Medical Marijuana Blog

Sleep apnea involves inconsistent or irregular breathing patterns during sleep, which increases carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. The term apnea refers to an interruption in breathing and can be broken down into three categories: central, obstructive and complex. Central sleep apnea involves pauses in breathing due to respiratory problems. In obstructive sleep apnea, airflow is blocked while complex sleep apnea is a mix of the two forms. The following information explains types of weed, sleep apnea and decision-making involved with treating this sleep disorder.

Weed Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Conventional Treatment

The traditional treatment for sleep apnea has placed a focus on behavioral therapy that involves avoiding alcohol, tranquilizers and sedatives to protect the throat muscles from constricting airflow while sleeping. Doctors have also advised patients to sleep on one side instead of on their backs. In some cases, patients are given facial masks connected to air pressure machines that keep the airway open through the throat. The two types of machines used for this process are based on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) devices. In some cases when these devices have not helped, doctors have recommended throat and mouth surgery. Despite these procedures, many people do not even know they suffer from sleep apnea, so many cases go untreated.

Evidence that Marijuana Helps

While there still needs to be much more research on types of weed, sleep apnea on a mild level can be treated by THC, which is more prevalent in the sativa strains of marijuana. Keep in mind, though, that indicas are more like sedatives while sativas produce effects that are more energetic. These facts suggest that hybrids are most effective for treating sleep apnea, although indicas have been known to work as well. A study at the University of Illinois in 2002 by Dr. David Carley found that THC helped reduce sleep apnea in subjects by 32 percent. In 2013, researchers reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry that THC significantly helped patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea over a three-week period.

Hybrid strains that may help treat sleep apnea include Alpha OG, Blackberry Kush and OG Kush. However, you should still consult with a doctor and a professional medical marijuana caretaker at a reputable dispensary about your particular condition to get professional opinions, as marijuana has different effects on different individuals.

Alpha Medic OG

With a THC level over 20 percent, Alpha Medic OG, a form of OG Kush, has helped sleep apnea patients. This hybrid has been marketed as a “best of the best” strain at San Diego dispensary Alpha Medic and it won second place in the hybrid category at the 2014 LA Cannabis Cup. OG strains are believed to help with a wide variety of other health conditions as well.

Blackberry Kush

Known as a “one hitter”, Blackberry Kush is purple weed that leans indica but can also be found in hybrid forms. Although the origins of the strain are unknown, it has been a popular strain at California dispensaries. It has a fruity sweet taste like grape or berry with a smooth feel that is less likely to lead to coughing. The potency is fairly strong and the high can last for several hours. Therefore, new patients to this strain should consider small dosage.

OG Kush

This hybrid is 90 percent indica and 10 percent sativa. It is considered to be helpful for most ailments that can be treated with cannabis. Other indica-intensive hybrids that may be effective include Vanilla Kush, Bubba Kush and Blackwater. If you understand these various types of weed, sleep apnea problems can potentially be put to rest.

One of the reasons people turn to medical marijuana is to ease the symptoms of chronic pain. Chronic pain is most often treated with painkillers like opioids. Everyone now knows how addictive opioids are and the damage they can inflict on a person’s life, which is why doctors have become hesitant to prescribe them to patients. While this is understandable, it leaves patients who suffer from chronic pain with limited options for relief. One of those options, though, is medical marijuana. There are many medical marijuana strains that are effective at treating chronic nerve pain.

The best strains of medical marijuana for the treatment of chronic nerve pain are hybrids, with a high content of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids are good at bonding to the body’s natural receptors for cannabinoids, and thus they’re good for helping modulate the body’s pain responses. Below are some strains for you to consider if you’re looking to treat chronic nerve pain:

ACDC

ACD is a powerful strain and is great if you’re suffering a condition that results in severe pain. It contains both THC and CBD (1:20 ratio). It’s important that medical marijuana strains that treat chronic pain contain both cannabinoids because THC blocks pain signals from reaching the brain. THC does, however, cause the psychoactive effects of marijuana, and that’s why it’s mixed with CBD because it doesn’t.

Cannatonic

Like the name suggests, one of the things the Cannatonic strain is able to help with is sleep. It contains a low THC content (it rarely reaches 6 percent) and a high CBD content (6-17 percent). It’s this combination that makes Cannatonic the perfect choice for pain patients.

