Article

2005-12-14 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Something new for the CIA to experiment with? New drug acts like marijuana in brain

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Posted by trailing wife 2005-12-14 00:19|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 This is a pretty stupid article.

Twice she says it:
"The study suggests the new drug, called URB597, might represent a safer alternative to use of marijuana for treatment of pain and depression"

And

""Our discovery strengthens the case for URB597 as a safer, non-addictive, non-psychotropic alternative to cannabis for the treatment of pain and depression."

No one in there right mind has ever questioned the lack of toxicity and safety of pot. The only thing she could say is that you don't have to smoke it or eat it with a brownie or something.

As far as anti-nausea medication, it is first rate. I'd pull her funding.

Posted by Penguin 2005-12-14 02:10|| 2005-12-14 02:10|| Front Page Top

#2 I wonder how high you can get?

Posted by DopelessHopeless 2005-12-14 02:26|| 2005-12-14 02:26|| Front Page Top

#3 It's science, Penguin. They can't say anything definitive until they've done proper clinical studies involving several thousand human subjects -- one of at least eight weeks to establish efficacy vs. placebo, and a second, long term study to show consistency over time. One wouldn't want the doctor to unwittingly prescribe something that either stops working as the body becomes accustomed to it or, like Prozac, can actually cause problems (Prozac use amongst teenagers has been discovered to actually cause suicidal depression, kinda counterproductive in an anti-depressant). And for me at least, it was news that a marijuana-like substance could be used to manage pain or depression, although I did know about its traditional use as an anti-nausea agent for chemotherapy sufferers.

As for nobody questioning the safety of marijuana, I had always understood that smoking the stuff was a health risk not much less than smoking tobacco -- it can't be good for the lungs to absorb the smoke particles -- and there is a risk factor (not know to me) for sensitive individuals to become seriously addicted to the stuff. Not to mention damage to male sex cells with long term use, and so on. The risks to the occasional user are not high, to my limited understanding, but that changes for long term, heavy users.... separate from their tendency to sit around the bong singing Kumbaya. ;-)

Posted by trailing wife 2005-12-14 02:45|| 2005-12-14 02:45|| Front Page Top

#4 TW, regarding weed and lung damage -- it's true that pot smoke can't be good, but the amount of smoke inhaled is much, much, less than with tobacco. Even the heaviest pot smoker only inhales about 5% the volume of smoke that a pack-a-day tobacco addict would. Plus the water in a bong filters most of the bad stuff out. Trust me, I know.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2005-12-14 03:30|| 2005-12-14 03:30|| Front Page Top

#5 The CIA is ate up again! Don't they know the Dems have been taking this stuff for years! Look what it does, makes you stupid, just ask Dean!

Posted by 49 pan">49 pan 2005-12-14 06:22|| 2005-12-14 06:22|| Front Page Top

#6 I'm afraid my knowledge is theoretical, Scooter -- smoking things of all types make me cough too much to continue the experience! And I'm often awed at how much more experience other Rantburgers have packed into their lives compared to me. ;-) However, while I don't think there are many 3-packs of joints a day users out there, pot smokers draw the smoke much more deeply into their lungs when they do light up. FWIW.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-12-14 07:18|| 2005-12-14 07:18|| Front Page Top

#7 The author of the article has jumbled the pain and antidepression aspects of the URB597.

This is unfortunate. We do need better anti pain drugs for use with cancer patients. There are currently drugs which use cabbinol (a marijuana derivative) and these drugs are prescribed for cancer patients who are in chemo and radiation, but these drugs are not effective for many patients who need anti pain drugs. It may be that URB597 will be effective in some of these cases.

Anti depression is another story. There are many, many anti depressive treatments out there. The problem is that each one has side effects in some percentage of the people being treated. It is likely that URB597 also creates a side effect but it will take a lot of testing to get a fix on what that is.

Posted by mhw 2005-12-14 09:09|| 2005-12-14 09:09|| Front Page Top

#8 The uninformed, obstreperous comments regarding the toxicity of marijuana by some of the posters here is truly irksome. Marijuana is not physically addicting, unlike tobacco or alcohol. While not good for the lungs, one smokes far less of it than even a mildly addicting smoker, and unlike alcohol ... unlike alcohol ... oh dude, what were we talking about?

Posted by Curt Simon 2005-12-14 09:19|| 2005-12-14 09:19|| Front Page Top

#9 I've said it before, but - it's nice to see so many young people who care passionately about the pain and suffering of glaucoma.

Posted by BH 2005-12-14 10:24|| 2005-12-14 10:24|| Front Page Top

#10 Several follow up comments-
TW, people smoke it vice eat it because smoking is an effective way to control your high. It is an easier feedback loop. With eating it, the delay is up to two hours before you feel the effects, and you can get too high. Not overdose, but you could just be too high for it to be pleasant.

However, some people have sensitive lungs, and smoking anything is bad for you. In fact, smoking mj is probably worse for you by volume than tobacco because you hold it in.

Believe it or not, the effects of mj on male hormones and sex drive is false research published to keep young males from smoking it. (you have to read through the literature.)

Now, I am a veteran and a fairly conservative guy, who had a few years of extreme medical problems. I won't bore everyone with the details, but understand that when I was sick and nauseas, mj helped me a lot. Now I don't need it anymore, so I don't use it anymore.

But it is an effective and easily administered drug, that worked better than the stuff my docs first prescribed.

Posted by Penguin 2005-12-14 10:46|| 2005-12-14 10:46|| Front Page Top

#11 With regard to the pulmonary toxicity of MJ, we pulmonary docs view the damage caused by a joint as being roughly equal to that caused by 10 to 20 cigarettes. There are no good scientific studies to back that up, it's based on clinical experience.

I've seen plenty of patients who are heavy MJ smokers with near end-stage COPD (emphysema).

At least as far as the lungs are concerned, MJ is not benign.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2005-12-14 10:58|| 2005-12-14 10:58|| Front Page Top

#12 Thanks for educating me, guys. Penguin, I always assumed people made pot brownies so their mothers wouldn't notice the funny smell -- certainly that was why one of my brothers (the one who later became a pharmacist) did so. And Mama was so proud of her son, the baker, too. And I am glad to know that mj doesn't damage male bits... the very idea of a chemical discriminating on the basis of sex in these modern times should be anathema. ;-)

And I still like the vision of those overly vocal anti-"torture" types trying to figure out how to object to interrogators giving mj-analogue to their subjects, as dessert at the end of the pre-discussion tryptophan-free meal. Forgive me, but I do have these nasty little moments.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-12-14 12:53|| 2005-12-14 12:53|| Front Page Top

#13 I think this could be a solution to all the potheads that would be in withdrawal if we ever get the borders sealed. American drug addiction is underestimated. Sounds like the CIA is atoning for the problem they helped create in Viet Nam but it won't stop the billion dollar turf wars that will ensue if they decide to take terrorism seriously.

Posted by Danielle 2005-12-14 12:56|| 2005-12-14 12:56|| Front Page Top

#14 I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting the munchies.

Posted by SteveS 2005-12-14 13:01|| 2005-12-14 13:01|| Front Page Top

#15 With regard to the pulmonary toxicity of MJ, we pulmonary docs view the damage caused by a joint as being roughly equal to that caused by 10 to 20 cigarettes. There are no good scientific studies to back that up, it's based on clinical experience

Marijuana burns at a rather higher temperature than tobacco, leading to hotter smoke & therefore more lung damage per hit.

Posted by lotp 2005-12-14 13:01|| 2005-12-14 13:01|| Front Page Top

#16 I'd like to hear what Mr. Ashley Roachclip has to say on this thread.

/obscure C&C reference

Posted by Xbalanke 2005-12-14 13:09|| 2005-12-14 13:09|| Front Page Top

#17 Wasn't the fast boat Kerry was assigned to in Vietnam the URB597 ??? This explains it all.

Posted by Besoeker 2005-12-14 18:10|| 2005-12-14 18:10|| Front Page Top

#18 I'll mention it again -- using a bong takes care of most of the lung-damage issues. The water in a bong filters most of the harmful impurities (THC, the active ingredient is not water soluble) and it cools the hot smoke.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2005-12-14 20:15|| 2005-12-14 20:15|| Front Page Top

#19 remember to change your water and screens regularly and maintain a good clear hole.... this message brought by ...um..nobody you know, nevermind

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-12-14 20:40|| 2005-12-14 20:40|| Front Page Top

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