This article was originally published on The cannabis community and appears here with permission.
Marijuana has been around for centuries and has long been used to treat a wide variety of ailments. In fact, it was only declared illegal in the early 20th century. But in recent decades, there has been a resurgence of interest in marijuana as a potential treatment for a wide range of diseases and ailments.
With more and more states legalizing medical marijuana, more people are exploring the idea of medical marijuana as a treatment and want to know the answer to two questions: What is it and how does it work?
In this article, we’ll discuss what medical cannabis is, how it’s used, and its potential benefits and risks.
Definition of cannabis
Regulators, companies, and almost everyone in the industry spend a lot of time and energy categorizing cannabis plants, and depending on which categories they fall into, plants can be legal or not, medical or recreational, etc.
Marijuana or hemp
Officially, hemp is not marijuana, and marijuana is not hemp. Hemp and marijuana are both species of the Cannabis sativa L plant with similar but not identical chemical compositions.
The psychoactive ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as it is more commonly known, is one of the most significant differences between industrial hemp and marijuana. Marijuana typically has a THC content of 3% to 15% or higher, but industrial hemp has a THC content of less than 0.3%. Legally, in the United States, any Cannabis sativa L plant with more than 0.3% delta-9-THC is not hemp.
Hemp plants are legal in all 50 states and most CBD products contain CBD produced from hemp plants. On the other hand, anyone who produces hemp must be able to prove, on demand, that their plants contain less than 0.3% THC, allowing them to grow without a special marijuana cultivation license.
CBD or THC
Cannabinoids are a group of compounds found in cannabis plants. The significant compounds used in cannabis are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Each has a different impact on the body.
THC is an active component that has a psychological impact. THC produces a mind-altering “high” when smoked or cooked and then eaten. This is because when heat is applied to it, the THC breaks down and is absorbed into the body.
Unlike THC, CBD has no intoxicating properties. When consumed, it does not affect the user’s mental state. However, it has the potential to cause great changes in the body.
What is medical cannabis?
Medical cannabis or medical marijuana refers to derivatives of the Cannabis Sativa L that are used to treat symptoms related to certain diseases and medical ailments.
Medical cannabis has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Cannabinoids are also thought to interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system. This is a brain-body communication system that affects mood, memory, sleep and appetite.
Cannabis Sativa L is the same plant used to make recreational marijuana, a recreational narcotic that is illegal in most states and territories. However, legal medicinal cannabis should not be confused with recreational cannabis. People use medical cannabis to relieve the symptoms of their medical conditions and not to get high. Medical cannabis products can only be legally obtained from a dispensary with the use of a medical marijuana card provided by a doctor or health care provider.
Medical cannabis is available in a number of forms, including:
Liquid pill Balms oil powder Dried leaves
Each state regulates how and where you can buy medical marijuana. Its dosage and frequency of use will be determined by its form and symptoms. Once you administer it, you are administering the medicinal cannabis product yourself. Depending on the type you use, your symptom relief and side effects will be different. Inhaling the vaporized form produces the fastest results. The pill form has the most gradual onset and generally the longest experience.
Is medical cannabis legal in the US?
The US federal government makes no distinction between medical and non-medical cannabis. It has been declared a Schedule I controlled substance, making it illegal to manufacture, distribute or possess. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) declared marijuana and its derivatives unsafe due to their effects on the human body. In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services said marijuana has medicinal value but does not qualify for Schedule I status due to a lack of medical evidence. CBD extracted from hemp plants (less than 0.3% THC), on the other hand, is permitted by federal law.
State marijuana laws are superseded by federal marijuana laws. As a result, even in jurisdictions where the use of marijuana is allowed, you can be arrested and prosecuted for possession.
Is medical cannabis legal in your state?
States vary in their laws, regulations, and program requirements. As of May 2022, medical marijuana is legal in these states:
Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico , New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
In addition, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands have legalized medical marijuana.
Where can I use medical cannabis?
Medical cannabis can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including pain, spasticity, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and glaucoma. There is some evidence that it can also help reduce the severity and frequency of some types of seizures and is used to help people sleep.
In addition to its medical use, cannabis is sometimes used recreationally by people who perceive it to have therapeutic benefits, but who do not qualify for a medical marijuana program, either because of the state in which they live or by the conditions that calm them. use. The legal status of marijuana in the United States is complex and changing. However, with the recent legalization of medical marijuana in some states and the decriminalization of small-scale marijuana possession in others, the number of states that allow the use of medical marijuana and the number of people who use are increasing.
Is medical cannabis effective?
Although the FDA has described the use of medicinal cannabis for medically approved conditions as “off-label,” there is still no definitive evidence to support claims about its effectiveness in the treatment or management of a certain condition.
A 2022 review of the evidence on the therapeutic use of medical cannabis concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of medical cannabis to treat any specific medical condition. The review also noted that the available evidence did not support the use of medicinal cannabis in patients with symptoms of chronic pain (mainly neuropathic pain and osteoarthritis), multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. As noted by the authors, the evidence for the effectiveness of herbal cannabis in the treatment of various conditions is quite limited.
Is medical cannabis safe?
Medical marijuana should only be used by people with a medical card after consulting their doctor. One concern is that medical marijuana may not relieve symptoms and is likely to have side effects or interactions with other drugs.
Patients should be informed of the potential medical risks of using medicinal cannabis. The use of cannabis for medical purposes carries the risk of adverse reactions, including dependence, misuse, abuse and addiction. Possible adverse events of use include respiratory depression, hypotension, sedation, and anxiety. The risk of cannabis dependence is relatively low when prescribed as needed for patients with a stable medical condition, but may be higher in people with a history of substance abuse.
The risk of abuse is higher in patients who do not use cannabis under the supervision of a doctor. It is possible to minimize the risk of misuse of medical cannabis by thoroughly assessing the patient, discussing the risks and benefits of using medical cannabis, and requiring the patient’s consent to use cannabis under the supervision of a physician.
Patients should also be advised to stop smoking before using cannabis if they want to prevent addiction.
How safe or dangerous cannabis is, like pretty much everything else, is still up for debate. A primary care physician should consider whether cannabis is safer than alternatives. The risks of the drugs must first be weighed against the safety concerns of cannabis.
How do I get a prescription for cannabis?
Primary care physicians may recommend medical marijuana, depending on the patient’s health status. These include symptoms that prevent a patient from carrying out daily tasks or that endanger their safety or mental or physical health.
How to get a medical cannabis ID card?
Patients should consult their primary care physician before applying for a medical marijuana card. Your doctor will assess whether it is necessary for your health condition and discuss with them the possible risks or side effects. Your doctor must prescribe medical cannabis in order for them to obtain a medical cannabis identification card.
Although each state’s procedure is different, most will require patients to register for the state’s medical marijuana registry, which they can likely do online. They will be asked to provide proof that their doctor has approved medical cannabis for the treatment of their symptoms as part of the registration process.
Making an account saves patient information in case you ever need to renew your medical marijuana card. If you are applying for a card together with a carer, they will also need to provide the carer’s information.
The state’s official medical marijuana card will almost certainly require payment. Its price varies by state and can be paid online. Medical marijuana can be purchased once they receive their card.
Where can I buy medical cannabis?
Medical cannabis is available at licensed dispensaries in different states. Depending on the state, having a card may allow a patient to purchase cannabis products with higher levels of THC or in larger quantities. They may even be allowed to grow marijuana plants in their homes for personal use, depending on their condition and the state.
Medicinal marijuana products can be administered by the patient or a caregiver, as long as they are indicated on the card.