Cannatonic carries in it the ability to give you deeper relaxation and sleep, which is why, if you’re unable to sleep because of your pain, it’s also a good option for you. It’ll allow you to sleep, and unlike sleeping pills, it won’t have a negative effect on your sleep cycle or give you any of the sleeping pill’s common side effects.

Harlequin

If you’re in need of a medical marijuana strain that doesn’t leave you high or drowsy so you can take it during the day, look no further than Harlequin. Harlequin is also a hybrid, but it has a more balanced ratio of CBD and THC. The balanced mix of cannabinoids makes this strain one of the best for combatting pain caused by inflammation. It also helps lower your stress level. If you’re looking for pain relief as you go about your day, then this strain is an excellent choice.

Get Advice

There are many different medical marijuana strains out there, and finding the best one for your condition can seem challenging. If you’re uncertain about the best strains for you and your condition, ask a medical professional, like your doctor, or someone at a medical marijuana clinic such as Aleafia’s Total Health Network.

Medical personnel at clinics like Aleafia are fully educated in how medical marijuana can help your condition, and they’ll be able to suggest effective strains. If you’ve decided you want to use medical marijuana to treat your chronic nerve pain, there are many educated medical personnel who are ready and eager to help you during every step of your journey.

Marijuana has faced stigma since it first came to the public’s attention. Canada’s House of Commons criminalized the drug in 1923 before it had even earned a widespread reputation. It remained completely illegal for all purposes until the early 21st century, when a court ruling led to Canada’s first medical marijuana laws. Still, cannabis users continue to attract negative attention, even as more Canadians support legalization.

This stigma becomes especially problematic when it draws upon misinformation or outright fabrications. False information about marijuana doesn’t just hurt the people who use it recreationally. Medical patients who could benefit from cannabis treatment may not consider the drug due to its poor standing. As a result, they may continue to suffer needlessly from pain, appetite loss, nausea, and other conditions that marijuana can reduce.

The best way to combat the most common misconceptions about weed is to disprove them. In that spirit, this article will outline just a few of the common myths about marijuana and show why they hold less water than a small bong.

1. Cannabis Is a Gateway Drug

The “gateway drug” myth is so prevalent that many people can’t divorce it from the substance itself. Its guiding principle is that marijuana causes users to develop a taste for its effects, which will ultimately lead them to abuse other, harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Like many marijuana misconceptions, this idea mistakes cause for correlation. It assumes that cannabis causes users to gravitate toward other drugs, when other factors may play a more substantial role in this shift.

The myth doesn’t even hold up to scrutiny when other drugs are invoked. Alcohol and nicotine usually precede marijuana use, yet neither are criminalized, let alone labeled “gateway drugs.” Marijuana continues to bear the brunt of this falsehood, even though it’s demonstrably inaccurate.

2. Marijuana Use Causes Violence

Marijuana and criminality have existed side by side in the popular consciousness since the 1930s. What can you expect when a drug is criminalized before the general public even knows it exists? Despite a lack of evidence, cannabis use has long been seen as a harbinger of violent crime.

While assault and murder have surrounded the marijuana trade in the past, it’s largely due to its status as an illegal drug. A lack of regulation leaves traffickers with little recourse other than violence should something go wrong. There’s little evidence to show that the substance itself actually causes violent behaviour, and recent studies suggest that sites for marijuana trafficking, such as dispensaries, don’t suffer from higher crime rates.

3. Cannabis Is Highly Addictive

Cannabis addiction is a valid concern. Users can come to depend on the drug, especially if they come to abuse. Yet marijuana’s potential for addiction is miniscule compared to other narcotics.

Nine percent of cannabis users become dependent on the drug, compared to 23 percent of those who try heroin and 17 percent of cocaine consumers. Even legal drugs are more addictive than cannabis. Fifteen percent of alcohol drinkers develop an addiction to it, while 32 percent of smokers suffer from nicotine dependency. These statistics don’t mean that marijuana addiction is insignificant, but they do show that it’s highly overestimated.

4. Marijuana Severely Alters Your Brain

Common misconceptions about weed aren’t limited to discussions of public safety and addiction. You’re as likely to hear stories about the substance’s negative effects on the brain as you are to hear about its role in criminality. In reality, both are exaggerated.

Studies do show that marijuana users’ brains differ from those of non-users. Yet the studies’ authors have never claimed that marijuana is the source of these changes. In fact, they’ve even spoken out against this assertion, showing that confusion between cause and correlation still rein when it comes to marijuana discussions.

