Comments on: Treating Diabetes with Cannabis?

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:46:55 +0000

I wish marijuana was legal. It bothers me greatly that tobacco is legal but marijuana isn’t. How illogical is that! Marijuana has been used in medicine for thousands of years. It was used in old traditional chinese medical treatments. Marijuana has personally helped me with gastritis. I had gastritis for over 2 years and I tried everything under the sun. I tried acupuncture, herbal medicine, vegetarian diet change, meditation, etc. Until one day I came across it with friends and my gastritis just went away! It’s funny that I can now drink coffee, eat dairy foods, and any type of food I like in moderation. To this day it baffles me how a little bit of weed can fix me and nothing else did for years.

By: H. R. BEVIS

H. R. BEVIS — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:15:45 +0000

I have been reading all of the comments. I don’t smoke Cannabis but I know people that do. I see a lot of people are saying that it should be legal for medical use. I don’t know about all states, I live in Tennessee, and
it has been in use for at least 15 years. My father in law had Cancer years ago and his doctor gave him the pills to keep him from being sick all of the time. It stopped him being sick each time he had to take a pill. I did not
have much faith when he started taking the pills but it did not take me long
to be convinced that it worked 100%. A friend of mine had Prostrate Cancer
and he smoked to keep himself from being sick. And it did not take very long to take effect.

So, if I had my way it would be legal for medical use in every state in the Union. By the way Tennessee grows more Pot than almost every other state.

By: Josh Hall

Josh Hall — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:30:40 +0000

I have had diabetes for 19 years this feb. and i have been smoking mary for 11 of those years, ive noticed it has helped alot with my blood sugars, i dont understand the government reluctance in legalizing this unharmful drug, it does more harm illegaly than it would ever do if it were legal, i think its time we had a reckoning with the laws that are outdated and primarly based on prejudice, and i also see it as a way of creating a market that is very profitable to the economy by producing jobs and keeping its citizens healthly, the crime here is big business the pharmacutical industry not wanting something so cheap being preffered over all the pills that cost so much and make them the richest industry in the world today, i say legalize it!!

By: Scott Gouge

Scott Gouge — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:50:55 +0000

I think that the National Institutes of Health should fund a serious double-blind study on the effects of cannabis use in controlling diabetes, and our lawmakers should also be informed and pressured to help either legalize medicinal use under the oversight of responsible physicians, or at least find a way to isolate the active ingredients, probably THC, in a pill or other form that can be legally prescribed. Diabetes is a dreadful disease, I myself am on several medications for ten years now, Im 50 and it totally sucks to have to endure this.

By: jwd

jwd — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:21:34 +0000

I became a Type I Diabetic 45 years ago. Back in the dark ages, when we used a test tube to check our blood sugar in our urine. We have come a long way. I have many complications, most of which are painful and frightening. Starting insulin injections at age 7 and smoking pot at age 12 (which I do not recommend) has keep me alive with all of my original equipment. I have my vision (even with retinopathy), I have both of my feet and legs, my kidneys and my heart. I do not believe this would have been possible with out the use of cannabis.

Michigan became the 13th state to legalize medical cannabis, the 1st state in the Midwest. I am hopeful that now I will not have the stress of defending myself and my position on cannabis. We who live with chronic disease need all of the help we can get. Thanks for taking the time to cover this important topic.

By: Toad

Toad — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:33:30 +0000

All I can say is……..I smoked for decades and then an “interventon” came from my wife and 15 year old daughter who hates the smell, sight, or idea of weed. Off to 45 days of rehab with heroin users, oxy users, and coke heads. I was the only one there for “weed”. Regardless it was the only thing that would save my marriage and love of my daughter

I just got type II diabetes, my eyes are going, my legs are tingling and wake me up at night, and I am on a plethera of chemical drugs for depression, sleep, pain, and “mood stabilizers”. Damn – weed used to solve all of these problems and then some…………..and I took NO CHEMCICALS!! I did not wear glasses, slept like a log, had no pain (albeit I smoked till there was NO pain between my ears) and I ran a multimillion dollar business traveling the world with a bag of weed tucked away in my chonies. I miss it, I will smoke it again when it is legal, and my daughter will accept it when that happens…………….god willing.

All who knew me before say I’m great now………….but I sure dont feel so damn great.

