Pubdate: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 Source: Chronicle Herald (CN NS) Copyright: 2007 The Halifax Herald Limited Contact: http://thechronicleherald.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180 Author: Tara Patriquin Note: Freelance writer Tara Patriquin is a certified personal trainer and a registered holistic nutritional consultant living and working in Halifax. Her column appears every Wednesday. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) MARY JANE IS NOT JUST PETER PARKER'S BEST FRIEND There comes a time in every young girl's life when she has grown up and lets science override personal qualms. And so, this is my own personal catharsis here, folks. The topic: marijuana. Let me cut right to the chase. Regular and excessive use can lead to many problems, both acute and chronic. Some reports show that marijuana weakens the immune system. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the most active compound in marijuana, makes the white blood cells 35-40 per cent less effective than normal during time of intoxication. Sugar, I remind you, reduces the immune system by 50 per cent for several hours after consumption. Other research shows that marijuana can affect fertility in men and women. It can drain the adrenals, lessening the person's ability to handle stress and control blood sugars. And then, there is the very real and indisputable side effect of lung/respiratory irritation due to smoke inhalation. Perhaps the biggest sociological fear is the laissez-faire attitude that marijuana use tends to induce. This can ultimately alter a person's physical or psychological state, long past the time of use. As with any abused substance, I don't doubt there are negative side effects. Still, one must carefully look at who funds these reports. It's usually companies who don't want to see natural remedies survive. So, research on this topic still remains elusive and contradictory. You take the bad with the good. On to the good. In a medical study ranking the risk factors of more than 20 substances, alcohol was fifth and tobacco ninth, with marijuana not even in the Top 10. The study defined risk as how harmful the substance is to the body, its addictive potential and its impact on society. There are many people who swear by marijuana's medicinal properties. Between the 1840s and 1937 (when it was no longer made available to physicians via the Marihuana Tax Act), cannabis was used highly effectively in the medical system and beyond, and more than 100 papers published on its numerous beneficial uses. In moderate use, and especially when compared to its chemical/pharmaceutical counterparts, "weed" seems to be a safe bet. It has been shown to aid in relief of general pain and discomfort, most notably glaucoma, HIV and AIDS, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other debilitating conditions. Marijuana's biggest draw is its ability to induce ataraxia - tranquillity or enduring pleasure. With tranquillity also comes an increase in sensory awareness of the body and its environment, a consciousness that I think many folks are lacking. It has been used as an analgesic, anticonvulsant, appetite stimulant, general antibiotic, gastrointestinal sedative, anti-epileptic, antispasmodic, treatment for neuralgias including migraines, anti-asthmatic, cough suppressant, topical anesthetic, withdrawal agent for opiate and alcohol addiction, and childbirth analgesic or facilitator. Since the mid-1900s, much of Western medicine has dismissed these properties. But not everyone has forgotten. Marijuana is, in fact, legal for medicinal use in several countries, including Canada. Scientists understand the workings of more than 60 unique constituents in marijuana, called cannabinoids. The human body produces similar chemicals, called endocannabinoids, which play a role in nearly every function of the body. With this information it becomes apparent why supplementing the system via marijuana can be beneficial to some. In fact, as we speak, pharmaceutical companies are doing their darndest to harness these components and bottle them. So, if smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol are legal, pharmaceutical use is encouraged. And sugar. Oh, don't even get me started on sugar - the world's most addictive drug. Why, then, does marijuana still come with so much social and political stereotyping? Part of the debate lies in the balance between recreational and legitimate medicinal use. I draw on pharmaceuticals, and even alcohol, as a comparative here. Another reason is the danger that it poses to the body. You know, I don't really have an answer on this one. I suppose the controversy is rooted in ignorance. I think back to Grade 11, when I was a younger, more naive version of myself. I gave a presentation on the need to legalize marijuana, not just for medicinal uses, but for our environment. I find it rather bonkers that in the 13 years since, we still have so much to learn and implement. Still, we aren't completely behind the times. In particular, hemp, with lower THC levels, has long been accepted as a valuable nutritional supplement. The seeds of the hemp plant can be eaten whole, or pressed for their oil. They are one of the most complete and absorbable source of balanced omegas, as well as a valuable protein source. Environmentally though, we need to wise up. Hemp is a much better route toward paper production, a better clothing option than cotton, and is a friendlier renewable energy source of biofuel. In 1916, the U.S. Agriculture Department posted a bulletin stating that an acre (0.4 hectare) of hemp can yield four times as much (and better) fibre than an acre of wood. Furthermore, the regrowth on an acre of hemp is phenomenally faster than wood, hemp growing to be four metres high in only four months. It can grow in any climate, with virtually no pesticides or herbicides, making this a safer choice for our environment, whether cultivated for industrial, medicinal or nutritional use. I'm not suggesting that everyone become potheads. And let me be clear, I am of the firm belief that if we all took better care of our bodies and minds via good food, exercise and meditation, the need for a supplemental boost on any level would not be as necessary. But I am not going to lie to you. I do enjoy a nice glass of wine or piece of dark chocolate now and then. So who am I to judge? Stay healthy, stay happy! Please e-mail any questions, comments or suggestions to the address provided. - -------------------------------------------- Freelance writer Tara Patriquin is a certified personal trainer and a registered holistic nutritional consultant living and working in Halifax. Her column appears every Wednesday. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman