Health Benefits of Marijuana

Marijuana to mitigate opioid misuse Marijuana could be a formidable solution to the opiate crisis sweeping across the US and Canada, but its use, according to medical experts, could be counterintuitive. Most wonder why a drug should replace another drug, while others are quick to point out the dangers and side effects of marijuana, including dependency and addiction. As such, any talk of marijuana replacing opioids is seen as divisive. At the same time, some people are excited by the new possibilities that marijuana brings to the tabled. This is the group that awaits marijuana research with bated breath. They advocate for the use of marijuana to treat chronic pain. There is some common ground As much as the use of medical marijuana to manage pain is divisive, opponents and proponents of the drug all agree that there’s a...

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As cannabis gains widespread adoption following its legalization in Canada, edibles and extracts are emerging as some of the most cannabis products in the market. Researchers are now linking cannabis use with the use of other substances such as painkillers. The Canadian Cannabis study of 2019 polled over 5000 Canadians across Canada. The study found that 28% of the participants were less likely to take other medications for pain as long as they were consuming cannabis. Only 4% of the participants said they would use other pain medications. Of the participants, 19% said that they were not likely to consume alcohol as long as they were consuming cannabis. 7% of the participants said they were more likely to use alcohol alongside cannabis. The study was conducted by Canadian firm Vividata. Rahul Sethi, the director of Vividata,...

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How does cannabis affect the neurochemistry of our brains? As it stands, we have very little information about the actual effects of cannabis on the brain. When it comes to dopamine signaling, scanty details exist about the role cannabis plays in this function of the brain. A recent study could shed light on this. According to researchers, there exists a dose-response relationship between high cannabis consumption and schizophrenia, a condition that’s associated with irregular synthesis and release of dopamine in the brain. The study results come at a time when more states are legalizing cannabis. It coincides with the growing evidence that shows the risk of psychosis on the youth. According to the study’s senior author Romina Mizrahi from the Toronto-based Center for Addiction and Mental Health, regular use of cannabis affects the cortical dopamine function, specifically...

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As Cannabis becomes a popular treatment method for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (also known as PTSD), there’s concern over its efficiency as prescriptions are based on inadequate evidence, a new UCL study reports. In a systematic review that was published in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis, cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant was said to be able to help to treat PTSD, put people to sleep, and reduce nightmares. Cannabinoids are the active components of the cannabis plant. The study recommended more research into this area, adding that cannabinoids should be taken with the utmost care and through clinical prescription. According to Dr. Chandni Hidocha, who is the head of the UCL clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, people are increasingly using cannabinoids to treat PTSD. He said military veterans are among the group that’s increasingly self-medicating by choosing cannabis...

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According to a new study named “Economic Inquiry”, access to cannabis might reduce the number of opioid-related deaths. The study sought to evaluate how the legalization of marijuana has affected mortality across the US in the last two decades. Researchers found that the legalization of marijuana in a number of US states, as well as increased access to cannabis, has eventually reduced the number of deaths by a margin of between 20% and 35%. The effects were even more pronounced when the subjects of the study used synthetic opioids. The research confirmed earlier claims that marijuana could actually reduce mortality in the US. Researchers say that this study is timely, given the opioid epidemic that’s being experienced across US states. Such revelations have amplified calls from researchers as they demand the legalization of cannabis across the US. According...

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Researchers are using an app to check how cannabis products available in the market affect pain intensity. Researchers from the University of New Mexico used the largest real-time database with recordings of the effects of commercially available cannabis products to investigate whether cannabis alleviates pain. They found strong evidence, saying that the average user reported having up to a three-point drop in pain on a scale of 0-10 once they used cannabis. The opioid epidemic across the US & Canada is not relenting. At the same time, the alternative chronic pain treatment solutions available to the public are relatively few. Cannabis is stepping in to fill the void, especially after scientists found conclusive evidence that it actually alleviates pain with few negative side effects. Chronic pain is a silent epidemic in the US & Canada, affecting over 20%...

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As more countries and states legalize the use of marijuana for recreational and medical purposes, most people are curious about the diseases that the drug can actually help cure. Some people believe it can help treat asthma. But can it? Asthma is described as a lung disease that occurs when the airways become congested or inflamed. Its symptoms include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and coughing. Unfortunately, there's no cure for asthma. The disease can only be managed or contained through the use of medicine. Given that the marijuana plant has a number of medicinal qualities, most people believe that it can be used to manage asthma. But there's a small problem with it: most cannabis users inhale it and this is not anywhere near an ideal method for anyone managing a condition like Asthma. So, are there other...

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For centuries, cannabis has been used by many communities to aid sleep. However, given that both its benefits and side-effects are not always clear-cut, anyone who intends to use it as a sleep-aid should do so with caution. Cannabis for medicinal and recreational use has been legalized in Canada, and across the US, several states have already legalized the use of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Other states are moving with great speed to legalize the drug. As cannabis becomes more accessible to millions of people, a lot of people ask themselves the question of whether it could be used as a sleep aid. So, does it really help with sleep? Cannabis gives you a relaxed mind that can help induce sleep. At least according to research conducted in the 1970s where researchers sought answers to whether or...

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According to research, CBD has been confirmed to be an effective pain management solution. Indeed, one study found that more than 40% of children who had an uncommon disorder responded well to CBD and experienced 50% fewer seizures. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May, also confirmed that CBD lessened the number of seizures experienced by children with epilepsy. The study, which was sponsored by GW Pharmaceuticals, is seen as the first rigorous studies to prove that CBD can, in reality, lessen seizures. Cannabidiol is the non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant and doesn’t give you a high. Over time, it’s been used by most parents to treat children with epilepsy disorders. In this particular study, 120 children aged between 2 and 18 and all with Dravets syndrome, were divided into two groups....

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According to the National Institute of Health in the United states, human beings have used marijuana in order to treat different ailments for more than 3000 years. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration of the US doesn't consider marijuana as a drug. This explains why marijuana is yet to get any approval from the FDA. In a departure from the norm, the FDA moved to approve cannabinoil, or CBD, for treatment of two types of epilepsy. That was in June last year. That marijuana has been used for centuries by people to treat ailments makes it a substance with medicinal value. However, the FDA is hesitant to approve it as a drug because since some of its side effects are not yet known. And this is what makes the marijuana debate so intriguing. On one side,...

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