By: andrew m.

andrew m. — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:27:51 +0000

i have had type 1 diabetes since the age of 15, and i am now 23. ive been smoking marijuana since the age of 16. at first it was a recreational activity for me. i then started to realize that it was more of an extremely helpful medication for me. i have found that..
it does stabilize, and if you use it right; lower blood sugars.
it relieves stress, which in return; lowers blood sugars.
it is the only thing in the world that can make you feel better, if and when you are suffering from a high blood sugar level.
it will help you go to sleep, if you cant. (a normal sleep schedule is imperative for a diabetic to keep up with.
research has also shown..

Many cannabinoids act primarily to inhibit prostaglandins and COX-2, while providing powerful anti-oxidant properties to salvage free radicals, and inhibit macrophage and TNF. All of this means that cannabis is an excellent anti-inflammatory that lacks the side effects of steroids (which diabetics have to avoid), the NSAIDS, and the COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx. This anti-inflammatory action may help quell some of the arterial inflammation common in diabetes.

Cannabis is also neuroprotective. It is believed that much of neuropathy comes from the inflammation of nerves caused by glycoproteins in the blood that deposit in peripheral tissues and trigger an immune response. Cannabis helps protect the nerve covering (myelin sheath) from inflammatory attack. Cannabis also lessens the pain of neuropathy by activating receptors in the body and brain. Some components of cannabis (perhaps cannibidiol) act as anti-spasmodic agents similar to the far more toxic anti-convulsants like Neurontin. This action of cannabis helps relieve diabetic muscle cramps and GI upset.

Two other major actions of cannabis can benefit the diabetic. The first is helping to keep blood vessels open and improving circulation. Cannabis is a vasodilator and works well to improve blood flow. The second action is how cannabis can reduce blood pressure over time. While cannabis is not generally thought to be an anti-hypertensive and is no replacement for ACE inhibitors, it does contribute to lower blood pressure which is vital in diabetes management.
i truly believe that this plant has improved my quality of life,
and it will yours too.

peace.

By: sam

sam — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:57:34 +0000

im 15 and i have been smoking cannabis on and off for the last year and a half. i was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when i was 13 and about 6 months later is when i started using cannabis. i didnt know its medical benefits at first i was just using it recreationally but i noticed how it normally kept my BS stable. about a year ago my mom found out i was doing it and was extremely mad. this is when i really started looking into its medical benefits. what i found was very surprising obviously, since i still had the lies and propaganda (that i gradually found to be untrue) in my head. there was about a 3-4 month period when i smoked cannabis on a daily basis after being caught again. this period was probably when my diabetes was more under control than ever. that means my BS and even muscle spasms. anyone with diabetes can imagine how good it must feel to not have to constantly be thinking about your disease, which is how i felt during that period of daily cannabis use. it was like being in jail for life at first, and then having your punishment dropped to community service, where your not constantly being punished or locked up. my mom refused to accept the fact that it helped and sent me away for 3 weeks to my uncles to work. i was forced to quit and about 1-2 weeks after i quit, my BS went out of control up in the 200-300’s. it was obvious at this point. im home now and havnt smoked for over 3 months and i still have muscle spasms and now i even sometimes feel sharp pains in my eyes. my mom is more concerned about me getting caught by the cops and getting fined 100 dollars than making my life so much easier and more enjoyable i cant even describe it. its a shame that people like my brother who have ADD have to take Aderall (speed) for their disease, when they can be smoking pot,and that parents would rather have it that way.

By: hijoe

hijoe — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:53:25 +0000

I was smokng cannabis since I was 14 hated it. Smoked again when I was sixteen sort of accepted it. I have a mild form of dyslexia, getting p and b mixed up. Did not do that well in o levels. Did not give up on education and eventually got into University. That when I gave up cannabis completely. I was so scared of failing and wanted, to get with the program. However I got type 1 Diabetes during the 3 term. I run my own business and don’t mix well with shit heads and don’t suffer fools gladly. Still using cannabis and find it helps with my control.

By: Katia

Katia — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 05:57:25 +0000

Hi
I have had hypoglycemia for a decade, and today have been told by my doctor that he thinks I may have type 2 diabetes (blood tests tomorrow). I have read a lot of people saying that marijuana use has helped lower their blood sugar. Should I not smoke it since my blood sugar is already low? I am a some evenings/weekends smoker (mainly as a way to relax as I’m a highly strung person).
Anyone with low blood sugar (Dr thinks it may be insulin resistant type 2) found marijuana has assisted, or am I walking a dangerous line here?