample from a tomb in Xinjiang, China.
The plant material was buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed
Caucasian man, likely a shaman of the Gushi culture, near Turpan
in north-western China. The extremely dry conditions and alkaline
soil resulted in a good preservation, allowing a team of scientists
to carefully analyse the cannabis, which still looked green though
it had lost its distinctive odour.
The multidisciplinary team from China, UK, Italy, USA and other
countries demonstrated that this material was cultivated, and
contained THC and its metabolites, as well as THCA synthase,
the enzyme which allows the plant to produce THC. The
implications are that the Gushi culture employed cannabis as a
medicine or aid to divination. "To our knowledge, these
investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a
pharmacologically active agent," says the paper of lead author Dr.
Ethan Russo.
More at:
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/544684 (http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/544684)
The original article and a supplement with additional photos are
available online:
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/59/15/4171 (http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/59/15/4171)
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/data/ern260/DC1/1 (http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/data/ern260/DC1/1)
(Sources: Personal communication by Ethan Russo; Canadian
Press of 27 November 2008; Russo EB, Jiang HE, Li X, Sutton A,
Carboni A, Del Bianco F, Mandolino G, Potter DJ, Zhao YX,
Bera S, Zhang YB, Lü EG, Ferguson DK, Hueber F, Zhao LC,
Liu CJ, Wang YF, Li CS.Phytochemical and genetic analyses of
ancient cannabis from Central Asia. J Exp Bot 2008;59(15):4171-
82.)
3.
Netherlands: New association for the medicinal use of cannabis
The Dutch Association for Legal Cannabis and its Constituents as
Medicine (in Dutch: "Nederlandse Associatie voor legale
Cannabis en haar Stoffen als Medicatie" or NCSM) was recently
founded as a response to the positive developments of the Dutch
medicinal cannabis program. It is an independent non-profit
organization, and is able to perform its activities through donations.
The NCSM is a knowledge platform and discussion forum on the
medicinal use of cannabis. The mission of the NCSM is to
improve the acceptance of medicinal cannabis through dialogue
and using a science-based approach. At the same time there is a
clear intention to listen to the opinions and experiences of patients
and their care-takers. The NCSM works only with professionals
in the field of medicinal cannabis. The NCSM will actively
participate in medicinal cannabis policy, research and education.
More information at:
http://www.ncsm.nl (http://www.ncsm.nl/)
(Source: Personal communication by Arno Hazekamp)
4.
Science: THC in chronic pain
In an open clinical study the efficacy and adverse events of oral
THC (dronabinol) were investigated in 13 patients with chronic
pain unresponsive to conventional pharmacotherapy.
Five out of 13 patients reported adequate response to the
treatment while eight patients reported inadequate or no response.
Seven patients did not experience any adverse events, six patients
reported adverse events, which resulted in discontinuation of
treatment by two patients. The US-American researchers
concluded from their observations that "oral THC may be a
valuable therapeutic option for selected patients with CNMP
[chronic non-malignant pain] that are unresponsive to previous
treatments."
(Source: Haroutiunian S, Rosen G, Shouval R, Davidson E. Open-
Label, Add-on Study of Tetrahydrocannabinol for Chronic
Nonmalignant Pain. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother
2008;22(3):213-217.)
5.
News in brief
***Switzerland: No legalisation
On 30 November Swiss voters rejected an initiative for the
legalisation of cultivation and possession of cannabis. 36.8 per
cent of the voters voted in favour of the initiative, 63.2 against it.
An amendment of the narcotics law was accepted by a broad
majority of 68 per cent. Among others it is intended to ease the
medical use of dronabinol (THC). There is however uncertainty
about the concrete effects of this amendment on this issue.
(Sources: Swissinfo.ch, personal communications)
***USA: Hawaii
The number of medical cannabis patients in Hawaii (inhabitants:
1.3 millions) has grown by 87 per cent in the past two years.
