Medical marijuana has a plethora of benefits & uses for those who are suffering from any one of a long list of medical ailments. Even those who do not have an existing condition will be able to enjoy some of the following health benefits of using recreational & medical marijuana for possible preventative measures.
There are many medical marijuana dispensaries that possess a wide range of cannabis products. The products that are sold are cultivated to provide users with a specific range of benefits, but many individuals may not know about the medicinal effects that medical marijuana can have. By learning about the positive health effects that come with using cannabis products, individuals will be able to make more informed choices.
The evolution of medical cannabis has given rise to a wave of new applications for anxiety, ailments and addictions.
Social & Political Gains
As reported in Weedmaps, Dr. Ralph Northam (D) will replace Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) as the next governor of Virginia. Dr. Northam, a physician by trade, has accepted the scientific data indicating the medicinal efficacy of cannabis. “As a doctor, I’m becoming increasingly convinced by the data showing potential health benefits of marijuana, such as pain relief, drug-resistant epilepsy, and treatment for PTSD. By decriminalizing it, our researchers can better study the plant so doctors can more effectively prescribe drugs made from it.” He has requested a bill from the state legislature to legalize it in his state.
As medical and fully legal recreational marijuana become increasingly common in America, claims about cannabis’ health effects have been scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration. For instance, while there’s limited evidence it can treat cancer, it is fairly clear that marijuana can treat nausea in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Cannabis can also be used to soothe chronic pain, mollify muscle issues in people with multiple sclerosis, and improve sleep for people with certain disorders in the short term, according to a review of more than 10,000 individual studies published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine earlier this year.
The FDA notes that there aren’t any marijuana-derived products approved the FDA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently sent a message to companies with cannabis-based products as ones that can “prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure cancer” without evidence supporting that assertion.
“Substances that contain components of marijuana will be treated like any other products that make unproven claims to shrink cancer tumors. We don’t let companies market products that deliberately prey on sick people with baseless claims that their substance can shrink or cure cancer and we’re not going to look the other way on enforcing these principles when it comes to marijuana-containing products,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in a statement.
But there are several products going through later-stage clinical trials, including an experimental epilepsy treatment from GW Pharmaceuticals and Zynerba Pharmaceuticals’ cannabis-based gel for a rare autism spectrum disorder called Fragile X syndrome. Other studies about the effects of cannabis are going on in Canada and Israel with positive results thus far. Until then, cannabis users must rely on anecdotal information until more studies are completed.
How Does Marijuana Help Out The Body?
Cannabis strains that are high in CBD have been shown to help patients facing severe health issues. With healing properties that include reducing blood sugar levels, treating psoriasis and relieving anxiety, CBD has been an effective tool for many people looking for a solution for their health woes. Mixed with small doses of THC and certain terpenes, a mixture has been reportedly effective on seizures.
While some people may not approve of the use of marijuana, there is no denying that it has helped thousands of individuals deal with a variety of diseases and symptoms. Medical marijuana is now viewed in many circles as a valid medicine, which is why it’s important to understand the many health benefits that can come from medical marijuana. Here are some of the top diseases, disorders and ailments that can be alleviated with the use of marijuana:
Opioids and Substitution Therapy
What was once considered a gateway to hell may actually be a gateway to healing.
Researchers have found that Americans and Canadians are using the pain-killing properties of cannabinoids to suppress a growing crisis – the opiate addiction epidemic. Once considered an evil gateway drug, many are finding cannabis to be a formidable means to halt the use of alcohol, tobacco, opioids and illegal illicit drugs.
Substitution effect happens when the use of one product or substance is influenced by the use or availability of another. Cannabis may not be the bad guy after all, instead offering a way out of addiction. Substituting pot for a harsher substance has been termed everything from risky to logical. But while doctors and researchers debate the use of what has been derogatorily labeled a “gateway” drug in reverse, a movement has emerged to infuse cannabis to ease or eliminate addictions.
There is a growing body of evidence to support the use of medical cannabis as an adjunct to or substitute for prescription opiates in the treatment of chronic pain. When used in conjunction with opiates, cannabinoids lead to a greater cumulative relief of pain, resulting in a reduction in the use of opiates (and associated side-effects) by patients in a clinical setting. Additionally, cannabinoids can prevent the development of tolerance to and withdrawal from opiates, and can even rekindle opiate analgesia after a prior dosage has become ineffective. Novel research suggests that cannabis may be useful in the treatment of problematic substance use.
