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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis, 'a Double Edged Sword'
Ravi Chopra Earth Times
Wednesday 24 Oct 2007 A new study suggests that THC, the active ingredient in cannabis may be beneficial in the restriction of depression if taken in small amounts, but can do just the opposite if too much is imbibed. The same applies to its synthetic version. The report of this study, which was led by Dr. Gabriella Gobbi of McGill University, Canada, and Le Centre de Recherche Fernand Seguin was published today in The Journal of Neuroscience. In their neurobiological study on rats the scientists found proof that cannabis in low doses increased the serotonin levels in the animal's brains. This is significant because depression and other psychiatric conditions like psychosis are caused by the lack of serotonin, a mood controlling neurotransmitter. It was also observed that the rats reverted to depression when they were administered increased doses of the serotonin. Which is why the team described cannabis as "a double-edged sword." Although it is known that depression can be treated by enhancing the available concentration of serotonin in the brain and that anti-depressants like Celexa and Prozac are effective for this reason, this study offered the first evidence that cannabis can also increase serotonin, at least at lower doses. Francis Bambico McGill PhD student and study author reported, “We know from anecdotal evidence that (human) smokers of marijuana experience good effects ... but they also experience unwanted effects. Some smokers experience anxiety, agitation. But at very high doses and in certain circumstances, it leads into depression-enhancing effects, particularly if you take in a lot of cannabis at very high doses." Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, psychiatrist and lead researcher remarked that people treating themselves with cannabis as an anti-depressant can be problematic because of the difficulty in controlling the dosage when it is consumed as marijuana joints. "Our research shows that excessive cannabis use in people with depression poses a high risk of psychosis,” she said. Gobbi revealed that she conducted the research upon noticing that quite a number of her patients who suffered depression were used- to- be cannabis smokers. The researchers are now concentrating their research on a new group of drugs known to enhance the effects of the brain's natural substances that are released during high stress or pain, without the anti-depressive side-effects. These drugs are natural endo-cannabinoids to which cannabis has a chemical similarity. "It's entirely possible to produce drugs that enhance endo-cannabinoids for the treatment of pain, anxiety and depression," Gobbi said. In another study, University of California researchers also found that a moderate use of cannabis had the greatest impact on pain in 15 volunteers, but larger doses actually worsened the pain. According to the study published in the journal, Anesthesiology, the scientists from the University of California have termed quantity as being key to its effectiveness. Lead researcher Dr Mark Wallace, said that the findings could decide future medications involving cannabis, both in pure and in drug form. From the MS Society, Dr Laura Bell said, "Many people with MS report benefits to symptoms such as pain from taking cannabis; however studies to date on the effects of cannabis on pain are small and difficult to draw firm conclusions from. We would be interested to see the results from larger scale studies focused on people with MS." http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/129581.html
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