Cannabis/Hemp for ALS

[Marti]

Has anybody thought or researched smoking cannabis or even hemp oil? I have a friend who has MS and all the meds he was taking was making him even worse, so he started smokin and it has slowed the progression way down and he is not even taking his meds....:shock:. Tell me what you thing? Is it crazy to try?

 

[indigosd]

Re: This might sound crazy!

There was a post last week all about this very thing! Do a search on the search box :]

 

[irismarie]

Re: This might sound crazy!

I see from past post someone once suggested cannabis for excess saliva, too. That is an interesting idea as it certainly dries the mouth. Surely SOMEONE here has tried it?

 

[Zaphoon]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Could also be a good way to induce the "munchies" for people that need to gain weight.

Zaphoon

 

[brooksea]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Yes, my husband has tried it, but it made him so goofy that I practically had to restrain him. I think, though, if he had stuck with it that his tolerance would have increased. But, it is illegal here.

 

[BethU]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Marti ... MS and ALS are very different animals, so I wouldn't count on pot ... or anything else ... slowing ALS progression way down.

As for whether or not you should try it, that's entirely up to you and the laws of your state. Nobody on this forum is going to urge you to try any unproven remedy.

 

[Big Mike]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Has anybody thought or researched smoking cannabis or even hemp oil? I have a friend who has MS and all the meds he was taking was making him even worse, so he started smokin and it has slowed the progression way down and he is not even taking his meds....:shock:. Tell me what you thing? Is it crazy to try?

I don't see how it's crazy to consider trying marijuana. Many pALS swear by cannabis, and I will soon be trying it myself. Please see other threads about marijuana and als, including a current one about the American Medical Association encouraging clinical studies to be done to test marijuana cannibinoids for conditions such as ALS. Also, google it on the internet, and you will find plenty of articles.

 

[Marti]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Thank you all....I was just wondering what others thought about smokin

Hope all have a great weekend

 

[indigosd]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Marti, I think smoking it would NOT be a good idea with ALS. Better to take hemp oil, hemp butter, tablets prescribed by your Dr., brownies or such.

 

[clare t]

Re: This might sound crazy!

my friend also has ms and been taking PURE hemp oil and smoking weed and it has deff slown his progression down with out a doubt he has had ms for 9yrs and he runns his shop climbing up and down his ladders so he is well pleased

 

[SteveS]

Re: This might sound crazy!

I think the first thing people need to do is look past the propaganda that the government has been trying to feed us since around 1937 and earlier (1937 Marihuana Tax Act, Pub. 238, 75th Congress, 50 Stat. 551 (Aug. 2, 1937)) Most of this was brought about as a way to control the mexican immigrants more so than from the drug itself. A good documentary to watch was produced by NORML (National Organization For the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and narrated by Woody Harrelson called "Grass" . It shed a lot of light on the US's war on drugs and some of the reasons behind it. It has never been said to be a panacea or cure for anything. It is simply a natural way to treat some of the symptoms brought on by certain ailments. It has been used medicinally for thousands of years prior and is now starting to be endorsed by the AMA. It is time that the stigma be removed for those that need it. They need to legalize and therefore remove the criminal element from the equation. Even my mom who suffers from fibromyalgia and CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth ) has tried it to help alleviate some of the pain she endures. She is as right wing as one can get for a Canadian. She said it helped but cant get past the fact that she is breaking the law of the land by using it. The government would rather have her hooked on very strong narcotics that the drug companies create rather than indulge in a drug that is natural and proven time and time again to not be addicting nor have any of harmful side effects that the "legal" remedies bring about. You can laugh at what I say and try to refute what I say but for every study the the government publishes there are 20 independent studies released that state the opposite of what the government tries to lead us to believe. I am sorry, they don't know what is best for me nor do I relinquish my right to allow them to continue to make choices for me based on lies and mis-truths.

 

[indigosd]

Re: This might sound crazy!

Steve, Do you mean to sound so argumentative and angry or am I misreading your post? Not one person on this thread said anything about NOT supporting the use of Marijuana for medical reasons-looks like to me that everyone pretty much agreed :] My only issue for us is that it is not legal in our state. Actually, I voted to legalize it for Medical purposes but we didn't get enough votes to pass it.

 

[GlenBrittle]

Re: This might sound crazy!

I have read the debates and am considering its use.
No , I do not wish to smoke it , I need what little is left of my lungs.

Now cooking with it may be a blast, but I have a question. Is it the heat of burning or cooking that releases the drug ? If I was to pop some into the blender and peg it , would that work ?

Glen

 

[cara]

Re: This might sound crazy!

I tried to get my mom an rx for from her GP but she said I needed to get the rx from her Dr. at the AlS clinic. Unfortunately the ALS clinic hasn't been operating for some time and it is now too late. I used to work with people who took it for MS and they truly believed it helped them. It is legal both here and where I used to work.

Glen - I don't know the answer to that for sure but from what I hear when one doesn't smoke it they do some heating such as to release the oil or to make brownies.

 

[Katie C]

Re: This might sound crazy!

That's an interesting question Glen! The resident expert just headed up to his girlfriend's but I'll ask him later. As far as the rx... around here there are specific docs recommended on the NORML website that will write the prescription and allow you to buy your card, or caregiver's card. There are a couple near us that will accept the diagnosis letter from the neuro to base the prescription on.