Marijuana Health Dictionary

Psychoactive substances obtained from Cannabis sativa or Indian hemp, they are the oldest euphoriants. Also called marijuana, these substances do not usually result in physical DEPENDENCE but chronic abuse leads to passivity, apathy and inertia. Acute adverse effects include transient panic reactions and toxic psychoses. The panic reactions are characterised by anxiety, helplessness and loss of control and may be accompanied by ?orid paranoid thoughts and hallucinations. The toxic psychoses are characterised by the sudden onset of confusion and visual hallucinations. Even at lower doses, cannabis products can precipitate functional psychoses in vulnerable individuals. The acute physical manifestations of short-term cannabis abuse are conjunctival su?usion and tachycardia.

The chopped leaves are usually smoked but can be eaten in food or taken as tea. The active ingredient is tetrahydrocannibol. There is much public debate in western countries over the social use of cannabis: it is illegal to possess or supply the substance in the United Kingdom, but nevertheless cannabis is quite widely used. Cannabis is classi?ed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and has not o?cially been used medicinally – despite some claims that it is helpful in ameliorating painful symptoms in certain serious chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis. A related agent, NABILONE, is a synthetic cannabinoid licenced for use in treating nausea and vomiting caused by CYTOTOXIC drugs.... cannabis

(Cocoa, milk chocolate, sweet chocolate)

Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low (cocoa powder) High (chocolate) Fat: Moderate Saturated fat: High Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: Low (chocolate) High (cocoa powder) Fiber: Moderate (chocolate) High (cocoa powder) Sodium: Moderate Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins Major mineral contribution: Calcium, iron, copper

About the Nutrients in This Food Cocoa beans are high-carbohydrate, high-protein food, with less dietary fiber and more fat than all other beans, excepting soy beans. The cocoa bean’s dietary fiber includes pectins and gums. Its proteins are limited in the essential amino acids lysine and isoleucine. Cocoa butter, the fat in cocoa beans, is the second most highly saturated vegetable fat (coconut oil is number one), but it has two redeeming nutritional qualities. First, it rarely turns rancid. Second, it melts at 95°F, the temperature of the human tongue. Cocoa butter has no cholesterol; neither does plain cocoa powder or plain dark chocolate. Cocoa beans have B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin) plus min- erals (iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and copper). All chocolate candy is made from chocolate liquor, a thick paste pro- duce by roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Dark (sweet) chocolate is made of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar. Milk chocolate is made of choc- olate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk or milk powder, and vanilla. White * These values apply to plain cocoa powder and plain unsweetened chocolate. Add- ing other foods, such as milk or sugar, changes these values. For example, there is no cholesterol in plain bitter chocolate, but there is cholesterol in milk chocolate. chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk powder. Baking chocolate is unsweetened dark chocolate. The most prominent nutrient in chocolate is its fat. Fat Content in One Ounce of Chocolate

	Saturated fat (g)	Monounsaturated fat (g)	Polyunsaturated fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)
Dark (sweet)
chocolate	5.6	3.2	0.3	0
Milk chocolate	5.9	4.5	0.4	6.6
Baking chocolate	9	5.6	0.3	0
White chocolate	5.5	2.6	0.3	0

  Source: USDA Nut rient Data Laborator y. Nat ional Nut rient Database for Standard Reference. Available online. UR L : http://w w w.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search /. Because chocolate is made from a bean, it also contains dietary fiber and measurable amounts of certain minerals. For example, one ounce of dark chocolate, the most nutritious “eating” chocolate, has 1.6 g dietary fiber, 0.78 mg iron (4 percent of the R DA for a woman, 10 percent of the R DA for a man), 32 mg magnesium (11 percent of the R DA for a woman, 8 percent of the R DA for a man), and .43 mg zinc (5 percent of the R DA for a woman, 4 percent of the R DA for a man). Cocoa beans, cocoa, and chocolate contain caffeine, the muscle stimulant theobro- mine, and the mood-altering chemicals phenylethylalanine and anandamide (see below).

