Medical Marijuana – 8 Uses of Cannabinoids
– Momentum Public Relations –
Canada has come a long way in regards to medical marijuana. It wasn’t that long ago that any mention of marijuana automatically conjured an image of a stereotypical stoner eating snacks on the couch. As the national conversation in Canada shifts towards the possibility of fully legalizing marijuana for adult users, many Canadians still have questions about medical marijuana and exactly what it is able to do. To answer those questions, we want to cover exactly what makes marijuana work as a form of medicine, as well as eight different medical use cases for marijuana:
Cannabinoids are the Key to Medical Marijuana
The reason marijuana can help people with different medical conditions is because it contains cannabinoids. The term cannabinoids refers to the active chemicals that are found in cannabis (marijuana). These chemicals are what causes the drug-like effects associated with marijuana usage. The two areas of the body that are most impacted by cannabinoids are the central nervous and immune systems.
Of the various cannabinoids found in marijuana, one of the most active and notable is delta-9-THC. More commonly identified simply as THC, this is the cannabinoid that’s responsible for the “high” associated with smoking marijuana. The other cannabinoid that’s important to note is cannabidiol (CBD). When isolated, CBD can lower inflammation or relieve pain without creating any of the effects associated with THC.
8 Medical Uses of Cannabinoids
The reason that Canadian companies like InMed Pharmaceuticals (IN:CSE) are investing so much R&D into drug discovery and development around cannabinoids is there are already numerous examples of their medical uses. Those uses include:
- Pain Management: Cannabinoids can be used to manage many different types of chronic pain. They are especially effective at managing pain that results from nerve damage. Cannabinoids make it possible for chronic pain sufferers to improve their quality of life without the risk of addiction and fatal overdose that opiates carry.
- Multiple Sclerosis: One of the effects of this condition is it causes painful muscle spasms. Individuals who have MS can use cannabinoids to help treat spasms and lessen their severity.
- Nausea: Individuals with AIDS and cancer patients are two examples of groups that struggle with significant nausea. Cannabinoids are very effective at lessening or completely stopping nausea in those types of people.
- Appetite Stimulant: In addition to significantly helping with nausea, cannabinoids are also an effective way to boost appetite. While lots of snacking is commonly portrayed in stereotypes of stoners, plenty of people with legitimate eating problems greatly benefit from this use of cannabinoids
- Epilepsy: Cannabinoids have been shown to dramatically reduce seizures in many people with epilepsy. For children with epilepsy and other patients, a cannabis oil that’s high in CBD and low in THC makes it possible to manage epilepsy without the typical side effects of feeling stoned.
- Crohn’s Disease: This disease causes bowel inflammation and commonly irritates the small intestine. Cannabinoids can lessen the need for someone with Crohn’s to take other types of medication. It can also reduce the likelihood of a person with Crohn’s Disease needing surgery.
- Cancer Treatment: Not only can cannabinoids help cancer patients manage their pain, but both THC and CBD have been shown to slow or even halt the growth of cancer cells.
- Parkinson’s Disease: Although studies have found that cannabinoids don’t help with the motor symptoms of this disease, cannabinoids have been shown to help reduce the tremors and stiffness associated with Parkinson’s.
While only time will tell whether or not marijuana will be legalized for all recreational users in Canada, there’s no doubt that significant progress will continue to be made within the realm of medical marijuana and using cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes.