Results for: medical marijuana

Medical Marijuana: Where is the evidence?

Marijuana is widely touted as an effective medicine for an array of conditions. But what does the evidence actually tell us?

/ January 11, 2018

Medical marijuana as the new herbalism, part 5: Turning herbalism into science-based medicine

There’s a new clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing a beneficial effect due to cannabidiol, a chemical isolated from marijuana, on drug-resistant seizures due to Dravet syndrome. Although there are a fair number of caveats, this is how you begin to turn the herbalism that characterizes medical marijuana advocacy into science-based medicine.

/ May 29, 2017

Medical marijuana as the new herbalism, part 4: Cannabis for autism

Medical marijuana. It’s promoted as a seeming panacea that can cure whatever ails you. While there are potentially useful medicinal compounds in marijuana, in general the medical marijuana movement vastly oversells the promise. Nowhere is this more true than for cancer and autism, where there is no compelling evidence that cannabis cures cancer. Worse, parents are subjecting autistic children to cannabis with...

/ August 3, 2015

Medical marijuana as the new herbalism, part 3: A “cannabis cures cancer” testimonial

Medical marijuana is often touted, primarily in the form of cannabis oil extract, as a cure for cancer that “they” don’t want you to know about. While some cannabinoids do have modest antitumor activity in vitro, there is no compelling evidence that cannabis can cure cancer. Yet that doesn't stop a proliferation of testimonials claiming that cannabis cured cancer. They are no...

/ March 16, 2015

Medical marijuana as the new herbalism, part 2: Cannabis does not cure cancer

Medical marijuana. It’s promoted as a seeming panacea that can cure whatever ails you. In particular, it's touted, primarily in the form of cannabis oil extract, as a cure for cancer that "they" don't want you to know about. While there are potentially useful medicinal compounds in marijuana, in general the medical marijuana movement vastly oversells the promise. While some cannabinoids do...

/ August 11, 2014

Medical marijuana as the new herbalism, part 1: Science versus the politics of weed in New York and beyond

Medical marijuana. It's promoted as a seeming panacea that can cure whatever ails you. While there are potentially useful medicinal compounds in marijuana, in general the medical marijuana movement vastly oversells the promise. The truth is far more prosaic and nuanced.

/ July 7, 2014

Medical Marijuana: are we ready?

Cannabis has been used recreationally and medically for centuries. Despite long experience, relatively little is known about the risks and benefits of its use as a medication. A considerable portion of our ignorance can be attributed to government discouragement of cannabis research. Searching the NIH website brings up many studies of both cannabis abuse and cannabis as a therapeutic agent, but most...

/ November 23, 2009

More Marijuana More Problems for Young Children Part 2: Additional Problems for the Aforementioned Children

A recent study found that young children are increasingly being harmed by accidental ingestion of cannabis in the form of edibles.

/ May 12, 2023

Legislative Alchemy 2019: Naturopaths gain licensure in two states, try for authority to grant vaccination medical exemptions

Thanks to the magic of Legislative Alchemy, Idaho and New Mexico licensed naturopaths as primary care doctors in 2019. Naturopaths are also seeking the authority to grant medical exemptions to vaccination and prescribe drugs in several states.

/ January 16, 2020

More Marijuana More Problems for Young Children

Young children explore their environment with their mouths. As more marijuana edibles make their way into homes, more potentially dangerous unintentional ingestions are going to happen.

/ July 27, 2018