Can marijuana even be your medicine? How can marijuana heal you medically? These questions may concern you in many ways. Maybe in the hope of getting rid of intense pain and other distressing symptoms, you want to incorporate medicinal marijuana in your pack of medicines. But if you are doubtful about the associated risks, this article will help you.
Taking briefly about the origin of marijuana comes from the plant known as hemp. Due to the active ingredient, which is Delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), found in the leaves and flowers of the plant, it produces a feel-good hormone known as dopamine. It creates a pleasant sensation that helps you relax in times of agony.
Read on to figure out the ways of obtaining a prescription from a doctor, ways in which marijuana benefits you, and its side effects, along with associated risks.
Is Marijuana Approved as a Medicine?
Among a variety of hundreds of chemicals found in cannabis plants, two major chemicals, namely Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), comprise all the medicinal value. In the United States, you will find that medical marijuana has been legal in 38 states only if you want to consume it for medical purposes, which are:
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
However, you will realize that some states have restrictions on the combination of THC and CBD that need to be maintained. Even though the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved of using marijuana in treatment for medical conditions, it has given permission to use Epidiolex and Marinol, which have been found effective for dealing with symptoms of various diseases like cancer, epilepsy, and AIDS.
Under What Conditions Will a Doctor Prescribe You Marijuana?
You must possess an ID card, and your doctor must give you a prescription in order to use marijuana. This can be applicable to you under the following conditions:
- Epilepsy: If you or your child shows severe symptoms of epilepsy, then a doctor will prescribe you Epidiolex to deal with it.
- Treatment for cancer patients: Once a person has undergone chemotherapy, they face symptoms such as nausea and continuous vomiting. To relieve such symptoms, they will get a prescription for nabilone, a form of medical marijuana that will help them get some relief.
- Multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms: You can make use of them to heal chronic pain and muscle spasms, also found in the form of sprays.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, if you suffer from any of these diseases, marijuana can help:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Your doctor will prescribe you only when other medications or treatments don’t work anymore. You must be aware that using it without a prescription is illegal.
In What Ways Does Marijuana Benefit You?
You will find marijuana in many forms, like gummy bears, flowers, pills, droplets, and other edibles, so you can choose the one you like among these varieties. You can intake marijuana in many ways, like smoking it, inhaling it by mixing cannabis oil in your vape devices, eating it, consuming it by infusing it in pills or applying it thoroughly on your skin.
If you smoke marijuana, you will get quicker results. However, it can damage your lungs in the long run as you inhale a lot of smoke. On the contrary, when you consume it in your food, you will not observe an immediate effect, and it will take a comparatively longer time to show results.
The cannabinoid receptors present in your brain match perfectly with the chemicals found in marijuana. As a result, you get soothing relief from your pain by working as a painkiller or relieving you from symptoms like consistent vomiting and muscle cramps. Here are some more benefits of using medical marijuana:
- After using marijuana, it reduces your blood pressure.
- It aids in de-stressing you from neuropathic pain and reduces inflammation in your body.
- It is also helpful in treating anxiety disorders.
- If you have trouble sleeping, your sleeping pattern improves.
- In cases of post-traumatic stress, it will help.
- If you are dealing with constant vomiting post-chemotherapy, it will help alleviate such symptoms. Moreover, some studies show that marijuana causes cell death.
Are There Any Side Effects of Marijuana?
While patients can enjoy phenomenal benefits from marijuana at times of pain, there are some side effects associated with its intake. Some common side effects observed after consistent consumption are:
- Increased heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Lack of concentration
- Memory loss
- Negative reaction with other drugs
- Increase in appetite
- Increased risk of stroke
- Higher chances of addiction
- Hallucinations
- Greater withdrawal symptoms
- Suicidal thoughts
- Increased tiredness and laziness
- Mood swings
- Weak muscles
- Difficulty maintaining body balance
What Are the Associated Risks of Marijuana?
Especially if you are pregnant and take any form of marijuana, it will affect your child’s growth when chemicals present in the marijuana flow from your bloodstream into your baby’s brain. When you take marijuana during pregnancy, it also increases the risk of weight loss in your newborn baby. In the worst case, it can also lead to an increase in the chances of stillbirth or premature birth.
Apart from greater risks to pregnant women, there are other risks, including:
- If you are above 65 years of age and take marijuana, then you have a high chance of facing injuries all over your body.
- In the long run, your lungs may be impaired and you will develop signs of bronchitis.
- Additionally, you will be troubled by gum diseases and infertile conditions.
- Eventually, you may develop a cannabis use disorder that causes excessive stress and impairs activities in your life.