A common misconception about cannabis is that it’s just a drug for recreational use. While this may have been the case in the past, today, there are many important medicinal uses of this plant. This article will discuss the health benefits offered by medical marijuana.
Cannabis Can Help Treat Cancer
The main chemical in cannabis and its derivatives, cannabinoids, have been shown to have anti-cell proliferation properties. This can be used to slow cancer growth and kill cancer cells. One study done by the Spanish National Cancer Centre found that cannabis compounds inhibited the growth of tumors and prevented them from spreading throughout the body.
It Can Reduce Glaucoma Problems
One highly effective drug against glaucoma is usually corticosteroids, which are known to increase intraocular pressure. This often leads to blindness due to the eye damage it causes. Several studies show that cannabis can reduce the effects of systemic inflammation (ex. pro-inflammatory cytokines) and lower intraocular pressure, which can help stave off blindness in glaucoma patients.
It Can Help Treat Crohn’s Disease
It’s an inflammatory bowel disease that can be difficult to manage. The main symptom of Crohn’s is a wide range of abdominal pain, which can range from intermittent sharp pains to constant chronic pain. Many different medications are used to treat Crohn’s disease, but they do not have the same effect as cannabis. One study found that cannabis can reduce Crohn’s disease symptoms by 55 percent.
It Can Stimulate Appetite
Anorexia and cancer patients are a common problem that is difficult to treat. A study done by the University of Iowa found that out of all the drugs used to stimulate appetite, cannabis was the most successful at increasing appetite and helping with weight gain in cancer patients who were also going through chemotherapy treatments. Cannabis has been found by Maine dispensaries to help with weight gain and appetite in patients who have AIDS as well.
It Can Treat Epilepsy
There have been two FDA-approved clinical trials done on the use of cannabis and epilepsy. Both tests — one conducted by Dr. Orrin Devinsky at NYU Langone Medical Centre, and the other conducted by Dr. Roberta Cilio at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, California — found that CBD (cannabidiol) helped to reduce seizures in children who were suffering from severe forms of epilepsy.
It Can Be Used to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease
The main health problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease are inflammation, neuronal degradation, and memory loss. A study done in New York by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that cannabis can help reduce these symptoms. The study tested 58 adults over a two-year period who were diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. The study found that those who used cannabis had far less cognitive decline than those who did not.
It Can Help Treat Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
It’s an auto-immune disease that causes the nervous system to be attacked by the immune system and lead to widespread nerve damage. There have been three separate studies done that show that cannabis can help treat MS symptoms and prevent nerve damage from occurring.
It Can Help Treat AIDS
The therapeutic use of cannabis has been documented in India since 2000 BC for treating immunity-related diseases like AIDS and cancer. A study conducted in 2013 in California looked at the effects of HIV treatment drugs on patients who also used cannabis regularly. The study found that those using both cannabis and the medication had far fewer symptoms than those using only the medications. There were even indications that some of the medications got reduced in dosage due to cannabis usage.
It Can Be Used to Treat Anxiety Disorders
There has been a lot of research done in the past few decades, which has helped show that cannabis can help treat various anxiety disorders. A study by Dr. Abrams found that cannabis can reduce anxiety in patients with social phobia. Another study done by Eli Lilly showed that it could treat people who have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Conclusion
There are many beneficial uses of cannabis and many studies that show the positive effects on the body. On top of that, more studies show the positive effects that cannabis has on treating specific ailments or diseases every day.