Raw Cannabis for Crohn's Discussion

[Dudemaster]

Hi Folks, I was genuinely hoping to find more information about Cannabis and Crohn's - but it seems as though I'm the one with the idea and references. I don’t like being someone with a secret so let me share with you what I’ve learned.

References:
“Treating Yourself, issue 19, 2009, Cannabinoids in the GI Track: The Road to Retention by Ally PFLover” If you haven’t read this, then read it. You can download the entire magazine for free (older issues including this one) from treatingyourself dot com - print and keep the Bibliography!

“High Times Medical Marijuana issue #4, Raw Cannabis Saved My Life by Kym Kemp”

Both articles contain a wealth of information, but the bibliography in the TY magazine was fantastic!

What I’ve learned is there are compounds in Marijuana (let’s call it Cannabis from now on) called Cannabinoids. There is one in particular called cannabidiol (CBD). This is one of the many compounds in Cannabis but this one is special because these talk to the Cannabinoid receptors in your body. CBDs actually counteract, to some degree, the THC compound as it is introduced into the human body. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis that makes one “high”. THC & CBD concentrations are much higher in the colas of the plant (bud), the fruit produced by the plant. But CBD’s are extremely high throughout most of the plant (excluding the stalks), but especially in the leaves where the THC count is significantly lower. CBD’s are a substance in which is destroyed or is weakened by manipulating through “heat”. Ergo, making an edible through a process of cooking, or extract, or simply smoking the substance will destroy most of the ‘good stuff’ the Cannabinoids.

The “Raw Cannabis Save my Life” article is about a girl who has an Endo-cannabinoid deficiency and is provided relief from her (very serious) ailments by consuming raw cannabis leaves blended into a juice. The leaves contain very little THC and since they aren’t being heated, they aren’t in a state that makes the user “high” necessarily.

The THEORY is that CBDs are delivered by a “Juiced” mixture of raw cannabis leaves (younger rather than older) grown from strains higher in CBD than THC. This puts medicine directly onto the GI track where the issue is. By drinking the concoction (10 to 30 leaves a day with one bud mixed with something healthy to make it taste better) where the raw cannabis is absorbed by the lining, colon, and eventually, the bowels. Every part of the GI track is touched by this concoction. Is FULL of antioxidants (highest source known), Omega 6 and Omega 3, plus with the CBD’s actually in the GI track, they have a better chance of reaching a receptor and reversing the effects of the disease (temporarily).

I am unaware of anyone who has tried this for Crohn’s disease. Theoretically it’s possible this treatment may help someone. The only danger I can foresee would be if someone was allergic to Cannabis or if they tried this in a state that discriminates against Cannabis users (most of the US).

This is just the beginning of a (probably) very long thread. I have more questions than answers and I live in a state where it is illegal so I can’t try it myself without a lengthy month long trip to Colorado (my closest state).

Let the collaboration begin.

Thank you.
Dude

 

[Andy108]

I have had some success with using leaves with a vapourizer. It uses just enough heat to evaporate crystals of CBD and THC....but I have found that buds, are much more effective. I have also eaten leaves, but only in a cooked form (in clarified butter). I would try raw leaves if the product was more available, the only leaves I can purchase are mature, old and dried.

Peace.

 

[David]

This sounds really interesting and I hope someone here tries it at some point and reports back!

 

[vonfunk]

I would like to try this as well, I plan on heading over to my dispensary tomorrow. I'll ask them to see if it's available.
If it is I'll report back.

 

[Nytefyre]

Never heard of raw cannabis before. Time to let my fingers do the walking! Here I come google!

 

[Dudemaster]

In the High Times article I referenced in the post, the young lady blends 10 or more leaves per day, plus one bud. For a facility to provide 'that much' - I determined one would have to have a leap frog crops of 25 to 30 plants each; or 2 rooms - one veg, one bloom. That's a LOT of plants. It doesn't store well frozen, but that's not to say that someone will figure out a more refined method of delivering and storing the medicine, perhaps in a time-release format so one doesn't have to consume 5 drinks a day.

She get's her's from a special Calif dispensary that specializes in providing patients medicine, vice selling weed.

Not to say that you don't have excellent resource near your home. I was just curious, how was your experience searching?

Warmest wishes,
Dude

I would like to try this as well, I plan on heading over to my dispensary tomorrow. I'll ask them to see if it's available.
If it is I'll report back.

 

[vonfunk]

Before I got membership to the compassion club I was getting it through a friend of a friend. To get the gov't exemption you need to be dying, the compassion centres bridge the gap. Access requires either a doctor's recommendation or a statement of diagnosis for a condition on a specific list. Because there are no legal dispensaries in Canada they go through a fair amount of trouble to keep things very orderly. You need to call and make an appointment. They have limits on what you can get per week. Everyone who works there is a patient, They have their "servers" who recommend both based on what you have, and their own preference.
They usually have 20-25 strains, plus hash, tincture,joint cream, and edibles ranging from cookies to olive oil.
Where I go doesn't have them, they don't grow their own they have a list of trusted suppliers. Because they don't grow, they don't have the leaves

 

[Andy108]

Are the raw ;eaves fresh or dried?

 

[musicislife52]

I am very interested in this! Has anyone tried it yet??

 

[kingofqueen]

Thats just simply why edibles or hash oil is best for chrones treatment . Your getting the "good" delivered right where you need it . Smoking just gives you pain , anti inflamatory effects , and nausa relief . Nothing like eating eat does , just takes longer to kick in but lasts longer . The cool part is your smoking tolerance and your edible tolerance are 2 seperate entities . If you have a huge smoking tolerance you WILL find you have a low tolerance to edibles .

 

[Carrie630]

It's fresh leaves although you can also use dried leaves. Just like cooking herbs, they lose some of their effectiveness the longer not attached to the plant (ie: dried). Most growers don't dry the leaves. Fresh leaves can be thrown into sieve bags used to make bubble hash because they still have a lot of trichomes on them. You may find growers willing to sell you the leaves for cheap though if they know why you want them, never know.

Edibles don't do much for me. I've tried making a tincture which helps me out sublingually. I have pretty bad gastritis and an ulcer. A lot of the medicines (and food!) I take every day come out virtually untouched. Any way that you get cannabis into your system will be a help, but if you have access to juicing its worth a shot. You may or may not get the high feeling from it. I know other people who have tried drinking it and edibles with good effect so its worth trying! You never know.

for anyone interested in trying tinctures the safest one I have found a recipe for is a glycerin tincture. You grind everything up nice and fine, throw it in a crock pot, put in the vegetable glycerin and turn it on low. The longer you do it, the more will be extracted into the glycerin, then just strain it out. You could take the plant matter left over and create the smoothie with it, it'll just be sweet from the glycerin.

You can buy kosher food-grade glycerin on Amazon. You can also get it at places that sell cake decorating supplies as its used to fix consistency and color in frosting. It's way more expensive if you buy it that route though. I paid the same amount for a tiny 2 oz bottle of wilton glycerin as I did for a qt of glycerin from Essential Depot. Please, if you choose to try this, make sure you get food grade glycerin. Most glycerin easily found in stores other than wilton (in my experience) is graded for external use only.

you can then take the tincture and put it on food, or swallow some like cough syrup, etc.

 

[ltrem]

Interesting thread... The problem is that it would be very hard to get that amount of fresh leaves at all time... you'd have to be a grower really...

If anyone find more information on this share it here! It is very interesting!!

 

[JohnnyRottenAppleseed]

15 states where u can grow enough cannabis to treat yourself. 3 small plants in ur backyard and you can easily grow a pound in 4 months June-October .