Page 10 The Skanner Portland & Seattle February 6, 2019
News
Chronic Pain Given as Top Reason for Using Medical Marijuana
By Carla K. Johnson
AP Medical Writer
hronic pain is the
most common rea-
son people give
when they enroll in
state-approved medical
marijuana programs.
That’s followed by
stiffness from multiple
sclerosis and chemother-
apy-related nausea, ac-
cording to an analysis of
15 states published Mon-
day in the journal Health
Affairs.
The study didn’t mea-
sure whether marijuana
actually helped anyone
with their problems, but
the patients’ reasons
match up with what’s
known about the science
of marijuana and its
chemical components.
“The majority of pa-
tients for whom we have
C
data are using cannabis
for reasons where the
science is the strongest,”
said lead author Kevin
Boehnke of University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor.
California became the
first state to allow med-
ical use of marijuana in
1996. More than 30 states
now allow marijuana for
dozens of health prob-
lems. Lists of allowable
conditions vary by state,
but in general, a doctor
must certify a patient
has an approved diagno-
sis.
While the U.S. gov-
ernment has approved
medicines based on
compounds found in the
plant, it considers mari-
juana illegal and imposes
limits on research. That’s
led to states allowing
some diseases and symp-
toms where rigorous sci-
ence is lacking. Most of
the evidence comes from
studying pharmaceuti-
cals based on marijuana
ingredients, not from
studies of smoked mari-
juana or edible forms.
Dementia and glauco-
ma, for example, are con-
ditions where marijuana
hasn’t proved valuable,
but some states include
them. Many states allow
Parkinson’s disease or
post-traumatic
stress
disorder where evidence
is limited.
The analysis is based
on 2016 data from the 15
states that reported the
reasons given for using
marijuana. Researchers
compared the symptoms
and conditions with a
comprehensive review
of the scientific evidence:
a 2017 report from the
National Academies of
AP PHOTO/CARLOS OSORIO, FILE
Other reasons cited in a newly-published study include stiffness and chemotherapy-related nausea
In this Oct. 2, 2018, file photo, a clerk reaches for a container of marijuana buds for a customer at Utopia
Gardens, a medical marijuana dispensary in Detroit. Chronic pain is the most commonly cited reason
people give when they enroll in state medical cannabis programs. A study published Feb. 4 in the journal
Health Affairs looks at available data from states that allow marijuana for medical use.
Sciences, Engineering
and Medicine.
About 85 percent of pa-
tients’ reasons were sup-
ported by substantial or
conclusive evidence in
the National Academies
report.
The study shows peo-
ple are learning about
the evidence for can-
nabis and its chemical
components, said Ziva
Cooper of University of
California Los Angeles’
Cannabis Research Ini-
tiative. Cooper served on
the National Academies
report committee, but
wasn’t involved in the
new study.
About two-thirds of the
about 730,000 reasons
were related to chronic
pain, the study found. Pa-
tients could report more
than one pain condition,
so the figure may overes-
timate patient numbers.
Patients
include
37-year-old
Brandian
Smith of Pana, Illinois,
who qualifies because
she has fibromyalgia.
On bad days, her mus-
cles feel like they’re be-
ing squeezed in a vise.
She said she has stopped
taking opioid painkill-
ers because marijuana
works better for her.
She spends about $300 a
month at her marijuana
dispensary.
“Cannabis is the first
thing I’ve found that ac-
tually makes the pain go
away and not leave me so
high that I can’t enjoy my
day,” Smith said.
Dr. Jasmine
like Ineni and Senenmut,
who advised Queen Hat-
shepsut were celebrated
and appreciated by their
royal superiors.
Some of the most im-
portant and frequently
illustrated plantings in
the New Kingdom are
mandrake, poppy, corn-
flower, water lily and
papyrus. The fruit of the
Mandrake, Mandrago-
ra officinalum L., smells
sweet, induces sleep and
was prized for its be-
lieved aphrodisiac prop-
erties. The poppy flower
was used in wreaths and
its seed and oil in cook-
ing. The cornflower was
used in garlands and
embalming, and was be-
lieved to be a remedy for
scorpion stings. Papyrus
sedge, Cyperus papyrus
L., was used for a variety
of purposes such as boat
making, food and writ-
ing materials. Water lil-
ies, which are referred to
in many books as lotuses
were presented as offer-
ings to the dead and in
temples.
No expense was too
great for the Pharaonic
garden and plants were
often imported from far
away places. Queen Hat-
shepsut and her succes-
sor Tuthmosis III had in-
cense trees of myrrh and
frankincense brought in
for their gardens. Sacred
trees like the sycamore,
date palm and pomegran-
ate were grown. Vege-
tables most commonly
planted were onions, let-
tuce, garlic, cucumber,
watermelon,
chickpea
and lentil. Barley was
a staple crop, used for
making bread and beer.
Hemp, Cannabis sativa
L., was used for making
rope and flax, Linum usi-
tatissiumum L., with its
beautiful blue flowers
were used to make linen.
Although we can’t vis-
it the ancient Egyptian
gardens, through text
and illustration we get
a glimpse of their gran-
deur. Greeks, Romans
and many other societies
around the world admire
the gardening talents of
the ancient Egyptians.
Hopefully through this
piece you do too.
To read more on this
work check out my refer-
ences:
cont’d from pg 7
bodies of water were not
only a place to rest and
refresh but also a place
where rituals were per-
formed.
Architects who created
these beautiful gardens,
See CANNABIS on page 11
The Garden in Ancient
Egypt- Alix Wilkinson-
1998
Egypt: Land of
the Pharaohs Lost
Civilizations – Lost
Civilizations (series)- 1992
Discovering
Tutankhamun: From
Howard Carter to DNA-
Zahi Hawass