Marijuana Derivative Cannabidiol (CBD) Could Treat Epilepsy And Is Unlikely To Be Addictive, Says The WHO
CALEB READING
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
12.14.17
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The Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) met last month to review psychoactive substances (including new synthetics) and make recommendations about their safety. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced their endorsement of certain recommendations resulting from that meeting. Cannabidiol (CBD) — a marijuana derivative which does not seem to have the intoxicating effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — was among the substances about which the WHO released new recommendations:
Recent evidence from animal and human studies shows that [CBD’s] use could have some therapeutic value for seizures due to epilepsy and related conditions. Current evidence also shows that cannabidiol is not likely to be abused or create dependence as for other cannabinoids (such as Tetra Hydro Cannabinol (THC), for instance). The ECDD therefore concluded that current information does not justify scheduling of cannabidiol and postponed a fuller review of cannabidiol preparations to May 2018, when the committee will undertake a comprehensive review of cannabis and cannabis related substances.
To clarify, “does not justify scheduling of cannabidiol” means the ECDD doesn’t recommend classifying CBD as illegal (Schedule I), or as a legal but highly regulated narcotic (Schedule II), or as an otherwise controlled substance (Schedules III, IV, and V). Examples of drugs that are Schedules I-V would be — from most regulated to least — heroin (Schedule I), Oxycontin (Schedule II), Tylenol 3 [acetaminophen and codeine] (Schedule III), Xanax (Schedule IV), and most codeine-containing cough syrups (Schedule V). In other words, the ECDD recommended regulating CBD less stringently than codeine cough syrup (R.I.P., Pimp C), but they’re going to review it more thoroughly this May.
As for using CBD as a treatment for seizures, it’s been known for nearly a year that CBD reduced seizures in a well-publicized study, but the ECDD usually meets once a year in November, so this was their first chance to review that study and the WHO’s first chance to endorse their recommendation.
The WHO also endorsed the ECDD’s recommendations regarding several analogues of the prescription opioid fentanyl, including carfentanil, acryloylfentanyl, fluoroisobutyrfentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, ocfentanil, and tetrahydrofuranyl fentanyl. All of these were recommended for placement on Schedule I (no legal use) due to their extremely high overdose risk and — in the WHO’s words — their “potential use as a chemical weapon.” Carfentanil, for example, has been used as an elephant tranquilizer, but it’s increasingly been used illicitly (usually in combination with heroin) even though an amount of carfentanil roughly the size of a few grains of salt can kill a human.
Speaking of marijuana derivatives and opioids, it’s worth noting a few things. Opioid deaths dropped in Colorado after marijuana was legalized, the use of medical marijuana has known benefits both to health and to the economy (it could reportedly save Medicare $1 billion per year), and even the majority of Republicans now support legalization. So what are we waiting for?
Full disclosure: the author of this post is a Certified Pharmacy Technician, but he did not receive any marijuana derivatives in exchange for this post. Oh, he asked for them, but our accountant said he’s getting his payment by check, as usual. Damn.
(Via the WHO)
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The 30 Best Movies On Netflix Right Now, Ranked
MIKE RYAN, KEITH PHIPPS AND CHARLES BRAMESCO12.13.17
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Last Updated: December 13th
The Netflix name has meant many things during the company’s relatively short existence: a source for DVDs by mail, a pioneer of online streaming, a network responsible for some of the best shows not on TV, as the first half of the phrase that ends “and chill.” It’s never quite evolved, however, into what some have hoped it would, as the source for must see movies, new and old. When it comes to good films, Netflix’s streaming service isn’t close to being what it was at its height as a DVD-by-mail service: a place to watch anything from anywhere and any time. Looking for something new and indie? Netflix Instant probably has you covered. Looking for something beyond that description? The service is hit or miss. It’s a great place to watch old episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, not so great when it comes to watching Alfred Hitchcock movies.
Which isn’t to say there aren’t great films on the streaming service right now. There are. Narrowing them down to just 30 of the best Netflix films wasn’t easy. Nonetheless, here’s a ranked list of the best movies on Netflix streaming no film lover should miss, all of them just a simple click away.
Related: The 10 Scariest Shows On Netflix Right Now
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30. The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)
Ryan Gosling reteams with his Blue Valentinedirector Derek Cianfrance for an episodic, multi-generational story of crime and consequences in upstate New York. Some sections work better than others, but the cast is terrific throughout and Cianfrance directs with a deep feel for the setting.
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For more of the best streaming picks on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, subscribe to our What To Watchnewsletter.
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29. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
With Disney and Netflix squaring up against each other in what’s shaping up to be a streaming service war, it’s unclear what future, if any, the Star Wars films will have on the service. But for now you can enjoy Rogue One, the first of a series of anthology films set alongside the action of the main saga. This one concerns the attempt to secure the plans to the Death Star that preceded Star Wars: A New Hope, following Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she joins a ragtag bunch of rebels determined to beat the odds and strike a blow against the Empire, no matter the cost. Directed by Gareth Edwards — but with significant reshoots overseen by Tony Gilroy — it’s an unusual entry in the series, one not afraid to plunge into the dark, morally ambiguous underside of the Star Wars universe while still remaining very much a Star Wars movie.
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28. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou(2004)
For his follow-up to The Royal Tennenbaums, Wes Anderson took to the high seas. But even with its hilariously awkward action scenes and underwater claymation interludes, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissouremains unmistakably a Wes Anderson movie. Bill Murray stars as an oceanographer beloved for his documentaries but driven to alienate his friends and family. Though the film received a mixed reception at the time, it showed that Anderson could work on a larger scale and has since become one of his best-loved films.
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