Researchers have discovered a new way to boost the effects of anandamide - a natural chemical in the body that provides pain relief similar to marijuana.
Anandamide has been called the ‘bliss molecule’ for its similarities to the active ingredient in certain marijuana genetics. As part of the body’s endocannabinoid system, this neurotransmitter has been shown in studies to offer analgesic, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects. It also plays a role in regulating food consumption.
In the study, led by Daniele Piomelli, researchers identified an “escort” protein in brain cells that transports anandamide to sites within the cell where it is broken down by enzymes. They discovered that anandamide’s potency is increased when this protein, called FLAT, is blocked.
Previous work by the researchers suggests that compounds boosting anandamide’s natural abilities could form the basis of pain medications without the side effects of sedation, addiction or other central nervous system problems common with existing painkillers, such as opiates.
“These findings raise hope that the analgesic properties of marijuana can be harnessed for new, safe drugs,” said Piomelli, a professor of pharmacology. “Specific drug compounds we are creating that amplify the actions of natural, marijuana-like chemicals are showing great promise.”
For the study, Piomelli and his colleagues used computational methods to study how FLAT binds with anandamide and escorts it to cell sites to be degraded by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzymes. Blocking FAAH activity increases several effects of anandamide without triggering the “high” of marijuana.
Researchers hypothesize that inhibiting FLAT (FAAH-like anandamide transporters) might be especially useful in controlling certain types of pain.
Specific types of pain that could be helped by this discovery could include pain caused by damage to the central nervous system. It is also thought that it might help people break addiction to drugs such as nicotine and cocaine.
The study appears in the online version of Nature Neuroscience.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of California, Irvine; Italy’s University of Parma and University of Bologna; and the Italian Institute of Technology.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Santa Cruz County supervisors step up for Medical Cannabis
The Santa Cruz county board of supervisors on Tuesday imposed a moratorium on medical cannabis regulations, instead joining an evolving legal fight over how MMJ collectives and medical marijuana patients may access their marijuana medicine.
The move, which halts a set of rules approved with the support of local dispensaries in May, was triggered by a state appeals court ruling striking down a set of Long Beach regulations for their medical marijuana collectives as conflicting with federal drug laws.
That case has been appealed to the state's highest court. The county is joining that appeal along with the American Civil Liberties Union, offering up its regulatory scheme as an alternative to the oft-criticized Long Beach law, which required dispensaries to make steep payments for a chance to receive a license to operate within city limits.
Thank you Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors for fighting on the side righteousness.
Be sure and check out WeedMaps Street Team on Twitter for all of your most up to date MMJ news and events!
The move, which halts a set of rules approved with the support of local dispensaries in May, was triggered by a state appeals court ruling striking down a set of Long Beach regulations for their medical marijuana collectives as conflicting with federal drug laws.
That case has been appealed to the state's highest court. The county is joining that appeal along with the American Civil Liberties Union, offering up its regulatory scheme as an alternative to the oft-criticized Long Beach law, which required dispensaries to make steep payments for a chance to receive a license to operate within city limits.
Thank you Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors for fighting on the side righteousness.
Be sure and check out WeedMaps Street Team on Twitter for all of your most up to date MMJ news and events!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Gov. Gary Johnson 'the marijuana guy' takes 2012 pitch to L.A.
The International Drug Policy Reform Conference in downtown Los Angeles might not seem like a sensible campaign stop for a Republican presidential hopeful. There was reggae music blasting, little lapel pins shaped like marijuana leaves, and a speech by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the uber-liberal former mayor of San Francisco who is famous for granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
But on Thursday, Gary Johnson stood there before an audience of drug decriminalization activists, drawing cheers for his promise that if he wins the Republican nomination and is elected president, he will issue a full pardon for anyone serving prison time for a non-violent marijuana crime.
What Johnson’s shoe-string presidential campaign lacks in resources and media attention—which is a lot -- it has made up for in quirkiness. Consider last month, when the former New Mexico governor showed up to talk economics with protesters at Occupy Wall Street. Or his announcement that he had forgone campaigning in Iowa in order to focus on New Hampshire, where he hopes to make a good showing in the January primary – and surprise those who have dismissed him as a long-shot.
An advocate of small-government and tax reform that would tax consumption, instead of income, Johnson’s libertarian leanings have drawn comparisons to Ron Paul, whom he endorsed for president in 2008.
But he is best-known nationally for his stance on marijuana.
Johnson has been calling for the legalization of the drug since 1999, during his second term as governor. He says he smoked marijuana recreationally when he was younger, and used it more recently to help with the pain after a paragliding accident in 2005. Wherever he goes, Johnson says, people point and say: “That’s the marijuana guy.”
