Well, there's no evidence that marijuana
would help the underlying brain-gut
dysfunction that causes IBS (only
gut-directed hypnotherapy addresses - and
may possibly cure - that). But, there is
both clinical and anecdotal evidence that
marijuana can help relieve IBS symptoms,
particularly abdominal pain.
Bearing in mind that marijuana is illegal
in America, with some limited state (but
no federal) exceptions for medical use,
it's an interesting topic to address.
Medical marijuana use is more widely
acceptable and legal in Canada and some
European countries, and demand for its
acceptance in medical situations is
increasing in the US. There are a growing
number of studies worldwide documenting
the benefits of specific chemical
components in marijuana for a variety of
diseases and disorders, including IBS.
One recent study, by Dr. William Notcutt
of the James Paget Hospital in Great
Yarmouth, England was presented at a
recent meeting of the British Association
for the Advancement of Science. His
research found that cannabis extract from
marijuana gives powerful relief for
chronic pain, and recommended that it
should be studied for future clinical use.
The cannabis extract used in his study -
applied as a spray under the tongue - was
remarkably effective in easing chronic
pain.
Dr. Notcutt noted, "The cannabis extracts
can produce high-quality pain relief,
symptom control, and improvement in the
quality of life, without significant side
effects." He tested cannabis extracts
collected from cloned plants, in 23
sufferers of chronic pain. Dr. Notcutt
said subjects reported improvements
ranging from 'life-changing' to allowing
them to get a good night's sleep. One
subject had returned to work; others had
started driving, gardening and caring for
children again. Dr. Notcutt decried the
fact that, because of its status as a
prohibited substance, very little is known
about marijuana's pain-relieving
properties.
In other studies, cannabinoids have
demonstrated the ability to block spinal,
peripheral and gastrointestinal mechanisms
that promote pain in headaches,
fibromyalgia, and IBS. IBS has been noted
to display common clinical, biochemical
and pathophysiological patterns that
suggest an underlying clinical
endocannabinoid deficiency that may be
suitably treated with cannabinoid
medicines.
In past centuries, different preparations
of marijuana have been used for the
treatment of gastrointestinal disorders
such as GI pain, gastroenteritis, and
diarrhea. At least one recent study has
noted that under pathophysiological
conditions, the endocannabinoid system
conveys protection to the GI tract. For
such protective activities, the
endocannabinoid system may represent a new
promising target against different GI
disorders, including inflammatory bowel
diseases (such as Crohn's disease) and
functional bowel disorders (such as IBS).
Any casual internet search, or simple
discussion at an IBS support group
meeting, will find numerous stories of IBS
patients self-medicating with marijuana. I
have personally heard from quite a few
people who find this to be the most
effective treatment for them. Alternately,
I've heard from numerous people who have
tried marijuana for their IBS symptoms and
have found no relief at all, or have found
the side-effects greatly outweigh any
benefits. I've also heard plenty of jokes
about marijuana giving people the munchies
for IBS trigger foods.
Whatever it's potential benefits for IBS,
and regardless of whether or not it
becomes a more widely legal option,
marijuana is still a drug. True, it is a
drug with a long history of safe use in
some circumstances, but like all drugs it
carries risks, both short-term and
potentially long-term.
On a rather off-the-cuff aside, I've
always noticed that very strongly brewed
peppermint tea smells quite similar to
marijuana - to such an extent that I've
actually had people tell me after I drink
a cup that my breath smells like I've been
smoking it. Peppermint is known to have
both pain-killing and muscle-relaxant
properties, and I've wondered if it might
also have some chemical similarities to
marijuana. I haven't been able to find any
scientific literature to support or
contradict this idea, but I do find it
interesting to consider.
