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Health Benefits of Weed | Medicinal Cannabis

The health benefits of weed consist of quite a long list that, thanks to new research, is constantly getting longer. It’s known that cannabis can be consumed medicinally or recreationally, depending on the needs of the consumer, and medicinal uses have been almost completely overshadowed by the law over the last century. However, there’s plenty of evidence to indicate that marijuana consumption, for both medicinal and spiritual reasons, started thousands of years ago, it’s only in recent history that we decided that it’s a bad plant.

Health Benefits of WeedHowever, thanks to technological and medicinal advances, over the last decade this magnificent plant has been studied slightly more in-depth and we have discovered many uses that are helping thousands of consumers around the world. The medicinal properties and health benefits of weed come from its cannabinoids, the compounds secreted by the plants’ flowers which can have a wide array of medicinal and psychoactive effects. Depending on the concentration of cannabinoids in each strain, they can be used to treat different issues or problems.

Furthermore, some cannabinoids like CBD have the benefit of medicinal properties without having a psychoactive effect. This type of product is perfect for those that are looking for the medicinal benefits of consuming weed but don’t want any sort of psychoactive effect. It’s also important to note that consuming cannabis medicinally isn’t necessarily done by smoking, there are more methods such as ointments, oils, edibles and vaporizers.

So, we know that the medicinal properties of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids have been celebrated over the years, but what exactly are the health benefits of weed?

Health Benefits of Weed | Potential Treatment for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are diseases that affect the brain and nervous system in a manner which causes it to break down over time. Examples of neurodegenerative diseases are Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s, Motor Neuron Disease and many, many more.

Over the last decade, studies have been done that show promising evidence that cannabis and certain cannabinoids can be used to treat neurodegenerative problems. In 2015, a review was published by the American Academy of Neurology in which an experiment took place where patients were given cannabis to treat various neurodegenerative disorders.

The resulting study, which was quite extensive, showed that patients experienced a dramatic decrease in pain and spasms, which are symptoms of some of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. This led many doctors to begin recommending medicinal cannabis for their patients, with cannabis slowly becoming more accepted within the medical community as an incredibly helpful medicine that doesn’t carry the same side effects as many stronger medicines.

Health Benefits of Weed | Can Accompany Cancer Treatments

Health Benefits of WeedCancer patients often receive an extremely tough treatment with a lot of side effects, making it a very hard, painful experience. Cannabis can help alleviate those symptoms, which is why more and more people are turning to marijuana’s medicinal capacities to help treat their cancer.

Chemotherapy can cause problems like extreme pain, depression, lack of appetite and more. The medications used to treat this pain and depression can cause addiction in patients, which is why many people are turning to cannabis to help relieve these symptoms, without the added risk of withdrawal syndrome. Depression is another big side effect that tends to accompany chemotherapy, and it can be due to a wide array of reasons such as the hair-loss caused by the therapy, accompanied by loss of appetite and general feelings of being unwell. Thanks to cannabis, hundreds of cancer patients are able to smile every day because they’re able to relieve some of the worst symptoms caused by cancer treatment.

Additionally, scientists have reported that cannabinoids THC, CBD and others can actually slow down the growth of certain types of cancer cells, and even cause death in others – however, these tests were performed in petri dishes in a lab. Other tests done on animals showed that cannabis is capable of slowing and stopping the spread of certain forms of cancer. Clinical trials on people are taking place right now and more are planned for the future.

Health Benefits of Weed | Glaucoma Treatment

Glaucoma is an illness that attacks the eyes that can sometimes leave its victims partially or even entirely blind. This illness is normally accompanied by high eye pressure, which kills off the cells in your eyes, causing vision loss which is irreversible, which is why it’s an illness that needs to be treated as soon as possible. Even if patients can get the necessary medicine, they might still experience some loss of sight, although at a slower pace than they would if they didn’t get any treatment.

It’s known that cannabis is able to reduce blood pressure in the eyes, which means that it can stop glaucoma from developing any further better than any other medicine can. However, among the medical community there are worries that Glaucoma requires heavy, constant doses of cannabis to stay treated, and the cannabinoid that treats it is THC, which also causes the “high” effect, and CBD actually decreases its capacity to reduce eye pressure.

This means that for Glaucoma treatment, it can be hard to find a balance between the amount and the high produced. THC-infused eye-drops offer interesting possibilities, possibly reducing the other side effects produced by THC.

Health Benefits of Weed | Calming Menstrual Pain

Health Benefits of WeedSome cannabis plants (not all of them) have the ability to alleviate suffering when it comes to menstrual pains, which over 70% of people that menstruate suffer from. Menstrual pains can occur in the days before the menstrual period and during, leaving plenty of people around the world debilitated and feeling not too good at all, at least once a month.