5. Cannabis Is Harmless

Most myths about marijuana inflate its negative effects at the expense of its benefits. Unfortunately, many cannabis advocates do the exact opposite, ignoring its harmful effects while singing its praises. This results in more common misconceptions about weed.

Marijuana still causes addiction in some users, and smoking the drug does create carcinogens that can cause serious health problems. The stigma surrounding marijuana use is excessive, but that doesn’t mean the drug’s harmful aspects should be disregarded.

Nothing ruins your day faster than a headache. Even at their most tolerable, these ailments can steal your focus and lower your productivity. But when you’re experiencing particularly bad pain and it feels like someone is bashing a gong on the inside of your skull, you’d do nearly anything to make it stop.

Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t have that option. Statistics Canada reports that over 2.7 million citizens experienced migraines in 2010 or 2011. This can be a chronic condition for some people, while others may experience them as a side effect from other medications. In the end, the result is the same: harsh, unrelenting pain that will needlessly complicate your life.

Thankfully, there are solutions for chronic sufferers. Medical marijuana has been known to reduce pain caused by headaches, offering relief to users who have obtained prescriptions from their doctors. However, some strains can also intensify this pain, so it’s important to know which varieties of marijuana to use to treat these ailments.

This article will help you find common medical marijuana strains that will remove grating, constant pain. Read on to find out about these unique assortments.

1. Blue Dream

When people discuss pain, mentions of Blue Dream are never far away. That’s because this is one of the more common medical marijuana strains available for relieving physical discomfort. As a hybrid variety, it offers patients the best of both worlds when it comes to treating headaches. Its sativa characteristics offer a heady feeling that’s beneficial for treating migraines and other cranium-based ailments. This also keeps you from falling prey to the drowsy body highs that are commonly associated with indicas. It does contain large amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can lead to exaggerated psychoactive effects. But for the most part, Blue Dream is perfectly suited to treating unpleasant headaches.

2. Jack Herer

Many people don’t want to use common medical marijuana strains to treat their headaches because it makes them feel too stoned to actually maintain their daily routines. Jack Herer helps patients avoid these prevalent pitfalls, so it’s used by busy professionals to treat their headache pain. It’s a sativa-based strain that emphasizes users’ creativity and productivity. Patients describe it as producing blissful, energetic feelings, so you’ll relieve both your pain and the negative energy it produces.

3. Northern Lights

If you’ve ever had to deal with intense head pain late at night, you know how it can prevent you from falling asleep. There are very few things that are more tedious and annoying than having to lie awake as you feel your headache’s dull throb pulsing through the top of your dome. Thankfully, one of the most common medical marijuana strains will leave you as awestruck as a tourist gawking at the Aurora Borealis.

That’s right: the popular Northern Lights strain is a great tool for when you need to slowly drift off after a long day full of pain. It’s an indica, so you’ll feel relaxed and happy enough to get the sleep you need. Readily available through dispensaries and licensed producers, Northern Lights can take away the tension that seems to grip your entire body when you’ve got a headache.

4. Blueberry

If Blueberry sounds familiar, it should. It’s a parent to the previously mentioned Blue Dream, but while that strain is tempered with a Haze sativa, Blueberry is a straight indica strain. That means you’ll get a relaxed, body-oriented sensation that’s similar to the Northern Lights variety. If you need to get rid of the bad feelings that pain brings, Blueberry is an ideal pick.

In June 2015, Vancouver became the first city to vote to regulate and license medical marijuana dispensaries at a public hearing. But only a few months later, approximately 6% of applications were successful. The vast majority of those applying for business licences have been denied.

The regulations state that medical marijuana-related businesses are only allowed to operate in commercial zones away from schools, neighbourhood houses, youth facilities serving vulnerable youth, and other marijuana-related businesses. These marijuana dispensaries can only operate with a business licence at a fee of $1,000 for compassion clubs and $30,000 for medical marijuana-related retail dealers, with a development permit that includes a community notification process, and with a signed good neighbour agreement.

The city of Vancouver adopted these regulations for several reasons. First, the number of medical marijuana dispensaries grow by 100% per year from 2013 and 2015 and there’s a lack of clear and transparent regulatory framework at the federal level. In addition, the regulations have been adopted in order to hopefully achieve a balance between adequate availability of medical cannabis for those in need as well as community security, health and safety.

