One of the most iconic stories in the history of the human race on Earth is making a herb, with great potential benefits, banned for use because of certain political beliefs that marijuana, the same with other drugs such as cocaine and heroin, is addictive and can be a driver for the user to become abusive, more dangerous and less productive in the society.
However, there is a gradual turnaround in the legalization of marijuana in the West. The only country that has made marijuana legal for medical and recreational use is Uruguay while in the United States, more than half of the total number of states have legalized the plant for medical purposes. In California, Oregon, and Colorado, state jurisdictions have passed legislation to make possession and cultivation legal, with certain regulations on the sale of cannabis and derivative products.
The popularity of marijuana, or perhaps its notoriety in most countries, certainly brings contradictions in the way people perceive it and the way science has treated it. Branding marijuana is a drug definitely brings to mind that it is a medicine with certain uses. But most people would still regard it as a substance prone to abuse and may pose certain risks to users.
In another spectrum about marijuana, advocates of this plant-based drug have been strong in their stance to legalize it because it has certain uses, benefits that many people should know about. The way for people to get more knowledgeable about cannabis, debunking initial perception about it, is to make it legal.
With the help of scientific studies, many states in America including Canada, have shifted the treatment of marijuana into a medical substance.
Here are the 5 things that science says about marijuana.
1. Marijuana may be used to treat migraines.
Marijuana is a plant-based medicine. It is a herbal plant. And it can be used to treat severe headaches as evidenced in a study conducted in two specialty clinics in Colorado.
Between January 2010 and September 2014, the specialty clinics conducted tests on 121 adults with migraine headaches. Physicians of those clinics recommended prophylaxis with medical marijuana.
The findings show that the frequency of migraine was reduced with medical marijuana use.
2. Marijuana may be used to treat cancer symptoms.
In a study conducted by researchers at Harvard University, The active ingredient in cannabis may help treat cancer symptoms in chemotherapy. In turn, the medicine is able to significantly slow the ability of cancer to spread.
The study on the use of marijuana to slow down tumor growth has been published by American Association for Cancer Research.
The amazing thing about marijuana even though consumption of it involves smoking is that it is not connected directly to any lung cancer incidents, although the tar and noxious substance from the combustion of cannabis strain can be a cause of concern.
Vaping is another way to consume marijuana to alleviate the negative effects of smoke. Moreover, it is cooler to do that than just lighting a joint.
The thing is even consuming marijuana through joint may not give the user the cancer scare or even the onset of it compared to smoking tobacco.
3. Marijuana in treating seizures.
One of the reasons why people consume cannabis is for them attain to attain relaxation. If it could help in relaxing the body, then it may be beneficial for those with epilepsy. This study may have proven that marijuana could help reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures.
Epilepsy is a serious condition. Scientists have been finding ways to alleviate the incidence of patients who suffer from this condition, especially the potential results arising during the onset of a seizure.
Articles online of parents treating their children with medical marijuana when all other treatments have been proven ineffective should be the impetus for pushing the herb substance to more mainstream distribution.
4. Marijuana for treating multiple sclerosis.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has recommended extensive studies on the use of marijuana in treating the disease that affects the central nervous system.
Hempseed and hempseed oil are cannabis-derived products that can be used for this condition.
The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of marijuana have been medically documented during the administration of patients with multiple sclerosis.
This condition is a serious matter. Doctors and specialists have been finding ways to treat this autoimmune illness but prescriptions such as opioids can bring more harm than benefits.
Sclerosis is one of the conditions in which marijuana can be treated as a miracle cure despite scientific findings of this herb can prove it to be a legal medicine and not a quick alternative.
5. Marijuana has THC that may inhibit the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease
THC or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is an ingredient found in cannabis, has been scientifically found to have an effect on the removal of toxic plaque in the brain.
A recent study also discovered that blocks inflammation in the brain, the cause of the damage of neurons in this very important part of the human body.
THC is the compound that is a cause of concern of medical authorities because this is the factor why people who consume marijuana experience the high. But as they say, consume in moderation, which is specifically true to a substance that can also bring medical benefits.
More Extensive Research on Marijuana Needed
We can’t conclude that marijuana is a miracle cure. But with its current standing in the laws of many lands, it would be surprising to discover that the plant and its derivative products can help in treating certain conditions.
More researches have been conducted on the potential benefits of cannabis to the human population. We still have to anticipate how marijuana can cure HIV, diabetes, other forms of cancer, spinal cord injury, and other illnesses. And from these, we will have more reasons to share the news if, indeed, this herbal plant brings more good things to humans.
Knowing how marijuana can help in the treatment of certain cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease may have helped you gain insight into how wondrous this plant can be.