Libby Stuyt

The Gaining Potency Of Weed And The Dangers Of Cannabis

For 30 years, Dr. Libby Stuyt, a recently retired addiction psychiatrist in Pueblo, Colorado, treated patients with severe drug dependency. Typically, that meant alcohol, heroin, and methamphetamines.

Greatly increased potency of cannabis since the time of its legalization in Colorado.

Higher the potency, higher the likelihood of developing cannabis use disorder.

Similar to tobacco in being hard to quit.  Both substances cause anxiety of withdrawal.

Frequent users of high potency cannabis were cognitively impaired, unable to participate in addiction treatment programs, which use behavioral therapy.

Addiction therapy is the one area of medicine that addresses the totality of mind, spirit, body.

Legalization has led to understanding of the endocannabinoid system, which helps to balance us.

Daily exercise helps recovery a lot.  Endocannabinoid system affected by exercise, acupuncture.

We make endocannabinoids in our bodies. 

Exogenous THC destroys the innate endocannabinoid system.

2 types of cannabinoid receptors: CB1 and nicotinic.  Shouldn’t use nicotine or cannabis unless 25 years old because a younger brain is still maturing.

THC may be related to violence by dysregulating our innate homeostatic system.

THC can take out the frontal lobe.

Cannabis gives a different perception of reality, which can be good or bad.  Increase in delusional systems.  Can cause false memories.

Research preceding legalizing used isolated cannabinoids of lower potency.  No research supporting higher potencies for medicinal use.

Does THC work for pain?  Research using 2% showed no benefit, 4% benefit, 8% increased pain.

Is it both physical and emotional components that contribute to cannabis addiction?  Yes.

Everyone using medical marijuana is experiencing some type of withdrawal.

The more you use an addictive substance, the more you deplete central stores of dopamine. 

What happened with industry increasing nicotine in tobacco is what is happening with marijuana. 

Smoke from marijuana is even worse than smoke from tobacco.  Both have carcinogens.

How about vape pens?  Chemicals used to vaporize tobacco or THC are toxic and create even more of an addiction.

What is CBD?  Cannabidiol.  Has some protective factors.  Doesn’t bind to the receptor, but can knock THC off the receptor.  High potency THC products have almost no CBD. 

CBD can interact with medication, especially blood thinners.  Can elevate liver enzymes.  Some anti-inflammatory effects, but don’t know how much it takes to affect the liver.

.03% THC is permissible limit in CBD. 

Cannabis will detox metals from soils, but the metals winds up in the plant.  Arsenic, lead, cadmium found in CBD.

High profile shootings.  Marijuana may have played a role, but they don’t test for it. 

Number one substance found in suicides is cannabais.  Even at 5-10% THC, the adolescent brain is susceptible.

Patrick’s thesis: Governments act like they don’t like marijuana, but they go along in allowing it in order to make us all crazy.

Federal government is not involved in testing or standardizing medical marijuana.  Still a Schedule 1 substance, doctors can’t write Rx for it.

Fentanyl is a powerful short-acting opiate.  Number 1 drug for inducing unconsciousness in surgery.  Extremely lethal in uncontrolled environment.  Suppresses breathing.

How about homeopathic doses of medicinal mushrooms or LSD?  Research has been done in controlled environment.  Don’t want to legalize it for home use.  Alters perception of reality.

IASIC1.org – international doctors’ group formed to educate on marijuana.