What We Know About Marijuana in 2017?

Recently the National Academy’s of Science, Medicine, and Engineering released a 400-page report on the findings of medical marijuana. Not only was this one of the most in-depth reports, it covered everything marijuana based. This helps not only supporters, but skeptics understand how marijuana can be used as medicine. Here is everything you need to know.

Marijuana and Chronic Pain

One of the most well-known uses of medical marijuana is the connection it has with chronic pain. This new report shows that there is overwhelming evidence that links cannabis with treatment. Not only will cannabis help to relieve chronic pain symptoms, it does it so safely and naturally. Everyone knows that the opioid crisis is growing each and every day. There doesn’t seem to be the solution since medical professions keep prescribing this dangerous drug. This is why main pain suffers are now turning to cannabis in order to avoid addiction and overdose. It should also be known that it is basically impossible to overdose on marijuana. This makes marijuana a safer alternative to opioids.

Marijuana and Certain Cancers

This study shows that there is a direct link between medical marijuana and the improvement of cancer symptoms. While this study helps to solidify this stance, patients have known about this for years. Cancer patients say that marijuana helped to relieve symptoms of chemotherapy. This is especially true when it comes to treating nausea and lack of appetite. These studies have even lead parents of children with cancer to wonder why their children can get the same relief. As of now, medical marijuana is only available to adults, but some people are hoping that this changes in the future.

Marijuana and Chronic Disorders

In 2017 we learned that medical marijuana helps to also improve symptoms of MS. This is especially true when it comes to chronic body pain. Some studies even show that there is large evidence that shows cannabis can help AIDs patients. Like most chronic disorders, nausea and lack of appetite can be among some of the worse symptoms. Luckily, marijuana not only helps to calm upset stomachs but can give patients their appetite back. When patients can finally eat again, they can gain the energy they need to fight and survive.
Marijuana treatment doesn’t just end with appetite either. People who suffer from Tourette syndrome have been finding relief in cannabis as well. This is because cannabis is known to calm the body and help to relieve involuntary muscle spasms.

Marijuana and Mental Disorders

One of the most controversial uses of marijuana is the link between cannabis and mental disorders. Marijuana has been proven to help improve the life of anxiety sufferers. Whether it is being used to treat social anxiety or insomnia, marijuana does the trick. But, this isn’t the same for every mental disorder. This same study shows there is some evidence showing that marijuana can increase the chance of schizophrenia. Also, it should be noted that there is some evidence showing that marijuana does not help with dementia.

Link between Cancer and Marijuana

The most important research to note about medical marijuana is that it is not known to cause cancer. This is one of the main stances that skeptics often take. However, there is no evidence that smoking pot can lead to lung cancer. You should know, however, that smoking marijuana can make breathing problems worse. This is only in extreme cases where someone is a lifelong tobacco smoker. The good news is that if you quit smoking cigarettes, marijuana can help to improve your breathing over time. It should also be said that studies show that marijuana can actually work to help shrink tumors caused by cancer.

The Downside to Marijuana

This report would not be valid without out talking about the potential downsides to medical marijuana. This is especially true when it comes to smoking pot while pregnant. Studies show that women who smoked marijuana while pregnant can expect a lower birth weight for their child. Also, in states where marijuana is legalized, there is a high chance of marijuana-related accidents. This is especially true in teenagers who smoke marijuana. Lastly, there is some, yet small, evidence that links the use of marijuana to heart disease.

Final Thoughts

When it comes down to it, smoking marijuana is a personal choice. Like most things, there is always some form of risk involved. For you, you would have to weigh the risk vs. benefits to decide if it is the right choice for you. Skeptics will always be skeptics and supporters will always be supporters. One thing that this study did show is that no matter the risk, marijuana is still a safer option than tobacco and alcohol. This new study helps people to be able to see in-depth what the actual benefits of marijuana are as of 2017. Supporters can’t wait to see what 2018 holds.