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| The subject of marijuana for medical use is as old as the substance itself. Only recently has it been a political issue, debated at the ballot box and in recent editorials in this very newspaper. There are few plants as shrouded in mystery, legend, and misinformation as “Cannabis sativa,” which is the official Latin genus and species name for marijuana. I won’t try to list all of the unofficial slang terms for the plant, since that alone could fill an entire column. Further, in keeping with the politically neutral flavor of my writings, I won’t delve into the debated pros and cons of legalization. Rather, I thought I would devote today’s column to a brief history of the plant’s medical applications. The most ancient and detailed written descriptions for medical marijuana use come from the regions of India and China. One of the oldest lists of drugs used in ancient times is from China, called the Shen-nung Pentshao Ching, a pharmacopoeia that was compiled nearly 2000 years ago. While this publication is 2000 years old, the book was written as an effort to preserve oral traditions that dated back centuries earlier. The book lists over one hundred ailments that were treated with various parts of the marijuana plant. However, most of the treatments describe the use of oral forms of marijuana in liquid and food preparations rather than smoking the substance. Apparently, the ancient Chinese used marijuana for rheumatoid arthritis, constipation, diarrhea, as an anesthetic before surgical procedures, and to ease symptoms of malaria and beriberi. Indian physicians practiced a Hindu system of medicine called Ayurveda as early as the first century A.D., which included marijuana as a medication to relieve congestion, stimulate appetite, relieve pain and induce sleep. In fact, there is ancient literature concerning marijuana use from Africa, ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Most of these descriptions discuss disease treatment, but also mention the plant’s psychological effects, often in glowing terms. Ancient Romans and Greeks believed marijuana quickened the mind, enhanced concentration, eliminated stress, and created feelings of joy. Marijuana’s history in the United States dates well before Cheech and Chong’s “Up in Smoke” movie, the classic film, “Reefer Madness,” or even the “Summer of Love” in 1969. Marijuana products were widespread in 19th century America. Physicians recommended the plant for a variety of ailments and pharmacists sold many remedies over-the-counter that included marijuana as an active ingredient. It was not until the development of aspirin that marijuana lost its medical role as an active painkiller, and as morphine found increasing use in surgical procedures, the popularity of marijuana as a medical agent declined further. But it was not until Prohibition, when the psychoactive properties of marijuana came under the same criticism as alcohol that an effort was made to make the product illegal. That effort was successful, with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, making the use of marijuana a criminal offence. In 1941 marijuana was removed from the American pharmacopoeia and with the passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, any hope of legal medicinal use came to an end. As with many medical discoveries, the benefits of marijuana were subsequently discovered accidentally. Following passage of the Controlled Substances Act, researchers at UCLA began developing methods by which police could detect the degree of impairment in marijuana users. The goal of the research was to determine if the pupil dilation, which occurs with marijuana use, could be used by police to determine impairment levels. Instead, the researchers stumbled onto the fact that marijuana reduced intra-ocular pressure, which helped save sight in many glaucoma victims. During this same period, cancer chemotherapy was in its early stages, using highly toxic substances that caused considerable nausea and vomiting. Some cancer patients that were recreational marijuana users discovered that smoking the plant considerably reduced their chemotherapy-induced nausea. To capitalize on the therapeutic effects of marijuana, an effort was made to isolate the active ingredient in the plant and perhaps manufacture a legal derivative. The active ingredient was determined to be delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and a form of this “THC” is still manufactured under the trade name of Marinol (dronabinol) by Solvay Pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, Marinol has been met with mixed reviews. Originally marketed for chemotherapy-induced nausea, modern alternatives such as Zofran (ondan-setron) and Kytril (granisetron) are far superior with fewer side effects. In addition, as the active ingredient in marijuana, Marinol is a “C-III” controlled substance, a step below morphine in terms of regulatory compliance mandates. Perhaps the world will never know the medical benefits of marijuana, due to the potential for abuse. The debate will rage on, however, as proponents of unfettered medical access to all substances lock heads with those who feel the cost to society is too great. It may be an argument without a correct answer. I do have some advice for those of you ready to break out the rolling papers and wander into the woods or the backyard seeking medical health from “mother nature.” It’s still ILLEGAL! Try the legal alternative: Vitamin C tablets and some Bob Marley tapes! Daily News columnist Herb Hunter is a licensed pharmacist. |
