Dope without the high
New Scientist Short Sharp Science Blog: Dope without the high
It’s a stoner’s worst nightmare: pot without the high. But a drug that offers the pain-killing and appetite boost associated with marijuana without the forgetfulness, giggles and general dopiness might appeal to cancer patients and others who would otherwise turn to medical marijuana.Now, researchers in California (one of the first US states to legalise medical marijuana) have identified a family of chemicals that comes close to mimicking weed, but without the high.
Their approach hinges on tinkering with our body’s own natural stash of marijuana-like chemicals, endocannabinoids. Marijuana’s active ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) tickles the same brain cell receptors as two endocannabinoids: one that makes you high (2-AG), while another that kills the pain (andamide).
A team led by John Casida, a toxicologist at the University of California in Berkeley, discovered that a pesticide related to the nerve gas sarin causes some of the same effects as marijuana in mice, including the painkilling and the behavioural changes.
But the drug works nothing like pot. Instead of turning on the brain’s THC receptors, the insecticide gets mice high by blocking their brains from breaking down both 2-AG and andamide.
The next step will be to find a drug that stymies the breakdown of andamide, not 2-AG. But scientist will need to be careful before they mellow this high. “If your start with something derived form a pesticide you have to be particularly careful,” says Casida.
Now that the medical effects or marijuana are indisputable to anyone who looks at the issue honestly, the next tactic in the drug warriors’ strategy is to pharmaceuticalize marijuana. The idea being that OK, relief from nausea, pain, and spasticity is all good, but we must eliminate the pesky “high”.
What is so wrong with getting high? If you’re facing a depressing bout of chemotherapy, what’s wrong with a little giggling and euphoria? I believe the reduction in stress and the happy warm feelings triggered by marijuana’s high are just another medical benefit. We are so easily dismissive of the mental health aspect of health care in this country.
To this end, researchers are now looking to replace a non-toxic, well-tolerated, effective naturopathic remedy with a synthesis of a nerve-gas-like pesticide, all just to eliminate the high. Meanwhile, thousands of medical marijuana patients in 12 states have already figured out how they can smoke, vaporize, or eat marijuana in just the right amounts to ease their symptoms without getting too high.
