Research

Research can be used as a tool to allow us to use cannabis more knowledgably and effectively.

The BCCCS does not condone or endorse animal testing.

On this page you will find:

BCCCS Research
Other Research Projects of Note
Latest Published Research of Note
Research Resources
Condition and Symptom Related Research

BCCCS Research:

The BCCCS is dedicated to supporting and initiating research that is in line with our Mission, Vision and Values. All research we participate in must meet our Ethical Standards for Research. BCCCS Current Research Projects:

- Ethnographic Study of Compassion Clubs and Cannabis Use as Self-Medication - In conjuction with the BCCCS, VICS, CALM, TCC and the Center for Addiction and Mental Health.

- Mental Health Survey - A survey completed by BCCCS members regarding their use of cannabis for mental health conditions and its effect on their mental health.

BCCCS Past Research Projects:

Survey of medicinal cannabis use among childbearing women - Published Jan, 2006 in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Between November 2003 and May 2004, women members of the BCCCS and the VICS filled out a questionnaire about their use of cannabis in general and more specifically during pregnancy. This questionnaire was part of a joint project between researchers at the University of BC and the University of Victoria. The results show that indeed many women successfully relieve their nausea and vomiting during pregnancy with Cannabis – over 92% of the respondents rated cannabis as ‘extremely effective’ or ‘effective’.
Cannabis as Therapy for People Living with HIV/AIDS: “Our Right, Our Choice” - June 14, 2006, The Canadian AIDS Society. This study examined the legal, ethical and human rights issues related to access and regulation of cannabis for therapeutic purposes for people living with HIV/AIDS. The BCCCS was honoured to be a key informant in this incredible project that will benefit all those who use cannabis as a medicine. The report recommended an Auditor General review of Health Canada’s medical marijuana program, the recognition of compassion clubs as legal dispensaries of medicinal cannabis, and having the costs of cannabis covered under provincial drug plans.
Cannabis Use and Hepatitis C Treatment Outcomes ( PDF) - Published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2006. A researcher at the University of Berkley discovered that people using cannabis in conjunction with their interferon treatments had better success rates then those who were not using cannabis. We wanted to understand if the increased success rates were due to people being able to complete their treatments because they were managing the side effects of interferon with cannabis, or if there is a beneficial interaction between interferon and cannabis. Many members of the BCCCS and VICS completed a survey in 2004, which helped inform this study.

Other Current Research Projects of Note:

COMPASS - Cannabis for the management of pain: assessment of safety study. Funded by Health Canda and the Canadian Institute of Health Research

Latest Published Research of Note:

Compilation of Case Studies and Case Reports in Cannabis Research, 1970 – present (International Association For Cannabis As Medecine)

May 2008 - Pot Eases Neuropathic Pain (Vancouver Sun)

April 2008 - Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System: a Pilot Study (Clinical Pharmacological Therapeutics)

April 2008 - Clinical Endocannibinoid Deficiency (CECD) as a Possible Explanation for the Benefits of Cannabis in the Treatment of Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other Treatment Resistant Conditions (Neuro Endocrinology Letters)

Jan 2008 - Cannabinoids Found to be Associated with Anti-Carcinogenic Effects (www.Salem-News.com)
Dec 2007 - Active Ingredients in Marijuana Found to Slow Invasion by Cervical and Lung Cancer Cells (www.webmd.com)

Marijuana helps ease HIV nerve pain, CBC News, February 12, 2007
Marijuana 's active chemical may be Alzheimer's fighter, The Ottawa Citizen, October 9, 2006
Medical Marijuana Boosts Hepatitis C Treatment in New Study, Sept. 12, 2006 ( full text of study PDF)
Study Finds No Cancer, Marijuana Connection, Washington Post, Fri, 26 May 2006 (full text of study PDF)
A joint study with the Vancouver Island Compassion Society, the BCCCS, UBC/UVic: Survey of medicinal cannabis use among childbearing women: Patterns of use in pregnancy and retroactive self-assessment of its efficacy against 'moring sickness' " (Westfall, Janssen, Lucas, Capler 2006)Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice (PDF)
Cannabinoids in medicine: A review of their therapeutic potential , (PDF) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Feb 2006.
Marijuana less cancerous than tobacco , WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2005 (UPI)
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease may benefit from cannabis-based drugs, UK scientists, 31 July 2005
Israeli researcher develops cannabis compound with unique anti-cancer action, June 12, 2005
Cannabis Use in Adolescence: Self-Medication for Anxiety, Tom O'Connell, M.D., Fri, 01 Apr 2005

Research Resources:

Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics - Information about medical uses of marijuana, clinical studies, political action, and legal cases.
Americans for Safe Access - Americans for Safe Access has collected some of the most relevant international research into cannabinoids and the therapeutic use of cannabis. This research includes peer-reviewed and published studies, as well as some of the most extensive government examinations into cannabis safety and its potential as a therapeutic agent.
Canadians for Safe Access - Research page
Cannabis Research Library
Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR)
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM) - clinical studies with cannabis or single cannabinoids in different diseases and case reports on the use of cannabis by patients.
You may search for diseases (indications), authors, medication, study design (controlled study, open trial, case report etc.) and other criteria.
International Cannabinoid Research Society - The ICRS is a non-profit society dedicated to research in all fields relating to the Cannabinoids.
Medline Database - PubMed -Biomedical journal literature from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health.
Medical Marijuana Information Resource Centre - a guide for patients and health care professionals
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) - Marijuana Research
Rx Marijuana - Lester Grinspoons's site. a place to learn about patients' experiences with medical marijuana
Tod H. Mikuriya, M.D. - Dr. Mikuriya is one of the world's foremost authorities on the uses of medical cannabis.

UK Cannabis Internet Activists (UKCIA) - research library contains a database of links to important articles and reports on subjects relating to cannabis. Also general medical cannabis information.

Condition and Symptom Related Research:

General Information

Formalism and Narrative in Law and Medicine: The Debate Over Medical Marijuana Use

Journal of Drug Issues. 1999. 29(1): 121-134. By Desmond Manderson CONTENTS Abstract Introducing Dichotomies Formalism or Narrative Two Frameworks of Liberalism

Medical Marihuana in a Time of Prohibition

International Journal of Drug Policy 10 (1999) 145-156 By Lester Grinspoon Harvard Medical School, 74 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA Abstract - As the medical virtues of cannabis become increasingly clear, the question of how to make it available to patients becomes incre

Herb Remedy

Scientific American , September 1999 By Gary Stix The exact location is a secret. But somewhere between London and Brighton a compound ringed by high fences and razor wire will house the world's only pot farm primarily devoted to commercial drug development. In June the British Home Office gave

Counterblaste to the I.O.M.

International Journal of Drug Policy , November 1, 1999 By Peter Webster, vignes@monaco.mc I n mid-March of this year, the report of the U.S. Institute of Medicine (Joy et al., 1999

Cannabis as Medicine: Time for the Phoenix to Rise?

British Medical Journal, April 4, 1998 (316:1034-1035) Philip Robson, Senior Clinical Lecturer Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX Since 1971 Brit

Marihuana as Medicine: A Plea for Reconsideration

Journal of the American Medical Association, 273.23 (June 1995): 1875-76. By Lester Grinspoon, MD and James B. Bakalar, JD

Marijuana Substitute Combats Nerve Gas

Scripps Howard News Service, January 5, 1998 By Julian Borger JERUSALEM -- The best available protection against nerve gas attack comes from an Isr

Therapeutic Possibilities in Cannabinoids

The Lancet , March 22, 1975, pp. 667-69 T o early man, Cannabis sativa L. was a source of food ( hemp seed and oil) and of fibre (ropes), though, according to mytholog

Federal Foolishness and Marijuana

New England Journal of Medicine, January 30, 1997 (Vol. 336, no. 5, pp. 366-367) By Jerome P. Kassirer, M.D. T

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr., Editors Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Health INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. 1999 Notice | Principal Investigators and Advisors | Reviewers | Preface Acknowledgments | Contents

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Judge Young's ruling (Pages 1-15) Judge Young's ruling (Pages 16-34)

Therapeutic Potential and Medical Uses of Marijuana

Psychoactive Drugs, 14 (1982): 239-241 by Todd Mikuriya, M.D. Contents Glaucoma Antiemetic Action

Will IOM Report Encourage Clinical Trials?

The Scientist , May 10, 1999 By Peter Gwynne A s an issue on the cusp of science and

The Therapeutic Effects of Cannabinoids

From The Health and Psychological Consequences of Cannabis Use, Australian National Drug Strategy Monograph Series No. 25 (1994) By Wayne Hall, Nadia Solowij and Jim Lemon, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre

CANNABIS SATIVA (Ta-ma)

From Chinese Medicinal Herbs (Georgetown Press, San Francisco, 1973) Compiled by Li Shih-Chen, Translated and Researched by F. Porter Smith, M.D. and G.A. Stuart, M.D.

