Medicinal marijuana could mean the end of the pharmaceutical industry if it was legalized globally. Although there is little scientific research, medical marijuana users seem to consume considerably less pharmaceutical medication, if any at all. Cannabis is also easier to access, less expensive and it doesn’t have as many adverse (negative) side effects whereas many pharmaceutical medications do.
Medicinal Marijuana should be called miracle marijuana. This one plant offers us more health and healing properties than many plants combined. The cannabis plant contains more than 100 cannabinoids, which each have a different effect on the body. The two main cannabinoids which we choose for consumption are called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is the reason why cannabis is being used to treat an ever-growing list of conditions and illnesses. However, there are other cannabinoids such as Cannabigerol (CBG) which display even more promising medicinal properties than the well-known CBD.
Pharmaceutical medication and medical marijuana can be used to treat similar conditions and illnesses. Both cannabis and pharmaceuticals can be used in conjunction with the treatment plan for cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, sleep disorders, eating disorders and many more. Just like pharmaceutical medication, except for their side effects, medicinal marijuana helps benefit patients in the following ways:
This list is ever-growing, just as consumption and research do too.
Although pharmaceutical medication is prescribed by medical professionals to treat illnesses and diseases, the medication usually has side effects that range from mild to severe. This includes over the counter medication. Side effects happen because medications do more than treat the target problem. The issue with side effects is when it becomes an adverse effect, meaning an unexpected medicinal problem occurring during treatment with pharmaceutical medications. Types of adverse effects related to pharmaceutical medication use include, but are not limited to, constipation, skin rashes, diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, internal bleeding, abnormal heart rhythms, and suicidal thoughts. Some patients might even become addicted to pharmaceutical medication, especially opioid drugs which are commonly used for treating pain. This potential addiction alone makes medical marijuana the better choice to treat conditions and illnesses.
The more complex and stronger a pharmaceutical drug is, the more difficult it is to access and the more expensive the medicine. This makes pharmaceutical medication more difficult to access for lower-class people. Cannabis is cheaper to buy, even cheaper to grow and much easier to access. People who cannot get pharmaceutical medication for illnesses and diseases turn to cannabis instead. Although many who can access pharmaceutical medication still choose to use cannabis due to its’ minimal adverse effects. If cannabis is easier to access, cheaper, can treat similar conditions/illnesses and has no adverse side effects, then why is there a need for pharmaceutical medication? The legalization status of cannabis is the only thing standing in the way of its potential to over-power pharmaceutical medications.
I have been suffering from chronic illness since I was 16 years old. The use of cannabis to assist me has turned me away from pharmaceutical medication entirely, including the use of antibiotics. Such is the case with many medicinal cannabis users. Medical marijuana is not a trend, it is a medical phenomenon that will keep growing. Humans are not the only species that could benefit from cannabis for medical reasons. Animals can, and should, be beneficiaries of the medicinal properties too. Our knowledge of the plants’ benefits is limited due to its’ stigma associated with laziness and hippies as well as due to the lack of research. However, research and investigation into cannabis’ medical benefits are growing. If pharmaceutical industries do not take advantage of cannabis, it could potentially meet its demise. Perhaps this is a reason why the government is having a tough time legalizing cannabis.
“Do you prefer an indica or a sativa?” is typically the first question asked at a dispensary. Indica vs. sativa refers to the two main categories of cannabis strains. Both indicas and sativas differ in appearance and effects. Indicas are generally known for a sedating effect, while sativa strains are known for a cerebral high….
According to research, “Migraine is highly prevalent, affecting 12% of the population, attacking up to 17% of women and 6% of men yearly. Among children, it tends to happen more in girls than boys.” A migraine can be very disabling and last from hours to two or three days. Migraines are considered to be the…
PTSD can have far-reaching effects on health, functionality as well as on quality of living, which is why having access to effective treatment is so important. If you are living with PTSD or are living with someone who has PTSD, you would have first-hand experience with how challenging it can be getting through life on…
Up until recently, lack of cannabis education meant that people were blissfully unaware of the fact that the plant is not limited to just one strain and, therefore, does not produce just one type of effect. Fortunately, agricultural experimentation has led to the market exploding in terms of strains that can satisfy everyone, from beginners…
Using cannabis to help combat anxiety is a tricky business. Studies have given us significant evidence that cannabis can be used to help cope with anxiety and because anxiety is so common, that’s an extremely welcome piece of information. In fact, 72% of daily cannabis users reported consumption to relax or relieve tension and 58%…
Rosin and live rosin are distinctively similar yet very different types of cannabis concentrates. They are both made from cannabis, but only…
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) recently loosened its applicant drug use policy to be more accommodating to past cannabis consumers. Candidates of all…
Nebraska advocates are working to get medical cannabis on the ballot, THC seltzers are building buzz in Tennessee, and researchers tested CBD…