Marijuana has been used as a natural medicinal herb for thousands of years. It was just in the 1930’s that it was deemed dangerous and given the status of a Schedule I illegal substance, although the reasons for it’s fall from grace is controversial.
Thankfully, for those who do indeed use marijuana has a medicinal herb and swear by its miraculous effects on all different types of ailments, several states have passed legislation allowing marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes. Here are just a few of the many uses the medical industry has found for medicinal marijuana.
Health benefits of medical marijuana:
The most popular use for medical marijuana is for pain control. With the alternatives being highly addictive, opiate-based medications, marijuana seems like a sensible alternative. Marijuana, although thought by some to be psychologically addictive, produces no physical withdrawal when stopped suddenly and it is impossible to overdose on marijuana. Opiate-based medications, conversely, create a dangerous withdrawal syndrome that can even lead to death via uncontrollable seizures and will indeed result in death if too much is ingested at once.
A pharmaceutical grade marijuana extract called Sativex is used in 25 different countries to control painful muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. At this time, legislation is being considered in certain states in the US to allow medical marijuana use for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Marijuana has great anti-nausea properties. Some individuals who have no experience with marijuana sometimes attempt to equate the effect of marijuana on the body with that of alcohol, which actually causes nausea if too much is ingested. Marijuana has an entirely different effect on the body than alcohol. Marijuana will curb nausea very effectively, making it an excellent supplemental treatment for those who are undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy patients typically will lose weight due to loss of appetite secondary to the highly poisonous chemotherapy they are undergoing. Chemotherapy patients who regularly use marijuana have been shown to actually gain weight during chemotherapy, which supports nutritional needs that aid in healing the body during and after chemotherapy.
When taken as oil, marijuana contains a high amount of CBD, but only a limited amount of THC, which is the substance that causes people to feel “high” when taking marijuana. Families with children who have epilepsy are currently flooding the Colorado area in an attempt to legally access this life-saving oil for the sake of their children’s health.
Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotectant
Israeli researchers have found marijuana properties that act as an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotectant, which are useful properties to aid in recovery from traumatic brain injuries. In fact, the NFL commissioner has shown great interest in the use of medical marijuana for players suffering from concussions.
Marijuana has shown great promise as a potential empirical treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. It has been proven to prevent Alzheimer’s in laboratory rats. Unfortunately, marijuana’s uncertain legal status has prevented researchers from furthering these findings.
While some older and more controversial research has shown a tendency to increase the likelihood of mental illness in users of marijuana, new research has found that it helps to stabilize the moods of those who suffer from bipolar disorder.
Some of the more controversial uses of medical marijuana include cancerous tumors. Allegedly, Dr. Allan Frankel, a board-certified internist from California, has successfully treated individuals with cancer and states he has seen cancerous tumors shrink and disappear once treated with marijuana.
As more information is gleaned from researchers on the positive effects of medicinal marijuana on a plethora of different ailments, more and more doctors will change their stance on this ancient medicinal plant. The trend is already heading that way. As soon as researchers can finish their extensive research, the ultimate truth about this miraculous plant will finally be known and, hopefully, available to all who are in great need of it. Until then, all we are aware is the research that has already been conducted, which already points toward the definite conclusion that our ancestors were definitely on to something.