Since the 1960s and 1970s, marijuana users have been the focus of widespread persecution in the United States. Although marijuana is legal for therapeutic reasons in a number of states, many people continue to criticize those who use it. Due to the bad preconceptions around cannabis use, several people are hesitant to explore the advantages of cannabis with their physician.
Your physician will not judge you for enquiring about other therapies. You would not hesitate to discuss a prospective medicine with your doctor after watching an advertising for it on television. Also, you should not feel bad about discussing medical cannabis with your physician. I think these ideas will be helpful for the discussion.
Exude assurance.
Even if you are experiencing a tremendous degree of fear and uncertainty about the diagnosis your doctor will make, you must project an appearance of confidence. Since medical cannabis is allowed in our state, you have the same right to discuss it with your doctor as you have with any other prescription or dietary supplement.
An argument that is well-prepared is vital.
Prepare an explanation in the event that your physician denies your request for medical cannabis. What pushes you to experiment with medical marijuana? What beneficial results have resulted from your research?
Recognize the regulations and policies.
Your physician is not required to investigate Florida’s medical marijuana legislation. They must assist you in obtaining your medical marijuana card in a lawful and accurate manner. Knowing the average quantity of cannabis required to get the desired effects can impress the doctor and demonstrate your diligence.
While federal law prohibits the use of cannabis, medicinal marijuana programs have been rapidly expanding within the United States and internationally. A medical marijuana card, issued by your state, is your ticket to cannabis’s healing properties (also known as a cannabis card or weed card).
As of this past July (2019), 33 states and the District of Columbia have approved medical marijuana. With the passing of the Medicinal Use of Marijuana Initiative in 1996, California became the first state to allow medical marijuana. Since then, states that have passed legislation to allow medicinal cannabis have imposed a wide variety of rules on the industry.
While each state has its own set of regulations for acquiring a medical marijuana card, familiarizing yourself with at least some of the steps involved will help you determine whether you want to pursue this option. Let me give you a quick rundown:
An explanation of the card allowing legal access to medical marijuana.
When a patient gets a medical marijuana card, they are legally allowed to buy cannabis products from a dispensary to alleviate the symptoms of their disease. In many cases, dispensaries will not let people in who are not patients in without a valid medical identification card.
Proof of medical necessity is required in certain jurisdictions for patients to legally use medical marijuana delivery services or cultivate a small number of plants for personal use. Patients may be able to designate a caregiver under state law to assist them with all aspects of medicinal marijuana use.
Many state health departments oversee and manage medicinal cannabis programs. These state agencies oversee not just the applications of patients but also the production and sale of medicinal marijuana and the applications of caregivers.
Many states have different laws regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Patients in places like Colorado and California, where medical marijuana is legal, have access to a broad variety of products, while others like Texas, where marijuana is illegal, have more stringent regulations in place. Some states only permit medicinal cannabis derivatives, while others mandate that patients have tried all other available therapeutic options before medical marijuana may be recommended.
Is It Worth It to Apply? The Benefits and Drawbacks of Getting a Medical Marijuana Card
Numerous benefits come with obtaining a medical cannabis license in states that have a medicinal marijuana program but no recreational market. Unlike the marijuana sold on the black market, medicinal marijuana has to pass stringent tests for contaminants like mold and pesticides before it can be supplied to patients. Patients may locate the most helpful strains and treatments with the use of a medical marijuana card, which allows them access to a greater variety of cannabis products correctly labeled with the quantity of THC, cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids.
In a jurisdiction where cannabis is legal for recreational use, however, patients may wonder whether it’s worthwhile to apply for a medical marijuana card and pay the associated price. Knowing the advantages of having a medical marijuana license is helpful in a state where people may legally buy cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes.
A medicinal marijuana certificate in a recreational state may not be the best idea for many reasons. Patients over the age of 21 may lawfully acquire cannabis without a medical marijuana card if the application cost and wait period associated with the approval procedure are prohibitive. It’s possible that some individuals won’t want their information recorded in a register for persons who use medicinal marijuana. Although marijuana has been legalized in many places, there is still a stigma attached to it that might prevent some people from becoming patients.
But even if those things weren’t taken into account, there are still many advantages to having a medical marijuana certificate. Those things are:
Both the doctor and the budtender at the dispensary can assist patients choose which items will be most effective in relieving their symptoms.
In jurisdictions where adult-use cannabis is legal, those with a medical marijuana license have access to stronger products that aren’t authorized for general sale.
Many times, you might get a discount or tax break on medical supplies.
Individuals with a valid medical ID may be eligible to use restricted delivery services catering specifically to the medical community.
Medical marijuana facilities often accept patients who are 18 years or older, while adult-use programs typically need consumers to be 21 years or older. In certain states, kids under the age of 18 who potentially benefit from medicinal marijuana can apply for a card with parental or legal guardian permission.
How to Apply for a Marijuana Card for Medical Use.
While each state has its own set of regulations regarding medical marijuana cards, most of them have a very standard application and approval process. Every state has its own list of qualifying illnesses that a patient must have been diagnosed with in order to qualify for a medical marijuana card, therefore this is the first place to look.
To apply for a medical marijuana card in California, you must first determine whether or not your disease meets the state’s criteria for qualified patients. Both the physician and the patient need to agree that medicinal cannabis has therapeutic potential.
Even if occasional medicinal marijuana usage for very mild conditions may not need a card, there are still advantages to having one.