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food With low-fat milk to complete the proteins without adding saturated fat and cholesterol. NOTE : Both cocoa and chocolate contain oxalic acid, which binds with calcium to form cal- cium oxalate, an insoluble compound, but milk has so much calcium that the small amount bound to cocoa and chocolate hardly matters. Chocolate skim milk is a source of calcium.

Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Antiflatulence diet Low-calcium and low-oxalate diet (to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones) Low-calorie diet Low-carbohydrate diet Low-fat diet Low-fat, controlled-cholesterol diet (milk chocolates) Low-fiber diet Potassium-regulated (low-potassium) diet

Buying This Food Look for: Tightly sealed boxes or bars. When you open a box of chocolates or unwrap a candy bar, the chocolate should be glossy and shiny. Chocolate that looks dull may be stale, or it may be inexpensively made candy without enough cocoa butter to make it gleam and give it the rich creamy mouthfeel we associate with the best chocolate. (Fine chocolate melts evenly on the tongue.) Chocolate should also smell fresh, not dry and powdery, and when you break a bar or piece of chocolate it should break cleanly, not crumble. One exception: If you have stored a bar of chocolate in the refrigerator, it may splinter if you break it without bringing it to room temperature first.

Storing This Food Store chocolate at a constant temperature, preferably below 78°F. At higher temperatures, the fat in the chocolate will rise to the surface and, when the chocolate is cooled, the fat will solidif y into a whitish powdery bloom. Bloom is unsightly but doesn’t change the chocolate’s taste or nutritional value. To get rid of bloom, melt the chocolate. The chocolate will turn dark, rich brown again when its fat recombines with the other ingredients. Chocolate with bloom makes a perfectly satisfactory chocolate sauce. Dark chocolate (bitter chocolate, semisweet chocolate) ages for at least six months after it is made, as its flavor becomes deeper and more intense. Wrapped tightly and stored in a cool, dry cabinet, it can stay fresh for a year or more. Milk chocolate ages only for about a month after it is made and holds its peak flavor for about three to six months, depending on how carefully it is stored. Plain cocoa, with no added milk powder or sugar, will stay fresh for up to a year if you keep it tightly sealed and cool.

What Happens When You Cook This Food Chocolate burns easily. To melt it without mishap, stir the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of hot water or in the top of a double boiler or put the chocolate in a covered dish and melt it in the microwave (which does not get as hot as a pot on the store). Simple chemistry dictates that chocolate cakes be leavened with baking soda rather than baking powder. Chocolate is so acidic that it will upset the delicate balance of acid (cream of tartar) and base (alkali = sodium bicarbonate = baking soda) in baking powder. But it is not acidic enough to balance plain sodium bicarbonate. That’s why we add an acidic sour-milk product such as buttermilk or sour cream or yogurt to a chocolate cake. Without the sour milk, the batter would be so basic that the chocolate would look red, not brown, and taste very bitter.

How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Freezing. Chocolate freezes and thaws well. Pack it in a moistureproof container and defrost it in the same package to let it reabsorb moisture it gave off while frozen.