Testimony of Lester Grinspoon, M.D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical Schoolbefore the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., October 1, 1997 M r. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you this morning to shar

Reefer Madness

New England Journal of Medicine, August 7, 1997 By George J. Annas Introduction Marijuana is unique among illegal drugs in its

Movement Disorders

Open Label Evaluation of Cannabidiol in Dystonic Movement Disorders

International Journal of Neuroscience, 1986, Vol. 30, pp. 277-282 By Paul Consroe, Reuven Sandyk and Stuart R. Snider Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Neurology University of Arizona M

Anticonvulsant Nature of Marihuana Smoking

Journal of the American Medical Association, October 20, 1975, Vol 234, No 3: 306-307 By Paul Consroe, PhD: George C. Wood, PhD; Harvey Buchsbaum, MD From the departments of pharmacology (Dr. Consroe) and

Hypnotic and Antiepileptic Effects of Cannabidiol

Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1981; 21: 417S-427S By Elisaldo A. Carlini, M.D., and Jomar M. Cunha, M.D. Department of Psychobiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Letters to Nature

84 NATURE | VOL 404 | 2 MARCH 2000 | www.nature.com 6. Pantev, C. et al. Relationship of transient and steady-state auditory evoked ®elds. Electroenceph. Clin. Neurophysiol. 88, 389±396 (1993). 7. Hari, R. HaÈmaÈlaÈinen, M. & Joutsiniemi, S. -L.

Effects of Cannabidiol in Huntington's Disease

Neurology 36 (Suppl 1) April 1986 p. 342 By Reuven Sandyk, Paul Consroe, Lawrence Z. Stern, and Stuart R. Snider, Tucson, AZ Abstract: Cannabidiol (CBD) is a major

HIV/AIDS

HIV and Longevity: Cannabis and Lifestyle

Paper by Carol de Launey presented at the 8th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, March 24 - 27, 1997, Paris, France , By Carol de Launey INTRODUCTION HIV-positive gays may be more likely to use cannabis than HIV-negative gays (Wod

Cancer

Amelioration of Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting by Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

The Medical Journal of Australia , 1979 By Ekert, H., K.D. Waters, I.H. Jurk, J. Mobilia, and P. Loughnan. N ote: charts and graphs have not been included with this docum

The Use of Inhalation Marijuana as an Antiemetic for Cancer Chemotherapy

New York State Journal of Medicine, October 1988, pp. 525-527 By Vincent Vinciguerra, MD; Terry Moore, MSW; Eileen Brennan, RN From the Don Monti Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, North

Marijuana as Antiemetic Medicine: A Survey of Oncologists' Experiences and Attitudes (Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 9(7) (1991): 1314-1319.)

Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol. 9(7) (1991): 1314-1319. By Doblin, Richard E. and Mark A. R. Kleiman.

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannibinol as an Antiemetic in Cancer Patients Receiving High-Dose Methotrexate

Annals of Internal Medicine, December 1979; 91: 819-824 ALFRED E. CHANG, M.D.; DAVID J. SHILING, M.D.; RICHARD C. STILLMAN, M.D.; NELSON H. GOLDBERG, M.D.; CLAUDIA A. SEIPP, R.N

Antiemetics in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy for Cancer

New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 302(3) (1980): 135-138 By Sallan, Stephen E., Carol Cronin, Marvin Zelen, and Norman E. Zinberg

An Efficient New Cannabinoid Antiemetic in Pediatric Oncology

Life Sciences, 56(23/24); 2097-2102 Aya Abrahamov 1 , Avraham Abrahamov 2 and R. Mechoulam 3 1 Department of P

Anticancer Activity of Cannabinoids

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 55, No. 3, September 1975, pp.597-602 By A.E. Munson, L.S. Harris, M.A. Friedman, W.L. Dewey, and R.A. Carchman Department of

New, Improved Medical Marijuana Drug Readied for Testing

Oncology Times, May 1998 (Volume XX, No. 5) p. 75 By Peggy Eastman Washington, DC - The company that makes Marinol - the only medicinal marijuana drug approved in the U

Glaucoma

Effect of Marihuana on Intraocular and Blood Pressure in Glaucoma

Ophthalmology, March 1980, Vol. 87, No. 3, pp. 222-228. By John C. Merritt, MD, William J. Crawford, PhD, Paul C. Alexander, MD, Alfred L. Anduze, MD, Solomon S. Gelbart, MD

Migraines

Cannabinoids Block Release of Serotonin from Platelets Induced by Plasma from Migraine Patients

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Res V (4) 243-246 (1985) By Volfe Z., Dvilansky A., Nathan I. Blood Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka Medical

Asthma

Acute Effects of Smoked Marijuana and Oral Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on Specific Airway Conductance in Asthmatic Subjects

American Review of Respiratory Disease, Volume 109, 1974, p. 420-428 By Donald P. Tashkin, Bertrand J. Shapiro, and Ira M. Frank SUMMARY: The acute effects o

Head Trauma