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Long-term and even daily marijuana use doesn't appear to
cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe
and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers.
The researchers found only a "very small" impairment in memory and
learning among long-term marijuana users. Otherwise, scores on thinking
tests were similar to those who don't smoke marijuana, according to a
new analysis of 15 previous studies.
In those studies, some 700 regular marijuana users were compared with
484 non-users on various aspects of brain function -- including reaction
time, language and motor skills, reasoning ability, memory, and the
ability to learn new information.
Surprising Finding
"We were somewhat surprised by our finding, especially since there's
been a controversy for some years on whether long-term cannabis use
causes brain damage," says lead researcher and psychiatrist Igor Grant,
MD.
"I suppose we expected to see some differences in people who were heavy
users, but in fact the differences were very minimal."
The marijuana users in those 15 studies -- which lasted between three
months to more than 13 years -- had smoked marijuana several times a
week or month or daily. Still, researchers say impairments were less
than what is typically found from using alcohol or other drugs.
"All study participants were adults," says Grant, professor of
psychiatry and director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
"However, there might be a different set of circumstances to a
12-year-old whose nervous system is still developing."
10 States OK Marijuana Use
Grant's analysis, published in the July issue of the Journal of the
International Neuropsychological Society, comes as many states consider
laws allowing marijuana to be used to treat certain medical conditions.
Earlier this year, Maryland became the 10th state to allow marijuana use
to relieve pain and other symptoms of AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer,
glaucoma, and other conditions -- joining Alaska, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Medicinal marijuana is available by prescription in the Netherlands and
a new marijuana drug is expected to be released in Great Britain later
this year. In the U.S. and elsewhere, Marinol, a drug that is a
synthetic form of marijuana and contains its active ingredient, THC, is
available by prescription to treat loss of appetite associated with
weight loss in AIDS patients.
Grant says he did the analysis to help determine long-term toxicity from
long-term and frequent marijuana use. His center is currently conducting
11 studies to determine its safety and efficacy in treating several
diseases.
"This finding enables us to see a marginal level of safety, if those
studies prove that cannabis can be effective," Grant tells WebMD. "If we
barely find this effect in long-term heavy users, then we are unlikely
to see deleterious side effects in individuals who receive cannabis for
a short time in a medical setting, which would be safer than what is
practiced by street users."
Grant's findings come as no surprise to Tod Mikuriya, MD, former
director of non-classified marijuana research for the National Institute
of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies and author
of The Marijuana Medical Handbook: A Guide to Therapeutic Use. He is
currently president of the California Cannabis Medical Group, which has
treated some 20,000 patients with medicinal marijuana and Marinol.
'Highly Effective Medicine'
"I just re-published a paper of the first survey for marijuana toxicity
done in 1863 by the British government in India that was the most
exhaustive medical study of its time in regards to possible difficulties
and toxicity of cannabis. And it reached the same conclusion as Grant,"
Mikuriya tells WebMD.
"This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as
what was learned by various government findings doing similar research
- -- marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine."
In fact, marijuana was available as a medicinal treatment in the U.S.
until the 1930s.
Lester Grinspoon, MD, a retired Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who
studied medicinal marijuana use since the 1960s and wrote two books on
the topic, says that while Grant's finding provides more evidence on its
safety, "it's nothing that those of us who have been studying this
haven't known for a very long time.
"Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively
treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will
become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this."
SOURCES: The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society,
July 2003. Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry, University of
California, San Diego School of Medicine; director, UCSD Center for
Medicinal Cannabis Research Center. Tod Mikuriya, MD, president, the
California Cannabis Research Medical Group, Oakland; former director of
non-classified marijuana research, the National Institute of Mental
Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies. Lester Grinspoon,
MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston;
author, Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine and Marihuana Reconsidered.
By Sid Kirchheimer
eviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Tuesday, July 01, 2003
WebMD Medical News
cause permanent brain damage, adding to evidence that it can be a safe
and effective treatment for a wide range of diseases, say researchers.
