legal and socially acceptable … 2737 b.c. – chinese ... · • marihuana act of 1937 makes it...
TRANSCRIPT
• Legal and socially acceptable …• 2737 B.C. – Chinese Emperor Shen Neng proclaims it medicine• 1850s – Medical preparations available in pharmacies• 1880s – Estimated 500 hashish parlors in NYC
• And then it wasn’t …• Harrison Act of 1914 declares drug use a crime• Marihuana Act of 1937 makes it inaccessible• Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classifies it as Schedule I
• In society …• 2013 – “Weed” series on CNN introduces Charlotte Figi
• In Work Comp …• 2014 – Vialpando v. Ben’s Auto. Servs
http://news.gallup.com/poll/221018/record-high-support-legalizing-marijuana.aspx
http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx
• Perfect storm …• Rx opioids vs. cannabis vs. alcohol
• It’s personal …• Many people know someone for whom cannabis works
• Impaired workforce …• Presence <> impairment
• “Reasonable and necessary” …• Combined with “but for” compels Work Comp reimbursement
>60 active cannabinoids –individual,
interactive, and entourage effects
>400 compounds including flavonoids
and terpenoids
Other
Principal psychoactive compound
Partial CB1 and CB2 agonist
Low receptor efficacy and affinity
11–OH–THC main metabolite and psychoactive
Medical effects:
•Analgesic •Anti‐inflammatory•Anti‐emetic•Anti‐spasmodic•Sedation
Considered to have more medicinal applications than THC
Very low affinity for CB1 and CB2
Minimal psychoactive effect
5‐HT1A receptor agonist
• Antidepressant, Anxiolysis
Allosteric modulator of µ‐ and δ‐opioid receptors
• Analgesia
Other: Anti‐psychotic, anti‐epileptic
Found in trace amounts in cannabis
Weak psychoactive effect
Metabolite of THC
Weak agonist of CB1 and CB2 but high affinity for CB2
• Anti‐inflammatory effects
Caryophyllene
• CB2 agonist• Anti‐inflammatory • Beta‐caryophyllene is an FDA approved dietary supplement
Humulene
• Anti‐inflammatory effects similar to dexamethasone
• Inhibits TNFa and IL1B
Myrcene
• Analgesic effect• Blocked by naloxone or yohimbine
• Anti‐inflammatory effect• Through PGE2 inhibition
Linalol
• Possible reduction of stress
Limonene
• Adenosine agonist
Peripheral Cells: monocytes, B/T and mast cells CB2‐r:↓Inflammatory cell mediator release↓ Plasma extravasa on↓ Sensi za on of afferent terminals
Peripheral terminal of Primary afferentCB1‐r:↓ Terminal excitability↓ Release of pro‐inflammatory terminal peptides
CB‐r agonists: reduction of elevated terminal excitability otherwise induced by local injury and inflammation
Spinal Dorsal Horn
CB1‐r: (intrathecal)
CB1 agonists: reduction of afferent evoked excitation of dorsal horn nociceptive neurons
Supraspinal SitesCB1‐r (microinjection)Basolateral AmygdalaPeriaqueductal grayRostroventral Medulla
Local effects upon nociceptive processing
Activation of bulbospinal pathways… regulating dorsal horn excitability
CB1 agonists: reduction of afferent evoked excitation of dorsal horn nociceptive neurons.
ALS Autism Cancer Crohn’s disease
Spinal cord injury with intractable
spasticity Epilepsy Glaucoma HIV / AIDS
Huntington’s Disease
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Intractable Seizures
Multiple Sclerosis
Neuropathies Parkinson’s Disease
Sickle Cell Anemia
Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder
“Severe chronic intractable pain of neuropathic origin
or severe chronic or intractable pain in which conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated
or ineffective.”
Cancer Remission Spastic Movement Disorders
Neurodegenerative Conditions Substitute for Opioid Reduction
“Gold Standard” in research is LARGE randomized, double‐blinded placebo‐control studies – otherwise concerns exist for bias and subjectivity ProCon.org lists 61 peer reviewed studies worldwide
› 27 double‐blinded – Only 17 had positive results 6 were short term studies – some less than 2 weeks Some had small number of participants Some were not Phase 3 trials Results were not definitive suggesting further research
› Over 40 clinical trials with quality of evidence highly variable› Despite variability of evidence many state policies allow many uses› Classification as Schedule I presents barrier to research
Chemo related n/v
AIDS and cancer related anorexia/weight loss/pain
Chronic Pain – such as headache, arthritis, back injuries ‐improves tolerance for pain but doesn’t reduce intensity
Neuropathic pain – includes diabetic and from spine Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis – Sativex an oral spray formula
with strongest evidence not FDA approved yet so not available in US
Epilepsy – However Epidolex is a strawberry flavored oil containing CBD for conditions such as Dravet Syndrome and Lennox‐Gastaut Syndrome
Crohn’s Disease – Tel Aviv study of only 21 people. 45% remission with high THC cigarettes vs. 10% in placebo, but needed to stay on the drug. Other studies not completed or results known yet
Cancer – except in cases of above symptoms Parkinson’s Disease – poor studies
Alzheimer’s Disease – only cellular studies Anxiety Disorders – Vanderbilt study suggests occasional use
may help but chronic use worsens condition Post‐Traumatic Disorder – Mixed results. May depend on mix
of THC/CBD Weight Loss – other measures safer Lupus – University of New Mexico found no difference over 5
years Glaucoma – positive effect only lasts 3‐4 hours Tourette’s Syndrome – weak studies to suggest reduction in tic
severity Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – little evidence of effectiveness. Terminal Illness – if life expectancy < 1 year, severe or chronic
pain, N/V, or cachexia/wasting
ACUTE EFFECTS
Short term memory loss
Motor coordination difficulties
Judgment impairment NOTE: Short term use of marijuana doubles the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash.*
Paranoid ideation and psychotic symptoms
*Hartman et al, Cannabis effects on driving skills, Clin Chem. 2013: 59(3): 478‐492
LONG TERM EFFECTS
Impaired brain development
Addiction – 1 in 10 adults and higher among adolescents, effects on work, school and relationships
Tolerance and Down regulation/desensitization of receptors
Anxiety, depression, psychotic illnesses
Functional performance decline – school, lower income, unemployment, criminal behavior, decreased satisfaction with life
Physical – chronic bronchitis, URI, pneumonia, MI, stroke, PVD
Carcinogenic exposure in smoked form
UNKNOWN EFFECTS
• Interactions with other medications or other medical conditions
WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS
• Anxiety, irritability, craving, dysphoria, insomnia
SOCIETAL EFFECTS
Increased recreational use and abuse
Washington – increase in marijuana related poison control center calls. Many of products from UNREGULATED dispensaries as opposed to
LICENSED RECREATIONAL shops.
Two national surveys
Odds of marijuana USE nearly 2 times higher in states with medical marijuana laws.
Odds of ABUSE/DEPENDENCE nearly 2X higher in states with legalized medical marijuana.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
33% increase in teens who smoked pot over the past month in medical marijuana states but only 6% in the rest of the country.
Between 2005 and 2011, only 20% of U.S. lived in medical marijuana states but accounted for >2/3rds of the increase in adolescent use.
Diversion –
Colorado i.e. school distribution of edibles and medicinal forms
74% of adolescents in substance treatment had used someone else’s medical marijuana
Of these adolescents, use of diverted medical marijuana was reported a median of 50 times.
Is marijuana medicine?
If so, should Work Comp pay for it?