Subjects:
of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Marijuana is often called by street names such as pot,
herb, weed, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, reefer, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang
Cannabis was acknowledged as early as 2,700 BC in Chinese manuscripts.
Marijuana has been used as a medicine throughout the world since the beginning of
written history. During this time, companies such as Lilly, Parke Daivis, Tildens, Squibb,
and other major drug manufacturers, have made everything from sleeping elixirs, to
stomach medicine from marijuana. These drugs were even knowingly prescribed for
Since 1839 there have been numerous reports in favor of utilizing medical
marijuana. In 1839 Dr. W.B. O’Shaugnessy, a respected member of the Royal Academy of
Science, was one of the first in the medical profession to present the true facts concerning
Dr. O’Shaugnessy’s report states clearly, that experience indicates the use of
marijuana to be a beneficial analgesic, and to have anticonvulsant, and muscle-relaxant
properties. He found it to be effective in treating rheu
. . .
Available (Online) http://www. In 1978, 65 percent of high school students said
they disapproved of it; in 1985, 85 percent disapproved.
SIDE EFFECTS:
Most recent research on the health hazards of marijuana concerns its long-term
effects on the body. Mattison indicated the use of marijuana for treatment of
migraines, gastric ulcers, deliriuma (mental disturbance), and tremors due to alcoholism. There is
some evidence that marijuana increases the risk for miscarriage and birth defects. The oral THC is also used
to help AIDS patients eat more to keep up their weight.
Nortriptyline is a tricyclics (a chemical with three fused rings in the molecular structure)
antidepressant. Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine Nursing, and Allied Health. Although the smokers in
that study began using marijuana at an average age of 15, it had not affected their
masculine development.
INTERACTIONS:
Interactions can be expected between cannabis and a wide range of drugs. To be safe, pregnant and nursing
women should follow the standard conservative recommendation to avoid all drugs,
including cannabis, that are not absolutely necessary. This is a matter for concern, since the THC in the mother's milk is much
more concentrated than that in the mother's blood.
Scientists are studying whether THC and related chemicals in marijuana (called
cannabinoids) may have other medical uses.
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