The world has become much more progressive when it comes to cannabis use for both medical and recreational purposes, especially within the past 5 years. In the US alone, the medical use of cannabis has officially become legalized in 33 states, and this number is steadily on the rise.
Eleven states have even legalized recreational cannabis, and of course, we all know that Canada has legalized marijuana on a recreational level across the entire nation. With this increasing acceptance, a lot of people are wondering exactly how cannabis is making its mark on the world.
Is it a good thing, a bad thing, or does the widespread use of cannabis products like edibles and CBD have no effect whatsoever?
It is definitely having an effect, but the good news is that the changes seen are for the good, at least for the most part. Due to the fact that it is more accepted and accessible, medical patients are benefiting from treatment from cannabis all over the world.
Medical programs like the ACMPR (Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations) in Canada and companies like Cannabis Growing Canada are encouraging citizens to not only use medical-grade cannabis for treatment but to cultivate it at home. Here are a few ways that programs like this one are working to improve physical health and mental wellbeing.
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Easier Access to Medicine
The main way that the legalization of medical marijuana is improving health is by offering patients with easier access to their green and leafy medicine. It hasn’t always been this easy to acquire cannabis for medical treatment, and it wasn’t abnormal to have to jump through hoops to get high-quality medical-grade marijuana.
Take the ACMPR program as an example. To become a registered ACMPR member, there is obviously an application process that requires a prescription for medical marijuana from a licensed healthcare provider. But as soon as the government approves the application, the applicant is able to grow their own medical plants from home.
This means no trips to the closest dispensary and no need for regular visits to medical clinics. What’s more accessible than cultivating your own medical marijuana from home? Of course, not all countries are as lenient on this as Canada, but there’s no doubt about the fact that access to cannabis for medical reasons is becoming much simpler.
Medical Professionals Are More on Board Than Ever
More and more medical professionals are jumping on board the medical marijuana train, which means that more doctors are actually prescribing medical marijuana to their patients. For this reason, we are starting to see the positive effects that medical marijuana can potentially have on patients’ health more than ever.
A lot of the research on cannabis for treatment is still in the works, but many studies are pointing to the same conclusion. Cannabis is a viable treatment option for many conditions, and although it’s not necessarily for everyone, many individuals have seen treatment success for things like chronic pain, anxiety, even conditions as severe as epilepsy.
Even the FDA is on board with cannabis for health. The government organization has recently approved a drug called Epidiolex for the treatment of seizure disorders. The magic ingredient in this drug is CBD, which has been proven to help treat seizure disorders in a high percentage of patients.
In addition to seizure treatment, the FDA has approved a few more prescription drugs containing cannabis for therapeutic use. These are primarily used for relieving the symptoms of cancer patients, like nausea and weight loss caused by chemotherapy treatment.
We Have a Better Understanding of Strains and Cannabinoids
It goes without saying that cannabis isn’t for everyone. But now that we have a better understanding of strain variety and cannabinoids (like THC and CBD), more individuals are able to experience the medical benefits of marijuana than in the past.
For example, CBD products are a great alternative to those containing THC since CBD has no psychoactive properties. The common assumption is that all cannabis is used to “get high”, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Products containing CBD are strictly used therapeutically as a way to relax nerves, alleviate inflammation, and promote healthy sleeping patterns.
We also have a much better understanding of how each specific strain operates. When comparing indicas vs sativas, it’s a well-known fact that indica-heavy strains produce full-bodied relaxing effects and sativas are used more primarily for their energizing and uplifting properties.
This is easy to see when you compare the two strain types side by side. A medical patient who is in need of a daytime treatment for increased energy and alertness should opt for a Sativa. For sleep aid, pain relief, appetite stimulation (AKA the munchies), an Indica strain is the better choice.
There are new strains constantly being created, mainly to cater to the specific needs of medical patients. Medical marijuana programs like the ACMPR and government legalization of medical weed around the world is definitely making an impact, and it will continue to do so in the coming years.
