What science says about marijuana’s health benefits

For decades, marijuana has managed to remain a controversial topic without fail. Marijuana is not new to the scene however it is new to the scene of being legalized and accepted by society. Thanks to legalization, there has been much research into marijuana and it has been discovered that the plant has many health benefits that can help people who suffer from many health conditions. The science behind these discoveries is so significant, that doctors around the world are now prescribing medical marijuana for their patients as a treatment for conditions such as chronic pain management, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, cancer treatment, PTSD, anxiety addiction recovery, and many more. This blog will deep dive into what science has to say about the benefits of marijuana. 

Using marijuana can be therapeutic and increase appetite

Marijuana is said to provide therapeutic effects on users and the substance has helped facilitate healing in millions of people worldwide. Marijuana can be used to treat chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and vomiting, neurological conditions such as epilepsy, and many other health conditions. Marijuana also increases appetite and the way that it manages to do this is by stimulating CB1 (cannabinoid) receptors in the brain which results in these receptors releasing a single hormone that increases the intake of food. There is even a term dubbed by the cannabis community called “munchies”, which is a desire to devour food after smoking cannabis. There is much debate on whether or not marijuana can cure certain ailments but as it stands, marijuana is just used to treat conditions and alleviate the symptoms.

The effects of smoking marijuana vary with each individual’s tolerance 

Everyone is built differently and everyone has a different tolerance level. Some people only need a tiny dose of marijuana to experience a satisfactory level of high, whereas others need to consume significantly larger amounts of cannabis to feel a level of high that satisfies them. The same applies to medical marijuana, some individuals cannot withstand high doses of marijuana because it results in sleepiness and lethargy while others need to consume a higher dosage to treat their condition. Your healthcare provider is the ideal person to help you determine the correct dosage; however, it is usually determined by your weight and tolerance level. You also need to consult a doctor if you are using other medications because sometimes it is not advisable to mix certain pharmaceutical drugs with cannabis because of the side effects. 

If you are a new cannabis consumer, you want to avoid inhalation methods that produce combustion because these carry severe health risks such as lung cancer and upper airway cancer. Instead, try a dry herb vaporizer which is a vapor-producing inhalation device and can be found on https://cannacabana.com/. Alternatively, you can also try edibles or tinctures which is cannabis flower dissolved in alcohol to form a concentrate that is popular among medical marijuana users, which are also available at Canna Cabana. A tip for first-timers is to begin with a low-THC strain or avoid THC altogether and stay on the safe side with CBD. 

There are no known risks to using medical marijuana 

Generally, marijuana is safe to consume and there are no known risks involved unless you smoke it with a joint which puts your lungs and throat at risk of infection and cancer. However, marijuana itself is safe. Just because it is safe though does not mean that it can be consumed by everyone. For example, teenagers should avoid cannabis as well as people suffering from serious liver, kidney, heart, and lung disease. Cannabis can have a negative effect on these organs which puts you at risk. For example, cannabis is known to increase heart rate which is risky for people who have heart disease. Compared to cigarettes though, marijuana is much healthier for your lungs, however, you want to avoid smoking entirely and rather consume another way that does not involve combustion. People smoke cigarettes because of addiction and because they claim it relieves stress and sometimes social anxiety. Marijuana however has many proven health benefits and is not addictive so overall, this is a healthier alternative. 

It’s safe to say that marijuana is society’s newest super herb and it doesn’t look to be dying out anytime soon. 

Written by Austin Crane

Austin is the principle web director for Untamed Science and Stone Age Man. He is also the web-director of the series for the High School biology, Middle Grades Science and Elementary Science content. When Austin isn't making amazing content for the web, he's out on his mountain bike or in a canoe.

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