Help legalize marijuana! Yes YOU!

I like gangs. Without gangs you have much less gangrape. That's not an improvement.

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Originally Posted by djwolford

Well I mean what makes you think that commercially grown, packaged and sold pot will be any different?

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It'd be the same, it'd be taxed a shit load like alcohol or tobacco is now. How much would you pay for a back of 10 joints made of your choice of high quality strains of herb? Open market prices are ALWAYS going to be lower than black market prices regardless, that is why it is called a black market, they can charge more because the demand curve is higher because the only ones willing to buy it are those also willing to risk getting in trouble for it, so those that wouldn't pay much otherwise will not buy it, leaving those that will pay more than what would otherwise be a fair market equilibrium.

Well I'm also not a good judge of what black market prices currently are because I know a lot of growers/suppliers and don't pay as much as your average person. For me I can't see mids or headies being much cheaper if they were legal though.

My perspective on these things lends a lot to my opinion on the matter of legalization.

what's so hard to understand about "they will be"? (cheaper)

I've seen a good friend of mine light his hair on fire while trying to light his bong for the umpteenth time that day...I agree that it makes some people less intelligent but man, the halarity that ensues because of this is well worth it.

The big problem I have with weed is when people think they're being hilarious when or because they're stoned. Stoned people are almost universally not funny.

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Originally Posted by simonj

The big problem I have with weed is when people think they're being hilarious when or because they're stoned. Stoned people are almost universally not funny.

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I hate drunk people because they're loud as hell and will fight for anything not worth fighting for... drunk people are almost universally obnoxious.

Ever taken mushrooms or LSD(or any RC)?

I've laughed for hours at a bug on the wall

i hope its legalized medically at least i need the shit for my anxiety

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Originally Posted by Infernus

i hope its legalized medically at least i need the shit for my anxiety

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I find that long term pot smokers are the most anxious people in the world while they're not stoned.

It's called psychological addiction, no brains.

But like no way man! pot is NOT addictive! So...why don't you just let me have my pot right now... or I'm gonna fuck'n freak out!

Haha I love how every pothead that swears that pot isn't addictive freaks out if they have to go a day without. If I had a nickle for every time that I heard someone say "damn I really need a joint right now...".

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Originally Posted by djwolford

Haha I love how every pothead that swears that pot isn't addictive freaks out if they have to go a day without. If I had a nickle for every time that I heard someone say "damn I really need a joint right now...".

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I love that shit too. Though, I don't believe it's anywhere near as psychologically addictive as tobacco, coke or meth(huhu no shit), but everything can be psychologically addictive. Aspirin, Orange Juice, Coffee(decaf or regular) anything you can think of can be psychologically addictive.

But then again, the only time I've ever said I needed to smoke was when I was under a lot of stress with getting evicted or something similar. I very often stop smoking for a week or more at a time just to drop my tolerance to nothing

Vengeful Scars you make a good point, and I'm too drunk to post one of my ridiculous arguments.

Good game sir.

Which only confirms that it's relative to who's doing it

So fuck you

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Originally Posted by Vengeful Scars

I love that shit too. Though, I don't believe it's anywhere near as psychologically addictive as tobacco, coke or meth(huhu no shit), but everything can be psychologically addictive. Aspirin, Orange Juice, Coffee(decaf or regular) anything you can think of can be psychologically addictive.

But then again, the only time I've ever said I needed to smoke was when I was under a lot of stress with getting evicted or something similar. I very often stop smoking for a week or more at a time just to drop my tolerance to nothing

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I have never seen anyone psychologically addicted to orange juice.

I've actually had a psychological addiction to orange juice, but I got better.

Orange Juice (and other high-citrus juices) has psychologically addictive properties.

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Originally Posted by simonj

Orange Juice (and other high-citrus juices) has psychologically addictive properties.

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Everything has psychologically addictive processes, I think was the point.

I doubt teacups do.

No, but an activity involving them would. Like, arranging them. If you get enough pleasure out of it, it could be as psychologically addictive as, say, video games.

I think that's more borderline OCD. Or at least something on the autism spectrum. But really I'm being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative.

not even fucking close to ocd or autism

Did I say autism? No. I did not.

becoming psychologically addicted to a series of actions has nothing to do with anything in the autism spectrum

I'm psychologically addicted to showering in the morning and whacking it before bed. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

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Originally Posted by ozzy

I'm psychologically addicted to showering in the morning and whacking it before bed. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

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jesus christ

let's ban that shit FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY



i mean you could drown or get a serious RSI

The government needs to protect me from myself. Hopefully, the legislation that I must wear a helmet when I masturbate gets passed or I might seriously injure myself.

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Originally Posted by TheDudeFish

I have never seen anyone psychologically addicted to orange juice.

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Originally Posted by gwahir

Everything has psychologically addictive processes, was the point.

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Except teacups.

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Originally Posted by simonj

Except teacups.

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maybe teacups with pornography on them.

NO YUUUUU!!!!111

Yup...













