There are proven links to long terms issues from Marijuana issues as well as abusers with psychotic tendencies. Also, the evidence of cannibus with neuropathy relief is similar to that of the current drugs that are pushed in that they mask the symptoms and do not treat the underlying issue. i would be wary of many current articles looking to selectively promote marijuana for the good while ignoring the bad. I am not against medical marijuana, pain is something no one should suffer with long term, but to say its completely safe is simply ludicrous. Marijuana is a drug, just because its a plant doesnt mean it is wholesome and wonderful for you. It can be abused like any other drug. And there are confirmed studies showing its damage on the brain.

This is a very good debate on the pro and con:

http://www.painresearchforum.org/new...is-pro-and-con

There are plenty of studies that show marijuana does indeed damage your brain and shrinks IQ. Even casual use. You can google that on your own.

It is a drug...and a medicine. Nothing treats the underlying cause and regenerates nerves so what do we do? Live with the pain?

Many people would also attest to healing properties associated with marijuana, not so much the outdated view from the 60s of people taking a hit of a joint and jumping out a window.

The data keeps piling up how beneficial it is for treating many illnesses. You can look that up on your own.

And just because it is not wholesome and wonderful for you does not mean it's not wholesome and wonderful for someone else.

There is evidence of nerve regeneration (remylenation) in many studies using supplements. You can look that up on YOUR own. ALCAR and ALA most notably.

What about all the evidence linking it to brain damage and reduction in IQ? Those are not worth considering?

I have done plenty of research on marijuana the cons outweigh the pros for me. Its a last resort in my mind. There is no evidence of it "healing" neuropathy anywhere. It sounds like you have a bias in favor of it, that's fine. I personally have researched it well and don't see the benefit beyond last resort.

The healing properties associated with marijuana for a number of illnesses is now well documented. I did not say it heals neuropathy. It doesn't. But it does help neuropathic pain. And guess what? You can look that up!

Throughout the course of my PN, I went through various drug trials, not able to tolerate the side effects. I come to NT and complain about what lousy drugs they are. And then I realized that is MY experience and MY opinion.

I try not to do that now. Just because a drug didn't help me doesn't mean it wouldn't help someone else. Peripheral Neuropathy is such a dreaded disease that if something helps anyone, it's worth having around as an option.

Lyrica was an IQ disaster for me. It helped for awhile and for a bit side effects seemed worth it. While all of our symptoms vary in scope I am sure we can all agree we have accepted some side effects that we never would have believed prior to this issue.

Short term testing as I have only visited a legal state, I found marijuana delightful. For me. I yearn for reclassification so solid testing can take place and we can be better informed. That sounds great.

Maybe people believe it is benign, the same way the small fry from McDonalds is benign, but that argument can flow everywhere. I need relief.

My "good" two week period of work meant I was present there 85% of the time but my 3 3/4 year old and 9 year old were putting me bed before 7 most nights because I was shot. Just shot.

So when NY legalizes, if my physicians are of the mind, I want it in my bag of measures. If half a chew/edible/a few vapes gets me a few hours of Candyland and some family tine during the week so be it.

I have kind of accepted that this is a slope at the moment. A crummy slope. My family has too, though it pains them all. Anything that can bring a measure of relief is welcome. Even if Dad is moving the pot brownie piece two purple for the win in Candyland. (trying to lighten it up)

Anyway, comfort is so wonderful and so often not present...

When I smoke in the evening, my mood is changed for the better and my pain is greatly reduced. I wake up fresh after sleeping all night. Nothing else comes close to getting me through another painful day. (Btw, 2 new studies out this week that changes a lot of previous beliefs)

Like many of you I am in two minds about the benefits versus risks of marijuana for pain relief.

I've read the reports about permanent long term side effects but really don't need them to know it definitely happens. I just have to look around my own community, and even closer at my own brother, to know that chronic mj use is permanently harmful.

The fact that it comes from a plant (ie a 'natural' drug) is irrelevant - oleander is a 'natural' plant - would you eat or smoke that? It's whatever processing is done to the raw plant material that affects the medicinal quality of it. There is strong evidence that some extracts from the plant can provide temporary relief from pain.

Unfortunately due to conservative political bias and the historical (or hysterical ) stigma attached, cannabis has for too long been relegated to the back bench of serious research as a medicinal compound. The sooner it comes off the black market, and is researched, standardized and made available as an effective medical therapy, the better.

1.I just read through this whole thread. I haven't tried mj yet (for neuropathic pain). Back in my high school days I was pretty experienced though.
I don't see how on earth synthetic opiates, muscle relaxers, and drugs like neurontin and lyrica can be anything but worse as far as health and side effects go. NO way! We have yet to find out what will happen to a young person who is on these cocktails for 20, 30, 40 years. I think the majority of peace loving hippie pot heads from my parents era are actually pretty healthy (doing yoga and drinking smoothies now and they smoked for 5, 10, 20 years- some still do. I personally do not believe it's a gateway drug. It might be addictive to some people, but no more than the crap handed to us by our doctors. I could go on and on about how ridiculous I think it is that alcohol is legal when marajuana isn't, but that's not the point here.

2. Wouldn't tea bags filled with a measured dose be a good way to administer the bud? It isn't legal here, but I am trying to think of options for my future since I am young and this might be the rest of my life.

Health girl I am with you 100%. I don't know about the tea bag method. If you are looking to use it for sleep I have found the best way is to make your own cookies. PM me if you want the recipe.

MJ does share a common thread with all those horrid prescription drugs we are routinely prescribed and that is your body will develop a tolerance and you'll need more. I have also read it may deplete your body of zinc. I have not been able to substantiate that yet on a credible website.

However, and this is a big however... The biggest thing mj does not share with
those other pharmaceuticals is mj has amazing anti inflammatory properties. I was recently told by a PH.D in Neurology who does research for a very prestigious teaching hospital that marijuana and estrogen are the 2 things I need most right now for my PN. We didn't have time to talk about the estrogen so I don't have that information now. Interesting.....

I found edibles useful. Smoking too. I am hopeful that my neuro is involved in NYS program that launches in 2016. If not I will discuss options for obtaining another doctor to start the 6 month process of being his patient prior to prescribing it, as NYS has odd parts to the law, including no combustion of actual marijuana- oil, tincture, edible only.

Doesn't trouble me, save it seems to show special interests who make devices and such were considered. Oh well.

Like Healthgirl I am a bit young to be okay with "here take all this Lyrica you'd like". I decided around six months ago to see how I'd do without it, as chronicled elsewhere, as the side effects were too much and the pay off, decreasing.

My symptoms march on. I'd love to have some of those 10 mg sugar free candies around from CO or a vaporizer for some comfort. Perhaps I could enjoy more than one in ten meals.

But then the world might collapse, because cannabis is evil, right?

I am thrilled so many get an option to try it to treat pain, even happier it works for many. If it seems to worsen symptoms or make up upset or trouble you, like anything in this world everything is not for everyone.

So, yeah, stumbled in here while waiting for my boy to fall asleep. The pulpit is yours, whomever is next.

The backup dude to surfer00 abides.

Jon