Cancer
As the cannabis industry grows, more and more people are discovering that medical marijuana can help inhibit the growth of cancer. Cannabidiol (CBD) may stop cancers from spreading by turning off the gene called Id-1. Studies have shown that after individuals were treated with cannabidiol, the cancer cells had decreased their Id-1 expression, and they were less aggressive in their spreading. When combined with cancer treatments, many professionals expect patients to recover even more efficiently.
Lung Capacity
Studies show that users who enjoy marijuana products will actually be able to increase their lung capacity. Researchers looked into the lung function of different smoker groups over a period of 20 years. The results concluded that while tobacco smokers lost their lung function over time, pot users had actually shown signs of increasing their lung capacity. Many suggest using marijuana as a way to get over a smoking habit, or at least to ease the transition into less frequent smoking habits.
Anxiety
There may be emotional and mental benefits that come with using marijuana. Researchers have found that individuals who suffer from anxiety may actually experience calmer overall moods and less frequent mood swings when they use low doses of marijuana that contain the terpene myrcene. There are many strains of cannabis that can reduce anxiety and stress.
Pain
One of the primary reasons that patients use medical marijuana is to deal with pain they are facing as a result of any number of factors. Marijuana has been shown to help people suffering from severe headaches, a variety of different cancers and other disorders such as glaucoma and nerve pain.
In addition to helping patients with severe pain, cannabis has been proven to assist people suffering from muscle spasms caused by MS and Crohn’s disease.
Epileptic Seizures
A medical study conducted back in 2003 in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, suggested the use of marijuana can drastically reduce or stop individuals from having seizures. The medical experts who conducted the study found that cannabinoids were effective in treating epileptic seizures because they have the ability to bind to cells in the brain that induce relaxation.
Medical marijuana is a hopeful treatment option for those who suffer with seizures. Those who suffer with seizures have a decreased quality of life due to their illness, but introducing marijuana as a medicine has given hope for a happier life.
Dravet’s Syndrome is a chronic disease that can cause severe seizures. The disease is seen in infancy and is also known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy (SMEI). A documentary film titled “Weed” featured a young girl who suffered from the chronic illness. According to the girl’s parents, the girl had around 300 seizures per week. However, once her parents started treating her illness with medical marijuana, her seizures subsided to only one every week. According to medical experts, the cannabis is effective in calming the brain activity that is responsible for the seizures.
Tobacco Use
Cannabis may increase lung longevity and reverse the long-term effects of smoking tobacco. And just like attacking opioid use, cannabis can reduce or eliminate tobacco use. Several different studies about inhaling marijuana have indicated that the drug does not impair lung function but that there is also a chance that it actually increases lung longevity. And by reducing stress, smokers are more able to resist smoking.
PTSD
While many people might feel that one of the drawbacks to using marijuana is that it temporarily impairs memory, for patients who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it might allow them to be able to release painful memories and lessen flashback episodes. It can also help patients who struggle with sleep disorders and insomnia to relax and sleep through the night.
Other Possible Benefits
There are plenty of other possible health benefits of using marijuana as medicine as well, such as nausea reduction for patients who are experiencing adverse cancer side effects or a reaction to chemotherapy. For patients who have diseases that cause them to lose their appetite such as cancer or HIV, marijuana serves as a powerful appetite stimulant that helps individuals achieve a healthier weight. There also are terpenes in certain plants that may decrease appetite.
With more states passing legislation to legalize the use of marijuana for recreational use, the potential health benefits of cannabis could significantly increase in the coming years. While the effects of marijuana on the overall health of the body still are being studied, the research that has been done so far seems to indicate a nearly endless list of ailments that cannabis has the potential to cure.
The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial topic for decades. Now that several states have approved its use and many others are considering approving it in the near future, there’s no better time to learn about some surprising medical benefits of marijuana.
More research still needs to be done, but marijuana appears to be one of the most versatile and effective tools in the fight against painful and potentially life-threatening diseases. For more information on why marijuana may be good for you or for Shango medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon and Nevada, come visit a Shango store today.