The next step is to submit an application for a medical marijuana card to the state agency in charge of the program, either online or through mail. It’s common practice for states to request payment from applicants before processing their requests for medicinal marijuana cards. Applying for a medical insurance card may include a charge. If you are experiencing unusually high expenses or a serious health problem, you may be eligible for a waiver in your state; thus, you should research your state’s application requirements.
With a medical marijuana card, how much weed can you buy?
It’s up to the each state to determine how much medicinal cannabis a patient may lawfully buy and possess. The quantity of marijuana that may be bought from a dispensary at one time is often capped at some point. Patients are only allowed to have a particular quantity of flower or other cannabis products at any one time.
Even as a person seeking medical treatment, you should be aware of these restrictions and how they vary from state to state. For instance, in Montana a certified medical marijuana patient may only have 1 ounce (or 28.35 grams) of cannabis flower, whereas in Delaware that number might go as high as 6 ounces (or 170 grams).
The same method need to be considered while growing at home. Some states’ medical marijuana programs allow for the home production of marijuana by registered patients or caregivers, whereas other states, such as New York and New Jersey, do not have such legislation in place.
Is the cost of medical marijuana lower than that of recreational use?
While both medicinal and recreational cannabis prices vary by state, in most cases, medical marijuana is less expensive than its recreational counterpart. Medical marijuana in the state of Colorado, for instance, is subject to a 2.9% sales tax whereas retail marijuana carries a 15% sales tax (not adding potential local taxes).
Can I Use My California Medical Marijuana Card in Another State?
Non-residents with valid medical marijuana cards may legally buy cannabis in a number of states where medicinal cannabis is permitted because to reciprocity rules. If your state participates in a system called “reciprocity,” where residents of other states may legally get and use medicinal marijuana, you’ll need to apply to that state’s medical marijuana program.
If you are a medical marijuana patient in your home state and you plan to visit Hawaii, you may apply for a Hawaii 329 Registration card so that you can take part in the medicinal cannabis program in the Aloha State. But you can’t just go up to a dispensary on Maui with your out-of-state cannabis card and expect to be served. Customers interested in getting medical treatment in Hawaii must be registered for a disease that is on the state’s approved list and must submit an application at least 60 days before their planned visit.
Marijuana has been outlawed for decades, but recent changes in policy have prompted a reevaluation of the drug from both a cultural and legal perspective.
The vast majority of Americans support medicinal and recreational marijuana legalization, according to recent polling. As a result, a growing number of states have legalized marijuana for either recreational or medicinal usage, or both.
However, additional evidence of marijuana’s therapeutic effects is needed to satisfy the skepticism of certain scientists and policymakers. In addition to the lack of current knowledge, there are also concerns that the potential drawbacks of marijuana use can sometimes exceed the advantages.
You may be wondering whether this drug really has all the claimed advantages. We discuss some of the best-documented advantages and some concerns.
The benefits and drawbacks of using marijuana, please.
Similarly to how synthetic medications may benefit certain ailments while others do not, medical marijuana is not a catch-all solution. Cannabinoids, including cannabidiol, are believed to be responsible for marijuana’s therapeutic effects (CBD).
One of the cannabinoids in marijuana that has received the most attention is CBD. Related to cannabis, there is another plant that contains CBD: hemp.
In contrast to THC-containing marijuana, CBD has little amounts of the cannabinoid (THC). In large doses, this substance is notorious for producing hallucinations.
Cannabis plants may contain as much as 40 percent CBD. The central nervous system may become less reactive to pain and inflammation after being exposed to CBD. Numerous health benefits may result from this.
There is still some apprehension regarding the effects of THC on classic cannabis. This is due to the fact that it might elicit varying degrees of drowsiness and alertness in different persons.
The advantages of reduced inflammation from medicinal marijuana usage will likely be weighed against any potential psychological concerns.
What are pot’s perks, if any?
There are now two types of synthetic marijuana available. They are prescribed by doctors to deal with the after-effects of chemotherapy and cases of severe epilepsy.
What follows is a compilation of some of the most often cited medical and nonmedical uses for marijuana.
Controlling suffering
Marijuana’s cannabinoids may reduce pain by altering the nervous system’s response to it. This has the potential to alleviate chronic pain from illnesses such as:
arthritis
fibromyalgia
endometriosis
migraine
It has the potential to ameliorate some of the unpleasant symptoms of cancer therapy, such as nausea and weight loss.
People who have been using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen for extended periods of time may find relief from their symptoms by switching to medicinal marijuana.
lower swelling
Marijuana’s CBD may have anti-inflammatory effects. Theoretically, this might benefit inflammation-related diseases and disorders like:
Crohn’s disease
abdominal distress syndrome
an arthritic condition
Reducing systemic inflammation is another approach to better health.
Mental and neurological illness
Medical marijuana is occasionally prescribed for the treatment of the following neurological and mental health disorders due to its effects on the limbic system:
anxiety
epilepsy
chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (multiple sclerosis)
Illness caused by Parkinson’s
Affective Disorders Related to Trauma (PTSD)
Asperger’s syndrome
Treatment for insomnia
Insomnia sufferers may get relief from marijuana’s calming effects. If marijuana relieves your pain, you could find that it also helps you sleep better.
When used recreationally, what risks does marijuana pose?
Some claim that marijuana’s effects on the brain are comparable to those of opioids. When compared to synthetic opioids, however, its risks are far lower. In addition, it does not have the same addictive potential as other substances.
