Medical Marijuana For Kids

[Skip]

With medical marijuana gaining acceptance for a wide range of illnesses, the focus now shifts to treating certain illnesses prevalent among children. The #1 childhood illness that is treatable with cannabis is Attention Deficit Disorder or ADHD, with 4.5 million children and teens diagnosed with it.

In California it is legal for a doctor to recommend marijuana to treat a child. Many parents are taking advantage of this, going to dispensaries with recommendations and treating their children with cannabis.

For kids with ADHD, it can be a godsend. Unable to keep their mental focus for long, they have problems at home and in school. By using marijuana, these kids exhibit less anxiety and anger and are able to focus on their school work. And of course marijuana comes with far fewer side-effects than Ritalin and other pharmaceutical drugs used to treat ADHD.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/health/22sfmedical.html

 

[fatigues]

If medical marijuana was treated simply as a pharmaceutical product prescribed to treat an illness, this would be worthy of discussion. Then again, I don't know where that discussion would be taking place - because ICM - at least in its current form, wouldn't exist in such a world, either.

But that isn't our world.

As we don't live in such a rational world, but rather, in a highly emotional and irrational world, this is a topic that is best kept in the back of the closet, hiding behind the Xmas decorations.

There is nothing here for us but a world of hurt when it comes to political pain. Knee-twitch factor on this is extremely high.

Publicity on this issue is political suicide. There is a time to be wise and STFU. This is one of those times. An article like this in the Sunday edition of the NY Times is something we could have done without on this issue.

FWIW, I wouldn't put my son on Ritalin - and I wouldn't put him on dope, either. Which doesn't mean that it's time to call the Police when a teenager gets high. That's no big deal. But high all the time? That's not something I would choose for anyone without an extremely good reason - and ADHD is not a good enough reason when it comes to my kids.

What others choose for themselves is, of course, another matter entirely. Do as you see fit, by all means.

The tolerance you can expect others to show when making choices for yourself, however, is not to be expected when purporting to make those choices for your own kids. That's when you can expect, rightly or wrongly, for a lot of people to take active steps to over-rule those decisions - and most forcefully, too.

 

[kmk420kali]

This vid shows just how wonderful this plant is....even (especially) for kids who need it--
http://icmag.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=556

 

[grow1620]

I've always believed adhd to be a scam by the mental health/pharma companies. I would be in complete awe to hear someone in that field of work say " No sir, your child doesn't have adhd, he's just hyper or trying to get attention.

These companies want you to think there's a magic pill for any ailment you have (or don't have!!) The reality of it imo, is that people are all different and there's nothing wrong with that at all. What's wrong is to try and make everyone act the same through used of these magic pills.

I'm not saying that these kids don't have issues that need to be delt with, and some need special help...but popping pills and making zombies out of them isn't helping the situation.

If cannabis can help these kids work out their problems then I support it 100%, as long as the parents aren't just drugging their kids up because it's easier for them to deal with, which seems to be pretty popular these days.

 

[theJointedOne]

I think kids using medicinal cannabis should be carefully watched by there physician and be aware that this is medicine, not a recreation. That being said, IMO it should be available to anybody who would benefit from it.

I would probably propose more oral intake then smoking or vaporizing as this wil make it easier to consume and have less of a stigma. Plus it will save their lungs.

nice thread skip

 

[Skip]

Fatigues, I'm surprised at you. There are 4.5 million kids who might benefit from mmj. Right now they are being treated with far worse drugs. We should just let them suffer or be treated with pharma drugs that will probably addict them into their adulthood just so we can be Politically Correct?

Sorry I don't buy that.

I just had a good discussion about this yesterday at a Collective. One woman detailed how smoking mj as a kid allowed her to do much better in school cause she had ADHD.

Of course it can interfere with kids education if they don't have ADHD.

The point is if it's medicine that WORKS, who cares about the politics of it. Time to throw the politics in the trash, and accept marijuana as the healing gift it is.

We've let politics get in the way of medicine for too long in this country. The politics are only there cause there is a lot of $$$ involved in suppressing marijuana use. Take that away and it will be like any other medicine, treated with respect, used to heal (more effectively than most).

 

[fatigues]

"One woman detailed how smoking mj as a kid allowed her to do much better in school cause she had ADHD."

If I believed that - in the slightest - I would support it.

I happen to think, however, that it is a bald-faced lie. While I accept that a mood-altering drug which reduces violent emotions can help others cope with the person who has those emotions, I have yet to see one study - that would be ONE study - which suggests there is even a slight scientific basis for saying that MJ enhances concentration and formal learning ability in a classroom setting.

So that word...bullshit....is pretty much the one I have to reach for Skip.