Medical Uses and/or Benefits Mood elevator. Chocolate’s reputation for making people feel good is based not only on its caffeine content—19 mg caffeine per ounce of dark (sweet) chocolate, which is one-third the amount of caffeine in a five-ounce cup of brewed coffee—but also on its naturally occurring mood altering chemicals phenylethylalanine and anandamide. Phenylethylalanine is found in the blood of people in love. Anandamide stimulates areas of your brain also affected by the active ingredients in marijuana. (NOTE : As noted by the researchers at the Neurosci- ences Institute in San Diego who identified anandamide in chocolate in 1996, to get even the faintest hint of marijuana-like effects from chocolate you would have to eat more than 25 pounds of the candy all at once.) Possible heart health benefits. Chocolate is rich in catechins, the antioxidant chemicals that give tea its reputation as a heart-protective anticancer beverage (see tea). In addition, a series of studies beginning with those at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Peoria, Illinois, suggest that consuming foods rich in stearic acid like chocolate may reduce rather than raise the risk of a blood clot leading to a heart attack. Possible slowing of the aging process. Chocolate is a relatively good source of copper, a mineral that may play a role in slowing the aging process by decreasing the incidence of “protein glycation,” a reaction in which sugar molecules ( gly = sugar) hook up with protein molecules in the bloodstream, twisting the protein molecules out of shape and rendering them unusable. This can lead to bone loss, rising cholesterol, cardiac abnormalities, and a slew of other unpleasantries. In people with diabetes, excess protein glycation may be one factor involved in complications such as loss of vision. Ordinarily, increased protein glyca- tion is age-related. But at the USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota, agricultural research scientist Jack T. Saari has found that rats on copper-deficient diets experience more protein glycation at any age than other rats. A recent USDA survey of American eating patterns says that most of us get about 1.2 mg copper a day, considerably less than the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake (ESADDI) or 1.5 mg to 3 mg a day. Vegetarians are less likely to be copper deficient because, as Saari notes, the foods highest in copper are whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans, including the cocoa bean. One ounce of dark chocolate has .25 mg copper (8 –17 percent of the ESADDI).

Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Possible loss of bone density. In 2008, a team of Australian researchers at Royal Perth Hos- pital, and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital published a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggesting that women who consume chocolate daily had 3.1 percent lower bone density than women who consume chocolate no more than once a week. No explanation for the reaction was proposed; the finding remains to be confirmed. Possible increase in the risk of heart disease. Cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and plain dark chocolate are high in saturated fats. Milk chocolate is high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Eating foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol increases the amount of cholesterol in your blood and raises your risk of heart disease. NOTE : Plain cocoa powder and plain dark chocolate may be exceptions to this rule. In studies at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Peoria, Illinois, volunteers who consumed foods high in stearic acid, the saturated fat in cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and chocolate, had a lower risk of blood clots. In addition, chocolate is high in flavonoids, the antioxidant chemicals that give red wine its heart-healthy reputation. Mild jitters. There is less caffeine in chocolate than in an equal size serving of coffee: A five- ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee has 110 to 150 mg caffeine; a five-ounce cup of cocoa made with a tablespoon of plain cocoa powder ( 1/3 oz.) has about 18 mg caffeine. Nonetheless, people who are very sensitive to caffeine may find even these small amounts problematic. Allergic reaction. According to the Merck Manual, chocolate is one of the 12 foods most likely to trigger the classic food allergy symptoms: hives, swelling of the lips and eyes, and upset stomach.* The others are berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), corn, eggs, fish, legumes (green peas, lima beans, peanuts, soybeans), milk, nuts, peaches, pork, shellfish, and wheat (see wheat cer ea ls).

Food/Drug Interactions Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are drugs used to treat depression. They inactivate naturally occurring enzymes in your body that metabolize tyra- mine, a substance found in many fermented or aged foods. Tyramine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Caffeine is a substance similar to tyramine. If you consume excessive amounts of a caffeinated food, such as cocoa or chocolate, while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, the result may be a hypertensive crisis. False-positive test for pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal gland, secretes adrenalin, which the body converts to VM A (vanillylmandelic acid). VM A is excreted in urine, and, until recently, the test for this tumor measured the level of VM A in the urine. In the past, chocolate and cocoa, both of which contain VM A, were eliminated from the patient’s diet prior to the test lest they elevate the level of VM A in the urine and produce a false-positive result. Today, more finely drawn tests usually make this unnecessary. * The evidence link ing chocolate to allergic or migraine headaches is inconsistent. In some people, phenylet hylamine (PEA) seems to cause headaches similar to t hose induced by t yramine, anot her pressor amine. The PEA-induced headache is unusual in t hat it is a delayed react ion t hat usually occurs 12 or more hours after t he chocolate is eaten.... chocolate

Physical or psychological reliance on a substance or an individual. A baby is naturally dependent on its parents, but as the child develops, this dependence lessens. Some adults, however, remain partly dependent, making abnormal demands for admiration, love and help from parents, relatives and others.

