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Six reasons why doctors recommend using marijuana, according to experts.

​​There's been plenty of evidence that finds using marijuana for certain medicinal purposes is highly beneficial. It's proven to be helpful for patients who experience seizures, have autism, severe nausea or vomiting caused by cancer treatment, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease, epilepsy and seizures, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms, among other medical conditions. In addition, doctors are suggesting marijuana for other reasons and Eat This, Not That! Health talked to experts who explained the reasons marijuana is prescribed the most. (NOTE: In order to responsibly use marijuana for medicinal purposes, do not use unless under the care of a medical professional guiding its use, know how to legally obtain marijuana and familiarize yourself with what the laws are regarding its use and purchase.) 

Dr. Tom Ingegno DACM, MSOM, LAC says, "Pain is probably the number one reason anyone recommends cannabis. Pain is a symptom of many different issues and diseases, not just injuries.  Due to cannabis's ability to reduce inflammation, it can be used for everything from arthritis to intractable cancer pain.  With a big national push to move away from opiates, doctors have been looking at other sources for pain relief and cannabis fits the bill."

Dr. Kristina Hendija explains,"It works for stress and anxiety relief for many. Cannabinoid receptors are present in all the brain regions responsible for processing anxiety and stress. Use of medical marijuana helps to dampen the severity that stressful events have on an individual. It helps form a regulatory buffer system against overwhelming emotional responses while also modulating the networks balancing distress and well-being. It should be known, however, that long term marijuana use with subsequent withdrawal can result in temporarily reduced dopamine levels."

3. Sleep

"Cannabis can help people sleep.," says Dr. Ingegno.

"CBD, the non-psychoactive compound, can help people sleep more soundly and delta 9-THC, the most commonly known psychoactive compound found in cannabis,  may help people fall asleep.  While there may be an entourage effect with many of the other cannabinoids and terpenes, the compounds that add the various flavors to the different strains, in general look for Indica-dominant varieties to help with sleep."

Cannabis sativa is a universal and versatile plant, so it’s no wonder that it has been given so many names throughout history and the world.

There are many names attributed to the plant that is scientifically known as cannabis sativa. From weed, to hemp, cannabis and marijuana, this seven-pointed leaf plant has a list of aliases that seems to grow as quickly as the plant itself. 

Many names linked to cannabis sativa refer to the same type of plant or product, but not all of these terms should be used interchangeably. In fact, cannabis, hemp and marijuana all refer to different products. It is critical to understand the difference as some of these products are fully legal while others are associated with possible felony offenses. 

Many cannabis enthusiasts understand the difference between cannabis, hemp and marijuana, but “a third of Americans think hemp and marijuana are the same thing, according to the National Institutes of Health, and many people still search Google to find out whether cannabidiol — a cannabis derivative known as CBD — will get them high,” according to The Conversation.

Photo by Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

Cannabis 

Cannabis is an umbrella term of sorts. The word cannabis is an abbreviated name that comes from cannabis sativa, its scientific plant name. “The word “cannabis” refers to all products derived from the plant Cannabis sativa,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This means hemp is a form of cannabis, and marijuana is also a form of cannabis.

Cannabis works wonders for chronic inflammation but we are just now understanding why.

Regardless of how anyone feels about inflammation or the amount of pain it comes with, it remains an unavoidable healthy response that keeps us alive. From bruising a finger to the after-effects of cancer treatments, inflammation is the body's automatic response to every physical condition. There are times when inflammation could lead to extreme pain and adverse conditions due to a dysfunctional effect on the immune system. At this point, drugs are needed to reduce the pain and hasten to heal.

Recent studies show that cannabis could be an essential anti-inflammatory agent. Some medications have been tested and proven over the years to be effective against debilitating and extremely painful inflammations. However, better options are being sought for managing chronic conditions. Because most potent anti-inflammatory medications tend to have adverse side effects when used for long periods,

This piece investigates the potential of cannabis to serve as a panacea for chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders. We investigate the relationship between cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system, and these disorders mentioned above.

What Is Inflammation?

You can consider inflammation to be the body's way of fighting and protecting itself against harm. In this case, harm could mean an infection or injury within or outside the body. For instance, when you have an injury, the first thing you notice is that the affected area reddens and swells. This reaction is due to the immune system sending out a group of white blood cells to contain the bleeding and fight off any form of infection.

