Marijuana:
Marijuana is the leaves and dried flowers of cannabis plant. Marijuana can also be called weed,dope,pot or cannabis. It contains different kinds of mind-altering compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as well as other active compounds like cannabidiol, or CBD, that are not mind-altering.
The first direct reference of Cannabis was found in China in the age of 2737BC.The first use of cannabis or Marijuana product was used for psychoactive agents.With the passage of time its use spread from China to India, and then transfered to North Africa, and finally reached Europe as early as AD 500. Marijuana (Cannabis) was listed in United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 till 1942. It was prescribed by the physicians for different medical uses such as nausea,labor pain, and rheumatism.
Medical uses of Cannabis
Cannabis started to grow famous for recreational purposes in the age of 1850s to 1930s. As the usage of this drug increased with the passage of time, The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified it as a Scheduled single Drug. The medical use of marijuana increased due to natural controversies.
The most active ingredient THC was synthesized in 1966 which made it more medical-friendly, and finally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the year of 1985.
In the age of 1999 a U.S. Government sponsored study by the Institute of Medicine disclosed the beneficial properties of marijuana in certain medical conditions such as nausea caused by chemotherapy, and wasting caused by AIDS. Since 1999, a number of studies have been proved that smoked marijuana has pain relief effects.
In 1996, California was the first state to legalize the use of marijuana for medical objectives, and currently round about 24 of the states have some sort of medical marijuana legislation.
Medical benefits of marijuana
Following are 10 different benefits of marijuana (Cannabis). Millions of people can get these benifits and can easly get rid of their depression or pain.
1. Slow and stop cancer cells from spreading
Marijuana or Cannabis is the most useful beneficail herb. It is mostly used for the treatment of cancer patients.In 2007 the reasercher of medical center in Califronia found that Cannabidiol has the ability to stop cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1 and prevent cancer from further spreading in the human body.The main job of marijuana is to slow down tumor growth in brain, breast, and lungs considerately.
2. Prevent Alzheimer’s
THC, the most active and effective ingredient present in marijuana slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. THC slows down the process of formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that creates them. Brain cells are killed by these plaquesthe, and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Treat Glaucoma
Marijuana is also used to treat glaucoma, which increases the pressure in the eyeball, injuring the eyes nerve and causing loss of eyesight. According to the study of National Eye Institute, marijuana decrease the pressure inside the eye and prevent blindness..
4. Relieve Arthritis
According to the study of researchers in 2011, Cannabis reduces pain and inflammation, and promotes sleep, which is the sign of pain relief for panic patient or depressed people.
Researchers of the rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine, which is called Sativex, After two weeks, the patients felt a significant reduction in pain, and improved better sleep quality compared to placebo users.
5. Control Epileptic seizure
A 2003 study claimed that marijuana use can control epileptic seizure.
Robert J. DeLorenzo, of Virginia Commonwealth University, gave marijuana extract and synthetic marijuana to epileptic rats. The drugs stopped the seizures in about 10 hours.
It is found out that the THC controlled the seizures by binding the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation. The results were published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.[4]
6. Ease the pain of multiple sclerosis
Another beneficial job of Marijuana is to stop the negative neurological effects and muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. Canadian Medical Association suggests that marijuana may ease painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
7. Soothe tremors for people with Parkinson’s disease
Latest research of Israel’s researchers shows that smoking marijuana remarkably reduces pains and tremors and improves sleep for Parkinson’s disease patients. The impressive point about the research was the improvement of the fine motor skills among patients.
The medical marijuana made legal by the Governament of Israel, and a lot of research into the medical uses of weed is done there.
8. Help with Crohn’s disease
Cannabis may be helpful in the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder that causes pain, diarrhea, weight loss,vomiting, and more.But the most recent study in Israel showed that smoking a joint considerably reduced Crohn’s disease symptoms in 10 out of 11 patients, and caused a complete cancellation of the disease in five of those patients.
Of course, this is not a very deep study, but the results are same which has done by other researchers. The cannabinoids from cannabis help the gut control bacteria and intestinal function.
9. Decrease anxiety
In the age of 2010, Harvard University’s researchers has suggested that another of the drug’s benefits may actually be reduced anxiety, which would develope the smoker’s mood and act as a sedative in low doses.
Beware, though, higher doses may increase anxiety and make you paranoid.
10. Marijuana improve lung health
According to the January 2012 study of American Medical Association claimed that marijuana improves lung functions, and not only improves lung functions but also improve lung capacity. Researchers are in the search of risks factors of heart disease, tested on 5,115 young adults, over the duration of 20 years, and found out that only pot users showed an increase in lung capacity, compared to those who are tobacco smokers and lost lung function over time.
It is believed that the increased lung capacity is due to the deep breaths taken while inhaling the drug, and not from a therapeutic chemical in the drug.
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