Medical Marijuana Blog
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Is Medical Marijuana Addictive?
- May 8, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Medical Marijuana Facts
1 CommentMedical 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.
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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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How Much Does Medical Marijuana Cost?
- May 8, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Marijuana Buying Guide
Medical marijuana poses an interesting twist to patients covered by health care plans. Many insurance companies do not want to cover such costs, so it becomes an out of pocket expense. Luckily for patients, it’s not very expensive, depending on where you live, the cannabis strain, its potency and who is selling it. While prices may vary from state to state, the following estimated costs reflect averages based on available online research from sites that offer comprehensive information on medical marijuana cost.
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Breaking Down the Prices of Medical Marijuana
Government vs Street Prices
Part of the reason marijuana has been legalized in several states is that it has happened at a time when many state budgets are financially upside down. So one of the strongest arguments for legalization has been that pot can be taxed to help pay down budget deficits and long term debts. While average prices for illegal weed run anywhere from $8 to $20 per gram, legal government non-organic marijuana averages around $15 per gram. Private organic cannabis is closer to $10 per gram. High-grade cannabis can run as much as $60 per gram.
Interestingly, cannabis has been legalized in Uruguay, where it sells for $1 per gram, which may lead to more competitive pricing in the United States. In Canada, the cost of growing cannabis is between 50 cents and $2 per gram, as the medical marijuana cost to patients ranges between $3 to $12 per gram.
Geography of Pot Prices
Certain states grow more pot that others, which affects supply and demand. California, for example, clearly grows much more cannabis than neighbor Nevada, partly because growing conditions are much better in the Golden State, where Humboldt and Mendocino Counties grow plenty of weed. An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal from September 2014 warned that even though dispensaries weren’t open yet in Nevada, prices pointed upward due to the state government’s option to limit the cultivation of cannabis in the state.
It turns out that the amount of cultivation space needed to satisfy grower applicants is two to three times more than what Nevada officials had planned. Limits imposed on growing by the state Division of Public and Behavioral Health could artificially drive up prices. Much the way California casinos have demolished the Nevada casino industry, if prices get too high it could lead many patients seeking to buy cheaper pot in California. Commercial pot prices in California have been declining for years down to $2,500 per pound, according to a 2011 NPR report. This steady price drop is a result of an expansion of suppliers.
Economics of Pot Prices
Colorado is becoming one of the top research states for cannabis economics. The state raised $15.3 million from recreational pot sales in the first five months of 2014, according to Forbes. If you add in medical pot sales, the revenue was $23.6 million for the same time frame. It may just be a coincidence, but the state’s tourism industry is booming to record levels. The state has set a 15 percent excise tax plus a 10 percent sales tax on recreational pot. Colorado made recreational pot legal at the start of 2014, as recreational pot prices are $400 per ounce compared with medical pot for $200 an ounce.
It is unclear how legalization, taxation and the amount of cultivation regulated by states will affect the medical marijuana cost for patients in the future. Cheaper marijuana from Mexico seems to be a preference among the average cannabis user. Personal cultivation will also likely affect costs. A smart approach for government would be to undercut the black market and still make huge profits.
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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.
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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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How to Obtain a Medical Marijuana Growers License
- February 12, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Uncategorized
Cultivating marijuana is now legal in several states in the United States as well as Canada for licensed professionals. While there are several requirements that must be met by Health Canada, there are some places in the U.S. where licensing is not as strict. The following information will help you learn about obtaining a medical marijuana growers license, which depends on your residence.
Canada
Only growers licensed through Health Canada as Licensed Producers are allowed to grow and sell dried cannabis in Canada. You must submit a business plan with your license application. The business plan must specify a business location and the business must meet Health Canada’s security requirements. Other rules govern cultivation, storage, pest control, packaging and inventory. Your business plan should show cost per gram and how you’ll market the cannabis. Once you are approved as a grower, you can purchase seeds from Health Canada.
Washington
Medical patients are allowed to grow their own cannabis without a license in the state of Washington. The rules for growing medical marijuana in the state of Washington require a 60 day supply limit, which amounts to up to 15 plants producing 24 ounces of marijuana. This amount or less gives the patient an affirmative defense in the event of an arrest. A medical marijuana growers license is not needed if you have a doctor’s recommendation.
Oregon
Measure 91, which Oregon state voters passed in November 2014, allows residents to possess and cultivate marijuana beginning July 1, 2015. Residents that wish to apply for licenses to sell marijuana can do so beginning January 1, 2016. Individuals who are at least 21 years old are allowed to possess up to 8 ounces in their home, but only 1 ounce in public.