Currently, only 16 marijuana dispensaries, out of the 176 that applied for licences under Vancouver’s new regulations, have received the go ahead. These include Stress and Depressed Association, The Green Room Society, The Buddha Barn, Apple Health Society, Wealthshop Social Society, Apollo Medical Society, BC Pain Society, Westcoast Medicann Society, EVO Medi Society, Medicinal Express (two locations), MPN Health Society, Scooter Health Society, The Herb Co., The Healing Centre, and the Urban Earth Med Society.

Location, Location, Location

Most of the marijuana dispensaries had their applications for a business licence denied because of their location. Some were too close to schools, others were too close to community centres, and others were in too close proximity to other marijuana retailers. The rules are clear: dispensaries must be set up at least 300 metres away from schools, recreation centres, and other marijuana retailers in order to be approved for a business licence.

Even the BC Compassion Club Society, which has been in business for 18 years and is the city’s oldest dispensary, has had its application denied because it’s located across the street from Stratford Hall Private School.

Appeal or Move

And as the Vancouver board of variance has denied appeals for many of the retailers, Chief Licensing Inspector Andrea Toma believes the best step to be taken by those who were denied is to set up shop in a different location and re-apply, rather than to continue appealing the decisions. Otherwise, they have six months to close their doors if they don’t move.

Moving is easier said than done, though, as many of these marijuana dispensaries are non-profits without much money. Moving to a different area will likely lead to an increase in rent, which means they’ll have to make cuts to the healthcare services they provide members. Others cannot find new rentals that meet the city’s strict guidelines.

Too Close to Other Dispensaries

However, 30 of the 176 marijuana dispensaries that did not receive approval on their first applications are now being moved to a secondary, competitive licensing stage. For these 30 stores, the only issue is that they’re too close to another cannabis dispensary. They now have the chance to make their case based on many factors, including community complaints and previous police contact. For these dispensaries, there is still hope of staying alive.

Didn’t Apply? Close Your Doors

The cannabis retailers that did not apply for a licence, perhaps in an attempt to stay off of the city’s radar or to avoid being denied altogether, business isn’t going to continue as usual. They, too, have been asked to close their doors immediately, or risk facing legal action and fines.

Though a lot of controversy surrounds it, medical marijuana is awesome. It’s an incredible alternative treatment option that more and more patients suffering from debilitating, chronic, and often fatal illnesses are starting to use. It really isn’t surprising that medical marijuana is increasing in popularity. Just consider these 13 amazing facts.

1. It Can Treat Alzheimer’s

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and few treatment options are available—most efforts are focused on prevention. And many studies have shown that medicinal marijuana can help prevent it. Both THC and CBD can positively affect the brain’s nerve cell function to reduce the chronic brain inflammation that causes Alzheimer’s.

2. It Kills Cancer Cells

Medicinal cannabis isn’t only beneficial in terms of reducing nausea and increasing appetite for cancer patients, it can also kill cancer cells, while leaving the healthy cells undisturbed. Brain, lung, breast, prostate, oral, pancreatic, liver, and blood cancers can be treated with cannabis.

3. Smoking Cannabis Can Lead to Brain Growth

Though many anti-marijuana activists will tell you that cannabis kills brain cells, it actually does the opposite. New studies show that medical marijuana actually promotes neurogenesis—aka, brain cell growth.

4. Legal Medical Marijuana Reduces Suicide Rates

Areas that have passed medical marijuana laws are now seeing a decrease in their suicide rates—by almost 5 percent. Most experts believe that the reduction is based on the fact that people who were self-medicating with alcohol have replaced this habit with the use of the safer alternative, cannabis.

5. Legal Medicinal Cannabis Reduces Overdose Rates

States that have implemented medicinal marijuana laws appear to be benefiting from a lower opioid overdose death rate than states that haven’t yet passed such legislature. Cannabis use doesn’t lead to fatal overdoses, and patients are switching from dangerous pharmaceutical painkillers to this more natural treatment option.

6. There’s No Need to Smoke It

Many patients don’t enjoy the harsh experience that comes with smoking—the smell, the taste, the dry mouth, or the coughing. But there are more enjoyable and health conscious ways to ingest your treatment. Making edibles can provide more long-lasting relief for chronic symptoms and eliminates the need for smoking completely. Vaporization is also another commonly recommended alternative.

