opinion on such a documentary is outside this article’s scope – but also because it is not relevant to the investor. What is relevant are the facts. And what are the facts so far:
1. CBD is a power anti-inflammatory
2. Cannabis and Hemp were made illegal
3. Inflammation is being closely tied to many diseases
4. Many of these diseases were less common in the pre-prohibition period
We also know as fact that our diet significantly changed subsequent to Eisenhower’s heart attack. It is also widely believed that this change in diet was led by the American Heart Association and influenced by powerful deep pockets that posed to be well rewarded if the American diet moved towards one where, for example, vegetable oils replaced butter, etc. For those interested in such theories, you can click here for the nearly two hour long documentary “The Skinny on Fat”. Again, let’s put these theories aside and just accept the fact that there was a move away from how we used to eat. Our trip through time is over.
This recent report authored by four doctors titled The Epidemic of the 20th Century: Coronary Heart Disease is self explanatory. The report concluded in part that:
The increase in heart disease deaths from the early 20th century until the 1960s was due to an increase in the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis with resultant coronary heart disease, as documented by autopsy studies. This increase was associated with an increase in smoking and dietary changes leading to an increase in serum cholesterol levels.
What is noteworthy is that all sources cited (and even some I have not) further state that there was a decline in deaths from heart disease commencing in the 1960’s to this date. Some may therefore conclude that is evidence that chronic-inflammation is not one of the culprits and particularly given the rise in obesity which in itself contributes to chronic-inflammation. And if that is true then the entire hypothesis of the role that cannabis may play as an anti-inflammatory is at best suspect and at worst should be thrown out. Not so fast as this same report concluded:
Most of the decline in coronary heart disease deaths is due to a decrease in deaths due to acute myocardial infarction and to a reduction in sudden cardiac deaths. These deaths have been reduced by primary prevention, which has
decreased the incidence of coronary atherosclerosis, and primary and secondary prevention, which have reduced the progression of coronary atherosclerosis to obstructive coronary heart disease. In addition, the remarkable reduction in the case fatality rate of acute myocardial infarction is almost certainly due to
more effective emergency treatment and transport of patients who then receive more rapid and effective in-hospital treatment. The multiple factors that have led to the remarkable decline in coronary heart disease deaths in the US over the
last 50 years.
This should remind you of our frequent discussions about questioning those that make conclusions without all of the information such as the hucksters that use bulletin boards, social media, and platforms such as subreddit to offer so called education and/or investment advice because the hucksters could quote that same source but end before the fact the reduction in deaths is tied to awareness, education, and better and quicker medical intervention. Hucksters hope that you accept what they say. In this case, many would have walked away from my hypothesis once learning that the rate of heart disease and heart attacks began to drop four decades ago – that is a significant trend. The Hucksters who want to discredit the hypothesis would quote that study intentionally out of context and omit the true causes of the observed reduction.
173