A growing number of people are opening up their minds to the possibility of using medical marijuana to treat their ongoing health condition.
Many states have now legalized the use of recreational and medical marijuana and others are giving the move serious consideration, which means that you will probably be able to find a number of Washington dispensaries for example.
The question that a number of people will want to ask before they get to the point of acquiring some medical marijuana, is what to expect when using this option to treat your medical condition.
Understanding what medical marijuana is
It helps to first understand what you are getting with medical marijuana and secondly, what health benefits you might obtain from using it.
To be classed as medical marijuana, the purpose of the product must be to use the whole and unprocessed marijuana plant as well as its pure extracts, in order to treat a disease or to improve certain symptoms or conditions.
Medical marijuana has to be sourced from a medicinal-grade cannabis plant that has been carefully cultivated without the use of any fertilizers or toxic pesticides.
Healing properties
The secret behind the healing properties associated with medical marijuana comes from its high cannabidiol (CBD) content, combined with equally critical levels of medical flavonoids and terpenes.
The psychoactive effect that the majority of recreational users seek out, comes from the small amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can also be found in the marijuana. The fundamental difference between medical and recreational marijuana in this respect, is that growers are looking to produce cannabis plants for medical use that contain higher levels of CBD and a reduced THC content.
Medical uses
It is fair to say that research is still ongoing with regard to the specific impact that medical marijuana can have on your health, but what is already established is that cannabinoids interact with your body with receptors embedded in cell membranes located throughout your body.
The therapeutic and psychoactive properties associated with marijuana occur when cannabinoid activates a cannabinoid receptor in your body, which could be located in your brain, lungs, immune system and other critical areas.
Being able to influence these areas in this way means that a number of your body’s processes, such as pain, anxiety and immune function, can potentially be positively influenced by the use of medical marijuana, providing relief for a number of symptoms and conditions.
Common ailments being treated
Some doctors who have been prescribing medical marijuana have seen tumors virtually disappear in some patients, with a daily intake of between 40-60 milligrams of cannabinoids as the sole source of therapy.
This may not be a widespread practice or remedy as yet, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is raising awareness of the potential of medical marijuana.
It is currently being used to treat a number of common ailments, including mood disorders, parkinson’s disease, seizure, multiple sclerosis and degenerative neurological disorders like dystonia.
If you are contemplating the use of medical marijuana, you will be joining a growing number of patients who could potentially benefit from changes in legislation to make it available.
Author’s Bio:
Andrew Pryce works in the medical research field. He is keen to share his knowledge where possible and enjoys writing articles on his research topics that the general public can read and understand. His articles appear on news and health related blogs mostly.