Cannabis and MS Study

Cannabis and MS Study

Cannabis may loosen the stiff and spastic muscles of multiple sclerosis sufferers, and not just their minds, a follow-up study has found.

The results contradict findings from the first phase of the study, where improvements seemed to be largely due to "good moods".

“There does seem to be evidence of some benefit from cannabis in the longer term that we didn’t anticipate in the short term study,” says John Zajicek, at Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, UK, and one of the research team.

In 2003, Zajicek and his colleagues published results on the largest study to date of cannabinoids and MS. The trial included 630 advanced-stage MS patients who took either cannabinoid compounds or a placebo for 15 weeks.

Compared with those on placebos, patients who received active compounds said they both felt less pain and less muscle spasticity – the spasms characteristic of this neurodegenerative disease.

Good guess

But physiotherapists using standard evaluations were unable to corroborate the patients' claims of improved mobility or muscle stiffness.

The results were further complicated because about two thirds of the patients who received cannabis compounds, such as D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), guessed they had not received a placebo, due to the drugs effect on their mind

I have been following this closely too. I used to do a lot of stuff for the NMSS, my ex is a director there. Anyways she has informed me that the NMSS will not change their mind on MM at least not in this area. She told me it has to do with gov't funding for certain things and MM is not going to make it easy for them to continue to get help. And she also said the two experimantal drugs that most of the MS patients are on, are not to effective and unproven. Which is the excuse most anti medical marijuana experts will give you as to why they won't explore MJ as a possibility. Doesn't make any sense IMO LOL.

People also need to go to norml.org and look at this list
hxxp://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3390

It will tell you which organizations support MM study and research if not use of MJ. Now I have a decision to make, we all do. I have been working with the NMSS for years and would hate to not help them anymore, but I am a firm believer in MM and if you don't support I find it hard to support you. This includes boycotting certain goods and services, it's the only way they are going to listen. My friend also advised me that I should speak with their health expert at the NMSS offfice in this area, and write letters. Cahances of them changing their stance is slim but it doesn't hurt to try IMO.

EDIT: Me and a friend grow Exile, which is used for MS. Well my friends older brother has MS and he smokes and says it helps him with spasms. He's not too bad but he's still young, he says it helps him more in public at the moment, he feels more comfortable knowing he can control himself a little better. Like I said he's still young and I'm sure it's embarrassing to some that they have these problems. he also said it just makes him feel better, I have to ask which medicine he was on and then I'll post back.

I think another key point that this article shows is how they gather data. For once I think the so called experts need to just listen to the patients, just listen and understand wht they are saying. If someone with MS says I honestly feel better using MJ let them who is it hurting.

One thing that does make me happy is volunteering for their events, I help set up the events, the grunt work like setting up a course for a walk or making sure water is where it needs to be on a bike tour etc. It's hard work, some of the events take a whole weekend. But it's so worth it at the end when everyone gets together, lots of smiles and good feelings. I don't know how involved you are Carrie or if you have MS but I for one enjoyed the post. I've learned a lot about MS and certain cancers and MM pops up a lot.

Like I said I'll try to get more info on the drugs my friend was on, and try and dig more out of the ex. I have to be careful though, she never approved of my smoking so I need to tread lightly. But I figure she knows what's going on pretty well considering she's a director and she's pretty honest.

I agree snuggles. If they have MS and they say it helps them, then how can a little mj hurt them? I say give it to them and get on with life. Just my thoughts. Thanks for the article Carrie. Take care and be safe.

I copied this from norml.org

The Montel Williams MS Foundation
"Marijuana has helped my symptoms so much that I have become an advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana for qualified patients like me -- those suffering from debilitating and/or devastatingly painful diseases. ... Because I do not condone breaking any law, I would like to see all 50 states and the federal government decriminalize medical marijuana. I would also like to see more research into its effects on MS -- for the treatment of pain and spasticity."
Reference: Press release ("Taking Action: Montel on Medical Marijuana & MS Treatment") of the Montel Williams MS Foundation.

Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada)
"The MS Society of Canada welcomes Health Canada¹s initiative providing a more compassionate system of possession and production for individuals who feel they may benefit from the use of marijuana for medical purposes."
Reference: MS Society Viewpoint, July 2001.

