Marijuana Extracts Sanctioned For Tremor Study

Marijuana plant budding outdoors at sunset
Photo by epicstockmedia c/o 123-rf.

I read quite often in various online magazines and newspapers how tremors have grown in occurrence as people have gotten older. Even though there are many thoughts about what the causes are, the medication needed and the lifestyle changes that have to be made, there is increasing interest in marijuana or cannabis as a treatment. CBD Oil is a product of hemp and has been used if not relatively effectively to treat a number of neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and some other processes such as anxiety, neurological pain, cancer and glaucoma even. 

The U.S. government has approved the import of marijuana extracts from Canada for a critical clinical study into the efficacy of CBD and THC. The supplier is Tilray Inc. from British Columbia. The intention is to study the reduction in tremors affecting people in their millions. Tremor is especially prevalent in those over 65.

The Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research based at The University of California in San Diego has agreed with the FDA to import capsules which contain a cannabis extract.  In the USA there are now 20 states that have legalised medical marijuana and another 13 are developing a type of legislation to make it acceptable in their state. Marijuana is not legal under federal law which seems consequential given the current situation but special consideration was given to obtaining the import license because of the specific interest. Canada’s federal laws make medical marijuana legal and it will be allowed for recreational use from October 2018. 

At the moment there is no specific drug to treat essential tremor. It is not like the shaking associated with Parkinson’s which occurs when a person is still. People with essential tremors shake during everyday activities such as speaking, writing or drinking and so makes coordinated extremely difficult.  About 10 million people in the USA alone have the condition according to the International Essential Tremor Foundation.

Researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are ready to point out that using cannabis has a number of risks. The side effects include increased  heart rate, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Long-term use can lead to addiction and some types of metal aberrations in susceptible people. Somewhere between 9 and 30 per cent who use marijuana can develop a usage disorder according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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