Monday, September 08, 2008

HERB MAY YET SAVE US ALL



In a much needed break from electoral politics, our pal aeswiren sends this story by Henry Fountain from The New York Times

"Researchers in Italy and Britain have found that the main active ingredient in marijuana — tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — and related compounds show promise as antibacterial agents, particularly against microbial strains that are already resistant to several classes of drugs.
It has been known for decades that Cannabis sativa has antibacterial properties. Experiments in the 1950s tested various marijuana preparations against skin and other infections, but researchers at the time had little understanding of marijuana’s chemical makeup. The current research, by Giovanni Appendino of the University of the Eastern Piedmont and colleagues and published in The Journal of Natural Products, looked at the antibacterial activity of the five most common cannabinoids. All were found effective against several common multi-resistant bacterial strains, although, perhaps understandably, the researchers suggested that the nonpsychotropic cannabinoids might prove more promising for eventual use.
The researchers say they don’t know how the cannabinoids work, and whether they would be effective as systemic antibiotics would require much more research and trials. But the compounds may prove useful sooner as a topical agent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, to prevent the microbes from colonizing on the skin."

Web Link (check them facts) – Antibacterial Cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa: A Structure−Activity Study (Journal of Natural Products) RSS Feed

The secret initials are THC

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Man, I really miss marijuana.

Anonymous said...

I don't, it's great...

Anonymous said...

A blunt away keeps the doctor away?

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the police department.

Benjamin Owens said...

Yeah, meanwhile, a Sumo chief resigns because some kids tested positive for herb...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080908/od_nm/sumo_odd_dc;_ylt=ArzpI5kmLpVJTQO1egM0ZTSs0NUE

& other idiots try to say that the trace amounts of ganja in Bruce Lee's stomach were what caused his death due to full body seizures & craniam edema, rather than the Equagesic painkiller... rather than the official results from the coroner's examination.

We're not out of the politics yet. For every good story about herb, there's 50 stories of disinformation & bullshit. The science & medicine stance on this substance is that it is one of the safest substances known to humanity. There hasn't been a single death due to sheer consumption in the entirety of recorded human history, meanwhile, the ONDPC labels this substance as a "dangerous drug".

An LD-50 hasn't even been determined under any standards of merit... scientists have not been able to provide enough marijuana to kill a lab rat in a reasonable & logical fashion. It is presumed to be between a 1:20,000 & 1:40,000 ratio [thus, a 1:30,000 ratio], implying that one would need to consume roughly 1,500 pounds of marijuana in around a 15 minute period of time. The 1:30,000 ratio is thought to be 'physically impossible' as one cannot consume 1,500lbs of anything in 15 minutes without bursting their stomach & dieing as a result of morbidly gorging one's self, nor can one smoke so much in such an amount of time, as one would pass out from oxygen deprevation & thus be rendered unable to continue to smoke the substance themselves.

Statistically speaking, more people have already died today from the use of aspirin, than have ever died from the lone consumption of marijuana.

The only reason this is illegal is because of politics, there is no justifiable reason or line of logic... just a load of bullshit & politics.

Help end this senseless prohibition, support NORML.

A Strange Lad said...

I just wish I had some. Sucks being skint.

Anonymous said...

Gotta agree with 'anonymous'...I miss it. I haven't smoked AT ALL in about 5 years, and my useage was pretty sporadic for several years prior to that (my ultra- pothead days were between 16-somewhere in my late 20s).

But...

There are insane, stress-filled days when I fantasize about sitting on my back porch at sunset, looking out over the lake and toasting up a big ol' fatty.

Anonymous said...

So toast up a big ol' fatty, son, and watch the goddamned sunset. It won't do you no harm.

Anonymous said...

Nahhhh...wife's high profile career, impressionable kid, fear of getting thrown in the hoosegow (waaaaay too old to see the inside of a jail cell ever again), and lack of any sort of connection.

If I can ever get my hands on some seeds, though, I might consider growing a little houseplant for the old man's private use.