The dependence that most concerns modern society is one in which individuals become dependent on or addicted to certain substances such as alcohol, drugs, tobacco (nicotine), caffeine and solvents. This is often called substance abuse. Some people become addicted to certain foods or activities: examples of the latter include gambling, computer games and use of the Internet.

The 28th report of the World Health Organisation Expert Committee on Drug Dependence in 1993 de?ned drug dependence as: ‘A cluster of physiological, behavioural and cognitive phenomena of variable intensity, in which the use of a psychoactive drug (or drugs) takes on a high priority. The necessary descriptive characteristics are preoccupation with a desire to obtain and take the drug and persistent drug-seeking behaviour. Psychological dependence occurs when the substance abuser craves the drug’s desirable effects. Physical dependence occurs when the user has to continue taking the drug to avoid distressing withdrawal or abstinence symptoms. Thus, determinants and the problematic consequences of drug dependence may be biological, psychological or social and usually interact.’

Di?erent drugs cause di?erent rates of dependence: TOBACCO is the most common substance of addiction; HEROIN and COCAINE cause high rates of addiction; whereas ALCOHOL is much lower, and CANNABIS lower again. Smoking in the western world reached a peak after World War II with almost 80 per cent of the male population smoking. The reports on the link between smoking and cancer in the early 1960s resulted in a decline that has continued so that only around a quarter of the adult populations of the UK and USA smokes. Globally, tobacco consumption continues to grow, particularly in the developing world with multinational tobacco companies marketing their products aggressively.

Accurate ?gures for illegal drug-taking are hard to obtain, but probably approximately 4 per cent of the population is dependent on alcohol and 2 per cent on other drugs, both legal and illegal, at any one time in western countries.

How does dependence occur? More than 40 distinct theories or models of drug misuse have been put forward. One is that the individual consumes drugs to cope with personal problems or diffculties in relations with others. The other main model emphasises environmental in?uences such as drug availability, environmental pressures to consume drugs, and sociocultural in?uences such as peer pressure.

By contrast to these models of why people misuse drugs, models of compulsive drug use – where individuals have a compulsive addiction

– have been amenable to testing in the laboratory. Studies at cellular and nerve-receptor levels are attempting to identify mechanisms of tolerance and dependence for several substances. Classical behaviour theory is a key model for understanding drug dependence. This and current laboratory studies are being used to explain the reinforcing nature of dependent substances and are helping to provide an explanatory framework for dependence. Drug consumption is a learned form of behaviour. Numerous investigators have used conditioning theories to study why people misuse drugs. Laboratory studies are now locating the ‘reward pathways’ in the brain for opiates and stimulants where positive reinforcing mechanisms involve particular sectors of the brain. There is a consensus among experts in addiction that addictive behaviour is amenable to e?ective treatment, and that the extent to which an addict complies with treatment makes it possible to predict a positive outcome. But there is a long way to go before the mechanisms of drug addiction are properly understood or ways of treating it generally agreed.

Effects of drugs Cannabis, derived from the plant Cannabis sativa, is a widely used recreational drug. Its two main forms are marijuana, which comes from the dried leaves, and hashish which comes from the resin. Cannabis may be used in food and drink but is usually smoked in cigarettes to induce relaxation and a feeling of well-being. Heavy use can cause apathy and vagueness and may even cause psychosis. Whether or not cannabis leads people to using harder drugs is arguable, and a national debate is underway on whether its use should be legalised for medicinal use. Cannabis may alleviate the symptoms of some disorders – for example, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) – and there are calls to allow the substance to be classi?ed as a prescribable drug.