So anyway have you guys been calling 973-409-3274? I wonder if they are close to a million yet.

i have to say that it's qutie refreshing to see benzss being played like a fiddle for once.

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Originally Posted by faesce

becoming psychologically addicted to a series of actions has nothing to do with anything in the autism spectrum

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every behavior that makes people less socially attractive is due to autism. also, everyone on the internet has autism and just hasn't been diagnosed yet; that's why they can't get laid.

All fat people have thyroid problems.

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Originally Posted by sycld

i have to say that it's qutie refreshing to see benzss being played like a fiddle for once.

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this is what happens when you're bored on the internet and haven't had a joint in ages

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Originally Posted by benzss

this is what happens when you're bored on the internet and haven't had a joint in ages

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I haven't smoked in some time myself :(

woke up

smoked

did stuff

smoked

typing this

going to smoke

well that's probably a bit much

I haven't smoked a joint since yesterday.

Before that it had been a day or two though.

I haven't smoked a joint in like 2 years.

i haven't smoked a joint in something like (my age here) years

no gwahir not even close

well ok i guess you know best

It needs to be more banned. Life for anyone who speaks its name.

Seriously, an old friend of mine was recently jailed for assault. To give some back story, he was abused by his parents for a large part of his life, constant verbal abuse and often beaten for the slightest of things. And then he got into a fight with someone and beat them up. His parents were drug dealers and didn't care about him. He started to smoke weed, alot.

That is proof that weed makes you violent and should be class A+.

Meh.

People with a serious pot habit will one day either wake up and realise what they've done to themselves, or they never will. Good luck to them.

I don't think Gismo was being 100% serious, if one reads for the deeper meaning.

Although he could of of course be a complete idiot who has somehow managed the difficult feat of unintentional duality.

Marijuana is a great drug that should be legalized!

I haven't smoke pot in over 21 years, but I do regularly murder orphans. I show up to the orphange under the guise of Pablo Marco de Santo with a box cutter hidden in a piece of taffy.

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Originally Posted by MalReynolds

I haven't smoke pot in over 21 years, but I do regularly murder orphans. I show up to the orphange under the guise of Pablo Marco de Santo with a box cutter hidden in a piece of taffy.

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You should try smoking before you write.

A lot of people tell me this, but I'm just fine with my perception of reality.

Well I'm not, and I think I can speak for us all when I say "neither is anyone else".

Well, I have a shitty, morose perception of reality, but it's pretty fun to write about. Plus, it makes writing escapism better.

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Originally Posted by MalReynolds

I haven't smoke pot in over 21 years

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joke, or are you just old?

or did you smoke pot as a toddler? how sad; they just start earlier and earlier :(

I came out of the birth canal, joint in hand.

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Originally Posted by simonj

I don't think Gismo was being 100% serious
.

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Normally at this point I would say "Well spotted Sherlock" or something like that. But given some of the opinions expressed on the subject, I can totally get how someone could think that I was being serious.

oh my god weed sucks

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Originally Posted by MrShrike

Meh.

People with a serious pot habit will one day either wake up and realise what they've done to themselves, or they never will. Good luck to them.

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lol

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Originally Posted by faesce

lol

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exactly :)

do you say the same thing to people who drink (aka a huge portion of the entire population of the world) or what

serious pot habit =/= someone who occasionally smokes pot.

You're putting words in his mouth when it's used to dicks.

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Originally Posted by MrShrike

Meh.

People with a serious pot drinking habit will one day either wake up and realise what they've done to themselves, or they never will. Good luck to them.

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Originally Posted by faesce

aka a huge portion of the entire population of the world

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I didn't realise a huge proportion of the entire population of the world has a serious drinking habit...please...tell me more about this fascinating insight.

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Originally Posted by MrShrike

Meh.

People with a serious pot habit will one day either wake up and realise what they've done to themselves, or they never will. Good luck to them.

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Did I miss something with this? What is the point to this statement?

Don't worry, you'll forget all about it shortly.

My brother has extremely poor recall of who he's doing stuff with when he's stoned. He forgot he took me to lunch, forgot that we talked about stuff. It's kind of annoying. Plus, he eats. And eats. And eats. It is also annoying. He eats the dinner leftovers meant for tomorrow, eats the Goldfish I pack in my lunch because bro I'm not made of money for food every day, all the crackers, deli meats. It's fucking annoying as shit.

I won't even get started on potheads eating constantly. It's about all I can do to keep my refrigerator stocked for myself, when stoner friends start coming over and eating all of my foods it fills me with rage. RAGE!

My sister is dating a stoner. My brother is a stoner. My sister is a stoner.

We never have any food.

Man if stoners are eating your food smack the shit out of them and tell them to stop eating your damn food.

fatass

http://www.taylorsecurity.com/assets...ar/Num%203.jpg

or

http://www.spymall.com/catalog/images/DDS_StunGun1.jpg

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Originally Posted by Killuminati

Man if stoners are eating your food smack the shit out of them and tell them to stop eating your damn food.