But he says he’s OK with that, since many Americans support looser drug policies. In a recent magazine interview, Johnson said marijuana smokers may be “the largest untapped voting bloc in the country.”
On Thursday, Johnson told the crowd about a Gallup poll last month that found that 50% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana. “Fifty percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana, “ he said. “But zero percent of the universe of politicians support this.” He assailed his Republican rivals, whom he said have overlooked the effect of the so-called war on drugs on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“They all talk about border violence and adding guns to the equation instead of looking at the root of the problem, which is prohibition,” he said.
With the exception of Paul, who believes states should decide whether to outlaw marijuana use, Johnson’s stance on the drug is in stark contrast to most of his Republican rivals. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has said that he would not support the decriminalization of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes.
And Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, has sought to expand prosecution of drug-related offenses. In 1996, Gingrich sponsored a bill called the “Drug Importer Death Penalty Act,” which called for life in prison or even the death sentence for those convicted of trafficking large amounts of drugs.
(Source)
But on Thursday, Gary Johnson stood there before an audience of drug decriminalization activists, drawing cheers for his promise that if he wins the Republican nomination and is elected president, he will issue a full pardon for anyone serving prison time for a non-violent marijuana crime.
What Johnson’s shoe-string presidential campaign lacks in resources and media attention—which is a lot -- it has made up for in quirkiness. Consider last month, when the former New Mexico governor showed up to talk economics with protesters at Occupy Wall Street. Or his announcement that he had forgone campaigning in Iowa in order to focus on New Hampshire, where he hopes to make a good showing in the January primary – and surprise those who have dismissed him as a long-shot.
An advocate of small-government and tax reform that would tax consumption, instead of income, Johnson’s libertarian leanings have drawn comparisons to Ron Paul, whom he endorsed for president in 2008.
But he is best-known nationally for his stance on marijuana.
Johnson has been calling for the legalization of the drug since 1999, during his second term as governor. He says he smoked marijuana recreationally when he was younger, and used it more recently to help with the pain after a paragliding accident in 2005. Wherever he goes, Johnson says, people point and say: “That’s the marijuana guy.”
But he says he’s OK with that, since many Americans support looser drug policies. In a recent magazine interview, Johnson said marijuana smokers may be “the largest untapped voting bloc in the country.”
On Thursday, Johnson told the crowd about a Gallup poll last month that found that 50% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana. “Fifty percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana, “ he said. “But zero percent of the universe of politicians support this.” He assailed his Republican rivals, whom he said have overlooked the effect of the so-called war on drugs on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“They all talk about border violence and adding guns to the equation instead of looking at the root of the problem, which is prohibition,” he said.
With the exception of Paul, who believes states should decide whether to outlaw marijuana use, Johnson’s stance on the drug is in stark contrast to most of his Republican rivals. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has said that he would not support the decriminalization of marijuana, even for medicinal purposes.
And Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, has sought to expand prosecution of drug-related offenses. In 1996, Gingrich sponsored a bill called the “Drug Importer Death Penalty Act,” which called for life in prison or even the death sentence for those convicted of trafficking large amounts of drugs.
(Source)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
San Diego Congressman urges Obama to back off medical marijuana
Rep. Bob Filner and congressional colleagues are urging President Barack Obama to reschedule marijuana as a legitimate controlled substance for medicinal purposes, saying state and local governments must be allowed to develop and enforce their own public health laws with regard to medical cannabis.
In a letter dated Oct. 28, the lawmakers expressed concerns with the Justice Department’s recent crackdown against California medical marijuana dispensaries that are operating legally under state law.
“During your presidential campaign, you repeatedly pledged to end federal raids against the individuals and collectives authorized by state law to use or provide medical cannabis, giving hope to patients who legitimately use medical cannabis to treat their conditions that their long struggle to safely access their medicine was finally over,” the letter states.
“By pursuing the same harsh policies that have been in place for years, we fear that the federal government will push legitimate patients back into the uncertainty and danger of the illicit market.
California's four U.S. attorneys held a press conference last month to announce statewide raids along with the mailing of letters to dozens of medical marijuana dispensary directors and their landlords warning them to close in 45 days or risk criminal prosecution and property confiscations.
U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, whose district includes San Diego and Imperial counties, confirmed that her office has mailed similar letters to hundreds of property owners. In announcing the effort, she referred to the state’s cannabis trade as a “pervasive, for-profit industry” that violates federal law and has little to do with providing medicine to the sick.
But in their letter, the representatives said physicians would continue to recommend marijuana to alleviate several serious illnesses and medical conditions that have not responded to other medications and treatments.
“The actions mandated in these letters and echoed at the ensuing press conference directly interfere with California's 15-year-old medical cannabis law by eliminating safe access to medication for the state's thousands of medical cannabis patients,” they wrote.
