Image Source: MEDICALCANNABISNEWS
More and more evidence is accumulating that denying medical cannabis to patients suffering from diseases likes multiple sclerosis should no longer be acceptable under any state’s law.
Laboratory, pre-clinical and clinical trials have all backed up the use of medical cannabis products for the disease, and patients back up what the science is saying.
Patients have a right to safe, life-saving botanicals and they’re not waiting around for the federal government or recalcitrant states. They’re getting recommendations for cannabis in one of 23 medical marijuana states, and seeking out formulations like mouth sprays and CBD-rich edibles that specifically help with M.S. symptoms.
Over 400,000 people in the United States and about 2.5 million people around the world have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). About 200 new cases are diagnosed each week in the United States alone. While most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20-40, MS also affects children and older people.
MS is the most common and chronic neurological disease of young adults. The worst part is that the degenerative disease is complex and most people won’t experience all the symptoms, at least not at the same time.
Cannabinoids like THC and CBD have proven to be highly effective in helping patients manage many of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oromucosal (mouth) sprays like Sativex (R) have been approved as adjunctive treatment for neuropathic pain in Canada. Combined cannabinoid medicines like these are also being tested to help MS patients cope with spasticity, one of the most disabling symptoms of the disease.
MS affects the protective protein layer called myelin that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. It damages the myelin sheath, resulting in vision problems, muscle spams, mental/physical fatigue, dizziness, bladder control problems and mood changes.
“Thousands of randomized, controlled trials indicate that that in addition to symptom management, cannabinoid therapy also slows the neurodegenerative processes that ultimately lead to chronic disability in patients with MS,” a 2005 study found.
Oral cannabis extract sprays like Sativex are not currently available in the US and smoked marijuana has not been adequately studied for safety and benefit. Though the FDA has approved synthetic forms of marijuana like dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet) that are available as capsules, the drugs are not approved for uses other than treating nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and loss of appetite associated with weight loss in people with AIDS. However, there are a number of other alternatives, including sprays, tinctures and medical chewable that patients can use.
Advanced medical cannabis economies like those in California, Colorado, Washington and Oregon are offering MS patients a number of different options to pick from.
These include Care By Design’s line of CBD-rich sprays and oils, and Sensi Chew’s range of flavored and medicated edibles. According to a Care By Design Patient survey, 2.6% of users report using their products for MS. They demonstrate a strong preference for the sublingual sprays and other ingestible; 0% of MS patients surveyed reported using a vaporizer or smoked cannabis product.
Medical marijuana patients with MS strongly favor high-CBD medicines; 83% report using Care By Design’s 18:1 ratio of CBD-to-THC. No MS patient in the survey reported using a CBD:THC ratio of less than 4:1. 71% of patients using Care By Design’s high-CBD medicines for MS reported a reduction in pain and/or discomfort.
Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by SFGATE
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length
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