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this, when I'm high at a friend's house I rarely eat their food.

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Originally Posted by Vengeful Scars

this, when I'm high at a friend's house I rarely eat their food.

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Agreed. People act like smoking weed automatically gives you these uncontrollable munchies and you just destroy any food in sight. It does make you hungry and it does make food taste better but it doesn't make you an asshole who eats everyone's food. If your friends do this then they are douche bags who have no respect for your house/food whether they are high or sober. If they did the weed would also make them feel guilty for eating all of your food and they probably wouldn't do it.

It's not that people who smoke a lot of pot and for a long time necessarily have no respect for other people's property....it's just they almost inevitably tend to forget their manners after a while.

"Hey I told you not to eat that"

"Oh sorry man, I forgot......again" (oh lol how many times have we all heard that from a pot smoker)

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Originally Posted by MrShrike

It's not that people who smoke a lot of pot and for a long time necessarily have no respect for other people's property....it's just they almost inevitably tend to forget their manners after a while.

"Hey I told you not to eat that"

"Oh sorry man, I forgot......again" (oh lol how many times have we all heard that from a pot smoker)

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Not half as bad as a drunk person though, when they piss in yer garden and fight their friends.

maybe instead of legalizing look at why people dislike their world or themselves so much that they need the escape and address those issues.

but for all the people who say to legalize -- i think it's great that you all have such an open mind so you won't have have a problem with someone being high and driving your kids' school bus, or flying your airplanes, or driving on the road with you. and why care that it has a profound affect on memory (my brother smoked so much he could barely read after high school) and has been shown to actually mutate DNA (and not in the cool "x-men" kind of way)?

the argument isn't that it makes you sick -- if that was all it did i'd have no problem with making it legal. i don't care if people choose to kill themselves -- it's evolutions way of thinning the weak from the herd -- it's that it affects people in a way that causes affects on other people (see above.) when people are swerving on the road because of too many potatoes then i will gladly sign the "ban the spud" petitions.

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Originally Posted by faesce

maybe instead of legalizing look at why people dislike their world or themselves so much that they need the escape and address those issues.

but for all the people who say to legalize -- i think it's great that you all have such an open mind so you won't have have a problem with someone being high and driving your kids' school bus, or flying your airplanes, or driving on the road with you. and why care that it has a profound affect on memory (my brother smoked so much he could barely read after high school) and has been shown to actually mutate DNA (and not in the cool "x-men" kind of way)?

the argument isn't that it makes you sick -- if that was all it did i'd have no problem with making it legal. i don't care if people choose to kill themselves -- it's evolutions way of thinning the weak from the herd -- it's that it affects people in a way that causes affects on other people (see above.) when people are swerving on the road because of too many potatoes then i will gladly sign the "ban the spud" petitions.

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Uhm... you dumb or something? When was the last time you were too high to drive? also, driving restrictions could be placed on weed, just like booze.

Also that "mutilating DNA" sounds like the same bullshit that the government was trying to pass off with LSD in the '60's and '70's

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Originally Posted by Vengeful Scars

Uhm... you dumb or something? When was the last time you were too high to drive? also, driving restrictions could be placed on weed, just like booze.

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I've been too high to drive plenty of times. Last night being a prime example. Just throwing that out there.

Uh faesce you better get your facts checked homie. Weed doesn't fucking mutate your DNA, that is ridiculous. Any real problems resulting from weed can be alleviated by using another form of administration besides smoking. Even smoking can only give you chronic bronchitis and even that would take a long time to get in most cases. But yea I mean if you want to weigh health benefits I can see why someone would be against weed.

Let's look at some ways that various cannabinoids in weed affect you.

Mothers give their babies a booster shot of cannabinoids in mothers milk to give them the munchies because they have to learn to eat. (they've been fed thru the umbilical cord and did not have to know how to eat.)

Cannabinoids do kill brain cells, but the brain cells they kill are called "Glieoma" or Cancer of the brain(Tumor). All other brain cells are protected and healed by cannabinoids. (Glieoma cells cannot tolerate the action of cannabinoids)

Cannabinoids protect against sunburn and skin cancer because of the CB1 receptors in our skin.

Cannabinoids slow down the aging process. Mice that their brains respond to cannabinoids live longer and mice that have brains that block the CB1 receptors die younger

Activity in the evolutionary advanced areas of the brain is increased in cannabinoids receptors and promotes higher consciousness levels.

Cannabinoids protect the heart against Arythmia.

In the case of most autoimmune diseases, the bodies immune cells produces free radicals & is destroying it's own body as a foreign object. Cannabis pushes the immune system into anti inflammatory mode & helps slow the progression of that disease, thereby slowing down the aging process.

Cannabinoids prevent and treat certain types of Cancer. Glieoma (Brain Cancer) along with pheochromocytoma, skin cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, Lymphoma and Leukemia. Cannabinoids may prevent or cure cancer. Cannabinoids have a way of killing the bad cells and protecting the good ones.

