Benefits of Medical Marijuana
Benefits of Medical Marijuana
People have been using marijuana, or cannabis, to heal their ailments for at least 3,000 years, according to the National Institutes of Health. After decades of being regarded an illegal substance, marijuana is now being reevaluated on a cultural and legal basis.
Using medical marijuana has been proven to help with the following:
t Alleviation of chronic pain
Cannabis contains hundreds of chemical components, many of which are cannabinoids. Because of its chemical nature, cannabinoids have been linked to providing relief from chronic pain. As a result, cannabis by-products like medicinal cannabis are frequently utilized to treat chronic pain.
t Increases lung capacity
Unlike cigarettes, smoking cannabis in the form of cannabis does not hurt your lungs. In fact, a study discovered that cannabis actually helps the lungs expand their capacity rather than harming them.
t Reduce body weight
If you look around, you'll see that most cannabis users aren't overweight. This is because cannabis has been linked to helping your body regulate insulin while also managing caloric intake.
t Regulate and prevent diabetes
It's only natural that cannabis can help regulate and prevent diabetes because of its effect on insulin. Cannabis has been related to blood sugar stabilization, decreased blood pressure, and improved blood circulation, according to research undertaken by the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC).
t Fight cancer
One of the most important medical benefits of cannabis is its ability to help people fight cancer. Cannabinoids have a lot of evidence that they can help fight cancer, or at least some forms of cancer.
t Works as a natural antidepressant
Depression is fairly common, and most individuals are unaware that they have it. Cannabis' endocannabinoid components can assist to stabilize moods, which can aid to alleviate depression.
t Shows promise in autism treatment
Cannabis is believed to help people relax and maintain control over their emotions. It can assist youngsters with autism who have frequent violent mood swings in controlling their behavior.
t Control seizures
CBD has been demonstrated to aid in the control of seizures in studies. There are ongoing research to see how cannabis affects people who have epilepsy.
t Maintain bone strength
Cannabidiol has been related to speeding up the healing of shattered bones. According to the Tel Aviv-based Bone Research Laboratory, it also aids in the healing process by strengthening the bone. The bone will be more difficult to break in the future as a result of this.
t Treatment for glaucoma
Glaucoma causes increased pressure on the eyeball, which is painful for those who suffer from it. Individuals with glaucoma may find that cannabis can assist lessen the pressure applied to the eyeball, providing some brief relief.
t Reduces anxiety
While it is well known that cannabis causes anxiety, there is a technique to avoid this. Cannabis, when used in a controlled dose and in the right method, can help users relax and feel less anxious.
t Helps with Alzheimer’s disease
Cognitive degeneration causes a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive decline is almost unavoidable as we get older. The anti-inflammatories in cannabis' endocannabinoid counteract the brain inflammation that causes Alzheimer's disease.
t Alleviates arthritis pain
Cannabis is now widely available in the form of lotions and balms for arthritis sufferers. Both THC and CBD can aid those who are in pain.
t Helps with PTSD symptoms
PTSD affects anyone who has been through a traumatic event, not only veterans. As cannabis becomes legal, researchers are looking into how it can assist those with PTSD. Cannabis aids in the regulation of the fight-or-flight response, stopping it from overreacting.
t Helps with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is a painful condition for which cannabis is proven to provide relief. Multiple sclerosis causes painful muscle contractions, which can be alleviated with cannabis.
t Reduces hepatitis C-related suffering and improves treatment efficacy
Hepatitis C treatment involves a number of adverse effects, including nausea, exhaustion, melancholy, and muscle aches. For some hepatitis C patients, these symptoms can continue for months. Cannabis can assist to decrease the treatment's adverse effects while also increasing its effectiveness.
t Treats inflammatory bowel diseases
Cannabis can provide assistance to people suffering from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. THC and cannabidiol have been shown to improve immune response while also interacting with cells that are important for gut health. Cannabis aids in the blocking of germs and other substances that induce gastrointestinal irritation.
t Helps with tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease
Those who suffer from Parkinson's illness. Cannabis can aid in the reduction of tremors and pain, as well as the promotion of sleep. It has also been demonstrated to help patients improve their motor skills.
t Helps with alcoholism
Another of the numerous health benefits of cannabis is that it is unquestionably safer than alcohol. While replacing cannabis for alcohol may not be completely risk-free, it can be a better strategy to combat alcoholism.
How do you take medical marijuana?
To take medical marijuana, you can:
Ø Smoke it
Ø Inhale it through a device called a vaporizer that turns it into a mist
Ø Eat it -- for example, in a brownie or lollipop
Ø Apply it to your skin in a lotion, spray, oil, or cream
Ø Place a few drops of a liquid under your tongue
It's entirely up to you how you use it. Each approach affects your body in a distinct way. "You feel the effects very fast if you smoke or vaporize cannabis," Bonn-Miller explains. "It takes substantially longer if you eat it. The effects of edible goods can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to manifest."
What are the qualifying conditions for a medical marijuana card?
The qualifying conditions for medical cannabis may differ from one state to another. Each state has a list of conditions qualifying for a medical marijuana card. New conditions are approved and added all the time. In certain conditions, you may qualify even if you were diagnosed with a medical condition rather than those on the list. Therefore, it's very important to consult a medical marijuana doctor about your medical condition.
The current qualifying conditions list for the Florida medical marijuana program are:
Ø Cancer
Ø Epilepsy
Ø Glaucoma
Ø HIV/AIDS
Ø Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Ø Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Ø Crohn’s disease
Ø Parkinson’s disease
Ø Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Ø Medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those above
Ø A terminal condition diagnosed by a physician other than the qualified physician issuing the physician certification
Ø Chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition or that originates from a qualifying medical condition and persists beyond the usual course of that qualifying medical condition
Has the FDA approved medical marijuana?
Epidiolex, a cannabinoid, was licensed in 2018 to treat seizures linked with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. Furthermore, the FDA has approved the use of dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet) to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Epidiolex, a cannabinoid, was licensed in 2018 to treat seizures linked with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two rare and severe forms of epilepsy.
References
1- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know
2- https://www.healtheuropa.eu/health-benefits-of-cannabis/92499/
3- https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/patient/treatments/medical-marijuana-pain-what-use-for
4- https://www.diabetes.co.uk/recreational-drugs/cannabis.html
