Medical Cannabis: How Does it Work? 

Medicinal cannabis is cannabis-infused with cannabinoids that have high medicinal properties mostly with CBD content. It is usually administered through capsules, tinctures, lozenges, edibles, or smoking dried flowers through vaporization. CBD is described to be naturally occurring, potent without giving the high because it has 0% psychoactive qualities that are beneficial for its medicinal effects that is why it is suitable for patients who are experiencing chronic conditions.

Uses of Medicinal Cannabis

In places where the use of cannabis is legal, medical cannabis is usually used for pain control. There is research that the use of cannabis is safer than using other types of pharmaceutical medicines, especially when it comes to overdose. Medical cannabis treats different ailments ranging from mild to severe cases such as bodily aches, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, weight loss, glaucoma, epilepsy, Crohn’s disease bowel syndrome and many more.

Is Medicinal Cannabis Safe?

There are proven studies that support the claim that the medicinal cannabis usage is safe, however, typical side effects can be felt due to overdosage or if your body is still adjusting to the cannabis formulations. The usual side effects that can be felt are tiredness, nausea, dizziness, headache, stomach irritations, etc. These side effects are just normal symptoms and are not something to worry about, just make sure to follow your dosage to avoid it.

If you are a frequent user of medicinal cannabis, there is a low chance that you will have a tolerance or withdrawal symptoms. Those who are expected to have cannabis tolerance or withdrawal symptoms are those who are heavy users. The use of medical cannabis has a very low risk of addiction because the THC level is very low that is an insufficient amount to cause addiction.

Methods of Consumption

Inhalation

This method of consuming medicinal cannabis involves combustion or burning and vaporization of dried cannabis products. Inhalation delivers the cannabinoids or the active compounds found in cannabis into the body through the lungs. It would only take one inhalation for you to feel an effect into your body that is why it is advisable to wait for every 15 minutes to gauge if you still need another hit.

Ingestion

Cannabis products involve capsules, edibles, or cannabis oil. If you prefer ingestion, these cannabis products are absorbed through the digestive system that is carried by the bloodstream going into the central nervous system. Since the process is quite long before it is fully absorbed by the body the effects can also last longer compared to other methods of consumption.

Topical Application

The products under topicals may not be absorbed by the body but it manifests its efficacy by targeting focal points in your body that needs help. You may use these topical products directly into your skin. This is the method that is known to be the safest method because your bodily system doesn’t need to process it.

Facts About The Use of Medicinal Cannabis

For you to take in medicinal cannabis, your doctor will assess how much and what kind of cannabis does your condition needs.

Medicinal cannabis products vary depending on the strain type used, way of usage and amount of dosage.

A lot of people connotes that CBD is only for therapeutic purposes and that This only for the high. Actually, THC does not only provide plainly high but it also consists of medicinal properties especially for pain management.

The use of CBD is suitable for all ages depending on the method of use. For children, you may let them consume medicinal products in an edible, topical, or capsule form. If it is for the use of children and adolescents, any method is applicable just be aware of the dosage.

The way how you consume cannabis depends on several factors such as the severity of illness because every kind of illness also receives a specific dosage, so if you go overboard, there is a tendency that the extra dosages intake may just cause harm. Higher dosage doesn’t always mean higher therapeutic effects.

How Do you give An Access to Medicinal Cannabis

Talk to your doctor

Your doctor will give you an assessment if you really need the help of medicinal cannabis. They will give you prescriptions of your medicinal cannabis product based on your assessment to be accurate on the dosage.

You need to get a government approval

Getting government approval is like getting a permit for full possession of a medicinal cannabis product. You must present the prescription from the doctor. Aside from the government, you may also get an approval from a licensed pharmaceutical company.

Get your cannabis product

Once you have an approval or medicinal cannabis card, you may now look for your prescribed medicinal cannabis product to any cannabis store or dispensary.

Uses of Medicinal Cannabis

Reduces the risk of Diabetes and Obesity

Studies show that a regular intake of cannabis that is rich in CBD tends to have a lower body mass and smaller waist circumference reducing the risk of diabetes and obesity. Cannabis rich in CBD does not have Ghrelin that brings munchie feeling so you don’t have to worry about the carbohydrates that won’t be able to break down like what THC can do. Choose a high CBD strain that boosts the appetite but it helps the converting of fat into weight-reducing fat that promotes sugar metabolism and the production of noatherogenesismal.

Lower risk of cardiovascular diseases

Consumers of medicinal cannabis tend to have higher blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) or better known as good cholesterol and they tend to have a lower level of LDL-C which is bad cholesterol. When you have cardiovascular disease, the parts of your heart is inflamed. This is when the use of CBD takes place where it binds with the CB2 receptors with the anandamide component to respond naturally to inflammation.

Helps maintain Brain Health that is resistant to trauma and cell degeneration

CBD is considered as neuroprotective where it regulates the brain functioning and it helps maintain the overall health of the brain. Some of CBD’s responsibility to the brain is to remove damaged cells, improve the efficiency of the mitochondria and it reduces glutamate toxicity. If there is some inflammation on the brain, CBD acts out efficiently through its anti-inflammatory properties.

Protects broken bones and cures bone diseases

Medicinal cannabis facilitates the functioning of the bones and its metabolism. The cannabinoid CBD has the ability to block enzymes that destroys the bone-building compounds that also avoid different bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. If you have those bone diseases, your bones will have a hard time creating new bones and cartilage so CBD tends to process bone-cell formation to expedite the healing process of broken and fractured bones.

Protects and heals the skin

The CB2 receptor is found all over the skin. When the CBD is created into topicals such as lotions, serum, and oils the antioxidant properties of CBD such as Vitamin E, and C that provides a lot of benefits that has the ability to repair damage caused by free radicals like environmental pollutants and UV rays. These cannabis-based products are being developed to attend to skin-related issues such as skin cancer, psoriasis, acne, etc. that enables the faster healing of damaged skin.

Prevents and cure cancer-related illnesses

It has been tested that the use of cannabis, specifically CBD is long known to help reduce-cancer related symptoms. CBD has strong anti-tumor properties that increase the efficiency of reducing the risk of having cancer. Aside from its antitumor properties, it has properties that prevent cancer cells growth.

It can improve your focus and memory

When the cannabinoids bind with the receptors in the brain, it allows the flow of serotonin in the brain which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor where it helps on the task that you are doing. Another reason why medicinal cannabis is good for focus and memory is that it increases the level of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, which is responsible for the functioning of the brain that for focus and memory.

It helps in hormonal balance

Hormones are produced in the endocrine system that is important for metabolism, reproduction, and growth. If the hormones produce a little or too much, it may cause serious effects on bodily functions. CBD is known to provide relief on the symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as regularities in the menstrual cycle, mood swings, vaginal atrophy, and weight gain.

It promotes healthy digestion

When CBD is introduced to the digestive system, CBD has the ability to regulate the bowel movements and it modulates digestion. If the digestive tract is modulated and regulated, these digestive issues such as cramping, bloatedness, inflammation, and nausea can be prevented. This benefit from CBD is beneficial for women, especially those who have menstrual cramps and abdominal pain.

It  can treat open wounds

Medicinal cannabis can be used to treat different kinds of wounds because it has antiseptic properties. It may be in the form of a capsule or topical to maximize its antibacterial benefits. Cannabis rich in CBD is a perfect substitute if the patient is already a drug-resistant to antibiotics.

Final Thoughts

The use of medicinal cannabis varies from one person to another depending on the different factors such as genetics, mental and physical health, age, gender and personality traits. Medicinal cannabis has a lot of benefits as long as you would be a responsible user.