Just to name a few.

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Originally Posted by Killuminati

Mothers give their babies a booster shot of cannabinoids in mothers milk to give them the munchies because they have to learn to eat. (they've been fed thru the umbilical cord and did not have to know how to eat.)

Cannabinoids do kill brain cells, but the brain cells they kill are called "Glieoma" or Cancer of the brain(Tumor). All other brain cells are protected and healed by cannabinoids. (Glieoma cells cannot tolerate the action of cannabinoids)

Cannabinoids protect against sunburn and skin cancer because of the CB1 receptors in our skin.

Cannabinoids slow down the aging process. Mice that their brains respond to cannabinoids live longer and mice that have brains that block the CB1 receptors die younger

Activity in the evolutionary advanced areas of the brain is increased in cannabinoids receptors and promotes higher consciousness levels.

Cannabinoids protect the heart against Arythmia.

In the case of most autoimmune diseases, the bodies immune cells produces free radicals & is destroying it's own body as a foreign object. Cannabis pushes the immune system into anti inflammatory mode & helps slow the progression of that disease, thereby slowing down the aging process.

Cannabinoids prevent and treat certain types of Cancer. Glieoma (Brain Cancer) along with pheochromocytoma, skin cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, Lymphoma and Leukemia. Cannabinoids may prevent or cure cancer. Cannabinoids have a way of killing the bad cells and protecting the good ones.

Just to name a few.

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This sounds just as strongly like silly pro-pot propaganda as faesce's post sounded like silly anti-pot propaganda. Just sayin'.

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Originally Posted by djwolford

This sounds just as strongly like silly pro-pot propaganda as faesce's post sounded like silly anti-pot propaganda. Just sayin'.

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So go do the research, you are going to find out that you're wrong. You have NO FUCKING IDEA how much cannabinoids do for the human body. People say how stupid the government propaganda is and no one believes it but it's doing a damn good job at making people think there is no way that the components in marijuana can't have amazing medical benefits. Yea no one believes smoking weed is going to make you go rape white women or kill people but at the same time it's unbelievable hearing someone say that it can cure cancer after your government has been making bad shit up for 75 years.

Why should I believe that though? For every piece of information and/or scientific study that says pot is great for you, there is one that says it's bad for you. So to be quite honest I'm not sure which to believe and will keep relying on my own personal experiences with the drug to base my opinion on until there is something a little bit more concrete. Also, what you posted would be a lot more convincing if it sounded slightly more realistic.

If you are actually interested in how cannabinoids affect the human body or the potential of cannabinoids read this.

An Overview of the Endogenous Cannabinoid System
Its Components and Possible Roles of this Recently Discovered Regulatory System

1.0 Introduction #

Cannabis sativa is one of the most widely used psychoactives and has a documented history of use going back thousands of years; however, the mechanisms of its actions are only just being elucidated. Until relatively recently, the intoxicating effect of cannabis was thought to act in a way similar to ethanol. The active principle, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a highly lipophilic molecule, was thought to insert itself into the lipid cell membrane of nerve cells. However, it is now known that a specific receptor in the brain selectively binds this ligand. The characteristic effects of cannabis intoxication are thus generated by intracellular changes and altered signalling of the neurons.

Different subtypes of this receptor are known to be present in the body. When these receptors were first discovered, there were no naturally-occurring molecules in the body that were known to bind them. Early fringe speculation suggested that the receptor system might have co-evolved with the ancient use of cannabis, but its natural function is not to mediate the effects of the most widely distributed and used drug of plant origin, but to interact with naturally occurring, or endogenous, cannabinoids. These cannabinoids, their receptors, and their possible roles in the normal functioning of the body are the focus of intensive research. Present evidence suggests that the endocannabinoids and their receptors constitute a widespread modulatory system that fine tunes bodily responses to a number of stimuli.

This short review article outlines what is currently known about this system from experiments undertaken by scientists in a range of fields. The purpose of this article is not to provide a comprehensive review of all research and knowledge in the field of endocannabinoid research, but to give an overview of the system as it is currently known and to highlight several interesting areas. First, the cannabinoid receptors shall be discussed, followed by the molecules thought to selectively bind them (their ligands) under normal physiological conditions. The final section of this review focuses on some of the possible functions this recently discovered system could perform and the individual roles that the endocannabinoids and their receptors could play. An outline of the optimistic outlook for cannabinoid therapies is then given.


2.0 Cannabinoid receptors #

The first cannabinoid receptor to be discovered was characterized and cloned in 1990 from the mammalian brain1. Its structure and function resembles that of other known hormone receptors2. As of May 2003, two subtypes of the cannabinoid receptor, CB1 and CB2, have been distinguished and are expressed both in the nervous system and peripheral tissues and organs. Both subtypes belong to the seven transmembrane spanning receptor family with seven a-helices spanning the cell membrane. The intracellular loops of the receptor protein are involved with G-proteins responsible for the transduction of the intercellular signal. This G-protein-coupled receptor causes the inhibition of the enzymatic activity of adenylate cyclase responsible for the production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the cell. A large number of hormones act through G-protein-coupled receptors and so cAMP has been termed a 'second messenger' because it transmits signals originating at the surface of cells from a variety of 'first messengers' to the interior of cells.

