The use of marijuana, also known as cannabis, to treat chronic health problems can be traced to back 2900 B.C. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a Chinese encyclopedia contains the oldest written record of using cannabis to treat constipation, rheumatic pain, female reproductive tract disorders, and malaria.Today, the benefits of medical marijuana are being researched and extend beyond the aforementioned uses.
More recently, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) reported in 2016 that 10.5 percent of adults used cannabis solely for medical purposes.
As of 2019, 33 states, including Arizona, have legalized the use of medical marijuana. In Arizona, you have to have the following conditions to qualify for a medical marijuana card: Alzheimer’s, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Cachexia or wasting syndrome, cancer, chronic pain, Crohn’s, Glaucoma, Hepatitis C, HIV or AIDS, nausea, persistent muscle spasms, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and seizures.
WHAT IS MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Marijuana is the dried leaves, flowers, stems and seeds of the hemp plant. Extracts, oils and distillates can be derived from the plant. The term “medical marijuana” means using the unprocessed plant or its extracts to treat symptoms and health conditions.
Medical marijuana can be ingested in a few ways, though the most common are through inhalants, such as smoking or vaping, or edibles.
Marijuana is less habit inducing than other pain medications, especially those derived from opiates, and cannot cause fatal overdoses.
There is a difference between cannabis and cannabinoids. Cannabis is marijuana while cannabinoids are the active chemicals that are derived from cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD are cannabinoids. They are used to lower inflammation and relieve pain.
CBD oil, also known as cannabidiol, is derived from the hemp plant and, unlike marijuana, it is legal in all 50 states. THC is the in cannabis that causes most of the psychological effects. Any substance that contains more than 0.3% THC is illegal to use for medical purposes.
Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized or approved using marijuana as medicine due to the lack of scientific research and studies, several private studies have been conducted to look into the benefits and long term effects of cannabis use.
BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Glaucoma and chronic pain are among the two most cited reasons for using medical marijuana.
More than 25 million adults in the United States are affected by chronic pain, which is the most common reason people use marijuana for medical purposes. More than 62 percent of cannabis users take it for pain relief.
If you’re one of the 25 million, medical marijuana may be able to help you. NASEM assessed more than 10,000 studies on the benefits and effects of marijuana and found positive results. Two of those studies, which were backed by the NASEM, found that 40% of patients who either inhaled or ingested medical marijuana products found relief from their pain.
Additionally, the NASEM reported there is substantial evidence that cannabis is effective for treating chronic pain in adults, relieving nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy patients, improving multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms and reducing fatal seizures caused by Dravet syndrome.
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GLAUCOMA
Nearly 3 million Americans have glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disease that increases pressure in the eyeball. It can damage the optic nerve and cause a loss of vision. It is the leading cause of blindness. While cannabis does not treat glaucoma, it does temporarily lessen the pressure and symptoms associated with it.
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PTSD
It can also help those with PTSD by reducing anxiety, the inability to sleep, depression and flashbacks. Dr. Sue Sisley told CNN that her patients who were self-medicating with marijuana were more present and felt better than those that were not.
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SLEEP AID
NASEM also found that there is moderate evidence to support that medical marijuana can
Improve short-term sleep disturbances caused such as sleep apnea, chronic pain, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND DC ALCHEMY
Medical marijuana offers relief for cancer patients, those with MS and children with dravet while going through treatment and living with their incurable conditions. It’s more than a pain reliever and an anti-nausea medication, it helps you controlled what you couldn’t before and gives you your life back.
Additionally, studies have shown that using vaping products for medical marijuana use have led to increased lung capacity in users, according to the NASEM. This means you’ll be breathing easier and have less respiratory distress if you use DC Alchemy products.
Not only will you be breathing easier if you use products from DC Alchemy, but you’ll get relief from pain and sleep better if you’re treating your chronic health problems with medical marijuana. As an added bonus, if you’re one of the estimated 40 million Americans who have anxiety, medical marijuana can help calm your nerves and keep your head clear during stressful moments in life.
DC Alchemy products are perfect for inhaling medical marijuana distillate, which is a pure, odorless and tasteless extract. Our Premium CCELL cartridges with a ceramic heating element that prevents the distillate from burning for an enjoyable flavor and experience.
We at DC Alchemy know that the healing process can be long and arduous, so let us make it a more enjoyable experience for you. Browse our store catalog to see if our products fit your needs.
