Medical Journal References

Being unable to find references that I did not feel were biased in any regard as related to cannabinoids being good, bad, or indifferent to the human body. No rats, mice, dog, or monkey studies...no jest as there is valid documentation that shows cannabanoids effect humans differently.

Other requirements are that the author(s) are medical (MD) doctors or carry a doctorate in human medical pharmacology. We are talking journals such as the American Heart Association, or New England Journal of Medicine, or British Journal of Pharmacology, and so on.

The documents must contain a bibliography.

Some links may have to be paid for to get the full document. It would be nice if folks could turn others on to the free version if possible.

I happen to have a specific interest in effects related to pain, the cardiovascular system, pharmacologic aspects, and valid studies.

I hope to add to this in future posts. This particular group is involved with implications specifically related to the heart.

Triggering Myocardial Infarction by Marijuana -- Mittleman et al. 103 (23): 2805 -- Circulation
Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Cardiovascular Disease: Therapeutic Potential and Limitations -- Pacher et al. 52 (4): 601 -- Hypertension
Cardiovascular system effects of marijuana -- Jones 42 (11 Supplement): S58 -- The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
IngentaConnect Cannabinoid System as a Potential Target for Drug Development in ...

Brief summary of above:

Cannabis is a vasodilator which temporarily increases cardiac output tho that can mediate over time. Because it is a vasodilator it lowers blood pressure for varying amounts of time. It has been shown to lower cholesterol (Not in my case).

One study does relate MI (heart damage/heart attack) to cannabis smoking....but that same study had folks who were smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol....Not what I consider fair, but it certainly makes sense.

I advised my cardiologist, and was told if I take it orally, I may continue to take it.... (I was diagnosed with a very bad lesion in one of the most important heart vessels yesterday, which is to be fixed Monday.)

Some of those studies will use dronabinol or marinol as part of the basis, which was how I managed to find most of this info. Tho we don't find it works right, it is studiable because the dose is controllable.

So to summarize, cannabis does not seem to cause injury to the myocardium unless smoked in conjunction with other smokeables. It lowers blood pressure short term, and it may play a part in lowering cholesterol.

These are all unbiased medical documents, and I think we can see that more research definitely is necessary. Now if the government would just see this.

I guarantee you that you will not like what these say if you are a die hard smoker, but there are some very interesting facets to these studies.

Effects of cannabis on pulmonary structure, function and symptoms -- Aldington et al. 62 (12): 1058 -- Thorax
Compared to smoking cigarettes.

Caution on this one, federally sponsored, but sounds like a legit study
Respiratory symptoms and lung function in habitual... [Am Rev Respir Dis. 1987] - PubMed result
Compares to non smokers, cig smokers and mj smokers.

Arch Intern Med -- Effects of Marijuana Smoking on Pulmonary Function and Respiratory Complications: A Systematic Review, February 12, 2007, Tetrault et al. 167 (3): 221
a different opinion for sure

Effects of cannabis on lung function: a population... [Eur Respir J. 2010] - PubMed result


[Pneumotorax and cannabis] [Minerva Chir. 2009] - PubMed result
I wish to comment that as a former paramedic, I have treated patients who acquired a spontaneous pnuemothorax from holding the smoke during a cough fit. This can expand what are called 'blebs' and cause a pneumothorax.

The studies vary greatly and have similar findings also. Face it smoking is bad no matter what you smoke. Makes me want to refine my concentrate making.