2.1 The CB1 receptor #
The CB1 receptor is present in both the nervous system and other tissues and organs of the body. By using the imaging technique called quantitative radiography, researchers have determined that this receptor is responsible for the psychotropic actions of THC and other cannabinoids3. The primary regions where cannabinoids bind in the human brain are the basal ganglia, which control unconscious muscle movements, and the limbic system, including the hippocampus, which is involved in integrating memory. It is this last distribution that points to the reason why the most consistent effect of THC on performance is the disruption of selective aspects of short-term memory tasks, similar to patients with damage to the limbic cortical areas4.

The CB1 receptor is also present in the cerebellum, throughout the cerebral cortex and also in many parts of the body including both the male and female reproductive systems. The scarcity of receptors in the medulla oblongata, responsible for controlling respiratory and cardiovascular functions, explains the virtual absence of reports of fatal cannabis overdose in humans5.

2.2 The CB2 receptor #
Three years after the discovery of CB1, a second human cannabinoid receptor, CB2, was identified in the marginal zone of the spleen6. The CB2 receptor is homologous to the CB1 receptor, sharing an overall 44% homology with CB17. It is confined to the immune system with its greatest density in the region where it was first discovered8. It is this form of the receptor that is expressed on T-cells of the immune system9 but is not expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) or, like the CB1 receptor, in the liver, lungs or kidneys.

The existence of two homologous receptor subtypes, with moderate to low sequence identity, allowed for the development of both agonists and antagonists selective for either type. THC is known to act as a weak, but functional, agonist of the CB2 receptor10. Exciting research is being undertaken into the possibility of developing therapeutically useful compounds that selectively bind the CB2 receptor. These compounds could perform their beneficial function without their potentially unwanted, psychotropic side effects.

2.3 The possibility of CBn receptors #
Although no further subtypes have been discovered, it is possible that other cannabinoid receptors may exist. Advances in molecular biology, including the possibility of in silico screening of complete gene libraries, may uncover CBn (that is, neither CB1, nor CB2) receptors with low amino acid sequence homology to the cloned receptors. Indirect evidence also supports the existence of as yet undiscovered receptors both in the periphery and the brain. It has been shown that certain compounds exert typical cannabimimetic actions, such as the down-regulation of mast cells, but this cannot be reproduced in cells transfected with either the CB1 or CB2 receptors11.

Although there has been no progress in finding CBn receptors, a functionally active short isoform has been characterized called CB1A12. The distribution of mRNA for both the CB1 and CB1A receptor has been found throughout the brain and in all peripheral tissues examined. The putative CB1A receptor is present in amounts of up to 20% that of CB1 and has been shown to exhibit all the known properties of CB1 to a slightly attenuated extent13.


3.0 Endocannabinoids #

We have seen that receptors for cannabinoids exist in the body. The presence of these receptors that selectively bind THC and other cannabinoids could only be explained by the presence of endogenous ligands that can bind them. Otherwise, it would indeed be strange that receptors exist in the body, having as their only function the binding of molecules of plant origin. Researchers thus looked for molecules in the body that utilized these orphan receptors and thereby discovered their natural functions.

3.1 Anandamide #
In 1992, Devane et al., identified the first putative endocannabinoid from porcine brain14. This ligand was later called anandamide, which is derived from the Sanskrit word for bliss (ananda) due to its possible cannabimimetic, psychotropic properties. Anandamide, or N-arachidonylethanolamine, is a modified form of arachidonic acid. It is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that serves as a common precursor for many biologically active metabolites. Although the structure of anandamide is quite different from THC, experiments have shown that it binds to cannabinoid receptors. It has also been shown to share with THC, and other cannabinoids, most of the pharmacological properties exerted both in the CNS and peripheral system. These include the basic characteristic actions in behavioral tests on rodents15. Cross-tolerance to THC also substantiates the evidence that anandamide works through the same mechanism as THC and, like THC, anandamide also increases both the affinity and number of rat cerebellum and hippocampal receptors after chronic and acute exposure16.

3.2 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol #
Because anandamide, like THC, behaves as a weak agonist at CB2 receptors, the question arose whether there may be other endogenous cannabinoids more selective for the CB2 receptor and produced in the peripheral tissues. Investigations led to the discovery of 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol from the canine gut17. This derivative of arachidonic acid was shown to bind to both CB1 and CB2 receptors.

This putative endocannabinoid caused the typical behavioral reactions in mice, affected levels of cAMP17 and had similar effects to some actions of THC in the periphery18. It has also been shown to be present in the brain of rats, at levels higher than those of anandamide19 and also in dog spleen and pancreas20.