Both of these factors contribute to the widespread support for legalizing marijuana: the hope that those in need of pain relief will have access to more effective and less harmful options. To combat their opiate dependency, some patients turn to marijuana.
However, we must also consider the hazards associated with marijuana use. Here are some potential negative effects to discuss with your physician:
Resulting in hallucinations. Mild hallucinations, poor motor abilities, and altered perceptions of reality have all been linked to marijuana usage. Due to these factors, consuming marijuana may make it unsafe to do tasks such as operating heavy equipment. Never go behind the wheel if you’ve been smoking pot. Even in states where marijuana use is allowed, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of the drug.
Like effects of a depressant. In the same way that alcohol may make you drowsy, marijuana may have the same effect. Relaxed and as ease as you may be, you may have problems synchronizing and concentrating. Some individuals may experience feelings of sadness as a secondary reaction.
Actions with a stimulating effect. Although marijuana has certain therapeutic benefits, it also increases the risk of paranoia, agitation, and heart and blood pressure problems. These are less prevalent side effects of marijuana than the sedative ones.
The results were multifaceted. Some of them include increased hunger, dry lips, and redder eyes.
You should realize that marijuana might have varying effects on various individuals. Until you put it to use, you can’t be sure of the results.
in relation to the statutes
As of January 2020, recreational marijuana use is legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia, while medicinal marijuana usage is authorized in 33 states. However, marijuana possession is remains unlawful under federal law.
What does this signify for those interested in medicinal marijuana’s potential benefits?
Before using marijuana for any medical purpose, you should see a physician.
What follows is a call to your state’s legal resources. Use of marijuana is still illegal regardless of if it is allowed in your own state. Get ahead of any legal difficulties by preparing ahead of time.
It is also essential to understand that cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) are two different substances.
Hemp-based CBD products with less than 0.3% THC are permitted at the federal level but are still illegal in several states.
Hemp-derived CBD products are illegal on a federal level, but laws vary by state.
Be sure you’re in compliance with the laws of the countries you’re visiting. Bear in mind that the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the accuracy of the labelling on CBD products sold without a prescription.
Intended Meaning
The legal and medical status of marijuana is now one of the most hotly debated topics.
Before deciding whether marijuana should be used for medicinal or recreational purposes, advocates on both sides of the argument need more information regarding its health advantages.
Meanwhile, if you’re curious about the therapeutic potential of cannabis, it’s best to see a medical professional. They can assist you learn how to receive a medical marijuana card in your state and advise you on the relative merits and hazards of using marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Never attempt to address a health issue on your own by using drugs or substances. Plant-based substances like marijuana are included in this category.
Cannabinoids, the chemical chemicals in cannabis responsible for its therapeutic and recreational characteristics, have been studied by scientists and medical professionals over the last decade. Cannabinoids’ potential to calm anxious feelings is one area of research.
Agitation is a known behavioral alteration in Alzheimer’s patients. Medications may be necessary for severe agitation that does not respond to non-drug techniques, although everyone believes that non-drug methods should be tried first. Unfortunately, many of the current drugs used to treat this sort of behavior come with very dangerous side effects. Unfortunately, the most effective drugs are also the ones that may cause stroke and even death.
However, cannabinoids interact differently with the body, making them potentially safer and more effective for treating agitation. It’s believed that certain of these impacts may even assist prevent brain cell death.
However, there has been a lack of research on the efficacy of cannabis as a therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Cannabinoids may not have the same impact on an Alzheimer’s disease brain as they do on a healthy brain, thus further research is needed. Cannabinoids, for instance, have been shown to have a soothing impact in healthy individuals, but they may have the opposite effect in those with Alzheimer’s disease.
My team at Sunnybrook Research Institute has begun investigating this further using seed money from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and the Alzheimer Society Research Program.
We administered nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid used to treat agitation and/or violence, to a group of persons with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease over a period of 14 weeks. Currently, Nabilone is the only drug licensed in Canada to alleviate nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
We want to see whether nabilone can decrease agitation without generating the main adverse effects associated with other drugs by comparing its effects to those of a placebo.
Also contributing to anger and violence in patients with severe Alzheimer’s disease are pain and weight loss. We also monitored changes in pain and appetite in trial participants because these symptoms have been shown to improve with cannabinoids.
After this, what do we know better? Nabilone not only decreased agitation considerably as compared to the placebo group, but it also improved behavioral symptoms generally. One of the most prevalent negative effects was a drowsier feeling. Our next step is to test our hypotheses in a larger population to ensure the highest levels of safety and effectiveness.
We advise doctors, persons with dementia, and their families that more research is needed before we can prescribe cannabis to treat agitation, but we believe this study will pave the way for further studies on the use of cannabinoids to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. More research is needed to confirm our results and examine potential cannabis side effects, such as drowsiness and memory loss.
More study is needed to shed light on the pros and cons of medicinal cannabis and to back up well-informed laws, guidelines, and standards. This will allow us to devote more time and energy on improving the quality of life for individuals with dementia, rather than just focusing on preventing negative behaviors.
Krista Lanctôt, PhD, is a professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and a senior scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program. With the help of a biomedical grant from the Alzheimer Society Research Program, she conducted a pilot research on the use of cannabis in the treatment of behavioral abnormalities associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Every state has laws about the use of medical marijuana, but it has been approved for medical use in almost two-thirds of the states in the US and the District of Columbia. Other states are looking into passing similar laws. Even though it is very popular, the FDA has only given permission for medical marijuana to be used to treat Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. These are two very rare and severe types of epilepsy.