7.  You Don’t Need to Get Stoned

Worried about feeling too high to function? There’s no reason to avoid medical marijuana for this reason. There are hybrid strains on the market that will allow you to get the health benefits you need to treat your symptoms that won’t get you stoned at all. Just buy strains that are high in CBD and low in THC.

8. It Can Improve Lung Health

A shocking truth, I know. But medicinal cannabis has no link to lung damage. In fact, it can even reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco to improve lung health.

9. It’s One of the Best Epilepsy Treatment Options

Unfortunately, many epileptic patients do not find relief from typical pharmaceutical treatments—they’re pretty hit or miss. Medicinal marijuana can be used to prevent epileptic activity in the brain—often better than traditional drugs can.

10. It’s also Effective for Treating Drug-Resistant Multiple Sclerosis

Patients living with MS often do not find relief of their pain with traditional drug treatments, either. But many see improvements after ingesting medical marijuana.

11. It Can Help Our Troops

PTSD is a nasty symptom of war and many veterans suffer from it—severely limiting their quality of life. Medicinal cannabis can help regulate the system that controls anxiety and fear in the brain.

12. It Protects Your Brain

People who have strokes or other traumatic brain injuries, like concussions, can benefit from medical cannabis’s neuroprotective effects on the brain.

13. Marijuana Is One of the Most Pharmacologically Active Plants in the World

Ever wonder why medical marijuana is so beneficial to your health? It’s because it has over 400 different pharmacologically active chemicals!

If you’re looking for weed dispensaries, online research is your best bet. It will save you plenty of time and help you find the best selection of medical marijuana quickly. A good place to start is Weedmaps.com, which has become the most popular directory of cannabis dispensaries in a short time. In 2014 the site ranked in the top 5,000 websites out of millions in the United States, according to Alexa.com. The site also gets a very high trust rating on ScamAdviser.com, which gives 1-100 point ratings on whether or not the site can be trusted based on over 150 different factors. Using WeedMaps.com and similar online directories can help you find the closest dispensaries in your geographic region quickly.

The Beauty of Weedmaps

Weedmaps has offices in Orange County, California and in Denver, Colorado, one of the most pot-friendly cities in the world. The site was founded by Justin Hartfield and Keith Hoerling in 2008 and has rapidly become the Yelp of weed dispensaries, online resource for dispensary geography and leading provider of dispensary reviews. Through this comprehensive website, you can search for medical marijuana based on lab-tests, delivery opportunities and other criteria. The site is also an index for legitimate and licensed doctors, which allows you to set online appointments. It can also direct you to grow shops.

Considered the marijuana industry’s leading authority on dispensaries, Weedmaps is built on a database that tracks over 3,000 dispensaries and an astounding 25,000 cannabis strains. Through the site, millions of patients can connect with each other and comment on dispensary experiences. Its sister site, Marijuana.com, is another excellent cannabis resource for staying up to date on marijuana news, strains and cannabis products. Although ownership of Weedmaps has traded hands since its formation, Hartfield bought the company back in 2013 and is now a NORML board member who is working toward the federal legalization of cannabis in the United States. Today Weedmaps is the most popular medical marijuana app in both the Apple and Google mobile app stores.

Expanding Your Mind Online

The amount of knowledge you can learn about marijuana from Weedmaps and Marijuana.com is amazing compared with most other pot websites, although NORML.org is very useful as well. The geography of dispensaries is demystified by Weedmaps, which integrates with Google Maps. Simply type the name of your city in the dispensary search box and get a listing of the dispensaries in your area. These cannabis vendors are rated by reviewers giving 1-5 stars with data on the number of reviewers.

When you click the link of the dispensary name, you’ll go to a page with a Google Map that shows where the pot shop is located. You will also learn the type of pot (indica, sativa or hybrid) as well as the name of the cannabis strains available at that particular location. It will also reveal if the dispensary sells other cannabis products besides buds such as concentrate or wax. Reviews at the bottom of the page are sorted by featured dispensary, most recently reviewed or most helpful establishments. The reviews of shops are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars based on five categories: bud quality, reliability, staff, professionalism and price.

From brief reviews of weed dispensaries, online research can be maximized in a matter of minutes, saving you time and money while learning where to find high quality medical marijuana. You can also click on the reviewer’s name and read their reviews of other dispensaries. Then you can add your own comment to the review if you login after signing up, which lets you join marijuana forums.