3.3 Palmitoyl-ethanolamide #
Palmitoyl-ethanolamide, or N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)hexadecamide, is an N-acyl-ethanolamide. It is co-synthesized with anandamide in all tissues so far examined and possibly acts as an endogenous CB2 ligand. Its proposed role is that of an autocoid, or 'local hormone', capable of negatively regulating mast cell activation and inflammation [21]. It has also been reported that palmitoyl-ethanolamide can down-regulate IgE-triggered activation of cultured mast cells through the CB2 receptor present on these cells21.

3.4 Docosatetraenylethanolamide and Homo-γ-linoenylethanolamide #
Researchers looking for further endocannabinoids reasoned that other classes of chemical mediators originating from the precursor arachidonic acid, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, do not exist as single entities but as large families of chemically-related substances. They therefore expected that anandamide was only the first identified representative of a class of unsaturated fatty acid-derived ethanolamides that bind to the cannabinoid receptor22. Within a short period of anandamide being identified, two analogues of anandamide -- docosatetraenylethanolamide (DTEA) and homo-g-linoenylethanolamide (HLEA) were also isolated and identified. They were found to exert similar effects to both anandamide and THC in behavioral tests on rodents and also inhibited the action of adenylate cyclase through G-proteins, the action of which could be blocked by the highly specific CB1 antagonist SR 141716A 23, 24. It was therefore proposed that these substances might function as endogenous agonists at the neuronal CB1 receptor.

3.5 Oleamide #
Another putative endogenous cannabinoid, oleamide, or cis-9-octadecenoamide, has also been isolated and shown to have similar actions to anandamide in the behavioral rodent tests. This molecule is a long-chain fatty acid derivative that was first isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of cats and humans deprived of sleep. This extract had a sleep-inducing action in mammals25, which has often been suggested for anandamide and THC because of their sedative and motor inhibitory properties.

The cannabimimetic actions of oleamide, however, cannot have been mediated though any of the known cannabinoid receptor types. Oleamide can only bind CB1 or CB2 receptors at very high concentrations never present under physiological conditions26. [This statement on oleamide binding has been disputed, see Comments.] An indirect way that oleamide could exert its cannabimimetic action could be through the competitive inhibition of the enzyme responsible for the degradation of anandamide27. This action would thus raise the concentration of the latter cannabinoid, causing its actions to be recorded. Other long-chain fatty acid ethanolamides, co-synthesized with anandamide in neurons, are also thought to have a similar function28.


4.0 Proposed roles of the endogenous cannabinoid system #

Although the distribution of receptors in the body is becoming clearer and their putative ligands becoming more fully characterized, the correlation between pathophysiological responses and the production and activation of these ligands is by no means certain. Nevertheless, from the existing data, it is possible to suggest a widespread modulatory role for the cannabinoid system, responsible for regulating a number of tasks. This system is not limited to the central nervous system but is also concerned with peripheral processes and could act to modulate neurotransmitter release and action from autonomic and sensory nerve fibers. Functions within the control of immunological, gastrointestinal, reproductive and cardiovascular performance are also indicated.

4.1 Learning and synaptic plasticity #
It has been shown that, in the brain, the CB1 receptor is one of the most abundant G-protein coupled receptors present29. Activation of these CB1 receptors suppresses the release of a number of nerotransmitters including acetylcholine, noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate and aspartate30, 31, 32, 33 and cannabimimetic drugs are known to produce a number of behavioral effects including the impairment of memory34, 35, 36. This could be due to CB1 receptors modulating cAMP-dependent synaptic plasticity and thereby preventing the recruitment of new synapses by inhibiting the formation of cAMP37. Due to both functional and anatomical evidence suggesting that CB1 receptors are present pre-synaptically30, 38, 39, cannabinoids may therefore act at this site to inhibit new synapse formation. This is further suggested by the observation that hippocampal presynaptic boutons assemble before the postsynaptic assembly40. Synaptic plasticity is an important property involved in a number of processes and the possibility therefore exists that endocannabinoids act to modulate changes in neuronal communication associated with brain development, learning, and also pain41.

It has recently been shown that the endogenous cannabinoid system has a central function in the extinction of aversive memories42. Aversive memories are important for the survival of an organism. These memories are kept by reinforcement but if reinforcement does not occur, the resulting behavioral response to the noxious stimuli will diminish until it no longer exists. This extinction process is also important but its mechanism is not fully known. Endocannabinoids acting through the CB1 receptor in the amygdala of the limbic system (which is known to be involved in this process43) are now thought to facilitate the memory loss through an inhibitory effect on local inhibitory networks (possibly GABA-using neurons).

The actions of endocannabinoids may be mediated by cannabinoid receptors located both pre- and post- synaptically. The activation of pre-synaptic receptors could lead to such intracellular changes that modulate the release and/or actions of other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, acetylcholine and glutamate44, 45, 46, 47 and thereby have even further-reaching effects. In such a way, THC has been found to facilitate the release of dynorphins (endogenous opiate-like molecules), which act at opioid receptors. This action may have a role to play in the pain-reducing, or analgesic, properties of both THC and anandamide.

