Sunday, July 13, 2008

TheHim threatens my First Amendment Rights

This has gotten way out of control but Lee Rosenberg in email and on his blog is now threatening to have men fired for expressing my opinions about the Quran and Mr. Haq's motivations for killing Jews. Oh yeh, Lee is also upset that I have called him for misrepresenting the facts on marijuana.

Interstikng. Will someone tell me the difference between lee and a Discovery Insitute Fanatic?

Anyhow I am not ocnerned, thans to Tom jefferson we academics do have the first amendment as part of our jobs! Not a bad perk wheh dealing with this sort of agitprop.

Back to citing Lee's blog:



EFFin’ Unsound » Blog Archive » Another Round: "July 13th, 2008 at 11:10 am

OK, let’s count the misrepresentations in this comment:

1. Lee, for some reason, keeps bringing the issue up ind oiscussions of other matters. (the current thread in email he refers to is a disagreement over whether doctos should prescribe reefers, ie smoked marijuana. Le favors this and I do not.)

No, the disagreement is not over whether doctors should prescribe reefers, it’s over whether or not there’s a medical need for marijuana. The difference is that one can ingest marijuana in a number of different ways other than reefers. This has been explained to you several times, yet you continue to lie.

2. While I honestly do not know why the Haq story is important to Lee

That’s clearly a lie. You know exactly why this is important to me. It’s because I think it’s wrong to accuse the Islamic Center of the Tri-Cities of teaching Haq to hate Jews without any proof whatsoever.

3. I suspect he feels that Mr. Haq’s anger may be justified by what Lee (and one assumes Haq) sees as the unacceptable behavior of Israel.

Absolutely not. I’ve never once said that his anger towards all Jews is justified by that. I’ve simply said it was caused by that, but I don’t feel it’s justified. That’s lie #3"

4. Returnoing to Mr. Haq, the real issue ought to be whether he is a symptom of a larger problem. Lee does not think so

That’s lie #4. I certainly believe that animosity towards Jews because of Israeli foreign policy is a large problem.

OK, now let’s get back to the heart of the matter…

Was Haq taught this and/or worse as he grew up iand attended Muslim school? It would be vert\y odd if he were not.

First of all, you don’t even know whether or not Haq attended a Muslim school, let alone who was teaching him and what he was being taught. You are making an accusation against a very specific Islamic Center with absolutely no evidence to back you up. As I sent you in email, I’m going to make sure the Islamic Center is aware of this, and unlike the past times this has come up, I will not hesitate to try to get you removed from your job at UW if you don’t stop misrepresenting my views.




Lee,


You may want t look at the post I just placed at SJ and HA clarifying the facts on marijuana. There is, to the best of my knowledge=, no evidence that marijuan is a better drug than THC and THC is legal. The only reason to use marijua as a dleivery vehicle is to provide it as an areodol anmd doing so in a a likley carcoinogenic smoke wis NOT a good idea.

Somehow I find it hard to imgine that the Islamic Center is goinfg to get excited about a post that is now two years old but go ahead.

If I need a spell checker, you need a dose of logic viz.

"4. Returning to Mr. Haq, the real issue ought to be whether he is a symptom of a larger problem. Lee does not think so

That’s lie #4. I certainly believe that animosity towards Jews because of Israeli foreign policy is a large problem."

And the lie is????? Or are you saying you do not think Islam has a long history of antisemitism?

As for going after my job, shall we trade blows? Lets see, I am protected bny my rigrts of free speach and by academci freedom. Your use of pot is protected by? You use of slander is protecte by? Oh well, last time I saw two makes playing thast game one 3=ws a dalmatian and the other poodle. They pee-ed on a lot of trees and then on someone's trousers

Don;'t pee on the trousers Mr,. Dog!




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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

stephen...you and i rarely agree on anything but i have to say that you have lee nailed as the uber complainer and post-logic idiot he really is.
"thehim" indeed. NPD anyone?
for a guy who smokes so much weed he sure is an uptight little d*ck.....

Anonymous said...

"There is, to the best of my knowledge=, no evidence that marijuan is a better drug than THC and THC is legal."


: Phytother Res. 2008 Jul 10. [Epub ahead of print]Click here to read Links
Antihyperalgesic effect of a Cannabis sativa extract in a rat model of neuropathic pain: mechanisms involved.
Comelli F, Giagnoni G, Bettoni I, Colleoni M, Costa B.

Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milano, Italy.

This study aimed to give a rationale for the employment of phytocannabinoid formulations to treat neuropathic pain. It was found that a controlled cannabis extract, containing multiple cannabinoids, in a defined ratio, and other non-cannabinoid fractions (terpenes and flavonoids) provided better antinociceptive efficacy than the single cannabinoid given alone, when tested in a rat model of neuropathic pain. The results also demonstrated that such an antihyperalgesic effect did not involve the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, whereas it was mediated by vanilloid receptors TRPV1. The non-psychoactive compound, cannabidiol, is the only component present at a high level in the extract able to bind to this receptor: thus cannabidiol was the drug responsible for the antinociceptive behaviour observed. In addition, the results showed that after chronic oral treatment with cannabis extract the hepatic total content of cytochrome P450 was strongly inhibited as well as the intestinal P-glycoprotein activity. It is suggested that the inhibition of hepatic metabolism determined an increased bioavailability of cannabidiol resulting in a greater effect. However, in the light of the well known antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties of terpenes and flavonoids which could significantly contribute to the therapeutic effects, it cannot be excluded that the synergism observed might be achieved also in the absence of the cytochrome P450 inhibition. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Here's a news release about the article:
Marijuana Extracts Provide Superior Pain Relief Compared To Plant's Isolated Compounds, Study Says. “Cannabis sativa evoked a total relief of neuropathic pain, ameliorating the effect of single cannabinoids”
Share This Page Share This Page on del.icio.us Share This Page on digg Share This Page on Stumble Upon Share This Page on Facebook

July 17, 2008 - Milan, Italy

Milan, Italy: The administration of whole-plant cannabis extracts provides superior pain relief compared to the administration of the plant's isolated components, according to preclinical data to be published in the journal Phytotherapy Research. Investigators at the University of Milan, Department of Pharmacology assessed the antinociceptive efficacy of plant-derived cannabis extracts compared to the administration of a single cannabinoid in an animal model of neuropathic pain.

