Marijuana is also known by a whole variety of other names, such as weed, pot, cannabis, or even dope. This is a kind of plant that is widely known among people as the plant that brings them a lot of joy and happiness in life. Almost all of the parts of this plant can be used, so not even the slightest thing goes to waste. Leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds all serve a purpose, and with marijuana legalization in many countries, marijuana has found its broadest range of applications. The cannabis plant contains compounds such as tetrahydrocannabinol, which is mood-altering or impairing, as well as some other active compounds such as CBD. The only difference between these two is that CBD does not cause impairment and cannot get you “high.” Just as we have mentioned previously, marijuana has found a broad use because of its medical properties, and we have prepared a whole list of facts you need to know about its medical use.
It is Marijuana Without a High
Our first association whenever we mention marijuana is that it can cause highs and that it will take you to another dimension. However, it is not the case with medical marijuana. For medical purposes, you do not use clean marijuana but rather the extraction known as CBD, which is short for cannabidiol, because this substance of marijuana has little to no intoxicating features. Marijuana is a very specific plant since it itself has more than 100 active components. In contrast to CBD, THC is the component that is responsible for the “high” that appears as one of the reactions when marijuana is consumed. To this end, CBD-rich strains have little THC, which causes patients to not feel any kind of change in their consciousness.
Pain Management
It is widely known that in cases of extreme pain, there are some drugs based on consciousness-altering mechanisms that can relieve pain in a variety of ways. However, cannabinoids within marijuana will reduce the perception of pain just by altering the pathways in the brain. This can be especially important in states of chronic pain, such as pain caused by migraine, arthritis, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia. Furthermore, these drugs can be used to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, such as appetite loss. In some cases, it is reported that marijuana-based drugs are used to replace nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, which after long use can have some side effects. Because of this property to alleviate certain medical conditions, folks like the ones working with medical marijuana in New Jersey are trying to show the medical properties and uses of this remedy. It is very necessary if you want to stay on the safe side and not be confined by state law.
No Inflammation
One of the best-known features of medical marijuana is its anti-inflammatory properties. CBD in marijuana is proven to reduce inflammation. In theory, this can help with the healing of some of the inflammatory conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. With the reduced inflammation within the body, you are contributing to the overall health of your body.
It Can Impact Mental Disorders and Neurological Diseases
Taking into account its impact on the limbic system, doctors sometimes use medical marijuana as a means for the treatment of some mental and neurological disorders such as epilepsy, anxiety, and Tourette syndrome. Sleeping disorders are also one of the most commonly reported problems among people living in the modern world. However, the relaxing properties of marijuana can have a huge impact on relieving this problem. For people who are suffering from insomnia or some other sleeping disorder caused by chronic pain, marijuana is used to treat both problems since it can relieve pain and relax muscles at the same time and has more medical properties when combined.
Lower Blood Pressure
One of the surprising effects of medical marijuana is the possibility of lowering high blood pressure. It was proven during the study conducted by JCI Insight where participants had lower blood pressure. It also reduced their resting blood pressure as well as the one caused by the stressful situation. After the stress tests, which included isometric exercises, mental arithmetic, and cold pressure tests, participants reported normal blood pressure and faster stabilization of pressure at the same time. This study has proven the capability of marijuana to influence high stress levels in a therapeutic way.
Preventing Relapses in Alcohol and Drug Addiction
Ironically enough, medical marijuana can help in the prevention of addiction relapses. A study that was conducted in 2018 showed that CBD can be very useful for those who are suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. In the preclinical trial with the lab rats, it showed that CBD successfully reduced stress-induced cravings, lack of impulse, and anxiety, which at times can cause people to relapse.
Cancer and Marijuana
This is the story that became a hot topic after some bombastic research was conducted. The whole world stayed shocked when the results of marijuana showing positive effects in cancer treatment were released. The studies of the chemicals showed that the marijuana plant contains CBD, which is very good at fighting nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy as well as lowering neuropathic pain, which is caused by damaged nerves. To this end, two drugs were approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and these are specific drugs used for patients suffering from intense chemotherapy aftermaths such as pain, vomiting, and nausea. However, there is still not enough information about some other potential impacts of marijuana in cancer treatment, even though some information showed a considerable reduction in tumor sizes.
Marijuana-based drugs became the subject of huge controversy once studies about their effectiveness were released. The truth is that marijuana has been used for this purpose for a very long period of time since some products such as marijuana oil can be found on the market, and there are also some other marijuana-based remedies that people unconsciously use. However, with the appeal of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes or even entirely legalizing marijuana, the public has been divided into two groups. Despite a whole number of proofs and evidence, there is still some lack of knowledge about the effects of these plants on human health.