Within the body, this same reaction occurs around the vital organs and also in the blood vessels. Put simply; the immune system causes any part of the body at risk of being infected to be inflamed. The elderly deal with more chronic inflammation and use cannabis at a higher rate then early generations. 

It appears Pakistan may soon be entering the lucrative and growing global cannabis industry. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government announced late last year that it would allow for the industrial production of hemp, a cannabis plant containing cannabidiol (CBD) that many experts believe has numerous therapeutic benefits and is generally sold in the form of gel capsules, gummies, oils, supplements, and extracts.

Unlike its cousin, marijuana, hemp does not contain significant quantities of the psychoactive component known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the compound most associated with the intoxicating effects of cannabis. Although hemp-derived CBD production in Pakistan would mostly be for export markets, its use domestically for medical purposes has been legal since September of 2020, meaning that new production could also service a growing domestic market.

More recently, Pakistan’s Minister of Science and Technology Shibli Faraz is reported to have told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Science and Technology that the government is set to introduce legislation to regulate the domestic cannabis industry imminently. This represents a huge economic opportunity for Pakistan as the country struggles to address its chronic current account deficit by boosting exports and diversifying its agricultural sector.

The use of CBD products related to health and wellness is set to experience exponential growth globally. This trend should be accelerated by the recent UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (UNCND) decision to reclassify cannabis as a “therapeutic product.”

In a consumer report from 2019, researchers estimated that 64 million people in the United States had tried CBD within a year of the study. The CBD market is also just starting to grow in Europe well as in other regions such as South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Fortune Business Insights recently reported that the global cannabinoid market is projected to grow from just under $3.7 billion in 2021 to approximately $58 billion by 2028, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 47 percent.

Lafayette - It’s been a few years since the first medicinal marijuana products became available to patients in Louisiana and earlier this month the raw smokeable form was added to the list of available options.

But medicinal marijuana patients in the state are concerned about the pricing.

"My hope is that more production takes place, more consumption takes place, and then it’ll be volume-driven," he said.

Before HB391 was passed last summer by governor John Bel Edwards, the only options for medicinal marijuana patients were products like gummies, oils and tinctures.

Often times these products were pricey due to the processing it goes through.

A new vaccine being developed could be used to help those prone to Opioid Use Disorder and opiate addiction.

Scientists with a new research center at the University of Washington are working on a vaccine to help fight the opioid epidemic in a bid to stem the tide of overdose deaths that has swept the nation over the past two decades. 

Marco Pravetoni, the head of the new UW Medicine Center for Medication Development for Substance Use Disorders, is leading the effort to develop the vaccine. Similar to immunization against an invading pathogen, the vaccine under development would stimulate the body’s immune system to attack and destroy opioid molecules before they can enter the brain. 

Such a vaccine would not prevent drug cravings commonly experienced by those with opioid abuse disorder. But the treatment, if successful, would block the effects of opioids including euphoria, pain relief and even overdose, thus likely reducing abuse.

The new research center opened this month and has raised more than $2 million in initial funding. Pravetoni hopes to raise enough money to complete further research on the vaccine under development.

“What I’m hoping to achieve is pretty much every year, we’re going to start a new clinical trial,” Pravetoni told the Seattle Times in early January.

Therapeutic hemp and cannabis products to get you through the first bacterium equinox of 2022.

Whether you’re concerned about flu season or a protracted pestilence that has likely kept you masked and hypervigilant, if not in quarantine mode, a robust cannabis medicine cabinet can help you through the first bacterium equinox of 2022. Cannabis is by no means a cure-all, but you can use it to temper certain cold and flu symptoms much in the same way you might with an over-the-counter remedy—no astro traveling necessary. Furthermore, CBD acts as a unique immune system supporter, functioning as an anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant and immunomodulator, conceivably keeping your immune responses evergreen (as in perennially resilient AF). For the uninitiated, just as recreational cannabis is more than skunky blunts and milky bong hits, contemporary therapeutic cannabis is much more than inky tinctures and skunky salves. In fact, therapeutic hemp can be delivered in a number of holistic, novel and cutting-edge ways. Here are some standouts from our own cannabis medicine cabinet.

1. Identity CBD Bone Broths

Mercer Island, Wash.-based wellness brand Identity produces a number of alternative CBD-infused products, including an obsession-worthy Norwegian bone broth packet infused with 10 mg Oregon hemp CBD. Each package contains enough canna-bone bouillon for a relatively rich mugful of aromatic broth or toothsome addition to a more complex soup recipe.