About one in ten of Britain’s teenagers misuses volatile substances such as toluene at some time, but only about one in 40 does so regularly. These substances are given o? by certain glues, solvents, varnishes, and liquid fuels, all of which can be bought cheaply in shops, although their sale to children under 16 is illegal. They are often inhaled from plastic bags held over the nose and mouth. Central-nervous-system excitation, with euphoria and disinhibition, is followed by depression and lethargy. Unpleasant effects include facial rash, nausea and vomiting, tremor, dizziness, and clumsiness. Death from COMA and acute cardiac toxicity is a serious risk. Chronic heavy use can cause peripheral neuropathy and irreversible cerebellar damage. (See SOLVENT ABUSE (MISUSE).)

The hallucinogenic or psychedelic drugs include LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE (LSD) or acid, magic mushrooms, ecstasy (MDMA), and phencyclidine (PCP or ‘angel’ dust, mainly used in the USA). These drugs have no medicinal uses. Taken by mouth, they produce vivid ‘trips’, with heightened emotions and perceptions and sometimes with hallucinations. They are not physically addictive but can cause nightmarish bad trips during use and ?ashbacks (vivid reruns of trips) after use, and can probably trigger psychosis and even death, especially if drugs are mixed or taken with alcohol.

Stimulant drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine act like adrenaline and speed up the central nervous system, making the user feel con?dent, energetic, and powerful for several hours. They can also cause severe insomnia, anxiety, paranoia, psychosis, and even sudden death due to convulsions or tachycardia. Depression may occur on withdrawal of these drugs, and in some users this is su?ciently deterrent to cause psychological dependence. Amphetamine (‘speed’) is mainly synthesised illegally and may be eaten, sni?ed, or injected. Related drugs, such as dexamphetamine sulphate (Dexedrine), are prescribed pills that enter the black market. ECSTASY is another amphetamine derivative that has become a popular recreational drug; it may have fatal allergic effects. Cocaine and related drugs are used in medicine as local anaesthetics. Illegal supplies of cocaine (‘snow’ or ‘ice’) and its derivative, ‘crack’, come mainly from South America, where they are made from the plant Erythroxylon coca. Cocaine is usually sni?ed (‘snorted’) or rubbed into the gums; crack is burnt and inhaled.

Opiate drugs are derived from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. They are described as narcotic because they induce sleep. Their main medical use is as potent oral or injectable analgesics such as MORPHINE, DIAMORPHINE, PETHIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE, and CODEINE. The commonest illegal opiate is heroin, a powdered form of diamorphine that may be smoked, sni?ed, or injected to induce euphoria and drowsiness. Regular opiate misuse leads to tolerance (the need to take ever larger doses to achieve the same e?ect) and marked dependence. A less addictive oral opiate, METHADONE HYDROCHLORIDE, can be prescribed as a substitute that is easier to withdraw.

Some 75,000–150,000 Britons now misuse opiates and other drugs intravenously, and pose a huge public-health problem because injections with shared dirty needles can carry the blood-borne viruses that cause AIDS/HIV and HEPATITIS B. Many clinics now operate schemes to exchange old needles for clean ones, free of charge. Many addicts are often socially disruptive.

For help and advice see APPENDIX 2: ADDRESSES: SOURCES OF INFORMATION, ADVICE, SUPPORT AND SELF-HELP – National Dugs Helpline.

(See ALCOHOL and TOBACCO for detailed entries on those subjects.)... dependence

See also MEDICINES. Government legislation covers the manufacture, sale and prescription of drugs in the UK. As well as stating which drugs may be sold over the counter (OTC) without a doctor’s or dentist’s prescription, and those which can be obtained only with such a prescription, government regulations determine the extent of availability of many substances which are liable to be abused – see Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (below). The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 de?ne those individuals who in their professional capacity are authorised to supply and possess controlled drugs: see the schedules of drugs listed below under the 1985 regulations.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 This legislation forbids activities relating to the manufacture, sale and possession of particular (controlled) drugs. These are classi?ed into three grades according to their dangers if misused. Any o?ences concerning class A drugs, potentially the most damaging when abused, carry the toughest penalties, while classes B and C attract lesser penalties if abused.

