4 Ways medical marijuana is beneficial for patients

Medical marijuana has been used for centuries to treat a wide variety of illnesses. Studies are still being done on the benefits it offers, but some preliminary results show that medical cannabis can help patients with chronic pain, anxiety disorders, and even cancer. Medical cannabis is also a viable treatment option for those who are struggling with opioid addiction or dependence.

Cannabis has been an important part of our culture for thousands of years, but today it is finally being recognized as a legitimate medicine. With the legalization of medical marijuana in 28 US states and D.C., more people are turning to cannabis to help with their ailments and many are reporting improved neurological function. Legalization efforts have also driven economic growth with headshops, both physical and online, through stores like https://www.smokecartel.com/, popping up to create a bigger tax base and providing more options for patients to buy products. This has also helped drive further research into the long-term benefits of medical marijuana. 

This research has allowed us to understand that the human body contains cannabinoid receptors that receive chemical messages from cannabinoids found in marijuana or internally produced by the body called endocannabinoids. These chemicals interact with these receptors to produce different effects on your mood, pain tolerance, appetite, memory and immune system response. There are numerous studies that show how cannabis can be used therapeutically for things like insomnia, chronic pain relief, PTSD treatment, and even cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Neurological improvements

A new study out of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has found that marijuana, when used to treat epilepsy patients, can improve neurological functions.  The study examined 30 people with epilepsy who were using marijuana to help control their seizures. They found improvements in brain function and cognitive performance among those taking the drug. This is not surprising since one of cannabis' main ingredients is THC which helps regulate neurotransmitter activity in the brain and aids in memory retention. It's important to note that this research was done on a small sample size so more thorough research should be conducted before any conclusions are drawn about its efficacy as a treatment for epileptic seizures or other neurological disorders. But it does provide some interesting insight into how medicinal marijuana could potentially assist with neurological problems.

Pain management

Pain is defined as any unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. Chronic pain is the most prevalent cause of long-term disability worldwide and affects more than 10% of people on an annual basis. Marijuana has been shown to be effective at reducing chronic pain symptoms by suppressing the central nervous system's response to painful stimuli. This suppression can reduce inflammation, normalize neurotransmitter release, decrease hyperactivity within neural circuits, and lead to general analgesia (the absence of physical pain). The anti-inflammatory effect is attributed primarily to THC while CBD largely mediates the other effects but its role in doing so remains unclear. 

Improved sleep

It's no secret that marijuana can help with sleep. But how does it work? Medical marijuana has been shown to reduce insomnia, improve sleep quality, decrease REM latency (the time it takes for one to go into a deep sleep), and increase the total duration of sleep. So if you're struggling with sleepless nights, this might be the relief for your symptoms.

Appetite

A feeling of hunger is a signal that your body needs fuel. When you eat, the food you consume gets broken down and used for energy or stored as fat. Marijuana can help improve appetite because it stimulates the stomach to produce ghrelin, which helps tell the brain when it's time to eat. This is especially helpful for people with cancer and AIDS, who often lose their appetites as a side effect of the disease. In one study published in 2011, researchers found that THC increased food intake by 240% in rats on an almost completely restricted diet (meaning they only ate every other day). Another recent study conducted at San Diego State University showed marijuana could be used for weight loss because it reduces anxiety and stress which are common causes of overeating or emotional eating.

This is a guest blog entry.