back2basics Posted October 16 Report Share Posted October 16 Cannabis is as addictive as hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine, say US scientists. The finding comes as pressure grows in the UK for the drug to be legalised. These findings suggest that marijuana has as much potential for abuse as other drugs of abuse US National Institute on Drug Abuse scientists The chief scientist at the UK's Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has also predicted that cannabis will be licensed for medical use within two years. In the US experiments, a team from the National Institute on Drug Abuse trained four squirrel monkeys to give themselves shots of intravenous cocaine supplied through a catheter. The animals did this by pressing a lever 10 times after a green light was illuminated in their isolation chamber. Monkey lever When saline was substituted for the cocaine, the monkeys stopped pressing the lever. But when the salt solution was swapped for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the active ingredient in cannabis - they quickly started activating the lever again. In a typical one-hour session, they gave themselves 30 shots of THC - the equivalent in body size to an adult human smoking a marijuana cigarette. Writing in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the researchers said: "These findings suggest that marijuana has as much potential for abuse as other drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and heroine." The researchers also showed that the monkeys' compulsion for THC was reduced when they were given a second drug that blocks receptors on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Medical use Professor Tony Moffat, chief scientist with the UK's RPS, said large scale clinical trials were currently taking place to test the medical benefit of cannabis. I image that the results of those [tests] will show that cannabis does have therapeutic benefit for the treatment of multiple sclerosis Professor Tony Moffat, Royal Pharmaceutical Society He said: "I imagine that the results of those will show that cannabis does have therapeutic benefit for the treatment of pain and spasms in multiple sclerosis. "Should that be the case then I believe that governments across the world will change their minds and make the use of cannabis for medicinal use legalised." Professor Moffat said the trials were designed to ascertain the right dose for patients to take so that the beneficial effects outweighed the possible side effects. ------------------I want to go out blazing not fade away.I can resist anything but temptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzo/420 Posted October 16 Report Share Posted October 16 Yo!! I know we got into it in the drama board. But all the stuff you just wrote was very interesting and I would like to know where you got your info . I told you I don't drink but I will always say yes to a philly or a blunt . I find what the govn't is doing about there findings interesting. P.S. I'm serious no disrespect !------------------Keep it as cool as the other side of the pillow . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
back2basics Posted October 17 Author Report Share Posted October 17 It is on http://news.bbc.co.uk under the science section.The UK goverment are under preasure to decriminalise. ------------------I want to go out blazing not fade away.I can resist anything but temptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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