Medical Marijuana Facts
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Is it Safe to Mix Cannabis with Antibiotics?
- September 3, 2020
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Medical Marijuana Facts
No CommentsUnsurprisingly, this is an increasingly popular Google search as more and more individuals turn to medical cannabis for their day-to-day form of therapy. However, very little reliable information is accessible on this topic. Generally speaking, it is recommended not to combine other drugs with an antibiotic prescription. Marijuana is a natural plant though, so doesn’t that mean it’s ok?
Yes, but it could be problematic. Using marijuana at the same time with antibiotics isn’t advisable. However, it might not be as dangerous as some would expect. With that said, while you should not take any of the information you find here as medical advice, this article should give a better idea of what to expect if you decide to use marijuana while taking medicine.
How Marijuana Interacts with Medication?
As you probably knew, cannabis has a reputation as a safe drug – at least in terms of overdose potential and toxicity. It is also vital to remember that everything your body ingests has either a chemical or a psychological response. As for instance, using cannabis while on antidepressants can increase any or all side effects. We’ve also learned that smoking marijuana can be associated with symptoms of bronchitis. But in terms of precise information on the use of antibiotics and marijuana, little research is available.
Possible Adverse Reactions When Mixing Cannabis and Antibiotics
Though there is a very low risk, there’s always a likelihood of unfavourable reactions when you mix medications. Why? Drugs can act upon organs, systems and functions within the body. When one medication activates a particular system, it can very easily influence how the second medication is metabolized. For instance, cannabis that’s also been shown to possess antibiotic potential is known to inhibit the cytochrome p450 enzymes produced in our liver.
These enzymes are accountable for the biosynthesis of certain macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin, troleandomycin, and miocamycin. Suppose cannabis use is inhibiting these enzymes. In that case, you are more susceptible to any side effects caused by the antibiotic – meaning that an erythromycin user may be more susceptible to the known side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
If you observe any side effects following antibiotic use, consider reducing your cannabis usage by half until you have finalized your antibiotic therapy. In case of severe side effects, it is advisable to stop using marijuana entirely until the bacterial infection has been addressed.
When to Not to Use Antibiotics with Medical Cannabis
As we’ve previously mentioned, antibiotics can interact negatively with certain other medications and drugs. As a result, many of us are left wondering about the interaction between antibiotics and marijuana. So, can you smoke marijuana on antibiotics or not? If none of the side effects have made their appearance and your doctor even advised you to continue so, it means you can. However, if your doctor warns you against mixing medical cannabis with your current antibiotic, always follow their instructions. There are certain instances in which cannabis may actually worsen your problem. It may sound counterintuitive, but you want to avoid smoking weed or vaping it if you’re taking antibiotics to cure a lung or respiratory infection. As you know, the chemical and smoke can irritate the organs that prescription drugs are trying to repair.
Final Verdict
Marijuana use does not appear to have adverse effects when consumed along with antibiotics. Of course, be sure you check in with your doctor before continuing medical cannabis use along with your antibiotic drugs.
Lastly, it never hurts to take your time, do your own research and consider all the facts. We repeat the fact that the information in this article is entirely informative and should not be taken as medical advice.
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Is Medical Marijuana Addictive?
- May 8, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Medical Marijuana Facts
Medical marijuana is becoming more commonly prescribed for a variety of illnesses, such as pain, epilepsy, cancer, and depression. Pain killers and pharmaceuticals can often have severe side effects and can be relentlessly addictive. If you have been prescribed medical marijuana to relieve the symptoms caused by an illness, you might be wondering just how addictive it is. And you are not alone. This question has been debated for several decades with firm believers on either side of the argument. Because cannabis is such a hotly debated political subject, a lot of research has been performed to analyze its addictive properties, though the argument persists.
How Marijuana Affects Your Brain
The THC in marijuana acts on the brain’s reward system that responds to pleasurable things, such as sex, chocolate, and other drugs. It stimulates your brain cells just like other drugs do to cause euphoric feelings. It makes sense, then, that many people believe cannabis use can cause addiction just like other, more powerful drugs, since it activates the brain in the same way.