Officially, the packages are meant to be mixed with 1 cup of water for a potent stock, but when mixed with 1.5 cups of water are much more sippable as a straight-up broth. The broths come in three flavors: Chicken, Chanterelle Mushroom and Ginger Ramen, with the mushroom being my own personal sick day standout.

2. Green Heffa Fixitea

A soothing cup of tea is a sick day necessity; Green Heffa’s Fixitea Herbal “Steam” Blend is a peppermint panacea complete with soothing antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Green Heffa is a family owned and operated farm, producing not just hemp cannabis, but all the botanicals in its teas. The brand’s founder, Farmer Cee, uses Indigenous, heritage farming techniques across Green Heffa’s 14 acres, even calling on the quilters of her hometown of Wilcox, Ala., to produce the brand’s vibrant, Afro-centric packaging. Each of the brand’s teas are built upon unique therapeutic botanical medleys, so if minty relief isn’t your bag, there are multiple other tableaus to choose from.

3. Elixinol Everyday Rapid Reset

The oil-based cannabis tincture is a ubiquitous medicine cabinet addition, but Elixinol’s Rapid Reset absorption-ready CBD liposome stands apart from most dispensary tinctures for its water solubility. That means this tincture—unlike its oilier counterparts—will blend as seamlessly with a glass of plain, flat water as it will with more texturally complex drinks like smoothies or frothy hot drinks. The 1 mg of CBD in each pump is a low enough dose for beginners or those with THC aversions. It’s also easily buildable for users with more established cannabinoid tolerances.

Hemp compounds identified by Oregon State University research via a chemical screening technique invented at OSU show the ability to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from entering human cells.

Findings of the study led by Richard van Breemen, a researcher with Oregon State’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, College of Pharmacy and Linus Pauling Institute, were published today in the Journal of Natural Products.

Hemp, known scientifically as Cannabis sativa, is a source of fiber, food and animal feed, and multiple hemp extracts and compounds are added to cosmetics, body lotions, dietary supplements and food, van Breemen said.

Van Breemen and collaborators, including scientists at Oregon Health & Science University, found that a pair of cannabinoid acids bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, blocking a critical step in the process the virus uses to infect people.

The compounds are cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, and cannabidiolic acid, CBDA, and the spike protein is the same drug target used in COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapy. A drug target is any molecule critical to the process a disease follows, meaning its disruption can thwart infection or disease progression.

Among people with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) stroke, a type of bleeding stroke, recent marijuana users were more than twice as likely to develop a dangerous complication that can result in death or greater disability, according to new research published today in Stroke, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

"We're all vulnerable to a bleeding stroke or a ruptured aneurysm, however, if you're a routine marijuana user, you may be predisposed to a worse outcome from a stroke after the rupture of that aneurysm," said Michael T. Lawton, M.D., senior author of the study and president and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.

Researchers analyzed data on more than 1,000 patients who had been treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage at Barrow Neurological Institute between January 1, 2007 to July 31, 2019. All patients had been treated to stop the bleeding either via 1) open surgery to clip off the base of the aneurysm, or, 2) noninvasively, by threading a slim tube through a blood vessel to the base of the aneurysm and releasing coils that fold to fill in the space and provide a barrier to further bleeding.

Among all participants, 36% developed delayed cerebral ischemia; 50% were left with moderate to severe disability; and 13.5% died.

After adjusting for several patient characteristics as well as recent exposure to other illicit substances, patients who tested positive for THC at last follow up were found to be:

Pfizer wants in on the cannabis game. Will you be buying Pharma Weed? Most consumers say absolutely not.

You may not have heard the wonderful news. Our great overlords and global saviors at Pfizer announced their intentions to get into the medical cannabis market via their $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. Of course, the giant pharmaceutical company has a lot of “expendable cash” available due to the pandemic.

However, the news of Pfizer wanting to break into the medical cannabis industry isn’t something new. Every advocate understood that once cannabis is legalized globally, these giant pharmaceutical companies would definitely make their claim to some portion of the marketplace. Whether this is a “good” thing or a “bad” thing is irrelevant; the truth of the matter is that pharma entering into the cannabis industry is an inevitability.

For that to happen, pharma has to dig their money-hungry hands into the market and begin to do some R&D. In the case of their recent acquisition, we can already see that they are targeting specific conditions and will be creating a medication instead of trying to sell tinctures, whole plant, etc.

