The Bookworm Sez 

 

Stoned: A Doctor’s Case for Medical Marijuana by David Casarett M.D.

c.2015, Current

$27.95/$32.95 Canada

304 pages

 

You can barely breathe. You hurt so much – your back hurts, your shoulders hurt, your head hurts. You feel like you’ve gone 10 rounds with Rocky Balboa, three quarters with an NFL team and two performances of Swan Lake.

You. Ache.

So what’re you going to do about it?  Read Stoned by David Casarett M.D. and see if hemp can help.

Skeptical – as a doctor specializing in hospice and palliative care, that’s what David Casarett was when it came to marijuana and the supposed effectiveness of its medical benefits. On one hand, anecdotal evidence said pot could help people suffering an array of afflictions and symptoms. On the other hand, Casarett wanted to know what science said – never mind that in most states, marijuana is an illegal substance. 

Bottom line: Does medical marijuana work? And if it does, is it safe?

Though it contains many ingredients, there are two main substances present in cannabis sativa: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The first, says Casarett, is what makes your brain feel euphoric, while the second ingredient tempers the effects of the first.

Or, well – at least they think that’s how it works. There are a lot of things about weed we don’t know.

It looks, for instance, like it could be a sleep aid, and its calming properties might help dementia patients and post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers. Though it may seem counterintuitive, marijuana can enhance memory and it could improve the chances of survival of a traumatic brain injury (although, says Casarett, there’s one final word on the subject of marijuana plus motors: “don’t”).

Studies hint that cannabis oil can help with seizures, but it’s unlikely it’s a cure for cancer – at least not yet, but medical laboratories are always looking for (and at) new drugs. Marijuana appears to be effective in alleviating neuropathic pain, but probably won’t benefit bone breaks or pulled muscles.

Some help. Sometimes not. That’s what observant readers will note here, and despite acknowledged unknowns and despite that he was skeptical on the subject of cannabis’ benefits, author David Casarett M.D. saw that, too.

He surprised himself by changing his mind on marijuana, and that new outlook leads to a lot of fun learning inside Stoned. Don’t, however, think this is a frivolous book. Casarett’s background comes into play a lot, and he uses real scientific terms and medical information that may take some time to understand but that, once grasped, will further explain what you read.

He also strongly cautions, through one anecdote, that we really don’t totally understand what kind of damage marijuana can do to our brains. That balance, his cautions and his willingness to use himself as an unconvinced guinea pig to assess intake methods, recipes (included here!) and methodology makes this a well-conceived, thoughtful book.

But will it change minds? It might – it did the author’s – and even if it doesn’t, it’s informative and enjoyable to read. So put on the tunes, grab a seat, grab Stoned, take a deep breath – and read.

Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books. Readers with questions or comments may write to Terri in care of this publication.