Recently in the U.S there has been a major surge in the use of what’s known as medicinal marijuana. Medicinal marijuana is marijuana used specifically for treating medical conditions. Florida joined the other 32 states in the U.S. in legalizing medicinal marijuana with Amendment 2 in 2016. Ever since then, many people have found themselves asking: “How could this help me?”. At GreenSide Cannabis of Tallahassee we have put together a list of 5 benefits to your health that you could experience if you qualify for this form of treatment.
1. Pain Relief
The primary use for most medical marijuana treatments in the united states is for chronic pain. This relief is not strong enough to combat the severe pains associated with say a broken bone but are very effective at treating chronic aches and pains such as back or joint pain. This is more important than ever, as it is a comparable alternative to opiates which can be extremely addictive.
2. Increased Appetite
Medical marijuana treatment has been documented to have the effect of increasing the appetites of patients. This can be important for those struggling with weight gain, or loss of appetite due to other ailments. Primarily this has been perfect for patients of cancer treatment that typically struggle with keeping appetites at normal levels.
3. Nausea Management
One of the most dreaded side effects of chemotherapy can be the random bouts of intense nausea. A typical medication prescribed to alleviate these symptoms is Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used for inflammatory conditions. However, it is common for medications used to treat nausea caused by chemo to be ineffective and even counterproductive causing dizziness and drowsiness. Cannabinoids found in medical marijuana have been found to treat nausea and pain associated with cancer treatment with little to no side effects making it a beneficial alternative
4. Muscle Relaxation
Using Medical Marijuana has also proven to provide effective muscle relaxation. This means that it has the ability to lessen the effects of Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and the majority of all ailments related to stiffness or spasms within the muscular system. Comparable medicines exist that can lessen the pain of muscle discomfort but rarely are any completely effective. Not only that, but most medications come with hefty side effects that many patients can consider intolerable.
5. Anxiety Reduction
Anxiety is a disorder that impacts 40 million Americans. The difficulty in treating this disorder comes from how uniquely each person can react to medication and treatment. Medical marijuana has been clinically shown to be a method of treating anxiety, but in specific ways. THC, the active ingredient that causes the “high” of marijuana, has proven to decrease anxiety in smaller doses while increasing anxiety at higher doses. CBD, the non-psychoactive ingredient of marijuana has been shown to decrease anxiety levels at all doses.
There are a wide and growing range of benefits being discovered in the field of medical marijuana, this list to name just a few. If you have a condition that you believe could benefit by a treatment such as this, please feel free to contact us about setting up an appointment with Dr. Mackay, our Tallahassee, Florida licensed medical marijuana physician.