If this is such an important topic, why hasn’t it been studied more? The United States plays a big role. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that marijuana is a Schedule I substance, which means that it is very likely to be abused and has no known medical use. Some other drugs on Schedule I are heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. Marcel Bonn-Miller, PhD, an expert on drug addiction and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, says that this means academics need special permission to study the topic.
That may not change soon. The DEA almost moved marijuana to Schedule II, which has less strict rules and includes drugs like Ritalin and oxycodone. However, they decided to keep it in Schedule I, which has stricter rules.
But the FDA has agreed to pay for more cannabis research and make it easier to do research. “Research is important because we have to tell patients and doctors how to use cannabis in a safe and effective way,” says Bonn-Miller.
He talked about the history of medical marijuana and its pros and cons.
So, tell me, what is marijuana used for when it’s meant to be a medicine?
Medical marijuana is the use of cannabis or compounds made from cannabis to treat health problems. Marijuana for medical use is pretty much the same as marijuana for recreational use.
The marijuana plant has more than 100 different cannabinoids. Every one of them has a different effect on the body. The two main active ingredients in medical marijuana are cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is also what makes you feel “high” when you eat or smoke marijuana.
What kinds of medical problems can marijuana treat?
What kinds of health problems does medical marijuana help?
More and more states are choosing to legalize medical marijuana as a way to help people with chronic pain and other health problems. Find out what problems it solves and what side effects it might have.
Medical marijuana is being looked into as a possible treatment for a lot of different health problems.
When Alzheimer’s starts
Loss of Hunger
Cancer
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (IBD)
HIV/AIDS, MS, and other diseases that affect the immune system (MS)
Anorexia and other problems with food intake
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia and PTSD (PTSD)
Multiple sclerosis-related illness
Muscles that contract on their own
Nausea
Pain
Seizures
Thinness disorder (cachexia)
But Bonn-Miller says that it hasn’t been shown to help treat most of these disorders yet.
Bonn-Miller says that cannabis has the most potential as a medicine for treating chronic pain, nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, and spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis.
What good does it do?
Cannabinoids, which are the main parts of medical marijuana, are chemically the same as substances that the body makes naturally to control things like hunger, memory, movement, and pain.
The little evidence we have so far shows that cannabis may:
Calm yourself down.
Heat can help reduce swelling and pain.
Chemotherapy can make cancer patients sick and make them throw up.
Eliminate malignant cells and retard tumor development.
MS patients, relax your tight muscles.
For cancer and AIDS patients, it helps them gain weight and eat more.
What about using marijuana to treat seizures?
A few years ago, medical marijuana got a lot of attention when parents said that a specialized version of the drug greatly reduced the number of seizures in their children. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Epidiolex, a CBD-based medicine, as a treatment for people with severe or uncontrollable forms of epilepsy. Some of the people who took this medicine had a big drop in how often they had seizures.
Is it true that the FDA has given the go-ahead for marijuana to be used as medicine?
In 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex, which is made from cannabidiol, to treat seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two rare and severe types of epilepsy. Also, the FDA has given permission for the use of dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet) to treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
How do you deal with it?
You can use medicinal marijuana if:
Turn on
A mist of the substance can be breathed in through a vaporizer.
Get it in something sweet, like a brownie or a lollipop, and eat it.
You can put it on your skin with a cream, lotion, oil, or spray.
A few drops under the tongue should be all that’s needed.
You can decide what to do. Different things happen to your body when you do these things. Bonn-Miller says, “Whether you smoke or vape cannabis, you feel the effects very quickly.” It could take an hour to two hours for the effects of something you eat or drink to kick in.
Is marijuana used for medical purposes safe?
Some bad effects that have been seen are:
Tired, reddened eyes
Depression
Dizziness
Beats per minute
Hallucinations
Sub-par blood pressure
Accidents and injuries may happen because the substance makes it harder to make decisions and move around. Using marijuana during adolescence, when the brain is growing and changing quickly, could hurt intelligence and thinking skills.
Concerns have been raised that smoking marijuana, like smoking tobacco, could be bad for the lungs because it contains compounds that have the same effects as tobacco. Inhaling marijuana may make you more likely to get bronchitis and other lung diseases, but it’s not clear what these effects are.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that marijuana is both very addicting and a “gateway drug” that leads people to try harder drugs. “The higher the dose of THC and the more often you use, the higher the risk of becoming addicted,” says Bonn-Miller. Learn more about the long-term effects of marijuana use, such as “you need more and more of it to get the same effect,” “you have trouble stopping if you want to,” and “you have cravings when you’re not using.”
Another problem is that the FDA does not control medical marijuana like it does with prescription drugs. Governments often don’t have the money and tools they need to keep an eye on and control sales. Because of this, the potency and make-up of medical marijuana might be very different depending on where it is bought. According to Bonn-research, Miller’s “we ran a study last year in which we bought labeled edible goods, like brownies and lollipops, in California and Washington and then shipped them to the lab.” The problem is that very few of the goods really had what they said they had.
How far is it legal for medical marijuana to be used in the states?
Medical marijuana is now legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia.
Alaska
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
DC is in the northeastern part of the United States on the mainland.
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
This is New Hampshire
New Jersey is a state.
Southwest of the U.S.; New Mexico
Big Apple
North Dakota is a state in the Great Plains.
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Providence, Rhode Island
Dakota (State) (State)
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
“West Virginia”
Some examples of states with limited access are Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Where can I acquire some medicinal marijuana?
