Presently on a federal level, cannabis still remains illegal in the United States and it is listed under the Controlled Substance Act’s Schedule one category. As per medical laws, any drug or medicine that falls under this category is considered to have 0 medical value. In spite of all this, medicinal marijuana is still considered as legitimate in 33 states and at the same time, it is also deemed to be something that can pose a huge threat to the pharmaceutical industry.
Medical Marijuana was legalized in California in the year 1996 when cannabis started being used for treating cancer, chronic pain, AIDS, migraines, and several other disorders. Thanks to the numerous testimonials that were published which sung about the positive aspects of this drug, since then this plant was legalized for medical reasons. But hey, before you get too excited about all this, take a quick look at what the medical marijuana industry is.
How am I supposed to get some medical cannabis?
Each state will have varying conditions for the users to qualify to get access to medical cannabis. However, there are few conditions, which if you undergo, you will automatically get access to this drug. In case you suffer from AIDS/HIV, cancer, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, epilepsy, chronic pain, autism or a few other diseases, you’ll be entitled to get some of this drug.
Suppose you suffer from any of these aforementioned conditions, you should instantly apply for a marijuana card that’ll help you receive access to dispensaries that sell cannabis of medical grade. As there is an estimated number of 100 million people in America who suffer from chronic pain, this can be specifically helpful for them.
Medical marijuana – What can it be used for?
There’s no doubt about the fact that medical marijuana has been in use for several thousand years now and it was also used in the form of medicine during the early and late 20th centuries. Dennis Peron was the man who opened the first marijuana dispensary in the US and he was always derided for believing in the fact that marijuana usage is medical. Here are a few conditions that can be treated properly with medical cannabis.
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
As per a study that was published by Molecular Psychiatry, cannabinoids derived from plants like marijuana will definitely have benefits among individuals who are suffering from PTSD by helping them relieve nightmares along with other symptoms of PTSD. There are several other studies that show that medical marijuana can diminish the frequency at which the trauma may occur.
Epilepsy
An area where medical marijuana has made the biggest splash is epilepsy. The one and only drug based on cannabis that has obtained approval from the FDA is called GW Pharma’s Epidiolex which is used while treating different types of epilepsy. This medicine has proved to help with few of the rarest forms of epilepsy like Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and it has been seen to achieve great results. As per the studies which were conducted on mice, medical cannabis led to a drastic reduction in epilepsy seizures.
Cancer
Cancer is related to pain, nauseatic feelings, inflammation and other issues that can all be reduced by taking cannabis. Moreover, it has been proved that cannabis can even halt the spread of this disease and shrink tumors. Besides the miraculous effects that this drug has on your physical body, there are several other users that turn to it for improving their mental health. Marijuana can improve their mood, reduce anxiety and relax the patients who are suffering from cancer. Patients also report finding an improvement in their appetite as well.
Chronic Pain
The reason behind cannabis being such an exciting and interesting solution for chronic pain is because there is just one alternative that is pharmaceutical drugs. The only thing that is disturbing about pharmaceutical drugs is that there are chances of overdose. Keeping in mind the 30,000 opioid deaths that occurred in America in 2017 alone, this is indeed a big problem. Patients usually report chronic pain to be the biggest reason behind Americans utilizing their healthcare system.
When should you call a doctor?
If you take a look at the bigger picture, you’ll see that medical marijuana is certainly becoming a commendable force that is disrupting the pharmaceutical industry. It is rather unfortunate to see a large number of people whose lives could have been enhanced if medical cannabis was legalized a lot earlier. Nevertheless, thanks to the growing legalization of this in several states, that things are getting back in shape. For those who are not able to get access to medical cannabis for any reason, they should immediately get in touch with a doctor.
Therefore, if you’re someone who is suffering from any of the above mentioned physical health disorders, you can seek the help of medical cannabis to reap its benefits.