Tuesday, 15 December 2009
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Medical Marijuana for the Treatment of ADHD
In California some doctors are prescribing marijuana for medicinal use by patients who suffer from ADHD. The use of marijuana for both recreational and medicinal purposes has always been a point of controversy but the fact that some doctors are prescribing marijuana to minors has some folks more upset than usual.
Some people are arguing that marijuana can not possibly be an effective treatment for ADHD. The reason behind this argument is that marijuana is known to cause one of the same problems ADHD does, the inability to focus. So you may be wondering how marijuana could possibly be helpful to a person with ADHD and that is a good question.
The answer is in the fact that the mind of a person with ADHD does not function exactly the same way the mind of someone without ADHD does.
For instance, if I, a person without ADHD were to take Ritalin or Aderall, two commonly prescribed drugs for people with ADHD, I would probably become hyper and have trouble focusing. I mean, Ritalin and Aderall are both basically amphetamines. But for some reason when a person with ADHD takes Ritalin or Aderall their hyperactivity and inability to focus lessens. Similarly, when a person with ADHD ingests marijuana or takes THC pills rather than losing the ability to focus they will instead gain the ability to focus.
Maybe this topic would not be getting the type of attention it is if minors were not being prescribed marijuana to treat ADHD. Marijuana has had a bad rap for years and for a variety of reasons that I won’t get into here but let’s pretend for a second that we don’t know what this drug is. Let’s pretend that researchers have just discovered a new drug that doctors can prescribe to patients with ADHD. A new drug that is safer than Ritalin and Aderall, a drug with fewer negative side effects than the drugs most commonly prescribed for this disorder.
Now pretend that you or your child has ADHD. You go to see your doctor and he tells you about all of the medical options you have for treating your disorder. He tells you that you can take Ritalin, Aderall or this new wonder drug. The doctor gives you information about all of the dangers linked to each medicine. The new drug has the least amount of dangerous side effects. Which drug are you going to choose?
I just think that marijuana should not be discredited as an affective treatment for ADHD just because it has had some bad publicity over the past few decades. If marijuana is the safer drug for a patient with ADHD shouldn’t they have the option to use it?
What do you think, should marijuana be a treatment option for patients with ADHD?
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- From: michcoy@xanga
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Comments (25)
Well, if the benefits outweight the risk, I don't see a problem. Likewise if marijuana serves as a better alternative to current ADHD treatments. I'm just iffy about the whole minors part. How young are we talking here (because marijuana is indeed still a drug)? Then again, young kids with ADHD are given amphetamines as you noted so I shouldn't be talking. I'll just stick to the "if it's a better alternative who cares" bit.
I'd actually like to know how marijuana does this though. Must be all sorts of fascinating.
I think that all of the effects of marijuana should be carefully explained in great detail to the parents of these kids so that they can trust that it's not so bad. that's really all there is to it. the health that marijuana can provide medically is always debated, but we have to realize here that marijuana was originally meant to be used as a meditative aid, not a recreational drug. marijuana just gets an extremely over-exaggerated bad reputation and it's really not fair when it comes down to limiting someone's medical treatments because they're too young to be taking "dope."
and besides, it's not like kids these days
don't take pills for fun like they smoke weed for fun. one of my best
friends at the time had taken aderall during school just for the
hyperactive feeling. so... whatever!
PLUS, if they're really that young of kids, are they really going to understand that they're taking weed? aren't they just going to treat it the same as aderall or ritalin...?
My boyfrend has ADHD, and he smokes the stuff occassionally. IDK if it helps with his disorder, but he's all for making it legal since he says it helps.
As someone once prescribed Ritalin and Concerta (among other things), and a connoisseur of marijuana, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. And, I am even willing to contest the claims made that Ritalin/Aderall function differently on those without ADHD. Where is the medical data here? I support legalisation - but this seems idiotic and counterproductive if it were to replace proven methods.
LOL. i can't see how that would help.
If it works just as well and has fewer side effects I'm for it.
It'll probably slow down the hyper minds of people with ADHD, but that's a far different matter than helping them concentrate. This is for parents who want to sedate their hyperactive children, not help them focus.
i tried that illegally, but i cant really remember how it helped....haha
Well.. let's just say that someone I know is addicted to Dexamphetamine thanks to the doctors that prescribe this stuff for ADHD. FARRR worse than marijuana - it's addictive, leads to suicidal thoughts, false confidence, increasing disconnect with the world, physically addictive, can lead to psychosis, etc.. All of these he has been through, and his grades are suffering greatly. The doctor wants to up the dosage. - Mannny prescription drugs imo, especially amphetamines, are incredibly worse than marijuana - but I don't really agree with medicating young children in general. I think out of everything, a tiny dosage of marijuana really just relaxes you, but I would only support this if there were conclusive tests run that can prove it is not as harmful but is more effective as any of the prescription drugs that are commonly prescribed to people for ADHD.
Oh, forgot to mention - my friend is a senior in college and currently failing most of his classes. He is basically in another world altogether and would have been MUCH better off smoking marijuana.. but now he is physically and mentally addicted to something his doctor and insurance company is making money off of.
Marijuana is good in small dosages to focus, at least from my experience. I've been able to focus on ideas and expand on it, or make observations that I would not have made otherwise - small dosages. Also, my boyfriend got a 2200 on his SAT's and he went in there after he smoked.. it calmed his nerves and relaxed him enough to focus.
Anyway, just my opinion.
