Medical Benefits of Marijuana

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Medical Benefits of Marijuana

Marijuana has been associated with medical benefits. This is among the reasons why the citizens want the government to legalize its use. The government has been reluctant in the process of legalizing its use for the nation, but it has allowed professionals like doctors to use them in the treatment of patients. Marijuana is known for its ability to make individuals who are using it to be happy, relaxed and giggling (Albertson, 12). For this reason, most individuals who are suffering from stress and depression uses marijuana as a way to relieve themselves and enjoy life. There are health benefits that are associated with marijuana use which includes improved sleep, mood, and creativity. Apart from everyday uses, marijuana is also used as a medicine. Patients with medical conditions have been prescribed by their doctors to use the recommended amount of marijuana as a way to help treat their symptoms and manage their health condition.

As a medicine, marijuana has been used by doctors to treat many medical conditions. Patients only use the prescribed amount of marijuana as medication that will make them feel better. The medical conditions that doctors advocate for the use of marijuana include chronic pain, glaucoma, liver disease, cancer, psychosis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, obesity, appetite loss and many others.

Medical marijuana is commonly used to treat chronic pain (Hill, 2475). In this case, medical marijuana is considered similar to painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen. Marijuana is used to reduce inflammation and pain that results from inflammation. The use of marijuana in treating chronic pain has been found effective. Patients who have been using marijuana states that they feel relaxed after they have used it as a medicine.

Glaucoma is a health condition that can lead to impaired vision or blindness. Glaucoma happens when the pressure in the eye increases to the point where the optic nerve is damaged. According to a 1971 study, marijuana was used to decrease the pressure of the eye by almost 30% (Albertson, 14). For this reason, marijuana is believed to protect the optic nerve from this damage. Scientists states that the reason why marijuana protects the optic nerve from damage is that of its neuroprotective effect.

Regarding liver disease, marijuana is used to control the conditions to those with certain liver disorders. Marijuana use can help in the treatment of liver fibrosis due to the presence of cannabinoid in it (Hill, 2476). Cannabinoid found in marijuana contributes to the cell death of hepatic stellate cells that causes liver fibrosis. Also, patients with the cholestatic liver disease have been reported to benefit from the use of marijuana as it helps in improvements of symptoms of sleep and itchiness.

Currently, most of the cancer patients use marijuana as it is associated with benefits like reduction in nausea and vomiting. Marijuana is used to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of chemotherapy (Hill, 2478). There are doctors who state that marijuana itself shows potential as a cancer therapy. In 2007, Havard university researchers stated that marijuana has the potential to trigger cell death in many types of cancer cells due to the availability of cannabinoids in it.

Psychotic disorders like schizophrenia can be treated by marijuana due to the presence of non-psychoactive cannabinoid it. Scientists have proved that marijuana can be used as an effective antipsychotic as is considered to be safe and well-tolerated medication. When compared to other antipsychotic disorders, marijuana does not pose the risks to the patients after use.

Research conducted in 2005 shows that marijuana use benefits patients with multiple sclerosis (Albertson, 15). This is because it reduces symptoms like spasticity and sleep difficulties. Sativex, which is a pharmaceutical cannabis extract is recommended as a treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis (Albertson, 15). Regarding inflammatory bowel disease, marijuana has been used to help the patients to improve as well as a reduction in the use of standard medications.

Even if marijuana is considered bad for the lungs, patients with asthma use it, and it helps in opening of the airways of the lungs. Marijuana plays a role in the reducing symptoms such as over-inflation of the lungs and spasms (Albertson, 11). Patients with appetite loss uses marijuana as it assists in increasing their appetite. Increase in appetite from marijuana use helps patients with appetite loss problem to maintain a healthy weight. Those individuals with obesity are advised to use marijuana regularly as it is linked to a smaller waist size and better ability to regulate glucose level in the body.

In conclusion, marijuana can be helpful for treating many conditions. This means that marijuana can be used as medicine to improve the health conditions of individuals with the certain disease. The widespread use of marijuana as a medicine resulted from its ability to reduce pain and symptoms. Marijuana use is considered safe and well-tolerated medications that can be used by anyone as it has no side effect (Hill, 2482). For this reason, doctors should use marijuana as an alternative treatment for diseases like cancer, chronic pain and liver diseases instead of using medicines with side-effects on the health of the users.

 

Work cited

Albertson, Timothy E., et al. "The Changing Drug Culture: Medical and Recreational Marijuana." FP essentials 441 (2016): 11-17.

Hill, Kevin P. "Medical marijuana for treatment of chronic pain and other medical and psychiatric problems: a clinical review." Jama 313.24 (2015): 2474-2483.

 

 

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