CBD Hemp Oil Used at Children’s Hospital to Treat Epileptic Baby

At Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado, Amylea Nunez, a 2-month-old old baby from Albuquerque, New Mexico, is making history.  “She has a rare form of epilepsy,”Amylea’s mother, Nicole Nunez said. “They don’t know exactly the type.” And her doctors don’t know the cause.

Amylea began having seizures a few days after her birth. “About a day after we went home from delivery. Her heart stopped twice on us, and that was probably the hardest part on us,” Amylea’s mother, Nicole Nunez, said.

Amylea was having 15 seizures a day or more. The medicine they prescribed for the seizures is known to damage the liver, so the family asked the hospital monitor Amylea while they gave her Charlotte’s Web CBD oil, an oil derived from hemp that has almost no THC, not nearly enough to get anyone high.

In addition to epilepsy, CBD oil is being researched for use to treat various types of pain, anxiety, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, nausea,  and as an antipsychotic.

Ernie and Nicole Nunez - credit CBSAmylea’s father Ernie Nunez said,

We’re trying to use something different that’s not so bad on her body. After researching and month after month reading on it, we’re hoping it works because it’s a natural way and it’ll help her out.”

The Nunezes say they are trying to wean Amylea off the conventional medicine while using hemp oil to treat the condition.

They say she’s better. “She is a lot more alert today; she is looking around today and following our faces when we talk to her and whereas before when we talked to her she did not react at all,” Nicole Nunez said.

Statement From Children’s Hospital Colorado

Children’s Hospital Colorado does NOT prescribe or recommend medical marijuana.

We don’t yet have the science to fully understand medical marijuana and how it impacts children, which is why Children’s Colorado supports research to determine the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana. Children’s Colorado has a CDPHE-funded medical marijuana study that is strictly observational to assess response rates, changes in behavior and side effects of artisanal marijuana products on children with severe epilepsy. Enrollment starts at one-month of age. This study is for families who choose to provide artisanal marijuana to their children for epilepsy, and Children’s Colorado providers do NOT administer the marijuana.

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Marijuana Suppositories Provide an Interesting Next Move for Medical Cannabis

Foria, a California company, has found a way to combine two of this today’s biggest issues -women’s rights and marijuana – into one tiny item: a suppository.

Oddly enough, the meeting of these issues has resulted in a treatment that’s better than ibuprofen for PMS and menstrual discomfort. The suppository, marketed under the name Relief, consists of organic and biodynamic THC and CBD (the active cannabinoids in the product) and organic cocoa butter. THC and CBD have been chosen for their ability to relax the nerve endings in the pelvis and surrounding areas while blocking out pain and soothing inflammation. The jury is out on whether Foria’s product is able to regulate hormones to the point that PMS is alleviated permanently, but women looking for an alternative to damaging ibuprofen, antidepressants, or synthetic hormones could do worse than use the THC and CBD in Foria’s suppositories for cramps, mood swings, and other menstruation issues.

Why You Can

Long-term use of antidepressants and pharmaceuticals with synthetic hormones impedes the body’s ability to produce its own hormones, and prolonged use of ibuprofen can cause kidney and liver damage. Herbal remedies like chaste tree berry, cohosh, dandelion root, and wild yam have been shown to relieve PMS symptoms.

Marijuana’s primary PMS relief comes from its status as an antispasmodic, muscle relaxant, and anti-anxiety substance. Foria’s Relief has found that these qualities result in a significant reduction in cramps and other menstruation issues. In contrast to conventional PMS relievers, the amount of cannabis used in Foria’s Relief is not enough to disrupt estrogen levels.

Why You Can’t

Sounds like it’s worth a try, doesn’t it? But here’s the bad news: you can’t get it unless you live in Colorado or California. There’s also the issue of price and it’s not clear how long the suppository works. At 11 dollars for each one, they have the potential to be rather expensive. There is also the issue of drug tests. While medical marijuana is legal is CA and all marijuana is legal in CO, people working jobs that require negative drug tests will have to be careful about their usage.

The Messy Details

Foria is in a unique position with this product – a new frontier, if you will, in marijuana medication. Inserting medications rather than ingesting them has the potential for its own problems, although the company is being transparent with their growing process and quality controls. Not everyone can afford or attain this product. But this is an interesting development in using marijuana as medicine, and with the current flux state of marijuana policy, it pays to be prepared.

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Recent Twin Studies Show Marijuana Is Not Responsible For Adolescent Cognitive Decline

We’ve all seen the prototypical stoner teen, whether in real life or depicted in movies or on TV. Dull-witted, spaced out, these kids are the poster children for lost IQ points. The belief that marijuana causes a cognitive decline due to damaging the developing brain was reinforced by a 2012 study. Other studies have resulted in conflicting outcomes.