Physical Addiction
Addiction often leads to damaging problems in a user’s life, such as troubles at school or work, deteriorating relationships, and even legal issues. Some drugs, like heroin and alcohol, can cause severe physical addiction symptoms, such as withdrawals, shaking, and vomiting. When someone thinks of addiction, this is the typical picture they come up with-someone affected with an addiction to opioids or alcohol.
Psychological Addiction
However, marijuana causes more of a psychological addiction than a physical addiction, and can include symptoms like anxiety, depression, and mood swings. Because the brain is a powerful tool, psychological symptoms and cravings can often be even stronger than physical addiction and withdrawals.
These symptoms are more difficult to identify, and more difficult to associate with actual addiction rather than other psychological factors at play, which is why the debate persists. Many believe these psychological problems to be from an addiction to marijuana, while others do not believe the connection has been firmly enough established to prove that marijuana addiction is real. It’s easier to deny a psychological addiction, like cannabis, than it is to deny a physical addiction.
Generally, most cannabis users display no symptoms of addiction, such as withdrawals, cravings or increased tolerance. They can take it or leave it with no problem. Other users, however, have continued craving and keep using cannabis regardless of losing their jobs, ruining relationships with family or friends, or draining their bank account to get high, all the while justifying their cannabis use. These behaviors are typical of addiction and should be treated as such.
Moderation
Medical marijuana users who display symptoms of psychological addiction typically smoke cannabis as a crutch, use it every day, and don’t care how it affects their lives. If you are using medical marijuana as prescribed by your doctor, without abusing it, the chances of addiction are much lower. With proper moderation of its use, medical marijuana can be beneficial to many patients facing a wide variety of medical illnesses, without any worry of addiction.
You Decide
Because of its subtle addictive symptoms, the question of whether or not medical marijuana is addictive has been debated for years, and will likely continue to be debated for the foreseeable future. If you have been prescribed medical marijuana, you will have to decide if the chance of becoming psychologically addicted, even with moderate use, is worth the risk of using it to decrease or eliminate your symptoms. You must decide if it is right for you.
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3 Reasons Why Vaporizers Might Be a Better Option Than Smoking Cannabis
- April 28, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Medical Marijuana Facts
As the number of people seeking medical marijuana treatment grows, safety issues about side effects will likely remain hot topics. With the improving technology of vaporizers, smoking cannabis is not considered the healthiest way to ingest the herb. While eating or drinking the herb are the safest ways to use cannabis, the following reasons explain why vaporizing has become a viable alternative for medical marijuana patients.
Why Vaping Cannabis May Be Better Than Smoking It
1. Avoiding Dangerous Toxins in Cannabis Smoke
The most important reason for using a vaporizer instead of smoking cannabis is to avoid the dangerous carcinogens released through smoke in the lungs. Even though research has pointed to cannabis smoke being less dangerous than tobacco smoke, there is still concern that cannabis smoke can cause damage to the respiratory system. Vaporizing bypasses this issue while providing the psychoactive ingredients of cannabis, retaining the medical benefits.
Using a vaporizer is safer than a joint partly because a joint uses paper that contains chemicals that produce carcinogens when smoked. The manner of holding pot smoke in the lungs is also not healthy compared with a vaporizer. Some people choke or cough when they breathe in smoke, whereas once again, the vaporizer eliminates the problem.
2. Getting More Cannabinoid Benefits Through Vaporizing
You actually inhale more psychoactive ingredients, known as cannabinoids, from a vaporizer than smoking cannabis. In fact, a vaporizer preserves 95 percent of the cannabinoids while smoking the herb means inhaling gases in which nearly 90 percent are non-cannabinoid. The key is that a vaporizer dehydrates cannabis while releasing the psychoactive ingredients without harmful smoke.
When cannabis is lit on fire its compounds dissipate into the air. As cannabis burns, the resource is used up and a certain percentage of the herb goes to waste. Compared with vaporizers, smoking cannabis can be more costly in many ways. More THC goes toward health benefits when using a vaporizer.
Vaporizing is most effective when cannabis is heated to 338 degrees compared with smoking a joint at 392 degrees when the leaves begin to combust. It’s combustion that creates the smoke that causes lung cancer and other respiratory problems. A joint can burn as hot as 2000 degrees, whereas a vaporizer is designed for a set temperature. In order for cannabinoids to be effective, cannabis must be heated to a certain temperature.
