Marijuana has grown from being illegal back then to being legalized for use by adults over 21years of age. Although it is not legal in all states, the perception of marijuana has significantly changed. More people are embracing its health benefits, and medical marijuana is widely accessible in licensed marijuana clinics. Read on to understand more about medical marijuana.

Table of Contents

How does medical marijuana work?

According to Roger Pertwee, a neuropharmacologist at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom who has studied cannabinoids since the 1960s, “there are substances in our systems that work like THC [the psychoactive element in pot]” and other compounds in cannabis called cannabinoids.

The endocannabinoid system, which is involved in hunger, mood, memory, and pain perception, is affected by cannabinoids taken through marijuana. Researchers have so far identified 104 cannabinoids, but the pharmacology of most of them has yet to be explored.

What are the health benefits of marijuana?

Weed delivery Manhattan beach is on the rise, and it is easy to see why. Many people are embracing the health benefits of marijuana. Cannabis has long been used to relieve nausea and vomiting in people receiving chemotherapy, mainly to increase appetite.

Due to its success in alleviating the symptoms of people with multiple sclerosis, GW Pharmaceuticals developed the medication Sativex, which contains both THC and the non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol.

Cannabis-derived medications have shown promise in treating neuropathic pain, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. However, most evidence is anecdotal and awaiting confirmation in scientific trials. Evidence is lacking for creating standards for cannabis prescriptions for various diseases.

Are there safety concerns with medical marijuana?

Adults are not at risk for long-term harm, according to many studies. However, some studies have linked marijuana usage to an increased risk of schizophrenia. Chronic bronchitis is also another known long-term risk of adult marijuana usage.

Children and adolescents, whose brains are still young, may experience different situations. Recently, researchers have begun to compare the brains of kids who have never used marijuana to those who have. Still, more research is required to understand the effects of cannabis on the growing brain. Although the data is limited, marijuana is addictive, so it is best to use it appropriately.

Why is marijuana research limited?

According to Igor Grant, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Diego, one of the few researchers to have conducted cannabis clinical trials, it’s challenging to secure funding, at least in the United States. Since the federal government currently classifies it as a Schedule I drug, a dangerous chemical with no known medical benefits, pharmaceutical corporations prefer to invest in developing medicines they can patent.

According to Grant, this categorization means that researchers who want to use the medicine must obtain approval from several federal authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration. There are undoubtedly some barriers and procedures one must pass in the US, and that deters regular researchers.