Marijuana has always been a controversial topic. Some people see it as a dangerous drug with no benefits that encourages people to dive into the drug world. While some people could care less and know that it is beneficial to people with qualifying conditions. So how did we get to the point where people think so negatively about marijuana?
Check out this article for the history of marijuana, some facts about medical marijuana and the benefits that come with it!
History of Marijuana/Medical Marijuana
Marijuana has been around since 500 BC starting in Asia! Ancient cultures didn’t use marijuana to get high but instead for herbal medicine.
The history of cannabis cultivation in America dates back to the early colonists that grew hemp for textiles and rope. Things changed in the 20th century. Racial and political factored in the criminalization of marijuana
Sir William Brooke O’Shaughnessy, an Irish doctor in the 1830s, is the first recorded doctor responsible for first using marijuana to help pain! He was studying in India and found that cannabis extracts helped with lessening stomach pain and vomiting in people who suffer from cholera (an infectious and often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine, typically contracted from infected water supplies and causing severe vomiting and diarrhea).
Cannabis extracts were sold in pharmacies and doctors’ offices by the late 1800s throughout Europe and the United States! Scientists later found out that THC was the component responsible for the medicinal properties.
Marijuana wasn’t really used for recreational purposes (to get high) until the early 1900s.
What is Medical Marijuana?
Medical marijuana is a plant based medicine that comes from Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica species. There are three major active components: THC, CBD, and CBN. It is used to help alleviate pain or treat conditions/diseases!
Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?
Marijuana is not a gateway drug. Many people believe that marijuana can lead to the use of other drugs such as heroin, LSD or cocaine. However, this is not the case. Most people who use or try marijuana do not go on to try other illegal drugs.
In fact, some people use marijuana as an “exit drug” to stop their addiction from a much more dangerous drug. It can help ease the withdrawal symptoms that they may be experiencing.
Medical Marijuana Helps Most Conditions Through Bringing Balance to the Endocannabinoid System
Everyone has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that is responsible for maintaining homeostasis, or balance of your body. Endocannabinoids attach to cannabinoid receptors to ensure that it can fulfill its normal functions.
This system can be thrown off balance when someone has a medical condition such as PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and other qualifying conditions. Medical marijuana has endocannabinoids that can attach to the CB1 and CB2 receptors and help bring balance back to the ECS. This is how medical marijuana can help people who are seeking natural relief from their conditions and symptoms.
Which Conditions Can Medical Marijuana Help?
How does medical marijuana help? Cannabinoids are the active chemicals in marijuana and are similar to the chemicals in the body that are involved in appetite, movement, pain, and memory. It can be used to help people suffering from many different and painful conditions. There are many conditions that medical cannabis can help, but here are some of the top conditions that medical cannabis can help:
Chronic Pain
A research study published in the journal of Health Affairs found that 62% of people use medical marijuana for chronic pain. Medical marijuana can help alleviate the nerve pain that people consistently feel and help them sleep better at night as well!
ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This disease is part of a larger group of conditions referred to as motor neuron diseases. All motor neuron diseases are related to the gradual deterioration, and eventual death, of motor neurons, which are responsible for connecting the brain with voluntary muscles. Unfortunately there is no cure for ALS so medical cannabis can be used for some sort of relief. Cannabis can help induce effects including muscle relaxation, analgesia, and self induction!
Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease which causes inflammation in the digestive tract. It can lead to abdominal pain, fatigue, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Medical cannabis is an effective treatment due to the cannaboids which interact with the receptors in the gut. THC is known to reduce inflammation in the body, including the gut! This can help control the symptoms of Crohn’s disease.
Cancer
Cancer patients. Oral consumption is used to help with nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy and can help alleviate the symptoms.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord) patients. Medical marijuana can help improve symptoms of spasticity.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy patients. In 2018 the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, approved using medication containing CBD for patients suffering from two types of severe epilepsy. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome are difficult to control with other forms of medication, but marijuana helps! A 2017 study found that patients using CBD had fewer seizures among children with Dravet syndrome than those receiving the placebo in the study.
PTSD
People who suffer from PTSD. Many veterans suffer from PTSD. They have seen unimaginable things while fighting for our freedoms and can have intense PTSD as a result.
Other Conditions Medical Cannabis Can Help
There are many other conditions that people use medical marijuana for! The list consists of:
Alzheimer's Disease
Cachexia, wasting syndrome
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
Fibromyalgia
Glaucoma
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C
Huntington’s Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Sickle Cell Anemia
Spasticity
Spinal Cord Injury
Terminal Illness
Tourette Syndrome
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Ulcerative Colitis
How to Get Your Medical Marijuana Card
Right now in North Carolina the only people who qualify for medical marijuana are people suffering from intractable epilepsy. They are allowed a very low dose of THC-CBD to help with the pain they are suffering from.
There is hope that more people will qualify for medical marijuana very soon! Senate Bill 711 is going through the process of becoming a law so it is the perfect time to reserve your North Carolina marijuana evaluation appointment today! You will also get $25 off the total price when the time finally arrives!
Stay tuned for updates on this bill and the progress that is made!
Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.
Helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at (833) 781-7320, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out North Carolina Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in North Carolina!
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