3 of 4 Benefits of the Cannabis Industry: Health Benefits of Cannabis
Have you ever had a horrible day at work? Then, after work, you came home find a sink full of dishes and a carpet that needs vacuuming? Then, while you’re vacuuming, you see that your dog left you a special surprise behind the couch? How are you feeling in that moment? Probably not great.
If you’re like many people, you’ll freshen up your mind with your favorite guilty pleasure. For some people, it’s alcohol; for others, it’s television; for many, it’s junk food. While these vices may improve people’s moods and help them feel better about their day, there are no medical benefits to them. However, there is one outlet that people indulge in that could help you relax, and has clear medical benefits to it: cannabis.
Cannabis helps a wide range of medical issues.
From mental issues to joint pain to improving eyesight and bowel movements, the number of ailments that can be treated by cannabis is significant and will undoubtedly expand with more research into the matter.
In this article, we’ll discuss three ailments that can be treated with cannabis.
Cannabis battles lung disease.
Antithetically, it seems that smoking cannabis can improve lung function. According to TIME Magazine, a study published by JAMA showed that when compared to tobacco users, lung function in those who smoke marijuana does not decline. In fact, low to moderate users showed slight improvements in their pulmonary function. However, since few heavy users participated in the study, no determination could be made about their long-term pulmonary functioning.
The researchers came to their conclusions by studying the FEV1 and the FVC levels of nonusers, tobacco smokers, and cannabis smokers. In essence, they measured the levels of air someone exhales within the first second of taking a deep breath and the total volume of air exhaled after that same breath. The results came as a bit of a surprise to Dr. Mark Pletcher, the lead researcher in the study and an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco. He said, “it’s a weird effect to see and we couldn’t make it go away,” noting that the research team actively searched for errors or other factors using statistical models but found none.
Cannabis helps control seizures.
For people with epilepsy, having a seizure is it the debilitating part of their life. However, per a study done in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, people suffering from epileptic seizures may find relief with cannabis use.
The researchers noted that “discoveries in the cannabinoid field have demonstrated that cannabinoids ameliorate symptoms associated with neuronal hyperexcitability.” In plain English: cannabis controls seizures. However, the researchers noted that due to the psychoactive effects of cannabis it’s medical use may be impractical. Though, they also stated, “that understanding the mechanisms of endogenous cannabinoid-mediated anticonvulsant action may lead to the development of novel compounds that do not manifest behavioral toxicity.”
Anxiety and cannabis.
In the past decade, researchers at the Harvard Medical School have noted that there is more knowledge about the risks of cannabis use and its benefits. They aim to change that.
While noting that 20–30% of recreational cannabis users will experience anxiety as a side effect, many of them report smoking cannabis calms them down. They hypothesize that the dose of THC and consistency of use are the most significant determinants of who will develop anxiety and who will not. They noted that the “most vulnerable are those who have never used marijuana before.” They also added a caveat that it may be that people who have anxiety are more likely to consume cannabis. These people ostensibly report that its consumption helps relax their mind.
In conclusion.
Despite the dogma and the demonization of cannabis in the past, research is piling up that there are a plethora of benefits to its consumption. More research is needed in the specific areas, but it seems that cannabis has positive effects on lung health, seizures, and anxiety.