In places where it is legal, you cannot legally get medical marijuana without written permission from a doctor. You must have a condition that lets you use medical marijuana (not all doctors are willing to suggest medical marijuana for their patients). Each state has different rules about what it takes to be eligible. In your state, you may need an ID card to be able to use medical marijuana. Before you can get medical marijuana, you need to get a valid medical marijuana ID card from a place called a dispensary.
Cannabis, more popularly known as marijuana, is gaining in popularity. In 2009, over 10.7% of North Americans between the ages of 15 and 64 reported using cannabis. 1 According to federal law, cannabis usage in the United States is prohibited for either recreational or therapeutic purposes. However, contrary to federal policy, 24 states have legalized medicinal marijuana usage and 4 have legalized recreational use; use of marijuana has also been decriminalized in 21 states. 2 There are a growing number of patients who are curious in cannabis’ therapeutic potential for a wide range of conditions as government laws shift to accommodate medical cannabis.
Cancer, HIV/AIDS, MS, chronic pain, nausea, hepatitis C virus, PTSD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cachexia (extreme weight loss), glaucoma, and epilepsy are just some of the chronic, debilitating conditions for which medical cannabis use has been legalized at the state level in the United States.
Although evidence supporting cannabis’s use as a medical therapy for these ailments is few and contradictory at best, its popularity as an alternative treatment option is growing as people increasingly choose CAM over traditional medicine.
Cannabis sativa, or the marijuana plant, has been utilized for therapeutic purposes for centuries.
Cannabinoids are the name given to the pharmacologically active components of the plant, of which we now know there are at least 70. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) coordinates the actions of phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids derived from plants), synthetic cannabinoids (artificial compounds with cannabinomimetic effects), and endocannabinoids (endogenous compounds with cannabinomimetic effects) to control a wide range of physiological processes.
The phytocannabinoid delta-9-tetra-hydrocannabinol (THC) is often considered to be the most pharmacologically active of all the cannabinoids. Among the phytocannabinoids, THC has been the subject of the most research and is widely regarded as the most potent psychoactive component. Cannabidiol, cannabigerol, and cannabichromene are other types of phytocannabinoids, however they don’t have any noticeable mental effects. 8 Nabilone (Cesamet; Meda Pharmaceuticals), dronabinol (Syndros); and nabiximols are all similar formulations of the same chemicals. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of nabilone for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting that has not responded to standard antiemetics, and dronabinol for both chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and AIDS-related anorexia. The use of nabiximols to treat cancer pain, neuropathic pain, and MS-related spasticity has been authorized in countries other than the USA.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which are characterized by recurring and remitting bouts of inflammation in the digestive system. Although its exact causes have not been pinpointed, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) seems to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors that leads to a dysregulated immune response. Aminosalicylates, antibiotics, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and biologic therapy are examples of conventional treatments for inducing and maintaining remission from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Due to the lack of effective treatment choices and the well-documented negative consequences of long-term usage, surgical resection of the diseased intestine is often used to treat individuals whose conditions have failed to respond to more conservative treatment. 9 Many IBD patients are interested in trying complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches, and doctors should be informed with these options so they can provide safe recommendations.
For hundreds of years, anecdotal evidence has pointed to cannabis’ potential medicinal use in the management of IBD. There is a 1990 case study that discusses how cannabis usage helped IBD patients keep their illness in remission. 10 Research into cannabis as a therapy option for IBD has been prompted by its usage as a medicine even before the ECS was discovered. Some people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have claimed success in using cannabis to treat their condition’s symptoms, such as stomach discomfort, joint pain, cramps, diarrhea, poor appetite, weight loss, and nausea, and this trend is getting increasing attention in the media as time goes by. 11,12 Despite fears of federal punishment and a shifting political position, marijuana usage cannot be ignored, and doctors must learn more about the drug’s potential benefits and drawbacks if they are to treat patients responsibly. 3 This article discusses the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its function in digestive physiology, as well as population studies on the efficacy of medical cannabis for IBD patients, the outcomes and pitfalls of therapy trials involving the use of cannabis for the treatment of IBD, and general safety concerns regarding acute and chronic cannabis use.
According to the study’s lead author, Dr. Asif Ilyas, an orthopedic surgeon at the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Philadelphia, many patients who were prescribed opioids for their chronic pain ended up taking fewer painkillers, or stopped taking them altogether, after doctors certified them for medical cannabis.
When people began taking medicinal cannabis, “we noticed widely a considerable drop in opioid usage,” Ilyas added. The usage of opioids decreased by around 40% when patients began using medicinal cannabis, and between 37% and 38% of patients stopped using opioids entirely.
According to Dr. Stuart Fischer, an orthopedic surgeon at Summit Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Summit, N.J., these findings, if confirmed, suggest that medicinal marijuana might be a possible way of treating America’s opioid crisis, which has been fueled in part by prescription opioids.
Fischer, who was not involved in the trials, said, “We have a tremendous number of folks who are on opioids who are being treated for chronic back pain.” We’d be in great shape if we could transfer that population to something that’s less risky but yet as productive.
Ilyas and his colleagues selected 186 people with chronic back pain and 40 people with chronic arthritic pain for the research.
Pennsylvania medicinal marijuana cardholders were approved by their physicians between February 2018 and July 2019. Patients were free to consume cannabis in any way they saw fit, including vaping, smoking, or consuming edibles.