Finding medical marijuana for sale varies depending on where you live. If you happen to live in the pot-friendly nation of Canada, for example, you can use Health Canada as a starting point to find medical marijuana. But if you live in the United States, a little over half the states have kept it illegal despite the 23 states that have legalized it for medical use. It is much easier to find cannabis in the states that have legalized it for recreational use, which includes Washington and Colorado. The following research will help you locate medical marijuana in your area.

Searching Online

The internet is the best tool for tracking down any product, its pricing and locations where it is sold. Even with medical marijuana, you are much likely to find a dispensary closest to you than any other method besides tips from friends and medical professionals. The best place to start your online search for medical cannabis is the site Weedmaps.com, which is a directory of thousands of dispensaries. It provides a search tool to enter your city and get a list of dispensaries, along with customer reviews. There are other portals that provide helpful links to dispensaries, including Leafly.com, Medicinemansdispensary.com and Medicalmarijuana.com. There are also sites that can direct you to growing your own plants with seeds, such as Weedsthatplease.com, 420seeds4you.net and Amsterdammarijuanaseeds.com.

Purchasing cannabis online may not be the best idea, especially if you do not have a medical marijuana card and you do not live in the state where the website is based. The laws are still blurry when it comes to the proper way to purchase medical marijuana. You can still be arrested for possession if you are not careful about how you go about acquiring cannabis. The best approach is to buy medical marijuana directly from a dispensary and develop a relationship with expert caretakers.

Recommendations

Technically doctors are not allowed to prescribe medical marijuana in the United States, since it has not yet been approved by the FDA. However, doctors can recommend medical pot in accordance with state laws. These same doctors may be able to give you insight on where to buy medical marijuana for sale even if they themselves cannot recommend a specific dispensary. It’s best to find a doctor who supports medical marijuana and knows plenty about it. Many doctors approve of the medicine but don’t really know much about it or where to find it. “Further research is needed” is what you may hear from doctors.

Local Publications

One of the best sources for tracking down local medical marijuana dispensaries that do not promote themselves online is through local weekly or monthly publications that cater to the 20 to 40 year old demographic, particularly fans of local culture. These publications are also more likely to give the best coverage about local issues regarding medical marijuana in your area. Check the classified ad section in the back pages.

Avoiding Arrest

You can avoid arrest by staying up to date on the medical marijuana laws in your state, county and city. Just because the law may allow buying cannabis from a licensed non-profit dispensary that pays taxes, does not mean it’s legal or safe to buy pot from friends who sell it on the black market. If you happen to live in Colorado, you have several options, which include medical marijuana vending machines that require medical marijuana ID cards. Don’t assume that just because you come across a marijuana website or app that it’s ok to buy through it, as some medical marijuana for sale platforms have been busted by police.

Glaucoma patients have been treating their eye problems with medical marijuana long before it was even made legal in various states. This health condition involves damage to the optic nerve, which can limit side vision and occasionally lead to blindness. The key to reducing this damage has been to relieve pressure within the eye, which cannabis has been known to do. As long as you become familiar with various types of weed, glaucoma may be treated to at least relieve discomfort in the eyes.

Marijuana Effectiveness

The idea that pot can treat glaucoma goes back to research from the 1970s that has been supported by the National Eye Institute. Cannabis, however, only has a short term effect on relieving eye pressure for about three hours. Using cannabis six to eight times a day may help treat glaucoma more effectively than using it once per day, but at the risk of being impaired all day, which can restrict certain activities, such as driving a car.

There is evidence that part of the cause of glaucoma is reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. Marijuana, however, can lower blood pressure in the body, which can potentially lower the flow of blood to the optic nerve. Consequently, in June 2014 the American Academy of Ophthalmology reaffirmed its stance that it does not recommend cannabis products for treating glaucoma. You should find out more by speaking with your eye doctor.

Cannabis Strains

One of the keys to demystifying cannabis is to understand that it comprises thousands of different strains that have various effects that affect individuals differently. Due to its complexity, many scientists disagree on cannabis as a universal medicine. Not every strain is going to work for every glaucoma patient, which is part of the reason that eye doctors are hesitant to recommend cannabis for their patients. Many doctors simply do not have the time or the curiosity to learn which strains are most effective for treating glaucoma.

