People who regularly smoke cannabis may have a lower risk of developing diabetes, new research suggests…
MailOnline — Marijuana users had significantly lower levels of the hormone insulin – indicating better blood sugar control. If a link is established, it could pave the way for the development of treatments using the plant’s compound active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
In the study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that those who regularly smoked cannabis had a 16 per cent lower fasting insulin levels than people who had never smoked marijuana. Those who used the drug were also likely to have a smaller waist circumference – and a large waist circumference is linked to diabetes risk. Marijuana is commonly used by patients suffering with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other painful conditions.
Medical marijuana is legal in 18 U.S. states, and recent research has suggested that the majority of Americans believe the drug should be legalized. The research carried out by PewResearch Centre for People and the Press showed that for the first time in 40 years 52 per cent said it should be legalized and 72 per cent saying the crackdown on the drug is not worth the money it costs the government.
In the UK, Sativex, a cannabis-derived mouth spray, has been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, but it remains difficult for patients to obtain because many NHS trusts refuse to prescribe it due to its cost.
In the study, researchers analyzed data obtained during the National Health and Nutrition Survey between 2005 and 2010. They studied data from 4,657 patients who completed a drug use questionnaire. Of these, 579 were current marijuana users, 1,975 had used marijuana in the past but were not current users, and 2,103 had never inhaled or ingested marijuana. Read more…
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