Yes. Pretty hard to divide your thoughts when you're so stoned you forget how to speak English.
Actually, I used to go to my 1st hour physics class high all the time, and it would feel like I was only there for five minutes, and all I did was take extensive notes without much effort. I got an A-. I'd recommend it.
Nice, I approve.
@FairyTalesAndWhiskey@xanga - Seriously? That's amazing.
I know someone who self-medicates their ADHD with Marijuana. It helps them. It should be legal.
@FairyTalesAndWhiskey@xanga - Nice - God I miss college. It should be legalized but no way can you recommend weed for people to handle this on a daily basis. Smoke up, drive and then go to work? No matter how focus you think you are, your're still stoned. Unless research shows it really helps ADHD better then the prescribed drugs. Bottomline no matter what illness you have, weed helps because your freakings stoned and not in reality.
Pass anotha...
I read in an article that certain forms of the pill don't have the side effects of euphoria... I think that alone would stop people from being so scared about it being used for medicinal purposes, ESPECIALLY when dealing with minors or old people.
@FairyTalesAndWhiskey@xanga - I have a similar story. For two semesters I went to class high at a MINIMUM of every other day and I was on the dean's list and had perfect attendance. I went to a liberal arts school and had to navigate high end-3d software, old school avid based analog video editing equipment AND I had psychology & worked with students at the Georgetown law school doing an illustration for their court cases...
So whenever I see commercials, movies and tv shows showing retarded stoners siting around doing nothing or doing reckless shit ahaha im just like... those characters would probably do that whether they had weed or not lol. It really puts "roots" on your thought process and makes you focus without really realizing you're focusing.... OR, maybe I was so paranoid about getting in trouble with my folks, getting kicked out of school, or getting kicked out of housing that I tried CRAZY harder ...without realizing I was trying harder ;p
I recommending it... do it in a class you're struggling in just once day. If its a wash then so be it, you were doing shitty in that class anyway. Id go for a nice Sativa strain so you don't go to sleep. God I miss pot... i havent smoked in like 3 years.
I'm all in favor of the legalization of marijuana!
The problem is that a lot of people feel that marijuana IS a dangerous drug. Mostly because of the propaganda that has been spewed forth about it in attempts to give false reasons why it is dangerous and therefore should remain illegal. But, that is as far as I will go with that. :p
And to answer the question, no I would not take the wonder drug for my child. Why? Because, I'm skeptical of wonder drugs. Especially NEW wonder drugs. They usually haven't gone through enough testing, they haven't been around long enough to test long term effects on patients, etc.
However, its just a good thing that marijuana is not a brand new wonder drug, but has been around for a long, long time. :p
I do think marijuana as a treatment for ADHD (even in minors) is a good idea. I definitely support this idea. :)
i think if it works for a particular person, they should be able to take it (as prescribed). Personally, I have ADD (or ADHD since they got rid of ADD and now it's called "ADHD-inattentive type) and if I smoke pot before I have to study, it won't work. or before I have to go to class, I won't pay attention and time will go by slow. but I could see it working for some people...I have a friend who it helps.
LEGALIZE IT!Nice, ill go to my Dr. for this ASAP :)
I know some students (without ADHD) that buy aderall to HELP them study. I'm in college and this is like a fairly normal scenario during finals week so I'm not really sure how you can say that taking aderall without having ADHD would "probably make you become hyper and have trouble focusing". I've never tried it myself, but some of my friends that have really promote it because they say it helps them focus sooo much.
When i was diagnosed with ADHD, they prescribed Concerta, a 12 hour release version of the other mainstream ADHD drugs out there. They prescribe Concerta more often nowadays because it is harder to abuse (the 12 hour release capsule surrounding the actual drug itself)...
Personally, pot doesn't help ADHD. In fact, the drug is fairly overwhelming to my ADHD mind. I am not even able to complete a sentence without forgetting where I am. In my opinion, (yes, i've smoked weed, yes i have ADHD), weed is completely wrong for helping an ADHD mind to concentrate. The other maintstream ADHD drugs that are currently on the market do help. I noticed a considerable difference in my ability to write papers and solve math problems in a more timely fashion. My ability to multi-task, however, lessened. I don't take them anymore because of the side effects. And believe me, there can be side effects.
According to the doc, I am less able to focus than 95% of people diagnosed with ADHD. So in fact, I am "worse" than just about every other kid diagnosed with ADHD. Do I think that's a bunch of crap? Mostly. It's true, my mind works a bit differently. I think about ten things at once, rather than a single task followed by another single task. This isn't always a bad thing.
Do I think that just about everyone out there diagnosed with ADHD can avoid taking drugs and do just fine in school, work, and all other areas of life?
That's a big fat YES.
Well, they DO use speed to control ADHD, why not THC? I don't know. I think marijuana is the main reason my little sisters and I have ADHD, my mom smoked while pregnant.
@noitu_love_r@xanga - People are supposed to think about a single task at a time?
Of course it should be approved! I have ADD, along w/M.S., and other diseases(none contagious). But I live in Okla. and it's not legal here. But if there is any remote chance that anything could help in any way, with whatever illness a person may have, then it would be crime to stop them from trying what may help....IMHO. http://addmsorboth.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-is-add.html
Basically, the functioning mechanism behind ADHD meds is their stimulating properties. While stimulants may be counter-intuitive to solving problems with hyperactivity, it actually is meant to stimulate focus centers in the brain.