The doctors then monitored the patients’ usage of opioid painkillers over a period of six months using a state-run prescription drug monitoring database and a metric for opioids known as morphine milligram equivalents (MME):
From the beginning to the end of the research period, the average number of MMEs written for daily opioid prescriptions for patients with arthritis decreased from 18.2 to 9.
Additionally, the average daily opioid prescriptions for individuals with back pain decrease from 15.1 to 11 MME.
Patients with arthritis are more likely to completely stop using opioids than those with back pain, and 38% of those people eventually do so.
Patients in both treatment groups reported less pain and better overall health.
Ilyas further noted that, unlike opiate medicines, cannabis for medical purposes did not seem to carry the same danger of addiction.
Ilyas cited opiate addiction and the requirement for ever large doses to get the same effects as a major issue. So far, we haven’t seen any addictive tendencies in medicinal cannabis, and our knowledge suggests you don’t require higher amounts to have the same effects.
According to Fischer, these findings provide further credence to the possibility of using medicinal marijuana to relieve pain.
“This research is obviously in its infancy. Since medical marijuana has not been widely used for very long, additional research and data are needed. For this, we want further data “It was Fischer’s turn to carry on. Nonetheless, these two investigations provide an excellent beginning.
In order to have insurance companies cover medical marijuana the same way they cover prescription opioids, the experts say more study is required.
Cost is a major deterrent, Ilyas said. “It’s really costly, and no insurance company, public or private, covers it at this moment.”
Ilyas has said that future studies would investigate how the advantages of medicinal cannabis vary with the product’s formulation and administration technique.
“However, although the first glimpses we have are encouraging, it’s important to note that our knowledge is still in its infancy. There must be more analysis, “That’s what Ilyas stated.
This week in Chicago, Ilyas gave a presentation on the findings of the two studies at the annual conference of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It is important to remember that data given at conferences is preliminary until it has been published in a reputable publication.
As more countries legalize marijuana usage, it is critical to be aware of the possible health consequences of this substance, which known by many names, including “dope,” “weed,” “chronic,” and “grass.”
Cannabis and its cannabinoids, the physiologically active components of marijuana, are classified as Schedule I forbidden drugs by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This implies that it is illegal to prescribe, possess, or sell it on a federal basis. The US Food and Drug Administration has not authorized whole or crude marijuana, such as marijuana oil or hemp oil, for medicinal use (FDA). However, the use of medical marijuana is legal in other areas.
Because marijuana is becoming more popular, Health performed study using cutting-edge technologies and consulted with many experts to identify the hazards and benefits of marijuana usage.
This may help or aggravate anxiety.
Cannabis users often say that smoking relieves tension and anxiety. THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana that causes people to feel “high,” was demonstrated in a 2017 research to help participants feel less nervous about public speaking when supplied in extremely low amounts. The study may be found in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
But it may not be so simple: the study utilized a little quantity of marijuana, comparable to a few puffs on a cigarette. They also discovered that even a little increase in TCH dose, or the usage of any medication that may offer a modest high, increased their anxiety. Emma Childs, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and study co-author, said the findings “indicate cannabis might be beneficial for persons with anxiety.” Childs, on the other hand, says that further study is required to establish optimal doses and delivery strategies to lessen the negative effects.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the quantity and experience of the user are both essential determinants (NIDA). Those that experiment with marijuana may or may not feel the same feeling of peace and enthusiasm that others do. Some individuals suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, fear, and mistrust. Inexperience, extensive marijuana usage, and exceptionally powerful marijuana all enhance the risk of this occurring (among the many varieties of marijuana).
According to NIDA, high-dose cannabis users are at risk of developing acute psychosis. Acute psychosis may be characterized by hallucinations, delusions, and a general loss of identity.
Those suffering from chronic pain and nausea may find this useful.
People often resort to medicinal marijuana to alleviate their agony. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decided in 2017 that there is substantial evidence in favor of this procedure. The study also discovered that marijuana products were beneficial in reducing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, as well as muscular spasms caused by multiple sclerosis.
The National Academies found that evidence suggests cannabis or cannabis-derived drugs may benefit those suffering from sleep difficulties caused by fibromyalgia, chronic pain, or sleep apnea.
This might be beneficial to persons suffering from epilepsy.
A 2018 research discovered that cannabidiol oil, a marijuana derivative, decreased seizures in children with the uncommon epilepsy disorder Dravet syndrome by 39%.
Epidiolex, the brand name of the cannabidiol oil used in the study, was authorized by the FDA in 2018 and contains no psychotropic ingredients such as THC. THC should not be ingested in the pediatric (or even early adult) age range owing to evidence on neurodevelopmental effects on the fetal, child, or adolescent brain, according to a research published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2022.
It might be a less dangerous alternative to opioids.
According to a study published in the journal Health Affairs in 2016, states that legalized medicinal marijuana reported a reduction in the average number of opioid prescriptions issued per capita of 1,826 per year. Furthermore, a 2017 research study published in Trends in Neurosciences found that cannabis may be useful in the treatment of opiate addiction. While human research have been limited owing to marijuana’s Schedule 1 status, the authors contend that more are urgently required.
However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) advises that marijuana usage may be a “gateway drug,” or a substance that is likely to be used before the use of other licit and illegal substances, and that it may result in the development of addiction to other drugs. Researchers discovered that those who reported consuming marijuana were more likely to have an alcohol consumption issue within three years than those who did not report smoking marijuana in one study that looked at data from multiple years. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported this (NIDA). THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana responsible for the majority of the intoxication effects sought, has been shown in animal tests to “prime” the brain for increased sensitivity to other drugs.