According to the state Department of Public Safety, 4,200
patients were registered state-wide on 30 June 2008. One reason
for the increase is that more doctors have been certifying patients
for the program (85 physicians in 2008). (Source: Honolulu
Advertiser of 24 November 2008)
***USA: California
On 1 December the U.S. Supreme Court rejected without
comment an appeal by a Californian city that asked the justices to
overturn a lower court ruling requiring police to return medical
cannabis that they seize from a patient. The state Supreme Court
refused to review the case earlier this year, and the nation's high
court also denied to review the case without comment. "It's now
settled that state law enforcement officers cannot arrest medical
marijuana patients or seize their medicine," said a representative
of Americans for Safe Access. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle
of 2 December 2008)
***Science: Cannabidiol
According to animal research the non-psychotropic cannabinoid
cannabidiol (CBD) is a wake-inducing compound that activates
nerve cells in wake-inducing brain areas. (Source: Murillo-
Rodríguez E, et al. Behav Neurosci 2008;122(6):1378-82.)
***USA: Death in jail
The mother of a quadriplegic inmate who died in 2004 at the jail of
Washington D.C. has reached financial settlements with the
District government. The settlements were reached in the
controversial death of Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year-old Maryland
man who was paralysed from the neck down. Magbie died four
days into a 10-day jail sentence for possessing cannabis, which he
used for medical purposes. The jail was not equipped with the
ventilator he needed to breathe at night, so that he died from
breathing problems. (Source: Washington Post of 3 December
2008)
***USA: California
Someone who supplies cannabis to a patient who has a doctor's
approval for it can be prosecuted for drug-dealing, the state
Supreme Court ruled on 24 November. Advocates on both sides
of the case agreed that the unanimous ruling would encourage
Californians to obtain medical cannabis from patient cooperatives,
which are authorized by a 2003 state law, rather than from an
individual supplier. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle of 24
November 2008)
***Science: Cannabis and nicotine
In a large twin study the relationship between cannabis use and
nicotine dependence was investigated. The researchers concluded
that people who start cannabis use early are at increased risk for
nicotine dependence, but this risk is attributable largely to common
genetic vulnerability. "There is no evidence for a causal
relationship between cannabis use and nicotine dependence," they
wrote. (Source: Agrawal A, et al. Addiction 2008;103(11):1896-
904.)
6.
ONE YEAR AGO:
- Science/USA: Clinical study with the cannabis extract Sativex
started in the USA
- USA: New Mexico wants to establish a system for the
distribution and manufacture of medical cannabis
TWO YEARS AGO:
- Science: Moderate cannabis use has a positive effect on
treatment for cocaine dependence in patients with comorbid
ADHD and cocaine dependence
(More at the IACM-Bulletin archives: http://www.cannabis (http://www.cannabis/)-
med.org/)
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM)
Am Mildenweg 6
D-59602 Ruethen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2952-9708571
Fax: +49 (0)2952-902651
Email: info@cannabis-med.org (info@cannabis-med.org)
http://www.cannabis-med.org (http://www.cannabis-med.org/)
If you want to be deleted from or added to the IACM-Bulletin
mailing list or if you want to change your e-mail address please
visit
www.cannabis-med.org/english/subscribe.htm (http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/subscribe.htm). You may choose
between different languages (English, German, French, Dutch,
Italian and Spanish).
The articles of the IACM-Bulletin can be printed, translated and
distributed freely for any non-commercial purposes, provided the
original work is properly cited. The source of the IACM-Bulletin
is "IACM, www.cannabis-med.org (http://www.cannabis-med.org/)".
IACM-Bulletin of 7 December 2008
--------------------------------------------------------
* Germany: First Patients receive Cannabis from the Dutch
Cannabis Program
* Science/China: In a tomb of a shaman in China 2700 year old
THC containing cannabis was discovered
* Netherlands: New association for the medicinal use of cannabis
* Science: THC in chronic pain
1.
Germany: First Patients receive herbal cannabis from the Dutch
Cannabis Program
On 27. November 2008 four patients were notified by the Federal
Institute for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products (BfArM) of
the Federal Ministry of Health that they will receive medical
cannabis, produced under the Dutch cannabis program, beginning
in early 2009. Since July 2007 some 30 patients have received
permission from the BfArM to use medical cannabis. However,
the permission generally refers to a liquid cannabis extract
produced by a German firm from Dutch cannabis. This extract did
not offer a satisfactory solution for a number of these patients.