Approved as a ballot measure in 1996, Proposition 215 allows patients with a doctor’s approval to use marijuana and receive it from their caregivers. State legislation in 2003 and guidelines from then-Attorney General Jerry Brown in 2009 authorized distribution by nonprofit collectives, but much of that was not delineated in law.
Filner, D-San Diego, is the first local lawmaker to publically oppose the Obama administration’s recent enforcement efforts. Filner, who is running for mayor of San Diego, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He and the eight congressional colleagues who signed the letter noted that threats against property owners in California come after several months of “federal interference” in other states with laws that permit medical marijuana for the ill. That includes SWAT-style federal raids in at least seven such states and threats of criminal prosecution against state and local officials there.
Last week, the marijuana advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access sued the federal government, arguing that the Obama administration was attempting to subvert state and local medical marijuana laws. The group, which represents some 20,000 patients, alleges that the administration instituted a policy to dismantle local laws and coerce municipalities to pass bans on dispensaries.
expected soon.
Both the advocacy organization and the bipartisan group of congressional members detailed campaign statements by Obama and later memos from his administration signaling plans not to focus federal resources on individuals who were obeying state and local medical marijuana laws.
The letter called Obama to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II or III drug to effectively harmonize federal law with the laws of states. Or, it asked the president to publicly support legislation such as House Resolution 1983, the States' Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, that would change federal statute to achieve this same goal.
Filner and California Democrats Sam Farr, Mike Thompson, Pete Stark, Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey signed the letter. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, and Democrats Jared Polis of Colorado and Steve Cohen of Tennessee joined them.
(Source)
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In a letter dated Oct. 28, the lawmakers expressed concerns with the Justice Department’s recent crackdown against California medical marijuana dispensaries that are operating legally under state law.
“During your presidential campaign, you repeatedly pledged to end federal raids against the individuals and collectives authorized by state law to use or provide medical cannabis, giving hope to patients who legitimately use medical cannabis to treat their conditions that their long struggle to safely access their medicine was finally over,” the letter states.
“By pursuing the same harsh policies that have been in place for years, we fear that the federal government will push legitimate patients back into the uncertainty and danger of the illicit market.
California's four U.S. attorneys held a press conference last month to announce statewide raids along with the mailing of letters to dozens of medical marijuana dispensary directors and their landlords warning them to close in 45 days or risk criminal prosecution and property confiscations.
U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy, whose district includes San Diego and Imperial counties, confirmed that her office has mailed similar letters to hundreds of property owners. In announcing the effort, she referred to the state’s cannabis trade as a “pervasive, for-profit industry” that violates federal law and has little to do with providing medicine to the sick.
But in their letter, the representatives said physicians would continue to recommend marijuana to alleviate several serious illnesses and medical conditions that have not responded to other medications and treatments.
“The actions mandated in these letters and echoed at the ensuing press conference directly interfere with California's 15-year-old medical cannabis law by eliminating safe access to medication for the state's thousands of medical cannabis patients,” they wrote.
Approved as a ballot measure in 1996, Proposition 215 allows patients with a doctor’s approval to use marijuana and receive it from their caregivers. State legislation in 2003 and guidelines from then-Attorney General Jerry Brown in 2009 authorized distribution by nonprofit collectives, but much of that was not delineated in law.
Filner, D-San Diego, is the first local lawmaker to publically oppose the Obama administration’s recent enforcement efforts. Filner, who is running for mayor of San Diego, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He and the eight congressional colleagues who signed the letter noted that threats against property owners in California come after several months of “federal interference” in other states with laws that permit medical marijuana for the ill. That includes SWAT-style federal raids in at least seven such states and threats of criminal prosecution against state and local officials there.
Last week, the marijuana advocacy organization Americans for Safe Access sued the federal government, arguing that the Obama administration was attempting to subvert state and local medical marijuana laws. The group, which represents some 20,000 patients, alleges that the administration instituted a policy to dismantle local laws and coerce municipalities to pass bans on dispensaries.
expected soon.
Both the advocacy organization and the bipartisan group of congressional members detailed campaign statements by Obama and later memos from his administration signaling plans not to focus federal resources on individuals who were obeying state and local medical marijuana laws.
The letter called Obama to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II or III drug to effectively harmonize federal law with the laws of states. Or, it asked the president to publicly support legislation such as House Resolution 1983, the States' Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, that would change federal statute to achieve this same goal.
Filner and California Democrats Sam Farr, Mike Thompson, Pete Stark, Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey signed the letter. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, and Democrats Jared Polis of Colorado and Steve Cohen of Tennessee joined them.
(Source)
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