IACM Bulletin 1/3/2010 Survey;Fibromyalgia;Depression;right to Access in Colorado

[Sequoiacrone]

--------------------------------------------------------
IACM-Bulletin of 3 January 2010
--------------------------------------------------------

***Survey***
There is time to participate in the patient survey on the intake of
cannabis and cannabinoids for medicinal purposes until the end of
January 2010. Until 31 December 2009 there were 1094
participants for this survey (795 full responses, 299 surveys not
completely filled out).

* Science: Nabilone improved sleep in patients with fibromyalgia
* USA: Patients in Colorado who have the right to use cannabis
for medicinal purposes also have the right to buy the drug

1.

Science: Nabilone improved sleep in patients with fibromyalgia

At the Pain Clinic of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, the
effects of low doses of the THC derivative nabilone (0.5-1.0 mg
before bedtime) and the anti-depressant amitriptyline (10-20 mg
before bedtime) on sleep were investigated in 31 patients with
fibromyalgia and chronic insomnia. Fibromyalgia is a disease
characterized by widespread chronic pain and insomnia. Subjects
received each drug for 2 weeks with a 2-week period without
medications between the two treatment phases.

The study was terminated by 29 participants. Sleep was improved
by both amitriptyline and nabilone, but nabilone was superior to
amitriptyline. No effects on pain, mood, or quality of life were
observed. Adverse events were mostly mild to moderate and
were more frequent with nabilone. Researchers concluded that
"nabilone is effective in improving sleep in patients with FM and is
well tolerated. Low-dose nabilone given once daily at bedtime
may be considered as an alternative to amitriptyline."

(Source: Ware MA, Fitzcharles MA, Joseph L, Shir Y. The
Effects of Nabilone on Sleep in Fibromyalgia: Results of a
Randomized Controlled Trial. Anesth Analg. [Electronic
publication ahead of print])

2.

USA: Patients in Colorado who have the right to use cannabis for
medicinal purposes also have the right to buy the drug

Patients who are allowed to use cannabis in Colorado have a
constitutional right to buy cannabis, not just use it, according to a
ruling on 30 December. Judge Christopher Cross of the Arapahoe
County District Court supported the CannaMart dispensary, which
sued the city of Centennial after it was shut down in October.
Cross granted the dispensary's request for an injunction, which
will prevent the city from keeping the dispensary closed while
CannaMart challenges the city's argument that it can ban
cannabis shops because they violated federal drug laws.

Colorado in 2000 passed a constitutional amendment allowing
medical cannabis. Recent decisions by state health authorities,
along with a declaration by the U.S. attorney general in 2009 that
federal prosecutors won't interfere with state cannabis rules, have
led to an explosion of commercial cannabis stores across
Colorado. Judge Cross said the city violated the rights of three
medical cannabis patients who joined the lawsuit. One of these
patients said CannaMart's closure made it difficult for him to
obtain medical cannabis recommended for a debilitating nerve
ailment.

More at:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MEDICAL_MARIJU
ANA_COLORADO?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEM
PLATE=news_generic.htm

(Source: Associated Press of 30 December 2009)

3.

News in brief

***USA: Colorado
There are about 30,000 patients state-wide, who are allowed to
use cannabis for medicinal purposes. As of mid-August, three
quarters of these recommendations came from 15 doctors.
(Source: Denver Post of 18 December 2009)

***USA: New Mexico
There are 899 patients with an approval of the medical use of
cannabis, of whom more than half remain without adequate
access to their medicine. (Source: Santa Fe Reporter of 23
December 2009)

***Science: Multiple sclerosis
According to research at a university hospital near Madrid, Spain,
there were significant differences in the distribution of types of
the gene that encodes the CB1 receptor in patients suffering from
primary progressive multiple sclerosis compared to healthy
controls. There was no relation of genotypes to disease severity.
(Source: Ramil E, et al. Mult Scler. [Electronic publication ahead
of print])

***Science: Detection of THC
Researchers from the University of Trondheim, Norway, reported
of a pregnant woman, who was a heavy regular cannabis user.
THC metabolites (THC-COOH) were detectable in urine for 84
days after last use. She was suspected to continue using cannabis
despite denying any further use. Finally, her THC-COOH
excretion profile supported her story. (Source: Westin AA, et al. J
Anal Toxicol 2009;33(9):610-4.)

***Science: Schizophrenia
There is uncertainty concerning the effects of cannabis use on
cognition of schizophrenic patients. According to research from
Australia there was little difference in cognitive performance
between cannabis users and non-users amongst both healthy
individuals and patients with schizophrenia, suggesting "that
cannabis use has only subtle effects on the neurocognitive
performance indices assessed." (Source: Scholes KE, et al.
Psychol Med 2009 Dec 17. [Electronic publication ahead of print])

***Science: Cannabigerol
The mechanism of action of the plant cannabinoid cannabigerol
(CBG) is unknown. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen,
UK, found out that CBG can activate alpha2-adrenoceptors, bind
to cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors and block CB1 and 5-
HT1A receptors. (Source: Cascio MG, et al. Br J Pharmacol
[Electronic publication ahead of print])

***Science: Cannabidiol
So far, several mechanisms of action of cannabidiol (CBD) have
been demonstrated including antagonism at the CB1 receptor.
Researchers of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, demonstrated
antidepressant effects of CBD in mice, which were possibly
mediated by activation of 5-HT1A receptors. (Source: Zanelati T,
et al. Br J Pharmacol. [Electronic publication ahead of print])

International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM)
Am Mildenweg 6
D-59602 Ruethen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2952-9708571
Fax: +49 (0)2952-902651
Email: info@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. 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".