The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom)
"People with MS have claimed that [marijuana] has helped them to relieve a number of the symptoms of MS including pain, stiffness and bladder problems. ... We urge the courts to deal sympathetically with people with MS who are charged with cannabis use when seeking relief from their symptoms."
Reference: Policy statement: "Use of cannabis for alleviation of MS symptoms," adopted August 2003

here's the link if you want to confirm
hxxp://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3390

I had a chance to talk to my ex. She informed me that some of the employees are pro MM problem is if they research MM they will LOSE sponsorship, businesses will not put up with it. I also started to ask about the drugs they use and I got a quick reply of....do your own research LOL. I will look into it, I can ask my two friends with MS and do some reading if anyone is interested I will post back what I learn. I told you she didn't agree with my smoking LOL.

I was also wondering if there is anyone on the boards with MS? If so would you be comfortable sharing with us? If you are not comfy feel free to PM and we can make it private, but we need some help please.

snuggles said:

I was also wondering if there is anyone on the boards with MS? If so would you be comfortable sharing with us? If you are not comfy feel free to PM and we can make it private, but we need some help please.

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I have MS (and a couple spine issues) and MMJ helps very much with spasticity, spasms, tremors, and pain. It also helps with sleeping.

Seriously, the world is full of patients asking for MM but yet the the suppiosed to be experts are the ones making the decisions and bad judgement. It ias sickening!!!

Firepower said:

Seriously, the world is full of patients asking for MM but yet the the suppiosed to be experts are the ones making the decisions and bad judgement. It ias sickening!!!

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Those experts usually aren't experts IMO, they are hired guns or people afraid to lose their livelihood. If a doctor came out in my state and supported MM I would think he might lose his job....get what I'm saying. Also these epxerts have been saying the same thing since at least the seventies, with NO VALID scientific back up. Remember the it kills brain cells study? Here's how it really went, they were giving Monkeys marijuana but they were pumping smoke into gas masks with no breathing ability for 15 minutes at a time. They were suffocationg them and then claiming that it was marijuana killing brain cells...um no oxygen for 15 minutes will kill brain cells. How did I find this out, well norml.org sued using the New Freedom of Information act to obtain the study info. But today people still walk around believing it, cause they don't care enough to look into it. Tell a guy at the bar that his drink is killing more cells than a joint and they usually laugh in my experience. People want to walk around with their head up their butss IMO and the "experts" make it easier for them to do so. No one wants to face reality, in fact I feel guilty cause I didn't become active in this manner til after my mother died...why did I wait?

ms_1 said:

I have MS (and a couple spine issues) and MMJ helps very much with spasticity, spasms, tremors, and pain. It also helps with sleeping.

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Welcome to the site BTW, I replied to your mellow strain thread. Would you be comfortable if I asked some questions, nothing personal. We need to know how it works for you? Were you prescribed something else? Just so we can get a first hand account that's all. If not I understand, I just need to hear it from the horses mouth over and over again. I'm happy to hear that is does help you, not sure how much but you must think it does if you use it to treat your condition. Good luck and if there is anything you would like to share I'm all ears. Just so you know I'm an angry young man who has watched his whole family get decimated by cancer, I also have some relatives and friends with MS, none of them are real bad but it's still not something I would ever wish upon anyone....also I don't know how young I am anymore LOL but I am angry and I have a lot of motivation, THINGS NEED TO CHANGE, we are not pieces of meat we are people, mother, fathers, sons, daughters, etc etc. We don't give a shite about money just our friends and our families and their well being.

Thanks for replying to the thread. Feel free to ask anything. I have been prescribed just about everything there is to prescribe for MS. Besides the maintenance drugs (Injections that slow the progression of the disease) There are drugs for fatigue, nausea, spasms, tremors, spasticity, depression, pain, and neuropathic pain (still feels like pain, just a different mechanism.) Some of the main ones you will hear are baclofen, tizanidine, lyrica, clonopin, etc, etc... Pain meds are the usual opiates (I'm allergic to NSAIDS) Then, of course there are meds you take to help with some of the side effects from the other drugs for nausea, constipation, etc. I literally travel with a shaving kit full of drugs.
MS affect everyone differently but the most common symptoms are fatigue, imbalance, spasticity, gait, and pain.

For me, MMJ is the most effective drug I use to control pain, spasms, and tremors. Many days I cannot function at all. MMJ at least will settle things for a bit so I can have a bit of "normalcy".

One of the problems I see is that there isn't enough information about different ways of dosing and the different strains. The general public thinks that "marijuana is marijuana" and probably has no idea that there is Sativa and Indica and all the many different strains. MMJ users need to investigate to find out what is best for them. For me, on a bad tremor/spasm day, indica is best. On a "can't function day", sativa.

Thanks for the concern and posts. Let me know if you would like any more info. You can type in Multiple Sclerosis Discussion Board in your search engine and will usually find something about MMJ on the boards