The secret diary of a microdoser # 7
Cannabis is an ancient word. The Greeks first learned of it by observing a funeral tradition where the Scythians, a horsewarfaring tribe from modern day Iran, were clearly giving the old boy a good send-off … Also known in Hebrew as qaneh bosem, or, my favourite, in ancient Akkadian,“ qunubu”( or, as they would write it, 𐎯𐎯𐎯𐎯𐎯) it has a long medical history. In the Louvre in Paris you can find qunubu preserved for posterity, engraved into an ancient Akkadian medical tablet which includes cannabis in a list of substances used for healing.
You’ ll find it mentioned in medicinal, religious, and ritual contexts in Assyrian and Babylonian records where cannabis incense filled the chambers of kings. The mighty Egyptians, a mesmeric culture that was clearly tripping balls, used it to treat inflammation, eye conditions, gynaecological issues and even created cannabis-based suppositories to soothe digestive issues. Well, as I’ ve always said,“ Any port in a storm”… Often referred to as shemshemet in Egyptian hieroglyphs, cannabis even made it on to the headdress of Seshat, the ancient Egyptian goddess of Writing, Wisdom, and Knowledge who also had a penchant for wearing leopard skin. I love a lady in leopard print. Clever and feisty, she was clearly blazing the trail for Carol Vorderman...
In more recent years, cannabis has boomeranged in the medical arena. One area is in dealing with epileptic seizures, particularly those in existence from childhood. Syndromes such as Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut are associated with multiple seizure types that are very difficult to control. A UK biotech, GW Pharmaceuticals, not only produces the cannabis-based drug Epidolex to treat childhood epilepsy but also created Sativex for alleviating neuropathic pain and other symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, albeit at a price too high to be widely prescribed by the NHS, forcing patients to go private.
But, of course, stories such as these can’ t escape hints of hypocrisy and corruption. In 2016, GW Pharmaceuticals signed a long term deal with British Sugar who subsequently migrated the equivalent of 23 football pitches of tomato glasshouses to cannabis production, using heat and carbon dioxide from its sugar beet factory in Wissington, Norfolk to grow a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis. Aside from British Sugar’ s own dubious story of nationalisation and then under-the-radar privatisation( offering us the brand“ Silver Spoon” as if we all have a chance of being born with one of those in our mouths), none of this would raise an eyebrow were it not for Paul Kenward, the then chairman of British Sugar, being the husband of MP Victoria Atkins, who also happened to be the Tories’ Minister for Drugs at the time of the deal.
The level of political hypocrisy around cannabis rarely surprises me. What is less discussed is the culpability of black market
producers and how most have lost touch with their roots, with the very essence of cannabis itself, in the pursuit of money. Cross-breeding strains to increase the levels of THC in order to win accolades such as High Times’ Cannabis Cup is a Golden Calf. Skunk is a False Idol. They have lost sight of the medicinal value of cannabis.
The resurgence of CBD is certainly valid but there are other beneficial compounds within cannabis that deserve a share of the spotlight. Cannabigerol( CBG) is known for its antiinflammatory properties, not only in reducing the overactivity of immune cells( treating Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Colitis and Crohns Disease) but also in benefitting the nervous system, assisting in the prevention of Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
Early research of Cannabichromene( CBC) indicates it contains strong antibacterial properties, particularly against MRSA. It is effective at suppressing excessive lipid production in the skin which could help combat acne, as well as reducing inflammation, relieving pain and encouraging neurogenesis of the hippocampus( the area of the brain responsible for memory). Equally it shows promise as an antidepressant, and has potential as an anticarcinogenic, with impressive results in preventing breast cancer. Whereas THC binds to receptors in the brain, CBC binds to those in the gut. Critically, its efficacy increases when used alongside the other cannabinoids, supporting evidence for what is known as the“ Entourage Effect”.
So perhaps it is unsurprising that sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis report better results of symptom relief when smoking cannabis than when taking Sativex, whose limited ingredients are stripped from different strains. Of course, the methodology of smoking cannabis undermines its health benefits. But fortune favours the brave and technology has offered us some answers.
Vaping is an option, sure. But recent years have seen the rise of“ gummies”, some brands of which seem to be made with a fair degree of intelligence as they contain a healthy balance of cannabinoids and are also available in doses low enough for microdosing. They aim to stimulate the body’ s Endocannabinoid System( ECS), whose purpose is to keep various physiological and cognitive processes in balance. Key processes such as pain management, memory, appetite, mood and immune function. By extracting terpenes from a single source and emphasising a full range of cannabinoids, a few producers have clearly realised the importance of the Entourage Effect. They understand that THC is not the only fruit and, much like their consumer, cannabinoids are pack animals. They work far better as a team than a lone wolf howling at the moon.
Stay safe,
Ray, Brighton, 2025
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