It's for the same reason that I read an article in this month's High Times on Rick Simpson and his claims that hemp oil cures cancer. Jack Herrer may love this story - but I believe that those claims are 99% bullshit. That does not mean that in some circumstances it cannot be beneficial. But Rick Simpson claims to have cured cancer AND diabetes with "cannabis oil". I call it snake oil.

I support MMJ and I support recreational MJ as well. But there is a limit to all things. Anti-biotics are the greatest wonder drugs medical science has ever developed. But they don't cure cancer.

All drugs have limits and proper applications. MMJ is no different.

 

[Skip]

You of all ppl should do more research on this issue, fatigues....

Then come back and report what you found. Again, I'm surprised at your response and expect more.

I've seen hemp oil cure skin cancers and do other remarkable/miraculous things.

Just cause you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Sounds to me like YOU'RE the one responding emotionally to this issue, rather than rationally.

You must have kids.

BTW, there is an article in this News forum about how marijuana helps autism, another important use for marijuana for kids.

 

[zmanforever]

Over 90% of the worlds anti-depression medicines can be replaced by marijuana.
The same anti-depression medicines that have negative after effects like blood clots, heart attacks, and even death yes fucking medicine designed to "help" the patient can kill!
Luckilly for us we live in the USA where our government officials make choices by way of lobbyists people who are hired by corrupt pharmaceutical companies and
offer big pay outs in the hundreds of thousands up to millions to keep their killing drugs legal and at top of doctor recommended prescriptions.
WELCOME TO THE GOOD OL' US of A =(

 

[Skip]

ADHD and marijuana research:
http://www.showmethefacts.org/medical-marijuana-facts/add-adhd/

Hell even FAUX NEWS reported on this 5 YEARS AGO! HOW LONG MUST WE WAIT for acceptance?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,117541,00.html

 

[headfortrinity]

There was a 16 year old in the waiting room when I got my script renewal. He got his script for adhd, and was planning his grow. I think mmj for kids is good if recommended properly, I started smoking at age 14, I didn't make the connection at the time but it helped slow down my overdrived mind so I can focus on one thing at a time and it really helped me to interact with my peers better. They didn't have ridalin in my day but I saw how it affected my little brother and I would recommend mmj over that stuff. Luckily my brother doesn't have severe enough symptoms to really need any medication, (his teacher thought he did) he only took ridalin for a week, we saw what it was right off and threw the stuff away.
It's difficult to understand what's going on in another persons mind when they run at a different speed than yours and teenagers in this situation often don't know how to explain what they are thinking to others, they are disregarded as being unruly on purpose when they are only trying to release this mental energy creatively. I think that there needs to be a lot more research on this subject to determine how these minds can be harnessed properly to the benefit everyone, I think adhd is a symptom of our societies increasingly sedimentary lifestyles manifesting as mental illness because of not having a creative outlet or other work projects for kids to remain active and burn off this energy.

 

[kmk420kali]

Science: Cannabinoids effective in animal model of hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome, affecting human infants and adolescents. The syndrome is characterised by impaired attention and by impulsive-hyperactive behaviour. Italian researchers studied ADHD in an animal model, using the spontaneously hypertensive-rat (SHR) strain, which is regarded as an animal model for ADHD.
The SHR rats were compared to normal rats. In tests it appeared that there is a subgroup within the SHR rats which reacted very impulsive. Researchers found that animals of this impulsive SHR subgroup presented a reduced density of CB1 cannabinoid receptors in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The administration of a synthetic cannabinoid that – like THC – binds to the CB1 receptor normalized the impulsive behavioural profile in this subgroup of SHR rats, but had no effect on normal rats.
Until now there is no clinical research with cannabis or single cannabinoids in ADHD but several patients report positive effects. Additionally, a clinical study on THC in Tourette’s syndrome demonstrated an improvement of obsessive compulsive behaviour.
(Source: Adriani W, et al. The spontaneously hypertensive-rat as an animal model of ADHD: evidence for impulsive and non-impulsive subpopulations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2003;27(7):639-51)

http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/bulletin/ww_en_db_cannabis_artikel.php?id=162#4

 

[fatigues]

You of all ppl should do more research on this issue, fatigues....

I've read lots. There's more to read. But I read such reports with a skeptical and rational mind.

I've seen hemp oil cure skin cancers and do other remarkable/miraculous things.

There are hundreds of millions out there who purport to believe in the immaculate conception and virgin birth, too - I'm not one of them.

My response is not emotional Skip; it's a rational one. Show me the hard science - I'll consider it. One study in the 70s aside, there is nothing in relation to the treatment of cancer (apart from symptoms) where MMJ has had any effect.

So, that's the science Skip. The rest is but mere contention and wishful thinking.

Just cause you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

No. My standard is one of reproducible results in a controlled laboratory setting. You know - all that Big Pharma / FDA approvals regimin stuff? (They happen to have a point.)

Sounds to me like YOU'RE the one responding emotionally to this issue, rather than rationally.