Researchers reported that the administration of single cannabinoids such as THC or CBD (cannabidiol) produced limited relief compared to the administration of plant extracts containing multiple cannabinoids, terpenes (oils), and flavonoids (pigments). "[T]he use of a standardized extract of Cannabis sativa … evoked a total relief of thermal hyperalgesia, in an experimental model of neuropathic pain, … ameliorating the effect of single cannabinoids," investigators concluded.

They added: "Collectively, these findings strongly support the idea that the combination of cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid compounds, as present in [plant-derived] extracts, provide significant advantages in the relief of neuropathic pain compared with pure cannabinoids alone. … Further studies of cannabis-based medicines in neuropathic pain are now required to demonstrate a clinically relevant improvement in the treatment of this condition."

Two separate US clinical trials recently affirmed that inhaled cannabis significantly reduces neuropathy in patients with chronic pain conditions, such as HIV or spinal cord injury, compared to placebo.

Previously published preclinical data on cannabis and analgesia have shown that cannabinoids, when administered in concert with either opiates or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), evoke greater reductions in pain compared to the administration of either drug alone.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director. Full text of the study, "Antihyperalgesic effect of a Cannabis sativa extract in a rat model of neuropathic pain," will appear in the journal Phytotherapy Research.

SM Schwartz said...

This study aimed to give a rationale for the employment of phytocannabinoid formulations to treat neuropathic pain. It was found that a controlled cannabis extract, containing multiple cannabinoids, in a defined ratio, and other non-cannabinoid fractions (terpenes and flavonoids) provided better antinociceptive efficacy than the single cannabinoid given alone, when tested in a rat model of neuropathic pain. The results also demonstrated that such an antihyperalgesic effect did not involve the cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, whereas it was mediated by vanilloid receptors TRPV1. The non-psychoactive compound, cannabidiol, is the only component present at a high level in the extract able to bind to this receptor: thus cannabidiol was the drug responsible for the antinociceptive behaviour observed. In addition, the results showed that after chronic oral treatment with cannabis extract the hepatic total content of cytochrome P450 was strongly inhibited as well as the intestinal P-glycoprotein activity. It is suggested that the inhibition of hepatic metabolism determined an increased bioavailability of cannabidiol resulting in a greater effect. However, in the light of the well known antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties of terpenes and flavonoids which could significantly contribute to the therapeutic effects, it cannot be excluded that the synergism observed might be achieved also in the absence of the cytochrome P450 inhibition. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nothing in this differs form my statement. If anything the inhibition of p450 raises additional concerns.

Of course it is possible that MJ contains active ingredients other than THC. That does not say that THC will not do the same thing at a different does.

Given the variety of analgesics, it is not obvious that MJ (or THC) is necessary or even competitive in re leaving pain.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Look, it is entirely conceivable that smoking reefers does have a special effect, but until that is proven docs should worry about the bad effects of smoke and p450 inhibition.

Anonymous said...

"it is not obvious that MJ (or THC) is necessary or even competitive in re leaving pain"

What did you think of the UCSF randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled crossover Neuropathic Pain trial published in Neurology that showed 70% pain reduction as measured by VAS in the first dose in both experimentally induced pain model and HIV-related foot neuropathy, and over 30% overall (better than gabapentin) that I sent you?

Your statement implies that you did not read the paper...tsk, tsk.
Sunil

SM Schwartz said...

Sunil ...

For the record, you sent me a huge dump of references. I read a few, including summary articles.

I also said before and offer now that if you think there is a convincing study, give me a reference t read and I will do so!

Obvioulsy I would be very happy if there were a superior wau of releaving pain!

One note here:

the issue in re pain relif is whether the exptl Rx is superior to existing Rxs, not just to THC.

++++++++++++++++++++++

To repeat my underlying concern, in the USA we deal with a public that has a great deal of trouble distinguishing between scientific authority and other sources of authorit7y. People here make REAL decisions based on experts who tell them that the suply of oil is unlimited, that prayer heals, etc.

I have no problme with partisanship in scince, BUT the MM community walks the thin ice by treating reefers as if they were pieces of the original cross.

So send me the ref, I am plased to look at it.

In the mean time, good luck on your exam!

Anonymous said...

You know, Stephen, if we are to have individualized medical care in this country, there is no such thing as "the best" drug. For each person, the best drug will be different for them versus another depending on a host of factors. It is arbitrary to seek find out whether chemically extracted single-stereoisomer THC is superior to whole botanical cannabis which contains THC in addition to 419 other chemicals. Many patients I have talk to find pure THC too sedating, anxiogenic, and difficult to dose. The psychoactive effects of pure THC are modulated by other chemicals found in cannabis, such as CBD (this is a known fact in the field). This is why GW Pharmaceuticals is licensed in several countries (and able to conduct Phase III trials in the US) with an oromucosal spray that is a combination of extracts from a THC-rich strain and a CBD-rich strain of cannabis. THC and whole plant cannabis are independent drugs and should be considered on their own merits.