The Medicinal Benefits of Cannabis
With the relaxation of laws surrounding marijuana, products such as pills, flowers, topicals, oils, and edibles have taken on the entire new sector of the medical marijuana (MMJ) industry. Health caregivers, after obtaining medical marijuana licenses, are setting up shops almost anywhere, offering an assortment of MMJ products with catchy names.
Most medical cannabis products are sold as THC or CBD derived products. These are the two primary cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. They are both legendary for their potent physiological and psychological effects on humans. Even the FDA has approved some THC derived drugs for help with chemo pain, stimulate appetite in AIDS patients, treat epilepsy, etc.
Here’s a full look at the medical benefits of cannabis.
Treatment of psychiatric disorders
One of the adverse effects of cannabis usage is short term memory loss. But for those dealing with psychiatric disorders like PTSD, this is a blessing. Cannabis can be used to make them forget traumatic events. Apart from that, cannabis can be used for therapeutical purposes to alleviate depression and anxiety by inducing pleasant cerebral effects.
An appetite booster
A lot of chronic illnesses are usually accompanied by loss of appetite. Deprived of nutrients, the body takes longer to recover. Health researchers have, therefore, recommended MMJ usage to stimulate the appetite. Dronabinol, for example, is an FDA-approved synthetic THC appetite stimulant for use by those with AIDS.
Cannabis has been known to trigger hunger hormone ghrelin, making eating feel pleasurable. Most weed users have reported feeling hungry, and craving for sugary and fatty stuff just after smoking or vaping. So why not use the same to help patients who have lost appetite experience pleasure from eating.
Dealing with excess body weight
One of the ironic sides of cannabis is it increases the craving for sugary stuff, but weed users are less likely to develop overweight issues. Research is ongoing to find out exactly why most cannabis users have leaner body mass. Meanwhile, you can micro-dose on some cannacaps to lose excess body fat.
Managing chronic pain
It’ been scientifically proven that in the body, CBD stimulates the production of anandamide. This hormone induces blissful effects and insensitivity to pain.
CBD medication can, therefore, be used to alleviate pain from epileptic seizures, chemotherapy treatments, arthritis, strenuous physical routines, among others.
Anti-inflammatory
Do you have an immune system that tends to get overexcited leading to inflammations? Cannabis medication can help with that. CBD is proven to possess immunosuppressive properties that make it a natural remedy for acne, joints, and gastrointestinal inflammations. It also causes vasodilation, so heat dissipates from inflamed areas leading to the feeling of bliss.
Alleviates the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases
Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis are exacerbated by free-radical buildup leading to mood swings. Marijuana can help with these symptoms. It contains powerful anti-oxidants to fight stress-causing radicals in the brain and uplifting terpenes to induce calm and relaxation.
Suppressing nausea
Pre-clinical researches suggest that cannabis contains antiemetic substances that can suppress nausea if used in low doses. Nausea is among the many side effects of prescribed medication and chemotherapies to treat illnesses. By helping patients feel less nauseated, MMJ helps alleviate the feeling of sickness, improve mood, and boost appetite.
But keep in mind the antiemetic effects of cannabis are only possible in small doses lest you end up feeling the same thing you are trying to avoid.
Regulation of Seizures
Both university-college laboratory research and anecdotal reports say CBD can help reduce the frequency of seizures. One popular cannabis product for use to treat an epileptic condition is charlotte’s web, made famous by Charlotte Figi back in 2011 when her physicians used the cannabis strain to treat her epileptic seizures with remarkable results
Cannabis can help shrink tumors
Up until now, the focus has been mostly on the use of cannabis for palliative care, but now, there’s an increased interest in whether cannabis can be useful in fighting cancer. Cancer is a condition that arises from cellular miscommunication leading to abnormal cell growth. Preliminary research indicates CBD may help with this by targeting pathways crucial to tumor development and starving the tumor of blood and nutrients, so it dies. But this is still being investigated, so we cannot make any bold claims yet.
Are there risks of MMJ?
Yes, in addition to the known risks of increased cannabis usage (loss of memory, cognitive impairment, acute psychosis, loss of balance, and coordination), there are side effects of MMJ.
If you overdose on MMJ, you will obviously experience nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, mood swings, and you also risk damaging your liver. So, stay vigilant, check with the doctor first, and avoid poor-quality MMJ products, like those manufactured from overseas grown cannabis. Also, get products that indicate dosages per milligram, so you know the amount of CBD/THC you are taking.
For your MMJ needs, check out with our online physicians at mmjdoctor.com.