It doesn’t matter if you are a lobbyist for medical marijuana or you completely want it off the shelves, you cannot deny the fact that it has had a huge impact on modern culture. With that being said, there have been tons of claims and studies that state that medical marijuana is actually beneficial and provides patients with medicine like properties. If this really true or is it just a farce? Below, you will learn about some of the medical discoveries linked to medical marijuana and what it can be used to treat.
Aiding In Nausea Relief
No one likes feeling sick to his or her stomach or feeling like they are going to constantly throw up. There are tons of medical conditions and treatments out there that induce this kind of side effect, and you might be surprised to learn that medical marijuana has been cited as a cure for this kind of condition. In fact, there are certain strains of marijuana that can ease nausea and vomiting symptoms that are linked with chemo, cancer, and aids treatments. In the late 80’s the active ingredient THC was synthesized and given to several AIDs patients at a hospital in Oklahoma. It was proven that after a six-week study the patients that took 5 milligrams a day saw an increase in appetite and experienced less nausea.
While the relief is the only short term, this is still a big step in the right direction to curing nausea that is linked to certain illnesses and medications.
Helps Ease Nerve Pain
If you have ever experienced burning hands or feet due to diabetes, AIDs, spinal cord injuries, or other conditions, you already know just how painful and horrific the experience can be. At times, the pain can be so overwhelming that you might even have a hard time functioning. Well, one study involving several different strengths of medical cannabis cigarettes was conducted around this condition as opposed to traditional pain medications. The study was conducted at the University of California and it proved that marijuana cigarettes were superior in providing pain relief.
Combating Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a serious condition that usually results in muscle spasms, stiffness, and sometimes it can even impact the way you walk. Several different studies have been conducted throughout a variety of different countries involving the use of medical marijuana combined with other medications. The active ingredient THC was broken down, combined with other medications, and transformed into an oral spray. A British study showed that out of 66 patients 42% of them experienced relief.
While the clinical trial is still in the final stages, there really is no proof that smoked marijuana can aid in the effects of multiple sclerosis.
Battling Crohn’s Disease With Medical Marijuana
Crohn’s disease is another very serious condition that causes the bowels to inflame and irritates the small intestine. Most of the time treatment for this condition requires a variety of medications along with surgery, but unfortunately, not all patients respond to these types of treatments. However, a study conducted at the University of Tel Aviv showed that 45% of 21 people that did not respond to traditional treatments responded well to medical marijuana cigarettes.
Medical marijuana was able to provide relief to Crohn’s disease symptoms, but as soon as the patients stopped using the marijuana they relapsed and started experiencing symptoms again.
Can Medical Marijuana Battle Cancer?
It was already established that medical marijuana can aid in the side effects of cancer treatments, but could medical marijuana actually aid in combating cancer cells? Well, a study conducted by the American Cancer Society showed that THC could actually reduce the growth of cancer tumors. Unfortunately, these were only animal trials, but human trails are currently in the works, and the potential looks outstanding thus far.