Class A includes: cocaine, dextromoramide, diamorphine (heroin), lysergic acid (LSD), methadone, morphine, opium, pethidine, phencyclidine acid and injectable preparations of class B drugs.

Class B includes: oral amphetamines, barbiturates, codeine, glutethimide, marijuana (cannabis), pentazocine and pholcodine.

Class C includes: drugs related to the amphetamines, anabolic and androgenic steroids, many benzodiazepines, buprenorphine, diethyl propion, human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), mazindol, meprobamate, pemoline, phenbuterol, and somatropin.

Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 These regulations de?ne those people who are authorised in their professional capacity to supply and possess controlled drugs. They also describe the requirements for legally undertaking these activities, such as storage of the drugs and limits on their prescription.

Drugs are divided into ?ve schedules and some examples follow.

I: Almost all are prohibited except in accordance with Home O?ce authority: marijuana (cannabis), LSD.

II: High potential for abuse but have

accepted medical uses: amphetamines, cocaine.

III: Lower potential for abuse: barbiturates, meprobamate, temazepam.

IV: Lower potential for abuse than I to III. Minimal control: benzodiazepines.

V: Low potential for abuse: generally compound preparations containing small amounts of opioids: kaolin and morphine (antidiarrhoeal medicine), codeine linctus (cough suppressant).

(See also CONTROLLED DRUGS.)... misuse of drugs

A drug that causes hallucination.

Hallucinogens include certain drugs of abuse, such as LSD, marijuana, mescaline, and psilocybin.

Some prescription drugs, including anticholinergic drugs and levodopa, occasionally cause hallucinations.... hallucinogenic drug

Another name for marijuana.... hashish

The abbreviation for tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana.... thc

Expressionless eye with pinpoint pupil (pupil constriction). The iris is compressed against the cornea thus arresting fluid circulation and raising intra-ocular pressure. Medical emergency. Two kinds: acute (closed angle) and chronic.

Acute. Eye is brick red and brick hard. Agonisingly painful, vision much reduced, pupil dilated and oval, the cornea steamy and the iris greenish, sees rainbow rings around lights, misty vision, pain in head and eyes, colours appear dull, can read for only short periods, unable to walk confidently downstairs, damage to retina and optic nerve from build-up of fluid.

Etiology: Damage from past inflammations, high blood pressure, steroids, stress, diet deficiencies, injury. Develops more in far-sighted people.

Ocular emergency requiring immediate hospital specialist treatment. If admission to hospital is delayed Pilocarpine may save the day: 1 drop of 1 per cent solution to each eye to constrict the pupil and open the drainage angle. This lasts 4-5 hours. Apply 1 drop 4 times every 24 hours. In the absence of Pilocarpine, a practitioner may prescribe Tincture Gelsemium BPC 1963, 5 drops in water not more than thrice daily.

A history of eyelids that are stuck down in the mornings reveals blockage from inflammatory exudate, tension rises and may precipitate glaucoma.

Chronic (gradual and long-continued). Usually in the elderly. Sometimes genetic. Chronic rise in painless intra-ocular pressure arrests blood supply to the optic discs thus disrupting bundles of retinal nerve fibres. ‘Deeply cupped discs’. Condition usually unsuspected. A sight destroyer.

Symptoms: bumping into objects and people. As above.

Treatment. Surgical drainage incision through the iris relieves tension. The object is to contract the pupil and focussing (ciliary) muscle which promotes the escape of watery fluid from the eye. Agents which contract the pupil are Pilocarpine, Adrenalin. Promotion of the body’s own supply of Adrenalin is mildly assisted by Ginseng. All cases should receive Echinacea to enhance resistance. Herbal medicine often stabilises the condition, with remedies such as Pulsatilla.

