Recently marijuana, after decades of being demonized and criminalised seems to be taking back its true ancestral status as a medicinal plant that can bring significant benefits to the human health and the combat various diseases.
Marijuana is obtained from the Cannabis sativa plant, which contains more than 60 different substances referred to as cannabinoids which have great medicinal value.
These are some of the diseases that according to scientific evidence can be alleviated with cannabis. Here are 10 Marijuana Health Benefits & Medical Uses.
1. Cures Migraines
A migraine is a nervous disorder that causes severe headaches and visual disturbances that can produce hallucinations and one of the best ways to combat it is with THC (psychoactive part of marijuana). Marijuana is the best relaxant available from nature. California
Doctors have reported 300,000 cases of successful migraine cure with medical marijuana.
2. Relieve Sclerosis Symptoms
Marijuana helps in curbing some of the muscle spasms and neurological effects produced by this disease by protecting the nerves. A clinical study by Ministry of Health of Catalonia has found that cannabis extract relieves many symptoms of multiple sclerosis, neurological pain, and loss of appetite and weight. In this study 65% of the 123 patients analyzed showed an improved quality of life and reduced pain. The remaining 35% were those who discontinued treatment due to minor side effects like dizziness and dry mouth.
3. Helps Prevent Alzheimer’s
Marijuana use may halt the progression of Alzheimer’s, a progressive and incurable disease that mainly affects the elderly, according to a study published in the prestigious journal “Molecular Pharmaceutics.”
According to this research by scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in California, some marijuana ingredients can prevent the disease from worsening by preserving the levels of a neurotransmitter that allows brain function. Scientists point out that one of the main ingredients of marijuana, identified as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, attacks the disease with a better effect than other drugs.
4. Relieves Parkinson Symptoms
Marijuana/hemp oil when taken by Parkinson patients removes Tremors & Stiffness within minutes which are the main symptoms associated with Parkinson diseases. In a study by US Govt, analysis of specific motor symptoms showed significant improvement after treatment in tremor (Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24614667)
5. Decreases the speed of Tumor Growth
As per the American Association for Cancer Research marijuana significantly slows down the growth rate of tumors in brain, lungs, and breasts.
6. Fight Glaucoma
In 1971, during an investigation of the health effects on marijuana users, it was observed that cannabis reduces the intraocular pressure. Marijuana is able to lower the intraocular pressure in a range of 25-30%, occasionally reaching up to 50%, relieving the bad ones produced by glaucoma.
7. Prevent Pain
Marijuana being a drug, causes patients to relax and manage to fall asleep easily and quickly, this is the use of a medicinal form that has been used marijuana since aancient times. Most of the preliminary investigations have used extracts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient of the cannabis plant. A study in the United States that examined 22 patients suffering from some chronic pain resulted in 60% of them calming the pain, reduced anxiety and depression, and most managed to get to sleep without pain
8. Help with ADD and ADHD disorders
In California, doctors are recommending using cannabis to treat the overactive attention deficit. These young people can get their medical marijuana card, after being accompanied by their parents on their visit to the doctor. Since 2004 it has been estimated that more than 36,000 medical marijuana licenses have been issued, the number of licenses issued to children, is unknown, as doctors are not required to report cases of medical marijuana.
9. Help with Pre-menstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome of women that alters emotional tension produces anxiety, depression, headaches, and physical discomfort that often occur several days before the onset of menstruation can also be relieved with Marijuana use. Menstrual cramps and other symptoms that come with menstruation are significantly reduced with the use f it.
10. Helps calm with OCD and Tourette
Results from a study in Hannover, Germany, indicated that marijuana use had managed to cure some cases of Gilles de la Tourette’s syndrome. They developed a successful treatment of Tourette’s syndrome with the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. There was a marked improvement in vocal tics, motor, and associated behavioral disorder, in addition to the disappearance of coprolalia.
