Deaths from drug overdoses reached an all-time high in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overdoses of prescription drugs and heroin continue to be the leading cause of unintentional death for Americans, rising 14% from 2013 to 2014.
Last year, 47,055 people died from drug overdoses – 1.5 times greater than the number killed in car crashes. Opioids are involved in 61% of all drug overdose deaths. The latest CDC data finds that deaths from natural opiates such as morphine, codeine and semisynthetic prescription pain killers like oxycodone and hydrocodone jumped 10% from 2013 to 2014.
These alarming stats have many people looking into alternative methods to deal with pain and other health challenges. Cannabis shop owners often hear about improved conditions from their customers, and decades of research point to a variety of medical uses for pot.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the most recognized ingredient in cannabis. It is best known for causing the high that you get from using marijuana. As a result, THC has also caused the most controversy surrounding the plant’s medical use, with many health professionals citing the high as a drawback. However, while compounds like cannabidiol (CBD) have started to gain favor due to their lack of psycho-activity, decades of research have revealed a number of medical benefits unique to THC.
These are the most reported benefits by The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies:
Pain Relief: One of the most common uses of medical marijuana is for pain relief. And as it turns out, THC is the ingredient in marijuana responsible for its pain-relieving effects.
Studies show that THC activates pathways in the central nervous system, which work to block pain signals from being sent to the brain. Likewise, cannabis has been shown to be especially affective against neuropathic pain, or nerve-related pain.
PTSD: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another common reason to use medical marijuana. Interestingly, the high from THC is also associated with temporary impairments of memory.
While this may be seen as a drawback for some marijuana users, impaired memory is often therapeutic for those who struggle to forget painful memories, such as patients who suffer from PTSD. Recent studies confirm that oral doses of THC can help relieve a variety of PTSD-related symptoms including flashbacks, agitation and nightmares.
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| Tinctures are a great alternative to smoking to relieve pain. |
Nausea and Vomiting: THC has been available in pill form for treating nausea and vomiting in cancer patients since the 1980s. Marinol, a pill containing synthetic THC, was the first THC-based medication to be approved by the FDA for this purpose. Since then, other THC pills have been developed and prescribed to patients undergoing chemotherapy, including a pill called Cesamet.
Appetite Stimulant: Along with its ability to reduce nausea, THC is known to work as a powerful appetite stimulant in both healthy and sick individuals. Similarly, Marinol and Cesamet are regularly prescribed to boost appetite in patients with cancer and HIV-associated wasting syndrome. A number of studies conducted with Marinol suggest that THC can also stimulate weight gain in patients with anorexia.
Asthma: Treating asthma may not seem like an obvious use for medical marijuana. But as it turns out, THC’s ability to improve breathing in asthmatics is supported by research dating back to the 1970s. Following trials that showed smoking marijuana could help calm asthma attacks, scientists tried (and failed) to develop an inhaler that could deliver THC. While the THC inhaler idea was ultimately abandoned, some say modern-day vaporizers might be the solution.
Glaucoma: Another benefit of THC recognized early on was its potential to relieve eye pressure in patients with glaucoma. Likewise, after studies in the 1970s showed that smoking marijuana could reduce symptoms in glaucoma sufferers, scientists tried (and failed again) to develop a way to administer THC in eye drops. The idea proved too complicated due to the fact that THC is not soluble in water. While some glaucoma patients rely on medical marijuana to this day, The American Glaucoma Society maintains the position that its effects are too short-lived (lasting 3-4 hours) to be considered a viable treatment option.
Sleep Aid: Many are aware of the sleep-inducing effect of marijuana, and research shows that THC is largely responsible. In fact, trials conducted in the 1970s found that oral doses of THC helped both healthy individuals and insomniacs fall asleep faster. Interestingly, more recent studies suggest THC may also improve nighttime breathing and reduce sleep interruptions in those who suffer from a common disorder known as sleep apnea. Researchers are currently working to develop a THC-based medicine for treating the condition.
Sativa and Indica are the two major types of cannabis plants, which can be mixed together to create hybrid strains. Each strain has its own range of effects on the body and mind resulting in a wide range of medicinal benefits.
According to Live Science, Indica plants typically grow short and wide, compared to Sativa plants which grow tall and thin. Indica plants are better suited for indoor growing because of their short growth, and Sativa plants are better suited for outdoor growing
because some strains can reach over 25 ft. in height.
The high produced from smoking Indica bud is a strong physical body high that will make you sleepy or ‘couch-locked’ and provides a deep relaxation feeling compared to a Sativa high, which is known to be more energetic and uplifting. Marijuana strains range from pure sativas to pure indicas and hybrid strains consisting of both. Because Sativa and Indica buds have very different medicinal benefits and effects, certain strains can be targeted to better treat specific illnesses.
For those people looking for an alternative to smoking cannabis and a more discreet way to consume it, tinctures and vaporizers are a great way to go. That’s the alternative to smoking that Washington state resident Abbey Reyes, 42, chose to try for pain relief. She suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis and was encouraged by a few friends to try edible cannabis. She said it wasn’t the best option for her.
“I never knew how much I should eat for sure and frankly didn’t want to have to worry about it,” she said. “Now I just do tinctures because I know exactly how much to take and it’s easy and quick.”
Tinctures absorb into your system (mouth) about 15 minutes faster than edibles. Reyes replaced several prescription drugs that she was taking for her RA with one tincture hybrid and has found more relief without the added side effects of the meds she had been taking.
“I felt like I was putting poison into my body before, which just didn’t sit or feel right,” she said. “Now I know exactly what I’m taking and feel so much better for it.”
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