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There is early evidence that it may have anti-cancer properties, but further research is required.
According to the American Cancer Society, THC and other cannabinoids, such as CBD, have been shown in tests to suppress the growth and/or induce the death of certain cancer cells growing in laboratory dishes (ACS). More study is required, although early data shows that cannabis may slow the spread of certain malignancies in animal models.
Cannabinoids’ ability to inhibit tumor development in a variety of cancer models was first described in a 2019 review of the literature published in the Journal of the Association of Basic Medical Sciences (cell culture and animal studies). However, the dosage and kind of cancer seem to have an impact on these anticancer effects.
Pregnancy may be hazardous to the growing fetus.
According to a 2019 article published in JAMA Pediatrics, more pregnant women are consuming marijuana. According to NIDA, there is some evidence that moms who use marijuana during pregnancy are more likely to have children with hyperactivity or developmental delays. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, pregnant women who use marijuana have a 2.3-fold greater chance of delivering a stillborn child.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), obstetrician-gynecologists strongly advise their patients not to use marijuana while attempting to conceive, during pregnancy, or while nursing. Furthermore, according to ACOG, there is no proof that marijuana relieves morning sickness.
Even parents who use marijuana should be cautious these days. According to a 2019 research published in the journal Prevention Science, when adults have children, their marijuana usage lowers but does not necessarily stop. The study discovered a link between parental marijuana usage and their own children’s reported marijuana and alcohol use between the ages of 10 and 21, respectively. Parental marijuana use, whether chronic or infrequent, increases a child’s chance of trying both alcohol and marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the kids of habitual marijuana users were more likely to use cigarettes, have a positive opinion of marijuana, engage in hazardous or antisocial behavior, and had worse academic attainment.
As a consequence, it may raise the likelihood of having a heart attack.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there is evidence that the first hour after using marijuana raises one’s chance of having a heart attack by around five times the average. The propensity of marijuana to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen transport capacity may be to responsible for this increased risk.
According to a 2017 study published in Nature Reviews Cardiology, the quantity of THC in marijuana had increased by a factor of 10 over the preceding decade, and very strong synthetic cannabinoids were becoming more widely available for recreational use. Myocardial infarction (heart attack), cardiomyopathy (muscular illness of the heart), arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), stroke, and cardiac arrest are all instances of catastrophic cardiovascular catastrophes that experts think have increased as a result of these causes (when the heart stops).
Driving while stoned is very dangerous.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana usage may impair thinking, coordination, and response time. Several studies have shown a link between high blood THC levels and risky driving behavior.
Furthermore, according to the National Institute on Substance Abuse, marijuana is the illegal drug most often discovered in the blood of drivers involved in automobile accidents, including fatal ones. A meta-analysis published in 2021 found that research consistently revealed a modestly higher risk of collisions after acute cannabis usage. According to the research reviewed, the authors said that high THC levels in the blood were connected with an increased risk of vehicle accidents.
Despite this evidence, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) classed marijuana’s participation in accidents as “uncertain” due to the drug’s ability to remain in bodily fluids for days or even weeks following intoxication, as well as the fact that alcohol and marijuana are often combined.
Possibility of Harm to Your Lungs
Over 1,000 complaints of lung difficulties as a consequence of vaping have been received by the US Food and Drug Administration, with some instances proving fatal (FDA). A 2021 research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health discovered that vaping caused more lung damage than smoking marijuana in the long term.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana smoke, like cigarette smoke, may irritate the respiratory system. The medicine, when breathed, may enhance lung inflation, airway resistance, and inflammation. Chronic marijuana users are also more prone to suffer from respiratory ailments such as bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Marijuana includes volatile compounds and tar that are comparable to those found in tobacco smoke, raising concerns about carcinogenic and corrosive consequences. A meta-analysis of prior research indicated in a 2016 study published in Advances in Clinical Research that cannabis use may increase the chance of acquiring lung cancer. The link between cannabis use and lung cancer was, however, modest.
When teenagers use, they put themselves in more risk.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), teenage marijuana usage may have substantial long-term effects on brain development. Marijuana users may also suffer short-term memory, judgment, and perceptual deficits, which may manifest as poor performance in school or the job. Furthermore, there is the risk of driving while inebriated.
Regular marijuana use throughout adolescence is related with an increased risk of addiction and more severe marijuana use later in life, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
It has the potential to trigger Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome.
According to the National Library of Medicine’s StatPearls database, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a disorder characterized by prolonged symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort after cannabis usage. According to a 2019 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, whereas 18.4% of patients who smoked cannabis visited the ER, 8.4% of those who consumed edible cannabis did there with CHS symptoms.
According to Weill Cornell Care emergency medicine specialist Joseph Habboushe, there hasn’t been much research on CHS. If symptoms of chronic hazard syndrome (CHS) appear after years of marijuana use, they may persist until the person quits using marijuana. Marijuana withdrawal is now the sole treatment option for CHS symptoms. “We know that quitting smoking improves your health, but it takes days to weeks,” said Dr. Habboushe.
Summary
Marijuana users should be made aware of the hazards associated. Marijuana has been shown to help treat a range of medical ailments, but it should be handled with care. Furthermore, contrary to common opinion, breathing marijuana vapor is more damaging to your lungs than smoking it.
If you are concerned about the effects of marijuana usage, you should speak with your doctor.
