--------------------------------------------------------
IACM-Bulletin of 10 May 2009
--------------------------------------------------------

* Science: According to a survey AIDS patients perceive
cannabis as at least as effective as prescribed medications
* USA: Legislators in New Hampshire support the medical use of
cannabis, but Governor Lynch is reluctant
* USA: Governor Schwarzenegger welcomes debate over
legalizing cannabis

1.

Science: According to a survey AIDS patients perceive cannabis
as at least as effective as prescribed medications

Research of an international group of scientists found out, that
persons living with HIV/AIDS rate the medicinal use of cannabis
as more effective than other medications in the treatment of
several of six common symptoms: anxiety, depression, fatigue,
diarrhoea, nausea, and peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain). For
this study 775 patients from the USA, Africa, and Puerto Rico
were interviewed. The use of cannabis was compared to
prescribed and over-the-counter medications (OTC).

Participants were interviewed over a two-year period and 27 per
cent said that they used cannabis for medicinal purposes. Authors
wrote that cannabis use "was rated slightly more effective than
antidepressants for anxiety and depression, imodium for diarrhoea,
OTC medications for fatigue, and anti-epileptics and OTC
medications for neuropathy" while cannabis was rated "slightly
less effective for nausea than either prescribed or OTC
medications." They concluded that cannabis "is perceived by users
as at least as effective as prescribed medications in symptom
management."

(Source: Corless IB, Lindgren T, Holzemer W, Robinson L,
Moezzi S, Kirksey K, Coleman C, Tsai YF, Sanzero Eller L,
Hamilton MJ, Sefcik EF, Canaval GE, Rivero Mendez M,
Kemppainen JK, Bunch EH, Nicholas PK, Nokes KM, Dole P,
Reynolds N. Marijuana Effectiveness as an HIV Self-Care
Strategy. Clin Nurs Res 2009;18(2):172-93.)

2.

USA: Legislators in New Hampshire support the medical use of
cannabis, but Governor Lynch is reluctant

A bill to legalize the medical use of cannabis is supported in both
the House of Representatives and the Senate, but House
supporters slowed their campaign on 6 May after fearing
Governor John Lynch would veto the bill as the state Senate had
already passed it. The House of Representatives voted to create a
group that should try to find an agreement.

The goal of the working group would be to address eight specific
problems Lynch and his staff identified during private meetings
with House supporters earlier this week. The most significant,
State Representative Cindy Rosenwald said, was the "residential
model" that would let a qualified patient or caregiver cultivate at
home up to six plants or possess up to two ounces (about 57
grams) of cannabis. "His biggest issue is the lack of a centralized
system to give it out," Rosenwald told her House committee on 6
May. Lynch did not say he would have vetoed the Senate-passed
bill and would not comment when asked if New Hampshire should
create state-run dispensing centres for medical cannabis as now
exist in California.

(Source: Nashua Telegraph of 7 May 2009)

3.

USA: Governor Schwarzenegger welcomes debate over legalizing
cannabis

On 5 May California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said he
welcomes a public debate on proposals to legalize and tax
cannabis, which some suggest could provide a lucrative new
revenue source for the state. The Republican governor, whose
term in office expires at the end of next year, was asked about
the idea of treating cannabis like alcohol at an appearance in
northern California.

"No, I don't think it's time for that, but I think it's time for a
debate," he said. "And I think we ought to study very carefully
what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and
other drugs, what effect it had on those countries, and are they
happy with that decision." Schwarzenegger's comments come
days after a state-wide Field Poll found that 56 per cent of
California voters support the idea of legalizing cannabis for
recreational use and taxing its proceeds. Proponents say that
taxation could generate more than 1 billion US Dollars (about 0.75
billion Euros) in revenue for the state.

More at:
-
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE54503R200
90506
-
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SCHWARZENEGGER_M
ARIJUANA?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE
=news_generic.htm

(Sources: Reuters of 6 May 2009, Associated Press of 5 May
2009)

4.

News in brief

***Mexico: Decriminalisation
Mexico's Congress has passed a bill decriminalizing the
possession of small amounts of drugs, from cannabis to
methamphetamine, as President Felipe Calderon tries to focus on
catching traffickers. The bill, proposed by Calderon would make it
legal to carry up to 5 grams of cannabis and is expected to be
signed into law by Calderon. (Source: Reuters of 1 May 2009)

***Science: Depression
According to animal research with rats administration of a
synthetic cannabinoid (HU-210), which acts similar to THC elicits
anti-depressant behaviour, which appears to involve the
noradrenergic system since this effect was attenuated by
adrenoreceptor antagonists. (Source: Morrish AC, et al. Physiol
Behav 2009 May 1. [Electronic publication ahead of print]).

***Science: Pain and acupuncture
According to animal research electroacupuncture increases the
anandamide level in inflammatory skin tissues, and CB2 receptors
contribute to the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture in a rat
model of inflammatory pain. (Source: Chen L, et al. J Pain 2009
Apr 29. [Electronic publication ahead of print]).

***Science: Inflammation of the bowel
Basic research shows that activation of the CB2 receptor protects
against experimental colitis in mice. (Source: Storr MA, et al.
Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009 Apr 30. [Electronic publication ahead of
print]).

***Science: Atherosclerosis
According to basic research CBD inhibits the activity of
lipoxygenase, which is involved in the development of
atherosclerosis. Researchers suggested that a more potent
derivative of CBD "may be a useful prototype for producing
medicines for atherosclerosis." (Source: Takeda S, et al. Drug
Metab Dispos 2009 Apr 30. [Electronic publication ahead of
print]).

***Science: Cancer
In a human gastric cancer cell line, which expresses the
cannabinoid-1 receptor, low concentrations of anandamide
stimulated cancer growth, while high concentrations induced
apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death. The anti-cancer
agent paclitaxel acted synergistically with anandamide. (Source:
Miyato H, et al. J Surg Res 2008 Aug 9. [Electronic publication
ahead of print]).

5.

ONE YEAR AGO:
- USA: A man dies after denied a liver transplant because he
used cannabis for medicinal purposes

TWO YEARS AGO:
- USA: Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives vote
to make the state medical cannabis law permanent

(More at the IACM-Bulletin archives: 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
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".