Alternatives:– Maintenance anti-inflammatory. Tea: fresh or dried herbs. Equal parts: Nettles, Marigold petals, Horsetail. Mix. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup thrice daily.

Traditional. It was common practice in the South of France to douche the eye with dilute lemon juice, doubtless because Vitamin C has an osmotic effect, drawing away fluid.

Rutin (Buckwheat). 20mg thrice daily. Tablets, powder, etc.

Canasol. A non-hallucinogenic alkaloid of the marijuana plant (cannabis) has been used with success. Blood Tonics. See entry. Healthy blood contributes to healthy eyes and common blood tonics have been responsible for some cures in the early stages.

Bilberries. Mr Eric Wright suffered from glaucoma for many years. At 74 he was nearly blind, walked with a white stick, and couldn’t read or write. Improvement was impressive after taking Bilberry extract. His specialist agreed that his sight was at its best in three years since surgery to reduce intra-ocular pressure.

Diet. Begin 3-day fast, followed by 3 days on fruit and vegetable juices. Wholefoods thereafter. Increase protein intake. Repeat fast every 3 months. Fresh Bilberries as desired. Dr Rolf Ulrich links coffee with glaucoma. (Clinical Physiology)

Supplements. Daily. Vitamin A 7500iu, Vitamin B1 15mg, Vitamin B2 10mg, Vitamin B6 10mg, Vitamin C 3g, Vitamin E 500mg, Zinc.

Notes. Stress automatically raises intra-ocular pressure for which relaxation techniques are indicated. Tobacco worsens by causing constriction of blood vessels supplying the optic nerve. Abstain alcohol. Glaucoma becomes more prevalent in an ageing population. Patients with a strong history and with high blood pressure and diabetes should be screened.

To be treated by a general medical practitioner or hospital specialist. ... glaucoma

Unpleasant mental and physical symptoms experienced when a person stops using a drug on which he or she is dependent (see drug dependence). Withdrawal syndrome most commonly occurs in those with alcohol dependence or dependence on opioids, in smokers, and in people addicted to tranquillizers, amfetamines, cocaine, marijuana, and caffeine.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms start 6–8 hours after cessation of intake and may last up to 7 days. They include trembling of the hands, nausea, vomiting, sweating, cramps, anxiety, and, sometimes, seizures. (See also confusion, delirium tremens, and hallucinations.)

Opioid withdrawal symptoms start after 8–12 hours and may last for 7–10 days. Symptoms include restlessness, sweating, runny eyes and nose, yawning, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, dilated pupils, loss of appetite, irritability, weakness, tremor, and depression.

Withdrawal symptoms from barbiturate drugs and meprobamate start after 12–24 hours, beginning with tremor, anxiety, restlessness, and weakness, sometimes followed by delirium, hallucinations, and, occasionally, seizures. A period of prolonged sleep occurs 3–8 days after onset. Withdrawal from benzodiazepine drugs may begin much more slowly and can be life-threatening.

Withdrawal symptoms from nicotine develop gradually over 24–48 hours and include irritability, concentration problems, frustration, headaches, and anxiety. Discontinuation of cocaine or amfetamines results in extreme tiredness, lethargy, and dizziness. Cocaine withdrawal may also lead to tremor, severe depression, and sweating.

Withdrawal symptoms from marijuana include tremor, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, irritability, and sleep problems. Caffeine withdrawal may lead to tiredness, headaches, and irritability.

Severe withdrawal syndromes require medical treatment.

Symptoms may be suppressed by giving the patient small quantities of the drug he or she had been taking.

More commonly, a substitute drug is given, such as methadone for opioid drugs or diazepam for alcohol.

The dose of the drug is then gradually reduced.... withdrawal syndrome