Medical marijuana is the use of the plant cannabis and its parts as a form of medicine or herbal therapy. For decades, users, and non-users have varying opinion about the medical benefits and the side effects of using marijuana. Believed to be a plant indigenous to South and Central Asia, the Cannabis Sativa has been used for thousands of years for its psychoactive and physiological effects. Deemed as illegal in most parts of the world, Marijuana has now found its way in the medical community. A lot of individuals and even health professionals are considering this controversial plant as an alternative to a lot of prescription medicines.

Marijuana under the Microscope

The marijuana plant contains more than 400 chemicals, 15% of which are classified as cannabinoids. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is the most distinguished cannabinoid that can be obtained from this plant which has both psychological and physiological effect on the human system. Basically they have similar effects than that of opiate where they interact with specific receptors in our central nervous system. They can impact the parts of the brain like the limbic system, mesolimbic pathway and in large areas of pain perception. Due to its influence on how an individual can deal with pain, medical marijuana has become a subject for a lot of clinical studies. Some people have reported suffering from from smoking cannibis.

Benefits of Marijuana to Various Health Conditions

With the increasing negative effects brought to light of continuously using prescription painkillers, the more difficult it is to deny the benefits of ‘medical marijuana.’ There are over 200 conditions that can benefit from using marijuana as a medical alternative. Among these conditions are:

Epilepsy – some ingredients in the plant can control spontaneous seizures. Most epileptics have to ingest multiple medications for their condition. Users who opt for marijuana over anti-convulsion drugs can avoid terrible side effects like anemia, psychosis, hair loss, headache and even impotence.

Multiple Sclerosis and Arthritis – swelling of joints and contraction of muscles can cause pain and endless hours of uneasiness. When one smokes marijuana their muscles can relax thus one feels less muscle pains. People who have rheumatoid arthritis also reported less inflammation and more sleep which can alleviate their condition. A lot of have report that their patients feel more relaxed. Some phlebotomist are also recommending their patients see a specialist to feel more relaxed.

Alzheimer’s Disease – a Research Institute in California discovered that THC can prevent the formation of Alzheimer Plaques in the brain which are brain deposits that is associated with the disease. On top of that, marijuana can block protein clumps which cause memory loss and cognitive deterioration.

Legalizing Marijuana

Society still frowns upon the use of marijuana but despite all the controversies and negative feedback some states in the US considered its use legal. These states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Delaware, Maine, Montana, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico, Vermont, Rhode Island and Washington. The controlled use of marijuana is considered a breakthrough for the medical field especially that prescription drugs are being reported to kill over a hundred thousand individuals every year. ‘Medical Marijuana’ as a natural remedy can save these lives and can provide more untapped potentials if society and medicine will work together to come up with better alternatives.