In recent years, attitudes towards the use of marijuana in the world have begun to change quite rapidly. Many countries have started to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, someone is exploring the possibility. In the US, medical cannabis is legal in some states, which is why Florida MMJ is popular with patients.
The benefits of cannabis
Cannabis-based drugs can be a lifeline for patients who are not being treated with the existing medicines on the market.
A distinction should be made between concepts related to street drugs, cannabis trafficking and medical cannabis, from which medicines are made.
Cannabis contains many substances called cannabinoids. The most famous among them:
- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has a psychoactive effect;
- cannabidiol (CBD), which has no psychotropic effect.
The main medical effects of cannabinoids are due to the action of cannabidiol, and not THC, a substance that has a psychoactive property. That is, the substance that makes people smoke marijuana (they become fun and pleasant). Cannabidiol has no psychotropic properties.
Cannabidiol is one of the many cannabis alkaloids. About 40% of marijuana extract contains cannabidiol. There are studies confirming the properties of cannabidiol as an anti-inflammatory substance, its effect on pain relief, nausea – especially in patients on chemotherapy. Cannabidiol may be a good solution for patients for whom nothing else works.
The question arises: what exactly does a therapeutic effect have? Cannabidiol itself or a combination with THC? Cannabidiol itself is more effective. Therefore, free smoking, production and sale of marijuana for the purpose of therapeutic effects (marijuana with a high concentration of THC and not a very high concentration of cannabidiol) do not make much sense from a medical point of view.
Antidepressant effect
Cannabifromene (CBC) and especially cannabidiol (CBD) have a very strong antidepressant effect.
Cannabis for schizophrenia
There are interesting studies illustrating the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (natural receptor system in the brain) in the formation of schizophrenia. Anandamide is one of the typical endocannabinoid substances that our brain produces. In patients with an acute debut of schizophrenia, the concentration of anandamide in certain areas of the brain is significantly higher than in healthy patients.
The effect of cannabis on appetite
In a large group of patients with appetite disorders, cannabinoids have a positive effect. Especially in the case of anorexic disorders and catastrophic weight loss in AIDS patients.
Epilepsy
It is one of the relatively new fields of application for cannabidiol, especially in children with severe forms of epilepsy. Such children are very difficult to treat, this form is difficult for treatment. Several studies show that cannabidiol is still the most effective treatment available.
Social phobia
Cannabidiol is quite effective in treating social phobia. It is very difficult to treat, and many doctors know how disabling this condition can be.
Cannabis products, especially those with a high concentration of cannabidiol, are quite effective in patients with a number of diseases, including very serious ones.