Smokin Moose
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
A small number of case reports and preclinical studies investigating the use of cannabis and cannabinoids for symptoms of dystonia are referenced in the recent scientific literature. A 2002 case study published in the July issue of the The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management reported improved symptoms of dystonia after smoking cannabis in a 42-year-old chronic pain patient. Investigators reported that subject's subjective pain score fell from 9 to zero (on a zero-to-10 visual analog scale) following cannabis inhalation, and that the subject did not require any additional analgesic medication for the following 48 hours. "No other treatment intervention to date had resulted in such dramatic overall improvement in [the patient's] condition," investigators concluded.[1]
A second case study reporting "significant clinical improvement" following cannabis inhalation in a single 25-year-old patient with generalized dystonia due to Wilson's disease was documented by an Argentinian research team in the August 2004 issue of the journal Movement Disorders.[2]
Also in 2004, a German research team at the Hannover Medical School reported successful treatment of musician's dystonia in a 38-year-old professional pianist following administration of 5 mg of THC in a placebo-controlled single-dose trial.[3] Investigators reported "clear improvement of motor control" in the subject's affected hand, and noted, "[Two] hours after THC intake, the patient was able to play technically demanding literature, which had not been possible before treatment." Prior to cannabinoid treatment, the subject had been unresponsive to standard medications and was no longer performing publicly. "The results provide evidence that ... THC intake ... significantly improves [symptoms of] ... focal dystonia," investigators concluded.
The Full Text Link:
Marijuana Law Reform - NORML.