When studying various types of weed, glaucoma treatment researchers need to consider which strains have the most positive effect on relieving eye pressure. The first step to selecting the proper cannabis strain is to understand the difference between sativa and indica cannabis. While sativas are more energetic and creative, indicas are more relaxing and likely to put your whole body to sleep quickly. The following cannabis strains have been given positive reviews by glaucoma patients.

Maui Waui

This popular sativa is one of the most well known cannabis strains in history. Its sweet smell and sour aftertaste make it unique weed. Not only is it used for glaucoma, it can also be used to treat anxiety, depression and pain. It has a medium potency but produces an uplifting happy energy for the patient. When considering the various types of weed, glaucoma patients should pay attention to this tropical strain.

Cherry Kola

This indica strain is considered top of the line by Sonoma County Collective in California. It has potency of 17 percent THC and up to 20 percent cannabinoids. This pot has a cherry aroma and produces an intense head rush. It looks green mixed with plenty or reddish-orange hairs.

Blueberry

With a bright green appearance mixed with dark blue and purple spots along with orange hairs, this grade A indica hybrid is extremely potent. It is most appropriate for nighttime use at home. The buzz is heavily concentrated behind the eyes. It has a sweet earthy fruit flavor but can limit social interaction. Another characteristic about the buzz is that it is very strong and relaxing, providing pain relief for glaucoma patients.

Medical marijuana patients need to be careful about buying cannabis from online sources for a few reasons. Some sites claiming to sell legal cannabis have actually been scams. You should also be aware that it’s still possible to be arrested for purchasing marijuana due to federal law, even in states that have legalized it, especially if you do not have proper licensing according to state laws. The best thing to do is learn your state’s laws and only buy within your state. That means if you want to buy weed online, websites need to be researched to find out where they are based. The following are sites that sell cannabis online.

1. Harborside Health Center (Oakland, CA)

This site offers free delivery to residents in the San Francisco Bay Area but only accepts cash, money orders and cashier’s checks. Drivers only accept exact amounts of money. The site’s menu of medical cannabis products include flowers, concentrates, edibles, topicals, seeds and accessories such as shirts. Orders can be made online 24 hours per day, although deliveries are only made 1-7 pm daily.

2. Speed Weed (Los Angeles, CA)

Serving the Los Angeles and Orange County areas of Southern California, this delivery service offers flowers, edibles, hash, wax, concentrates and cannabis products. Ordering online requires membership. The site says privacy is a priority and that its delivery service is fast, safe and discreet.

3. Crown Collective (Forestville, CA)

Member patients of this Northern California cannabis delivery service can resume making online orders on Memorial Day 2015. The grass roots collective is a member of ASA and CANORML. Its innovative payment method is through donations for patients with transportation needs. Strains include Granddaddy Purple, Blackberry Kush, Super Lemon Haze and Cherry AK wax.

4. Weed Store USA (Atlanta, GA)

Claiming to be the “world’s largest herbal smoke shop,” this site sells 100 percent natural buds online along with vaporizers and other cannabis products. Strains include Big Bud, Mr. Nice, Blackberry Kush, Super Lemon Haze, Hawaiian Indica, Girl Scout Cookies and Jack Herer. Rush delivery orders are available within the United States.

5. Real Scientific Hemp Oil (Poway, CA)

Based in San Diego County, Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) says on its site that it does not sell any products that violate the United States Controlled Substances Act. Its parent company develops hemp cultivars that contain cannabidiol (CBD) content. The product is cannabis oil with a high concentration of CBD. RSHO comes from hemp that is grown free of herbicides and toxic fertilizers. It can be ordered online by members within the United States. For more information, call (866)-273-8502.

Other Places to Buy Weed Online, Websites

There really isn’t a wide variety of safe places to buy medical marijuana online yet, but there likely will be in the years ahead. Places where marijuana is legal for recreational purposes such as Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia should be on your radar for resources to check in the future. These are the locations where the medical marijuana industry will likely become the most competitive.

If you live in Canada, you can order medical cannabis from various websites that are licensed by Health Canada. Stay away from buying pot online through classified sites like Craigslist due to possible scams. One of the best online directories of dispensaries is WeedMaps.com. If you live in the United States, find a dispensary in your area that offers a delivery service that allows you to place orders online. Before you buy weed online, websites need to be checked for trust level with a site such as ScamAdviser.com.