Two recent longitudinal twin studies negate the conclusion that marijuana causes neurocognitive damage to the developing brain.

One study followed 789 predominantly Hispanic kids from California from age 9-10 through age 19-20. During this 10-year period they were assessed 5 times.

The second study followed 2,227 predominantly non-Hispanic, Caucasian kids from Minnesota. These children were assessed at 3-year intervals

The kids were given IQ tests over the years and questioned about their marijuana usage. The results affirmed that the kids who smoked marijuana showed a greater decline in IQ over the years than the typical kid who did not. However, due to the fact that these were twin studies, the sets of twins where one smoked marijuana and the other did not revealed that marijuana was not the cause of intellectual decline.

When one twin who smoked marijuana showed a decline, so did the other, even when the other did not smoke marijuana. Since both of the twins showed a decline, lower test scores were attributed to their home environment and parental deficits such as “less parental monitoring” and “less emphasis on scholarship.”

These twin studies have once again proven that just because you can associate something (marijuana) with an outcome (cognitive decline), that doesn’t make it the cause.

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Congress Passes Bill to Block Feds From Targeting Medical Marijuana and Industiral Hemp Cultivation

The Justice Department will no longer have the funds to raid medical marijuana establishments.

Not long ago, it seemed the movement to legalize marijuana was never going to gain traction. The federal government was eager to override any state law that legalized its use, for any reason. It seemed the only push behind legalization was the positive press for marijuana’s role in treatment of glaucoma and its use to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy. And that was not enough to keep the feds from pushing back as they closed down medical marijuana operations across California.

As the years have gone by, stories continue to emerge about the healing properties of cannabis oil. It is said to heal many conditions (migraines, seizures, persistent pain, nausea, lack of appetite, etc.), but its primary claim to fame is its ability to heal cancer – skin cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer. Just take a quick look at the Internet and read the stories.

  • Mike Cutler, 63, cured of liver cancer. (Pain disappeared after 3 day’s use).
  • Michelle Aldrich, stage 3 lung cancer. Shrunk tumor by 50% in 4 months and had the rest surgically removed. No sign of cancer.
  • Andy Ashcraft, dying from pleural mesothelioma, now recovered.
  • Baby with an inoperable brain tumor, terminal. Completely cured.

The bipartisan Rohrabacher-Farr medical marijuana amendment was included in the omnibus spending bill. The purpose of the amendment is to stop the Justice Department from overriding state medical marijuana laws. It states:

“None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used…to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.”

It also… drumroll please…will protect industrial hemp cultivation through the Agricultural Act of 2014.

Medical marijuana laws now exist in 20 states and the fight continues in the states that have not yet passed sane legislation. Relieving the pressure from the federal government should help.

Is it possible we have voted for some rational, logical, reasonable legislators?

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Marijuana Laws by State

 

Click here for full size map.

What is Marijuana Decriminalization?

Marijuana decriminalization eliminates criminal penalties, such as extended incarceration for possession of smaller amounts of cannabis.

The typical penalties for people caught possessing marijuana within decriminalized limits (these limits may be anywhere from 10 to 100 grams depending on the state’s laws) are fines, usually a few hundred dollars. For first offenses, short jail sentences may also be imposed in states with stricter decriminalization laws. Subsequent offenses, and people caught with possessing larger amounts of marijuana (outside the decriminalized limits), typically receive much harsher penalties.

Decriminalization and medical marijuana laws are a step in the right direction, but we feel that marijuana should be legal in every state.  Polls show that the majority of public opinion has finally moved in this direction as well.

The problem is that lawmakers, by nature, are generally conservative, and typically slow to respond (more often than not, they didn’t get to where they are by being forward, progressive thinkers). They need to hear from us! If you think that marijuana should be legal, like we do, call your local representatives and let them know how you feel.

States That Have Decriminalized Marijuana:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

States That Allow Medical Marijuana:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • Washington DC

States That Have Legalized Marijuana:

  • Colorado
  • Washington

THC InfographicDo you have a correction or an update for us? If so, please comment and help us keep this page up to date.

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The Health Benefits of Hemp

One of the Most Nutritionally Balanced Foods on the Planet

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered “super-foods.'” One of the oldest and yet seemingly most misunderstood superfoods on the planet is hemp.  Hemp is an incredible multi-purpose plant that can be used for anything from paper, rope, and cloth.  It is also one of the most nutritionally well-balanced foods on the planet.

Although many people associate hemp with its sister plant marijuana (Cannabis sativa l.) the two are not the same.  Hemp products come from a special variety that contains virtually no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the chemical that gives marijuana its psychoactive effects.  Therefore hemp is a perfectly safe food that will not make one “high” or cause anyone to fail a drug test.

