As the year 2016 approaches, we figured this is a good time to look back and reflect on what happened in the world of science when it comes to cannabis and its healing potential. So far, this has been a stellar year for cannabis research. Without further ado, we bring you some of the most significant cannabis studies in 2015.
Study That Showed THC Could Delay Organ Transplant Rejection
According to the September 2015’s study, researchers from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine found THC successfully delayed organ rejection in mice. The research was published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology and demonstrated how mice receiving THC experienced delayed rejection of incompatible organ transplants. “We are excited to demonstrate for the first time that cannabinoid receptors play an important role in the prolongation of rejection of a foreign graft by suppressing immune response in the recipient,” noted Mitzi Nagarkatti, Ph.D., from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Of course, more research is necessary to be able to determine if there are any benefits to humans, however; this certainly suggests that THC, or some sort of a derivative, might prove to be a useful antirejection therapy, particularly in situations where transplanted organs may not be a perfect match.
Study That Demonstrated Cannabinoids May Reduce Aggression
Something that many of you would say is just a common knowledge, yet now we have empirical proof for something so obvious to those who consume marijuana – an April study demonstrated that cannabinoids significantly mitigate aggressive behavior – at least in the researchers test mice. Scientists from the University of Valencia in Spain discovered that receptors in their animal subjects played a crucial role in the management of social interactions, especially in disorderly or antagonistic conduct. The study concludes; “Our results suggest that CB2r (cannabinoid receptor type 2) is implicated in social interaction and aggressive behavior and deserves further consideration as a potential new target for the management of aggression.”
Study That Discovers CBD May Prevent Broken Bones
This summer, a study demonstrated the potential clinical applications of CBD for mitigating bone-related disorders. Researchers found that CBD improved the healing process in rats with broken leg bones after eight weeks, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research by Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University. Apparently, they found that CBD “makes bones stronger during healing,” which could prevent future fractures. CBD has this amazing ability to enhance the maturation of collagen, which is the protein in connective tissue that “holds the body together.”
Study That Proved Medical Marijuana is Safe and Helps With Chronic Pain
A Canadian research has confirmed that medical marijuana, when consumed by patients suffering with chronic pain, has a safety profile that doesn’t result in any nasty effects. The study was published in the Journal of Pain, and has showed that daily cannabis users were at the same risk level as folks who don’t use cannabis at all. The researchers also monitored lung functionality and intellectual testing and have found that there was no detrimental effect on the intellectual functioning of the medical marijuana users. The study concluded: “This study suggests that the adverse effects of medical cannabis are modest and comparable quantitatively and qualitatively to prescription cannabinoids. The results suggest that cannabis at average doses of 2.5g/day in current cannabis users may be safe as part of carefully monitored pain management program when conventional treatments have been considered medically inappropriate or inadequate.”
That Time When The National Cancer Institute Updated FAQ Page With ‘Cannabis Kills Cancer’
We figured this one deserves a long subtitle, as it was an extremely significant event, yet somehow it almost went under the radar, considering how quietly the National Cancer Institute has published this. Besides other new claims, this is what they wrote about cannabis: “Cannabis and cannabinoids may have benefits in treating the symptoms of cancer or the side effects of cancer therapies. There is growing interest in treating children for symptoms such as nausea with Cannabis and cannabinoids, although studies are limited.” And this: “Two cannabinoids (dronabinol and nabilone) are drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy -related nausea and vomiting.” And this: “Cannabis has been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory.”
Unfortunately, Hypocrisy Still Rules The Day
Yes, when the government backed website cites a handful of studies which demonstrate how cannabis “may inhibit tumor growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumors to grow,” it could be considered as the most important event for cannabis research. However, scientists are still facing some incredibly hypocritical obstacles. These could be described as silly leftovers from the beginning of the cannabis prohibition period. You see, cannabis is still a Schedule I drug, which puts it to a same position as heroine or LSD. These are considered to be drugs without medicinal value with high potential for abuse. Recently, American Cancer Society has called for rescheduling of cannabis to better facilitate its research. While in the Schedule I category, cannabis cannot legally be prescribed, possessed, or sold under federal law. Even though all those states have legalized medical marijuana, doctors are not prescribing it to their patients – instead they are recommending it. So yes, a lot of hypocrisy is at play when legal cannabis is concerned. Hopefully, this will change soon.