Anecdotes are not science; relying upon them as evidence of any objective fact, without more, is not rational.

BTW, there is an article in this News forum about how marijuana helps autism, another important use for marijuana for kids.

That's a different point. There, the underlying symptom in a minority of autistic children is violent behaviour. I have no problem in accepting that MMJ reduces violent tendencies in those who imbibe it.

But it's a long distance call to say that a mood-altering drug which reduces violent tendencies improves formal learning ability in a classroom setting. Until I see such a study, with reproduceable results verified in a peer reviewed journal - I am not sold.

 

[chef]

It helped me in school & that's a fact!

Calling someone a liar is fightin words where I come from...

 

[Babbabud]

Im sold

 

[northernlightss]

"One woman detailed how smoking mj as a kid allowed her to do much better in school cause she had ADHD."
It helped me tons in college, every time I would sit down to do some math in class my mind would wander off in less than a minute, no way to concentrate, its ends up making me really angry at the situation. On the days I would go to class blazed, math was like a first language to me I was zipping through chapters a day as it was a self taught math class since I can't stand lecture math courses. Cannabis can do wonders for my concentration, I even have several friends that would defend me when I got comments from people about me smoking then working or going to school, my friends laughed and said" are you kidding me? he does everything better high"

 

[THC123]

I also used MJ to study from my 5th year of highschool till the day i got my university diploma.

It helped me concentrate and i studied better with it. It made the matter interesting.



And i never forgot the things i studied and always got good grades

 

[fatigues]

ADHD and marijuana research:
http://www.showmethefacts.org/medical-marijuana-facts/add-adhd/

Go through the links and read the actual evidence those links purport to cite.

Let's discount the "Doctors" in herbology and naturopathy masquerading as medical doctors and Ph. D research scientists, to start, shall we?

We're left with a study showing rodents exhibiting non-unusual behaviour - but no cited improvement in those same rodent's maze learning ability. Show me sub-par maze learing, add THC/CBN/CDB, then measure improved maze learning, I'm all for expanding the research towards a clinical trial if further evidence emerges in other animal studies.

We otherwise have a case report on ONE MAN in Germany. That's not "a study". That's an anecdote dressed up with some data.

Could it be true? Anything is possible. But is there scientific evidence to prove it's true? No Skip, there isn't.

As for it curing cancer of various types through topical, injected and ingested application - give it a rest. Rick Simpson is a crank.

 

[Skip]

Fatigues, you really didn't read all those links did ya? I find plenty of support there in scientific studies.

Here's the problem with most cannabis research conducted in the US in a nutshell...

Those with more severe substance use disorders tend to manifest more problems of social functioning, more mental health problems, and physical health problems. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of treatment needs, challenges, and prognostic implications.

This is the prevailing attitude & bias of the medical establishment: that marijuana CAUSES these symptoms.

The medical establishment REFUSES to acknowledge that perhaps it is MARIJUANA that is alleviating the symptoms of these illnesses and THAT is why people young and old are using it!

If it helps with ADHD, it helps with depression, it helps with anxiety, it helps with anger, it helps with PAIN, it helps with other physical and psychological disorders, that means that the subjects in the study are using it therapeutically, they are SELF-MEDICATING, not abusing cannabis!!!

This is the reality of the situation that the powers that be refuse to look at marijuana as being anything other than a DANGER, rather than a therapy.

So they have it backwards. Kids, adults, medical patients, recreational users all use cannabis THERAPEUTICALLY to help them with things that medical science cannot.

And rather than turn to alcohol, REALLY DANGEROUS prescription or illegal drugs, they opt for the most effective, least harmful TREATMENT, cannabis.

What the FUCK is wrong with that? Other than it deprives money from DRUG & LIQUOR COMPANIES?

 

[fatigues]

In any event, I expect that we can respectfully agree to disagree over the cause and effect of MMJ on these and various other diseases - either through symptomatic treatment or even, potentially, cures.

I expect that there is far more common ground on the political wisdom of publicizing such treatments - at this stage - as part of the overall strategy for greater adoption of MMJ in other states and in other countries - and as part of the drive for legalization in the Western world. "Pot for kids" is about the stupidest thing you could ever do to assist in that.

The Canadian Senate Report on Illegal Drugs of 2002 - without a doubt, the largest and most complete study on marijuana use in the Western World, undid the entire premise of their work by recommending legalization for use in teens 16 and above in Canada.

Rational? Yes. Defenceable on a sociological and legal basis? Undoubtedly. Politically wise? Are you kidding? Canada might have legalized marijuana by now, but for that error in political judgement.

The massive over-representation of African americans in state and federal prisons for drug charges stems from the knee-twitch sentencing laws relating to dealing drugs within X feet of a school. It is a knee-twitch of monstrous power.

In my estimation, it is exceedingly unwise at a political level.