The researchers found only a "very small" impairment in memory and
learning among long-term marijuana users. Otherwise, scores on thinking
tests were similar to those who don't smoke marijuana, according to a
new analysis of 15 previous studies.
In those studies, some 700 regular marijuana users were compared with
484 non-users on various aspects of brain function -- including reaction
time, language and motor skills, reasoning ability, memory, and the
ability to learn new information.
Surprising Finding
"We were somewhat surprised by our finding, especially since there's
been a controversy for some years on whether long-term cannabis use
causes brain damage," says lead researcher and psychiatrist Igor Grant,
MD.
"I suppose we expected to see some differences in people who were heavy
users, but in fact the differences were very minimal."
The marijuana users in those 15 studies -- which lasted between three
months to more than 13 years -- had smoked marijuana several times a
week or month or daily. Still, researchers say impairments were less
than what is typically found from using alcohol or other drugs.
"All study participants were adults," says Grant, professor of
psychiatry and director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research
Center at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
"However, there might be a different set of circumstances to a
12-year-old whose nervous system is still developing."
10 States OK Marijuana Use
Grant's analysis, published in the July issue of the Journal of the
International Neuropsychological Society, comes as many states consider
laws allowing marijuana to be used to treat certain medical conditions.
Earlier this year, Maryland became the 10th state to allow marijuana use
to relieve pain and other symptoms of AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer,
glaucoma, and other conditions -- joining Alaska, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Medicinal marijuana is available by prescription in the Netherlands and
a new marijuana drug is expected to be released in Great Britain later
this year. In the U.S. and elsewhere, Marinol, a drug that is a
synthetic form of marijuana and contains its active ingredient, THC, is
available by prescription to treat loss of appetite associated with
weight loss in AIDS patients.
Grant says he did the analysis to help determine long-term toxicity from
long-term and frequent marijuana use. His center is currently conducting
11 studies to determine its safety and efficacy in treating several
diseases.
"This finding enables us to see a marginal level of safety, if those
studies prove that cannabis can be effective," Grant tells WebMD. "If we
barely find this effect in long-term heavy users, then we are unlikely
to see deleterious side effects in individuals who receive cannabis for
a short time in a medical setting, which would be safer than what is
practiced by street users."
Grant's findings come as no surprise to Tod Mikuriya, MD, former
director of non-classified marijuana research for the National Institute
of Mental Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies and author
of The Marijuana Medical Handbook: A Guide to Therapeutic Use. He is
currently president of the California Cannabis Medical Group, which has
treated some 20,000 patients with medicinal marijuana and Marinol.
'Highly Effective Medicine'
"I just re-published a paper of the first survey for marijuana toxicity
done in 1863 by the British government in India that was the most
exhaustive medical study of its time in regards to possible difficulties
and toxicity of cannabis. And it reached the same conclusion as Grant,"
Mikuriya tells WebMD.
"This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as
what was learned by various government findings doing similar research
- -- marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine."
In fact, marijuana was available as a medicinal treatment in the U.S.
until the 1930s.
Lester Grinspoon, MD, a retired Harvard Medical School psychiatrist who
studied medicinal marijuana use since the 1960s and wrote two books on
the topic, says that while Grant's finding provides more evidence on its
safety, "it's nothing that those of us who have been studying this
haven't known for a very long time.
"Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively
treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will
become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this."
SOURCES: The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society,
July 2003. Igor Grant, MD, professor of psychiatry, University of
California, San Diego School of Medicine; director, UCSD Center for
Medicinal Cannabis Research Center. Tod Mikuriya, MD, president, the
California Cannabis Research Medical Group, Oakland; former director of
non-classified marijuana research, the National Institute of Mental
Health Center for Narcotics and Drug Abuse Studies. Lester Grinspoon,
MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston;
author, Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine and Marihuana Reconsidered.
By Sid Kirchheimer
eviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Tuesday, July 01, 2003
WebMD Medical News