People who use cannabis during pregnancy and lactation choose it to manage pregnancy-related symptoms and pre-existing conditions, such as nausea and vomiting, mental health problems, insomnia and more, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"Our findings have very little resonance with evidence on motivations for cannabis use identified in nonpregnant populations, suggesting that motivations for use during pregnancy and lactation are unique," writes Dr. Meredith Vanstone, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, with coauthors. "The reasons for use provided by our participants more closely match those identified in studies of medical cannabis use, such as for controlling pain, anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, nausea or appetite, and for sleep, with many using cannabis to manage multiple symptoms."

The study included 52 people recruited from across Canada, of whom 51 were women and 1 identified as nonbinary. All had used cannabis before their pregnancy. At the time of the interview, 30 people were pregnant and the remaining 22 were breastfeeding. The reasons that participants gave for using cannabis changed when they became pregnant. Some people stopped out of fear of harm to the fetus when they found out they were pregnant. Other people stopped because of social stigma, guilt and health reasons. Those who kept using cannabis described their motivation as related to managing symptoms of pregnancy and conditions that pre-existed pregnancy. After they gave birth, their motivations for using cannabis changed, more closely resembling the reasons they supplied for using cannabis before becoming pregnant.

These findings have implications for clinical practice, including counseling of pregnant and lactating people on the potential harms of cannabis use and alternative approaches.

"I think it's important for physicians to understand that people who use cannabis during pregnancy are often doing so because they perceive important benefits of cannabis for controlling a variety of symptoms. There's an opportunity here for exploring the benefits that pregnant patients are getting from cannabis and helping them find alternatives that we know are safe for both mom and baby," Dr. Vanstone concludes.

Before a person considers taking cannabis as a way of managing disease, it’s important to talk to a doctor.

Cannabis is a multipurpose plant. Depending on moods, method, strain and more, the plant can have different effects. The compounds in cannabis, called cannabinoids, are known as immune-modulators. This refers to them having some kind of influence on the immune system, thus producing a wide variety of effects.

Research conducted on mice with cancer found that cannabis causes apoptosis, which means that it kills cancerogenous cells. Another study conducted on humans with AIDS/HIV discovered that the patients who consumed cannabis ended up with stronger immune systems and had higher CD4 counts (these are T cells that kill the HIV virus).

For people with an autoimmune disease, where someone’s immune system doesn’t work as intended and may attack the healthy cells in their bodies instead of the infections, CBD can provide some benefits, such as reducing the strength of these symptoms. Autoimmune diseases include HIV, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and more, all of which are difficult to treat.

There’s plenty information out there, but there’s still not enough research to definitively explain cannabis’ role in peoples’ immune systems. Like most things cannabis-related, the way in which it interacts with the body is highly individualized and needs much more research than what is available now.

Senators overwhelmingly approved a bill to expand Ohio’s medical marijuana program to other conditions, some of which were rejected for medical pot by state regulators in the past.

“We’re here, and the last bill before our Christmas break and we can end on a high note," said Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), as laughter broke out in the chamber.

Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights), a longtime medical marijuana advocate, got in on the joke too, saying when he wanted to propose the idea when he first arrived in the legislature, "all I heard was, 'Hey, Yuko, how many joint sponsors have you got?'"

The bill would allow medical marijuana to be recommended for arthritis, autism spectrum disorder, chronic muscle spasms, migraines, opioid use disorder and for people in hospice care or with terminal illnesses. The Ohio State Medical Board has twice rejected adding autism to the list of conditions.

Women were interviewed 10 times over the course of study, while offspring were surveyed at age 22 to measure any drug dependence.

A new U.S. study suggests that women who regularly use cannabis during and after pregnancy may increase the likelihood that their adult offspring smoke cannabis and tobacco.

Chronic maternal use is a concern, authors of the latest study suggest, since the findings show this may predict adult cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) in their adult offspring.

Per information from Alberta’s health department, CUD occurs when people have become dependent on cannabis. Among others, they may experience extreme changes in mood, trouble concentrating and memory problems.

To find out if maternal weed use affected offspring substance use at age 22, they reviewed information from a year pre-pregnancy to 16 years postpartum.

Recruited from a prenatal clinic between 1982 and 1984, the women were surveyed by trained interviewers twice during pregnancy, at delivery, eight and 18 months following birth and at three, six, 10, 14 and 16 years postpartum. Offspring were measured for substance use and dependence at age 22.