On 3. December the Health Committee of the German Parliament
rejected, as was expected, two largely identical proposals by the
Greens and the Left Party that would have decriminalized the
medical use of physician-recommended cannabis. Medical use
continues to be limited to exceptional cases. The government
parties justified their rejection by saying that regulatory approval
of cannabis-based drugs under federal drug law would meet the
demand by patients. An ongoing multi-centre study is aimed at
achieving the approval of dronabinol for patients with multiple
sclerosis suffering from chronic pain. No information on the status
of the study is available because the participating physicians and
clinics are committed to confidentiality.
(Source: Personal communication)
2.
Science/China: In a tomb of a shaman in China 2700 year old
THC containing cannabis was discovered
The Journal of Experimental Botany has recently published an
article on the biochemical and genetic examination of a 2700 year
old 789 gram cannabis sample from a tomb in Xinjiang, China.
The plant material was buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed
Caucasian man, likely a shaman of the Gushi culture, near Turpan
in north-western China. The extremely dry conditions and alkaline
soil resulted in a good preservation, allowing a team of scientists
to carefully analyse the cannabis, which still looked green though
it had lost its distinctive odour.
The multidisciplinary team from China, UK, Italy, USA and other
countries demonstrated that this material was cultivated, and
contained THC and its metabolites, as well as THCA synthase,
the enzyme which allows the plant to produce THC. The
implications are that the Gushi culture employed cannabis as a
medicine or aid to divination. "To our knowledge, these
investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a
pharmacologically active agent," says the paper of lead author Dr.
Ethan Russo.
More at:
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/544684 (http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/544684)
The original article and a supplement with additional photos are
available online:
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/59/15/4171 (http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/59/15/4171)
http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/data/ern260/DC1/1 (http://jxb.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/data/ern260/DC1/1)
(Sources: Personal communication by Ethan Russo; Canadian
Press of 27 November 2008; Russo EB, Jiang HE, Li X, Sutton A,
Carboni A, Del Bianco F, Mandolino G, Potter DJ, Zhao YX,
Bera S, Zhang YB, Lü EG, Ferguson DK, Hueber F, Zhao LC,
Liu CJ, Wang YF, Li CS.Phytochemical and genetic analyses of
ancient cannabis from Central Asia. J Exp Bot 2008;59(15):4171-
82.)
3.
Netherlands: New association for the medicinal use of cannabis
The Dutch Association for Legal Cannabis and its Constituents as
Medicine (in Dutch: "Nederlandse Associatie voor legale
Cannabis en haar Stoffen als Medicatie" or NCSM) was recently
founded as a response to the positive developments of the Dutch
medicinal cannabis program. It is an independent non-profit
organization, and is able to perform its activities through donations.
The NCSM is a knowledge platform and discussion forum on the
medicinal use of cannabis. The mission of the NCSM is to
improve the acceptance of medicinal cannabis through dialogue
and using a science-based approach. At the same time there is a
clear intention to listen to the opinions and experiences of patients
and their care-takers. The NCSM works only with professionals
in the field of medicinal cannabis. The NCSM will actively
participate in medicinal cannabis policy, research and education.
More information at:
http://www.ncsm.nl (http://www.ncsm.nl/)
(Source: Personal communication by Arno Hazekamp)
4.
Science: THC in chronic pain
In an open clinical study the efficacy and adverse events of oral
THC (dronabinol) were investigated in 13 patients with chronic
pain unresponsive to conventional pharmacotherapy.
Five out of 13 patients reported adequate response to the
treatment while eight patients reported inadequate or no response.
Seven patients did not experience any adverse events, six patients
reported adverse events, which resulted in discontinuation of
treatment by two patients. The US-American researchers
concluded from their observations that "oral THC may be a
valuable therapeutic option for selected patients with CNMP
[chronic non-malignant pain] that are unresponsive to previous
treatments."
(Source: Haroutiunian S, Rosen G, Shouval R, Davidson E. Open-
Label, Add-on Study of Tetrahydrocannabinol for Chronic
Nonmalignant Pain. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother
2008;22(3):213-217.)
5.