4.2 Pain #
Pain is initiated when a variety of physical stimuli activate specific pain receptors. The endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide, can inhibit the stimulation of one such pain receptor, the vanilloid receptor (VR1), which results in an analgesic effect. Anandamide and structurally-related lipids may also act as vanilloid receptor modulators in the regulation of various afferent stimuli such as pain reception and visceral reflexes and also efferent actions such as vasodilation and inflammation arising from the nervous signals. However, this research is currently in the preliminary stages and the natural occurrence in vivo has yet to be determined48.

Recent research has tentatively shown that THC does not affect the VR1 receptor. In other studies, when the CB1 receptor of mice was genetically eliminated, the CB1 knockout mice did not exhibit significant alterations of pain indicators49. These results, however, appear to contradict other studies that demonstrate anti-nociceptive activity produced by marijuana or THC. One possibility that may explain these apparently contradictive data may lie in the fact that THC has a high affinity for the CB1 receptor. Exogenously applied THC, such as when a subject smokes marijuana, may compete with other agonists of the CB1 receptor thus competing with anandamide for binding to the CB1 receptor. This would free endogenous anandamide and increase the concentration available to bind to the VR1 receptor and therefore provide the reported pain relief. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that users of medical marijuana become insensitive to the euphoric effects of marijuana after sustained use while still benefiting from its pain relieving properties. The mechanism proposed above may underlie this action, although the question will have to await further research before being fully clarified.

4.3 Vision #
A large amount of anecdotal evidence and several published scientific reports describe numerous effects of cannabinoids on visual perception. This includes altered thresholds of light detection and recovery from glare. The possible positions within the brain and/or retina of the eye responsible for these changes in perception are, as yet, unknown, although research has found that CB1 receptors are found in the retina of many vertebrate species50. This report also presents strong evidence for an endogenous cannabinoid signalling system in the vertebrate retina utilizing 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol and palmitoyl-ethanolamide which may act pre-synaptically to regulate the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate across synapses.

4.4 Neuroprotection #
A neuroprotective role may also exist for the acyl-ethanolamides in general and palmitoyl-ethanolamide in particular, due to their production at the sites of neuronal damage and cell death51, 52, 53, 54, 55. It is also becoming clear that CB1 receptors are present in the hypothalamus and may be responsible for the fine-tuning of pituitary hormone secretion56, 57, 58. Injection of anandamide into the ventricles of the brain led to the release of the hypothalamic hormone, corticotrophin-releasing factor-4156. This hormone ultimately leads to the production of corticosterone, a regulator of carbohydrate and protein metabolism, from the adrenal gland. Anandamide working at the hypothalamus may also inhibit the release of other hormones, such as prolactin and the luteinising, follicle stimulating and growth hormones57, 58.

4.5 Allergy and regulation of inflammation #
In addition to modulating the release of neurotransmitters and hormones, it is becoming increasingly clear that the endocannabinoid system is intimately linked to other processes in the periphery. A system may exist where endocannabinoids mediate chemical communication between different types of immune cells and between sensory fibers and blood cells. They have also been found to play an important role in acute inflammatory reactions. The standard picture of inflammatory reactions is that binding of an allergen to IgE receptors on immune cells leads to the activation of basophil and mast cells. These cells then release histamine, serotonin and leukotrienes. Within this mixture of inflammatory mediators, palmitoyl-ethanolamide and anandamide have also been discovered59. Palmitoyl-ethanolamide is thought to act as an autocoid on the same, or neighboring, basophilic or mast cells and thereby inhibits the further release of mediators60, thereby keeping the inflammatory reaction in check.

Anandamide from basophils might also increase the production of prostaglandin E2 from macrophages, which suppresses the activity and proliferation of both lymphocytes and macrophages. Anandamide could also directly inhibit the recruitment of lymphocytes during the late phase of the allergic response and induce their cell death61. It would thus appear that both palmitoyl-ethanolamide and anandamide could help to prevent the excessive propagation of the inflammatory response. This would reduce the risk of subsequent hypersensitivity to the initial stimulus and prevent the development of allergic disease54, 62. Further research is needed to determine which receptor types are expressed in the different sub-populations of each immune cell-type. It is, at present, unclear which of the immunological actions of the endocannabinoids are mediated by which cannabinoid receptor. Research directed into giving a clearer picture of receptor expression would certainly help clarify their immunomodulatory role.

4.6 Reproduction #
There are a number of other ideas for possible roles for the endocannabinoid system based on the expression of the ligands, and/or their receptors in the body. These include the very interesting observation that tissues of the reproductive system also contain receptors and are able to synthesize and degrade endocannabinoids.

It is conceivable that endocannabinoids in the reproductive system act as local hormones and evidence exists for an anandaminergic system in the rat testes and mouse vas deferens that controls spermatogenesis and male fertility63, 64, 65. THC and anandamide are also both thought to inhibit the acrosome reaction through cannabinoid receptors on the sperm cell membrane66, 67, 68. These receptors have been found on the sperm cell of the sea urchin, and the ovaries from the same species are known to synthesize and degrade both anandamide and palmitoyl-ethanolamide69. It is therefore conceivable that the sea urchin synthesizes anandamide during the acrosome reaction in order to prevent fertilization by more than one sperm. It is not yet known whether an analogous system also occurs in mammals although some evidence does point towards an increased infertility among chronic cannabis users.

Anandamide may also play another interesting role in the female reproductive system. CB1 and CB2 receptors are present in the embryos of mice from the very early stages of their development and also in the adult uterus70. Due to the inhibitory effect of anandamide on embryonic cell division, anandamide might act as a negative signal for embryonic development and implantation71. High levels of the synthesizing enzyme, and low levels of the degrading enzyme exist at the time when the uterus is the least receptive for embryo implantation. The uterus may therefore utilize anandamide in order to direct both the location and timing of embryo implantation.


5.0 Concluding remarks #

In just over one decade, the abundance of quality research has changed our basic views of the mechanism of cannabis intoxication. It has also unveiled a new and extensive regulatory system within the body. Further multidisciplinary research must be undertaken to improve our understanding of these functions and provide more data on the expression and inactivation of the components of this system. It will then be possible to exploit this knowledge in order to make therapeutic compounds for the treatment of symptoms, and possible prevention, of a number of disorders.

5.1 Therapeutic possibilities #
Such therapies could act through the agonistic/antagonistic properties of the novel compounds acting at cannabinoid receptors, or by targeting the synthesizing, or degrading, enzymes responsible for endocannabinoids. As cannabinoids are effective at countering muscle spasms, this property could be exploited to provide relief for sufferers of multiple sclerosis and patients who suffer from chronic tremors, or other involuntary movements. Ongoing research is presently determining whether cannabinoid ligands are effective agents in the treatment of chronic pain, glaucoma, spasms, and the wasting and emesis associated with AIDS and cancer chemotherapy72, 73. This latter property is currently being exploited and a cannabinoid called Nabilone is on the market, indicated for the suppression of nausea and vomiting during cytotoxic chemotherapy. The potential therapeutic application of cannabinoids is, however, controversial and constitutes a widely debated issue with relevance in both scientific and social circles.

One of the most interesting potential therapeutic actions of cannabinoids reported to date is the ability of cannabinoids to inhibit the growth of cancerous, or transformed, cells in culture. Anandamide can inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation74 and THC can cause the programmed cell death, or apoptosis, of transformed neural cells in vitro75. In vivo research has also begun to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms involved in the anti-tumoral actions of CB1 agonists, including THC76. These experiments have shown that it is possible to completely eradicate malignant brain tumors in rats by THC administration.

Cannabinoids have also been found to protect neurons in culture from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity77, 78 and from ischaemic death (lack of oxygen)79. These ligands are currently under test as therapeutic agents in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease. Research is also being directed into the possibility of using cannabinoids as drugs that could stop the growth and spread of cancer cells, based on the research mentioned above.

A prominent researcher in the field described the discovery of anandamide as a 'new dawn for cannabinoid pharmacology'7. Although a lot of work has been conducted, we can expect far more research in the near future that could revolutionize the way we view our bodies and the treatments we use to prevent their malfunction.

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabi...acology2.shtml

references

6.0 References #

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boys, there's no reason to take this to two separate forums

Well I've left most of my heckling out of this forum because I respect it's sanctity. :D

To be fair what I said on the other forum was not directed towards djwolford specifically it was just me being frustrated overall.

Well please understand that I wasn't taking shots at you personally, like I said I enjoy your posting. I was just taking shots at those few posts that you made this morning because they didn't seem to me to live up to your normal posting quality.

That's not how I thought this argument would end. I thought there'd be more man sechs and dick sucking :(

Hey my name isn't sycld, I'm not going to post about my man sechs and dick sucking encounters with Killuminati. :D

seems like everybody's on drugs. lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by howie_b

seems like everybody's on drugs. lol

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Because its much more fun than not being on drugs.

I smoke lots of pot and drink lots of booze, and the vast majority in this thread are fucking stuck-on stupid-retarded in comparison to the glaring wit that is me.

Seriously.

I would only vote to legalize drugs for Ollie Cromwell.

Fuck, that would cause all kinds of problems.

I can tell by your posting that you are and will always be a well-to-do citizen.

Ollie gtfo plz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by djwolford

Ollie gtfo plz

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lol2u
my dix u must sux them.

Why is it that the only kind of state interference that conservatives tolerate is the really trivial shit that ends up causing more harm than good?

They care about your sexual orientation, they care if you get high on non approved substances, but would leave you to die in the street because "its not my problem, faget". Craziness.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ollie cromwell

lol2u
my dix u must sux them.

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inb4dixsuxing

Quote:

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Originally Posted by djwolford

inb4dixsuxing

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b4 means that it will happen in the future. I have you written down in the IOU book