Taking CBD or marijuana might help your pain, but could be making the other drug(s) you’re taking more toxic.

It is widely known that cannabis has many medicinal benefits, with managing chronic pain, epilepsy, anxiety and treating the symptoms of PTSD among them.

However, in the case of cannabinoids, a group of substances found in the cannabis plant, there is a risk that combining it with other prescription drugs could pose harmful drug-drug interactions, suggests new research undertaken by scientists at Washington State University (WSU).

The findings examined the interaction between three of the most abundant cannabinoids – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN).

“Physicians need to be aware of the possibility of toxicity or lack of response when patients are using cannabinoids,” said Philip Lazarus, senior author on the paper and Boeing distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences. “It’s one thing if you’re young and healthy and smoke cannabis once in a while, but for older people who are using medications, taking CBD or medicinal marijuana may negatively impact their treatment.”

The Findings

Researchers used manipulated human kidney cells and confirmed their results in human liver and kidney specimens in which enzymes were present.

The best way to determine whether or not marijuana can play a role in helping patients overcoming opioid addiction is by continuing to closely study the relationship between the two.

The devastation the opioid crisis has wrought upon communities throughout the country, especially throughout the pandemic, is immense. Deaths from opioid overdoses amassed the threshold of 93,000 in 2020, and relief is nowhere in sight.

That’s why now, more than ever, governing bodies and the medical community benefit from pulling out all the stops to get a handle on the situation.

Part of leaving no stone unturned in the fight against opioid addiction is studying the effects marijuana can have on people currently dealing with an addiction to opioids. Fortunately, recent moves made from the Biden Administration have made researching marijuana easier than it ever has since current research on the impact of marijuana on opioid addiction recovery is limited. 

Here are a few things research has already concluded about marijuana and opioid addiction.

Marijuana Helps Ease The Symptoms of Withdrawal

The journey of opioid recovery is intimidating to lots of people currently in the throes of opioid addiction because of how daunting withdrawal can be. The long process of overcoming an addiction to opioids can consist of a variety of undesirable side effects, including anxiety, nausea, chronic pain, insomnia and chronic pain. Fortunately for people undergoing the process of opioid withdrawal, marijuana has shown evidence of being an adequate resource in helping patients to overcome withdrawal symptoms.

ASUI passed resolutions on medical marijuana and Boise State Professor Scott Yenor

ASUI passed a slew of legislation Wednesday and held its first meeting for spring semester senators, including supporting Boise State University countering sexism and legalizing medical marijuana. 

ASUI introduced and passed a resolution supporting Boise State University students and their petition to investigate Professor Scott Yenor for sexist comments. 

The petition comes after a video from the National Conservatism Conference in Florida surfaced in which Yenor commented that women should not be recruited into the fields of engineering, medicine and law as well as trade occupations. 

Following the video’s surfacing, Yenor has since taken to Twitter. saying that there should be no “special efforts to recruit women into fields where they don’t seem to want to be.” 

“BSU students are currently petitioning and protesting actively to have (Yenor) investigated for sexist grading and sexist evaluations of fellow faculty and staff,” Director of Safety, Health and Wellness Abbey Rode said.  

Cannabinoids (CBD) can reduce tumor growth, reduce tumor invasion and can also increase the potency of certain drugs used to treat Cancer.

Pecos Valley Production (PVP), a New Mexico medical cannabis company, has announced that their most recent fundraiser and partnership with the Anita Salas Memorial Fund generated an unexpected and philanthropic amount of money. During the month of October, PVP focused on raising money by educating their medical cannabis patients and ultimately asking them for a donation at checkout. Patients received entries into raffle baskets and mystery bags for their contribution efforts.

Additionally, PVP ran an internal contest throughout their stores to see which store could raise the most money. The reward for the winning store was $500 and was spread throughout the employees at the victorious location.

Because of PVP’s efforts during the fundraising campaigns, the Anita Salas Memorial Fund received a $12,000 check from them that is sure to help this longtime organization focus on education, awareness and fundraising.

The Anita Salas Memorial Fund is a nonprofit 501(c)3, that helps pay for women’s breast or cervical cancer treatment, or related bills such as transportation, lodging or medications for treatment.

The women the fund supports are moderate to low income, underinsured or uninsured. The funds go directly to the bills, not the women. There is only a 5 percent administration fee. So 95 percent is used for direct breast and cervical cancer services for women in New Mexico; with nominal amounts going toward more fundraising.