If you have been feeling chronic sadness or a lack of interest in once joyful activities, you may be depressed. Depression affects around one-third of the world’s population, or 350 million people (a reputable source). This pervasive psychiatric disorder is the leading cause of disability on a global scale. However, many patients with depression do not get the necessary therapy.
Oral medications and other treatments are merely two of the various available treatment choices. As an additional treatment option, researchers are investigating medicinal marijuana. Learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of using medical marijuana to treat depression by reading on.
How may marijuana be used for medicinal purposes?
Benefits
Cannabis has medicinal promise as a painkiller.
Medical marijuana has the potential to alleviate anxiety.
In addition, it has been identified as a potential treatment for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.
In a 2014 study published in the Hawaii Journal of Medicine & Public Health, the potential efficacy of medical marijuana in the treatment of pain was recognized. The usage of cannabis was related with a 64% decrease in pain complaints from individuals. Many individuals also discovered that the medication improved their ability to relax and sleep.
In 2012, research was undertaken on the effects of cannabis on spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. This medicine reduced spasticity by around 30 percent, on average.
There may be other benefits, such as the relief of:
Movement disorders with involuntary motions
ill health, particularly during chemotherapy
Problems Sleeping
Associated Variations in Body Mass Index with HIV
Immediate and delayed efficacy and safety are presently being explored.
Examining the Relationship Between Marijuana and Mood Disorders
Initial rounds of research on the effectiveness of cannabis oil for depression have been conducted. Researchers are now discussing the benefits of restoring “normal” endocannabinoid function and gaining emotional stability.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo are researching whether medicinal marijuana might ease the symptoms of chronic stress-induced sadness. The Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) at the university has focused on endocannabinoids, a family of chemicals.
These chemical compounds are naturally occurring. They influence our capacity to think, feel, and act. In addition, they have certain molecular similarities with cannabis.
Scientists conducted their investigation on animals, not humans. However, they have also shown that chronic emotional stress may inhibit the brain’s endocannabinoid production. According to their investigation, this led to depression symptoms.
It is conceivable that reintroducing cannabis into the system might help to normalize levels and performance. There is a possibility that this might alleviate depression symptoms.
To properly assess the merits and drawbacks of utilizing cannabis to treat depression, further study is necessary.
Caution and possible dangers
Risks
Depending on how it’s taken, various negative consequences might occur.
It is unclear if marijuana usage increases or lowers the risk of depression, or whether it may be used as a therapy.
Cannabis use may make high-risk persons more prone to developing schizophrenia or psychosis. However, research have not supplied definitive solutions.
71% of individuals who used marijuana to alleviate chronic pain reported no adverse effects. A poll revealed that 6% of respondents had coughing or throat pain.
There is no evidence linking marijuana use to an increased risk of depression. Nonetheless, it is plausible that the two are connected. According to a particular research, infrequent or light users may be diagnosed with depression at a greater incidence than heavy or regular users (Trusted Source).
Multiple mental disorders have been associated with marijuana usage. When the risk for psychosis or schizophrenia is significant, it is essential to be aware that marijuana use may exacerbate these diseases. Psychosis is a serious mental disorder characterized by alienation from the outer world. Among the possible symptoms include hallucinations and delusions.
How you use marijuana may influence how you feel afterwards. The medicine may be sprayed on the skin, taken orally, or given as a patch or tablet to the skin. Traditional modes of pleasure, like as smoking and vaporizing, continue to be the subject of ongoing research.
Scientists at the University at Buffalo are now exploring whether or not an extract called cannabidiol delivers mood-enhancing benefits without potentially generating drug dependency.
Standardized depression treatment
Depending on the degree of your depression, you need tailored care. There are effective therapies for all three severity levels of depression.
Some individuals suffering from moderate depression find alleviation through psychosocial therapies such as psychotherapy (or “talk therapy”). Infrequently is mild depression treated with medicine.
Initially, individuals with moderate to severe depression may benefit from psychological treatments such as behavioral or interpersonal psychotherapy.
For individuals with moderate-to-severe depression, some psychiatrists and mental medical practitioners also prescribe antidepressants. Two such medication classes include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants. Due to the possibility of side effects, you should never take medicine without first seeing a doctor. When treating depression in adolescents with antidepressants, it is vital to approach with caution.
Concerns about the usage of marijuana to treat bipolar disorder?
Advice for Overcoming Mood Swings
In addition to working with your doctor, there are some things you may do on your own if you are battling with depression.
Make an attempt to reduce your burden by removing unneeded obligations and concerns. If you are feeling down, allow yourself room to breathe.
Add more structure to the day. When you just cannot miss an appointment or important event, your phone may serve as a useful reminder.
I suggest maintaining a journal. If you are feeling depressed, angry, or afraid, here may be a wonderful place to let it all out.
Participate in a support group for mental health. There may be a support group at your place of employment or faith that may provide guidance and resources. You may also find helpful the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Get as far out of your comfort zone as possible. Possessing a support system is advantageous in many ways, but it may be difficult when you are feeling low.
Find delightful new ways to cope with unpleasant emotions. The cure may be as simple as taking a daily walk, practicing yoga poses, or establishing a meditation regimen.
In conclusion
Even though some studies have showed promising benefits, further research is required to establish if medical marijuana is an effective treatment for depression. Outside of these exclusions, only 24 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana.
Discuss the potential of utilizing medical marijuana as a therapy with your physician if you live in a state where it is allowed to do so. Together, you can determine if this option is realistic.
You may explore further treatment options with your physician. You can choose what will work best for you if you collaborate.