Hemp has been cultivated and used by any ancient cultures since the beginning of recorded history.  Researchers have found its use in China, India, Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, and the native cultures in North & South America.  Hemp fiber was used to make rope and cloth, while the stalk was used to make paper.  These cultures also used the seed for nutritional purposes.  It can be eaten as shelled seeds, oil, butter, flour, and protein powder.

Hemp is a Complete Protein Source:

Hemp protein is one of the very few plant based complete protein sources.  This means that it contains sufficient quantities of all 9 essential amino acids.   Hemp is a great source of sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine which are necessary for cellular detoxification and the production of vital enzymes.  Additionally, it is rich in branched chain amino acids that are needed for muscle growth and repair.

Almost 60% of the protein in hemp is made up of a globulin source called edestin.  Most of the rest is in the form of albumin.  Albumin and Edestin is a very similar molecular makeup as the protein found in the human body.  Because of this common link, hemp protein is very easily absorbed into human blood and used for roles as critical as DNA repair.

Hemp Has the Optimal Fatty Acid Ratios:

Most of our world is suffering from abnormal fatty-acid ratios.  Two critical forms of essential fats are the omega 6 and omega 3 varieties.  Due to the heavy consumption of processed vegetable oils and grain-fed meat & dairy products most people have very high levels of omega 6.  The World Health Organization recommends a 4:1 omega 6:omega 3 ratio.  The typical western diet produces a ratio from 20:1 – 50:1.  Abnormal ratios cause heavy increases in inflammation that leads to accelerated aging and advanced disease states.

Hemp contains the optimal ratio of 3.75:1 (omega 6:3) making it a powerful source for an anti-inflammatory diet.  Hemp is also a great source of the omega-6 essential fat gamma linoleic acid (GLA).  GLA is only found in quantities of significance in hemp, borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, & Spirulina.  Because of the scarcity of GLA much of our society is deficient in this essential fatty acid.  GLA is critical for reducing inflammation in our body and is one of the most powerful nutrients for balancing hormones.  Additionally, sufficient quantities of GLA promote healthy skin, hair, & nails.

Hemp is Rich in Fat Burning GLA:

GLA significantly increases metabolism by encouraging stored fat known as brown adipose tissue (BAT) to be effectively used for energy.  Additionally, GLA activates the metabolic process by providing key nutrients for the cellular energy system called the sodium-potassium pump.  When the sodium-potassium pump is effectively operating in every cell it can remove toxic substances from deep within the cell structure.  If the pump is weak, cells will store toxins and the metabolism will be slowed.

Hemp is used by healthy conscious individuals in a variety of ways.  I personally like to occasionally snack on hemp seed, use a high quality hemp seed protein powder, and my favorite way of consuming hemp is through hemp seed oil.  Hemp seed oil is great in green shakes or smoothies.  It is also good salad dressing oil.  However, you would never want to cook with hemp oil due to its essential fat content and it should always be stored in a cool, dark area.  Ideally, it should come in a dark container at the time of purchase.

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Smoking Marijuana to Cure Cancer

And How to cook with Marijuana

Many studies have shown that THC does kill cancer cells. Therefore, smoking marijuana is a popular treatment for treating cancer.

A new study by Salazar et al. in The Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrates that THC causes tumor cells to begin to degrade themselves from the inside (a process called autophagy, i.e. “self-eating”). Check out THC Gives Cancer Cells the Munchies Too for more information.

And we at Organic Lifestyle Magazine absolutely believe that marijuana should be legalized.

But there is a problem with smoking marijuana as a cancer treatment. Smoking marijuana introduces carcinogens into the body causing a host of problems, and when the THC is gone, the body is in a state ripe for more cancer.

Smoking anything is bad for you. And while there are certainly benefits to smoking marijuana, there is a better way to get the THC into your body. THC oil is a great option. You can purchase it (illegally in most states), and you can also make THC oil yourself.

How to cook with Marijuana

If you’re making pot brownies, or any other recipe to get you high, or for any other reason to get THC into your body, you need to extract the THC. THC is fat-soluble. It will pass right through the system if you simply throw some weed into your brownie mix.

You need to cook THC in oil. Coconut oil is a good choice: coconut oil can be heated to a certain point and still maintain it’s healthy beneficial properties (extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil is good up to 350°F).

Chop, grind, or otherwise cut the marijuana into fine pieces and put it into a pan with oil. Heat it below 350°F for 10 minutes. Add the oil to your recipe (you may include the leaves or discard them with a strainer).

Of course, we recommend you know where your weed comes from! Organically grown is not just for food. People that grow marijuana often add a nasty cocktail of chemicals to disguise the fact that their marijuana is lacking in quality.

THC Infographic