News in brief
***Switzerland: No legalisation
On 30 November Swiss voters rejected an initiative for the
legalisation of cultivation and possession of cannabis. 36.8 per
cent of the voters voted in favour of the initiative, 63.2 against it.
An amendment of the narcotics law was accepted by a broad
majority of 68 per cent. Among others it is intended to ease the
medical use of dronabinol (THC). There is however uncertainty
about the concrete effects of this amendment on this issue.
(Sources: Swissinfo.ch, personal communications)
***USA: Hawaii
The number of medical cannabis patients in Hawaii (inhabitants:
1.3 millions) has grown by 87 per cent in the past two years.
According to the state Department of Public Safety, 4,200
patients were registered state-wide on 30 June 2008. One reason
for the increase is that more doctors have been certifying patients
for the program (85 physicians in 2008). (Source: Honolulu
Advertiser of 24 November 2008)
***USA: California
On 1 December the U.S. Supreme Court rejected without
comment an appeal by a Californian city that asked the justices to
overturn a lower court ruling requiring police to return medical
cannabis that they seize from a patient. The state Supreme Court
refused to review the case earlier this year, and the nation's high
court also denied to review the case without comment. "It's now
settled that state law enforcement officers cannot arrest medical
marijuana patients or seize their medicine," said a representative
of Americans for Safe Access. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle
of 2 December 2008)
***Science: Cannabidiol
According to animal research the non-psychotropic cannabinoid
cannabidiol (CBD) is a wake-inducing compound that activates
nerve cells in wake-inducing brain areas. (Source: Murillo-
Rodríguez E, et al. Behav Neurosci 2008;122(6):1378-82.)
***USA: Death in jail
The mother of a quadriplegic inmate who died in 2004 at the jail of
Washington D.C. has reached financial settlements with the
District government. The settlements were reached in the
controversial death of Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year-old Maryland
man who was paralysed from the neck down. Magbie died four
days into a 10-day jail sentence for possessing cannabis, which he
used for medical purposes. The jail was not equipped with the
ventilator he needed to breathe at night, so that he died from
breathing problems. (Source: Washington Post of 3 December
2008)
***USA: California
Someone who supplies cannabis to a patient who has a doctor's
approval for it can be prosecuted for drug-dealing, the state
Supreme Court ruled on 24 November. Advocates on both sides
of the case agreed that the unanimous ruling would encourage
Californians to obtain medical cannabis from patient cooperatives,
which are authorized by a 2003 state law, rather than from an
individual supplier. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle of 24
November 2008)
***Science: Cannabis and nicotine
In a large twin study the relationship between cannabis use and
nicotine dependence was investigated. The researchers concluded
that people who start cannabis use early are at increased risk for
nicotine dependence, but this risk is attributable largely to common
genetic vulnerability. "There is no evidence for a causal
relationship between cannabis use and nicotine dependence," they
wrote. (Source: Agrawal A, et al. Addiction 2008;103(11):1896-
904.)
6.
ONE YEAR AGO:
- Science/USA: Clinical study with the cannabis extract Sativex
started in the USA
- USA: New Mexico wants to establish a system for the
distribution and manufacture of medical cannabis
TWO YEARS AGO:
- Science: Moderate cannabis use has a positive effect on
treatment for cocaine dependence in patients with comorbid
ADHD and cocaine dependence
(More at the IACM-Bulletin archives: http://www.cannabis (http://www.cannabis/)-
med.org/)
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM)
Am Mildenweg 6
D-59602 Ruethen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2952-9708571
Fax: +49 (0)2952-902651
Email: info@cannabis-med.org (info@cannabis-med.org)
http://www.cannabis-med.org (http://www.cannabis-med.org/)
If you want to be deleted from or added to the IACM-Bulletin
mailing list or if you want to change your e-mail address please
visit
www.cannabis-med.org/english/subscribe.htm (http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/subscribe.htm). You may choose
between different languages (English, German, French, Dutch,
Italian and Spanish).
The articles of the IACM-Bulletin can be printed, translated and
distributed freely for any non-commercial purposes, provided the
original work is properly cited. The source of the IACM-Bulletin
is "IACM, www.cannabis-med.org (http://www.cannabis-med.org/)".