One of the most used strains for specifically treating menstrual cramps is Kali Mist, which has the perfect combination of cannabinoids for treating pain in general, although it’s quite an intense psychoactive effect. Not every woman goes through the same pains, there are some that have to deal with a lot of pain and there are others that don’t even notice it.

The properties that this kind of medicinal use offers can be useful to anybody that suffers from menstrual pain, and will most likely give better results than any kind of medicine.

Health Benefits of Weed | Anti-inflammatory and Antispasmodic

Some cannabinoids, specifically CBD and THC, have the capacity to influence the muscular system with their calming and relaxing properties. It can be used to fight all types of muscular pain, or to alleviate inflammations, cramps and muscle contractions. In fact, CBD has become a staple for some famous athletes, who consume it after intense exercise or fights in order to ease muscle pain and cramps that can happen after an intense workout. MMA fighters also use CBD to relieve pain after being in an intense fight.

It lowers blood pressure, giving a relaxing feeling, and it can also be used to treat stiffness.  It can also completely eradicate muscle spasms due to the relaxing effect it has on the muscles, which is very useful for many illnesses.

Cannabis Can Be Used to Treat Addiction

Health Benefits of WeedIt’s very common to hear someone say that cannabis is a gateway drug, and that if you smoke it you’ll end up addicted to something stronger. The thing is, over the last few years it’s kind of obvious that the exact opposite has been proven.

Opiates are used in many treatments for chronic pain, and can sometimes addiction more often than not, as well as withdrawal syndrome for those that have had to take them for long periods of time. Alcohol is a legal drug that has ruined millions of people’s lives, and it’s one of the leading causes of drug-related deaths worldwide. Cannabis doesn’t create any sort of physical dependency, which is why it can be used in any sort of situation without the risk of that “withdrawal” feeling. Thanks to the cannabinoid CBD, it is able to stop the neural degeneration caused by hard drugs while at the same time satisfying the withdrawal system that some of these drugs create.

This essentially means that cannabis can be used as a substitute for addictive medicines that are regularly given to cancer patients and other patients that suffer from chronic pain.

Cannabis for Autism

medicinal marihuanaAutism is a disorder that is described as interfering with correct neurodevelopment. There are varying levels of severity when it comes to autism, sometimes causing problems with verbal and non-verbal communication in patients, or issues with repetitive behavior and problems with social interactions.

There are many videos out there of parents giving their autistic child a couple of drops of cannabis oil under the tongue, and within seconds their demeanor changes dramatically; from frantic and anxious, to calm and smiling. In some cases, some strains (mainly sativas) are able to produce a very social and creative effect, stimulating the areas in the brain related to speech and the perception of other senses.

There have also been small clinical trials done regarding this with promising results, although obtaining cannabis-related products for treating children with autism can be quite the complicated task in the US, as some doctors refuse to prescribe cannabis products to children, regardless of the evidence in place.

Health Benefits of Weed | Aphrodisiacal Properties

Even though this may not be medicinal use, this particular property deserves to be talked about. It’s known that when you consume cannabis, your brain releases oxytocin, which is more commonly known as the “love” hormone. Your brain lets off big quantities of this hormone when climaxing, which is why when you consume cannabis your senses are slightly heightened. It also improves blood flow, which is more obvious for some than for others. If you combine that with the relaxing effect that makes you feel calm it can be great for dealing with feelings of self-consciousness, although just like with everything else, it depends on how much you consume. A relaxing joint to relieve some tension isn’t the same as smoking a few and ending up feeling lazy or paranoid, which would most likely be the complete opposite of an aphrodisiac.

Cannabis can also be an incredibly useful tool for those that suffer from erectile dysfunction, which largely stems from anxiety. Finding the right strain and dose to take the edge off may be the solution for many bedroom-related issues that couples experience.

Healthy Marijuana Use

If you’re planning on using cannabis to treat one of the issues mentioned before, make sure to find the right strain and dose for you, and consult your doctor before self-medicating. Cannabis can be a potent medicine but it is also used recreationally, and while recreational use can have its benefits, medicinal consumers should approach cannabis with a different mindset; weigh your options in as far as tinctures, edibles or vaporizing, depending on what you have at your disposition. This may depend on the legality of cannabis in your area, and some consumers may need to make their own supplies – check out our post how to make cannabis oil at home!

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Erik Collado

Con más de 10 años de experiencia en la industria del cannabis, sus experiencias y aprendizaje son la base del éxito de GB The Green Brand.

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