(6/1/09: update added to end of article)

So as the world slowly but surely begins to freak out about the new swine flu going around, I came across an interesting article about Cannabis Science Inc. reporting on a “prospective life saving treatment for H1N1 Swine Flu and H5N1 Bird Flu”.

For those of you not aware, swine flu is highly virulent (meaning there is a reason behind the global interest in finding a way to stop it from spreading).

In walks Cannabis Science Inc. with their “whole-cannabis lozenge”. From the article:

Dr. Robert J. Melamede, Director and Chief Science Officer, stated, “The influenza virus has a unique genetic make up that, in combination with its replicative machinery, has an extraordinary capacity to mutate. As a result, the high lethality of some strains can be attributed to the resulting adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS is caused by an excessive immune inflammatory response driven by Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) that leads to the death of respiratory epithelial cells and resulting organ failure. Endocannabinoids are nature’s way of controlling TNF activity. Existing peer reviewed publications have shown that phytocannabinoids can prevent this cell death by mimicking the endocannabinoids that nature has selected to prevent excessive inflammatory immune responses.”

In other words, the reason swine flu is so dangerous is because it causes your immune system to go into overdrive. Marijuana, however, is a proven immune system suppressant which, in this case, may aid in survival.

So we have a non-toxic, safe, cheap, potential-treatment for a disease that has some people using the word “pandemic”. On top of that, Cannabis Science Inc. has “offered to produce up to 1 million doses” of its lozenge and “provide them to HSA (Homeland Security Administration) for distribution at cost.”

What is there to lose?

(via MarketWatch)

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Update (4/29/09): Just to make it clear to anyone thinking, “Hey, smoking marijuana will keep me safe!” This research explicitly states that smoking marijuana will likely not provide the same medicinal affects that a lozenge would. The best affects are shown through absorption via the mouth (lozenge) or digestion (edibles).

Update (6/1/09): For those of you who are not aware–which based on the various comments made on this page is a lot of you–immune system suppression is not the same as a weakened immune system. The way the flu kills you is by causing your immune system to go into overdrive. Cannabinoids have been shown to keep the immune system from overreacting (supressing it) NOT by weakinging it by any means at all. So please stop making comments about this being “stupid” because it makes you weaker. If you belive this, you believe a fantasy.