Even after decriminalization of state laws, it’s still in the law that possession of four ounces or more is a felony. The law also says that growing a single plant is a felony with a fine of $365,000 and up to 20 years in prison. There is a general sense that Oregon has become a marijuana-friendly state much like its neighbor Washington.
Growers need to be far away from schools as possession within 1,000 feet of a school can result in jail time. Production licenses will be administered through the Oregon Liquor Control Commission beginning in 2016. Costs involved with licensing will include a $250 application and a $1000 annual licensing fee.
California
In California, where the medical marijuana marathon of legalization began with voters approving Proposition 215 in 1996, rules are stricter on growing. The state has many growers in northern counties such as Humboldt and Mendocino. It’s technically a felony to cultivate any amount, according to the NORML website. But the state has moved consistently in a direction of decriminalization, meaning no prison time. The state is authorized to do hemp research if the hemp contains less than 1% THC. The state does allow patients to use medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation and it does allow home cultivation with no specified limits.
Colorado
Colorado has legalized recreational marijuana along with Washington, Alaska and the nation’s capital. Colorado allows an individual to grow up to six plants at home and no more than 12 plants per residence. It is legal to grow plants outdoors if it’s in a fully enclosed or locked space. Homegrown weed, however, is not legal to sell. Retail stores selling cannabis in Denver must be licensed through the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, which will begin taking applications January 1, 2016. Most other states will require some form of a medical marijuana growers license.
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How to Use Weed Maps Effectively
- February 9, 2019
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Marijuana Buying Guide
Weed maps are a valuable tool for medical marijuana users. On these websites, patients can find dispensaries, doctors, and delivery services, read and write reviews, read the latest marijuana news, and connect with other patients. With these sites, patients can easily locate and discuss medical marijuana, freely and easily. They are communities filled with a wealth of information as well as interactive maps to make locating services quick and easy. Here’s how to use weed maps effectively so you can take advantage of all they have to offer and have a great experience.
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Guide to Using WeedMaps
Find Dispensaries
These websites are equipped with maps to make locating cannabis dispensaries near you as easy as pie. You simply type in your city in the search bar, instantly have access to locations, and contact information for dispensaries within just a few kilometers of where you are. Their mobile apps make it easy to find locations on the go, too.
Find Weed Doctors
Weed maps aren’t only useful for patients looking to buy from dispensaries—they’re also great for soon-to-be patients who are looking into getting a prescription for the first time. You simply have to change your search criteria to doctors instead of dispensaries to locate weed-friendly physicians near you.
Use Filters
Weed maps come with easy-to-use one-click filters so you can find exactly which dispensary you’re looking for. If you’re only interested in delivery services, dispensaries that use lab testing on their products, or dispensaries that have photos and videos of their weed, you can easily filter out only the locations that have what you’re looking for. You’ll save a wealth of time when you use filters effectively.
Read Reviews
Users can read and write reviews on weed map sites. This is a great place to look before you head out to a doctor’s office or dispensary to make sure the place you’re going to check out is worth your time, is professional, and is legal. Additionally, you can read reviews on the different types of marijuana strains that dispensaries offer, so you can research which type will work best for your symptoms. On the flip side, you can write reviews, too, so you can help others who are looking for information.
Connect
Weed maps are communities where medical marijuana patients can discuss their treatment openly with other users. If you have questions related to your prescription or have information to share with others, just jump on their forums and start chatting. It can feel lonely using medical marijuana if your loved ones don’t understand its therapeutic properties and still consider it taboo. These forums allow you to talk freely with others who understand what you’re going through and are there to help you when needed.
News
Weed map sites are constantly updating the latest medical marijuana news section (our blog). You can access all the current marijuana news articles from around the globe so you can always be in the know. You can even sign up to their newsletter so you never miss a story.
One-Stop Shop
Weed maps are your one-stop shop to everything there is to do with medical marijuana. Locate dispensaries and pro-marijuana doctors, and connect with other patients by reading and writing reviews and chatting on forums. If you’ve been prescribed medical cannabis, you might want to know more about it or want to communicate with others who are using the same treatment. Weed maps make it easy for you to find anything you’re looking for related to medical marijuana, so you can be more confident about your new alternative treatment. And the best part—it’s free to join!
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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.
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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.
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3 Types of Weed That Will Help Treat Your Sleep Apnea
- November 6, 2018
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Uncategorized
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.
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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.
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The Best Medical Marijuana Strains for Chronic Nerve Pain
- February 26, 2018
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Uncategorized
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.
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5 Most Common Misconceptions about Weed
- March 22, 2017
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Uncategorized
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.
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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.
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4 Common Medical Marijuana Strains to Treat Headaches
- January 13, 2017
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Uncategorized
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.