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Pot Pediatrics

Newly published scientific research suggests there may be a role for cannabinoids in pediatric medicine.

3-15-2005 | Paul Armentano | AlterNet

Could the human body's own "marijuana" hold the key to a healthy and happy childhood? Scientists in Israel have posed the question, and their answer may surprise you.

Recently, researcher Ester Fride of the Behavioral Sciences Department of Israel's College of Judea and Samaria published a pair of scientific papers stating that the brain's cannabinoid receptors (receptors in the brain that respond pharmacologically to various compounds in cannabis as well as other endogenous compounds) and the naturally occurring messenger molecules that activate and bind to them (so-called endocannabinoids) "are present from the early stages of gestation" and may play "a number of vital roles" in human prenatal and postnatal development.

Writing in Neuroendocrinology Letters and the European Journal of Pharmacology, Fride suggests, "A role for the endocannabinoid system for the human infant is likely."

She notes that in animals, the endogenous cannabinoid system fulfills several important developmental functions, including: embryonal implantation (which requires a temporary and localized reduction in the production of the endocannabinoid anandamide), neural development, neuroprotection, the development of memory and oral-motor skills, and the initiation of suckling in newborns.

A dysfunctional endocannabinoid system, Fride speculates, may be responsible for certain abnormalities in infants, particularly "failure-to-thrive" syndrome, a condition in which newborns fail to properly grow and gain weight. (In animal studies, mice fail to gain weight and die within the first week of life when their cannabinoid receptors are blocked.)

Nevertheless, the author does not recommend that pregnant mothers consume cannabis, noting that a handful of studies have observed subtle cognitive deficiencies in offspring with prenatal exposure to pot. (At present, there exists little consensus within the scientific community as to whether infrequent cannabis use may impair postnatal development, as various studies have yielded conflicting results.)

Fride does, however, strongly recommend the use of cannabinoids in pediatric medicine. She notes that "excellent clinical results" have been reported in pediatric oncology and in case studies of children with severe neurological diseases or brain trauma, and suggests that cannabis-derived medicines could also play a role in the treatment of other childhood syndromes, including the pain and gastrointestinal inflammation associated with cystic fibrosis.

Because the development of the cannabinoid receptor system appears to occur gradually over the course of childhood, "children may be less prone to the psychoactive side effects of THC or endocannabinoids than adults," Fride writes. "Therefore, it is suggested that children may respond positively to the medicinal applications of cannabinoids without [psychoactive] effects." She concludes, "The medical implications of these novel developments are far reaching and suggest a promising future for cannabinoids in pediatric medicine" for conditions including cachexia (severe weight loss), cystic fibrosis, failure-to-thrive, anorexia, inflammation, and chronic pain.

"It's clear that the cannabinoid system is essential for complete human development, and that cannabis medicines have a great potential to help sick children," says University of Southern California professor Mitch Earlywine, author of the book, Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. "Given the well established safety of the medication, clinical trials for other disorders, particularly cystic fibrosis and 'failure-to-thrive,' seem a humane and essential next step."

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sabianq

that has to be FAR better for children than Prozac or Ritalin. I so happy someone is stugying the issue.

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Burninbrooke

Excellent article.....

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PotShot

They day that pot is declared better than ritalin is the day that big-pharm has to change their pants.

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Burninbrooke

Which is why it's so unlikely to happen.

 

Buzzby

Man Guilty Of Giving Marijuana To 3-Year-old Son
Associated Press | Akron Beacon Journal | 03/16/2005

VAN WERT, Ohio - A man found guilty of giving marijuana to his 3-year-old son faces up to 18 months in prison.

A jury on Tuesday convicted Joshua Minyoung, 23, of Van Wert, of corrupting a minor with drugs.

A friend who visited Minyoung's house on July 2 testified that Minyoung pointed to his son and said, "Look at him, he is stoned."

Another person called Van Wert Children's Services, and the child's mother took the boy to a hospital where he tested positive for marijuana.

Assistant Van Wert County Prosecutor Eva Yarger said it was still unclear how the child took in the marijuana.

Judge Richard Steele of Van Wert Common Pleas Court will sentence Minyoung on April 27.

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Zilos

Definitely gonna recieve some strong opposition. Especially since it's not even considered a safe medicine for adults by many people, being accepted for medicine for children is gonna take some time.

And it's most definitely better then Prozac and Ridalin.

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killer12382

There is NO WAY that the drug warriors will allow cannabis to be given to children. Michael Jackson has a better chance of being chosen Babysitter of the Year by the LA DA first. Besides no one in this country is going to read the results from that study. The NIH will simply dismiss this study as incomplete.

Higher Logic

Yup, much better than giving your child speed for something that probably isn't even the reason for his/her behavior. This goes along perfect with our discussion about underage smoking (which should just be changed to underage USE of cannabis, because a child doesn't need to smoke it to gain the benefits, again, that stigma thing's a beyotch) in the Mind & Body section of the site. Great article, hopefully other countries will take this and go full steam with it, I sure know that USA, Inc. won't.

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Buzzby

Since we don't really have any research on the long-term effects of cannabis consumption on children I can't join the pot-is-good-for-everything zealots in promoting this kind of use. I'm not sure how such research could be done. What kind of parent would volunteer their offspring to be the guinea pigs?

My intuition is that for normal psychological development kids need to get anchored in consensus reality before branching out into other worlds. If cannabis is needed for the treatment of a serious medical problem, especially on a short-term basis, that's one thing. Recreational use is something else altogether.