3. Elimination of Cannabis Smoking By-products
Even careful smokers can cause damage to property by accidentally burning something. People who smoke indoors inevitably damage furniture, walls and windows. Smoking frequently can also stain your teeth, which can affect your appearance. When it burns your clothes it can mean replacing them prematurely. It also leads to time cleaning clogged pipes, ash trays and other physical items affected by smoke.
Another problem with cannabis smoke is that it produces a strong smell that doesn’t go away easily. If you live in an apartment or near neighbors, the smell of marijuana may be an uncomfortable topic that creates friction. The amount of work it takes to clean up the mess that cannabis smoke makes may not be worth it. If you deal with a busy schedule, vaporizing is clearly the more time efficient way to use cannabis.
One of the greatest benefits of vaporizing is that you can remain incognito about your cannabis use as it does not give the obvious signals of use from smoking. By eliminating a lighter, you are also reducing the chance of starting an unwanted fire. Compared with vaporizers, smoking cannabis has too many safety issues to ignore. Vaporizers, on the other hand, give you the maximum health benefits of cannabis with minimal side effects.
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3 Reasons Why Medical Cannabis Should Be Legalized
- January 20, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Medical Marijuana Facts
Medical marijuana is surrounded by controversy. Many experts believe that cannabis is a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals for relieving symptoms related to many illnesses. These experts have scientific studies, medical organizations, and government reports to back up their point of view. Others on the other hand, argue that medical cannabis is too dangerous, that it could lead to addiction or abuse of harder drugs, it doesn’t have FDA-approval or that legalization is just a front for recreational drug use. The politics associated with the so-called war on drugs in the country have forced the issue in the hands of the governments, rather than with patients and doctors, where the decision should ultimately lie.
Why Cannabis Should Be Legalized
1. The Benefits Far Outweigh the Risks
Peer-reviewed, evidence-based studies have proven that cannabis can be beneficial to patients suffering from illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries and many other serious, debilitating, or terminal conditions. The properties in marijuana can greatly relieve chronic pain associated with these illnesses. Additionally, many patients have tried the typically prescribed drugs during their suffering and have found little to no positive results. For some, medical marijuana is the only substance that can lift their suffering so they can lead manageable, happier, and more fulfilling lives.
2. It’s Safer than Pharmaceuticals
Cannabis is natural, while pharmaceuticals are filled with a wide variety of chemicals that most people cannot even pronounce let alone fully understand. These chemicals can lead to myriad side effects for the patients who use them. Pain killers can be severely addictive and ruin patients’ lives, while other mainstream drugs can cause gastrointestinal issues, allergic reactions, blindness, internal bleeding, organ failure, and even death from complications or overdose. Many patients simply cannot handle the daily and long-term side effects of prescription drugs. With medical cannabis, patients can reap the benefits of managing their symptoms without having to worry about addiction, overdose or, serious side effects that aren’t worth the risk of pharmaceutical drugs.
2. Legalization Means Government Control
If the first two reasons why medical cannabis should be legalized don’t sway government officials or other people who are strictly against it, then understanding how legalization can help societies as a whole might be a more effective argument. If medical marijuana were legalized, governments would be able to ensure that patients are receiving safe, high-quality cannabis and would not have to risk the potential dangers of finding it on the street. Additionally, they could properly control doses, track its use on a large scale, and place taxes on its sale in order to increase government profits. Legalization would also ease the restrictions on research so that more scientific studies on the subject would be allowed to be conducted, leading to better understanding of its long-term health benefits and limitations as a medical prescription.
The Choice Should be Yours
Marijuana has medicinal properties that greatly relieve many patients’ pain and suffering related to serious and terminal illnesses. For some, medical cannabis is the only drug that works. It’s safe and natural, and doesn’t create dependence or nasty side effects. From a governmental standpoint, legalization would create strict control over the sale, tax, and doses of medical marijuana, which benefits everyone. Regardless, the choice of using or prescribing medical cannabis should rest with the medical community and its patients, not the governments.