Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana also called medical cannabis is the medical use of the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant to relieve symptoms of, or treat diseases and conditions. Also, the marijuana plant contains more than 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Each one has a different effect on the body. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main chemicals used in medicine. However, THC also produces the “high” people feel when they smoke marijuana or eat foods containing it. Moreover, to get medical marijuana, you need a written recommendation from a licensed doctor in states where that is legal. In addition to that, you must have a condition that qualifies for medical marijuana use. Each state has its own list of qualifying conditions. Your state may also require you to get a medical marijuana ID card.
THC and CBD?
Actually, THC or tetrahydrocannabinolis the psychoactive compound in marijuana. It is responsible for the “high” people feel. There are two man-made drugs called dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet) that are synthetic forms of THC. They are FDA-approved to prevent nausea and vomiting in people receiving chemotherapy. CBD or cannabidiol is another compound in marijuana that is not psychoactive. CBD is thought to be responsible for the majority of the medical benefits.
Medical marijuana products are available with a huge range of THC and CBD concentrations. Expert opinion states that 10mg of THC should be considered “one serving” and a person new to medical marijuana should inhale or consume no more until they know their individual response. Also, one challenge with medical marijuana is that the FDA is not exactly equipped to regulate the contents and the use. Therefore, it will not be surprises to find derived products of cannabis for medical use not having the required amounts of THC for example.
How Is Medical Marijuana Consummed?
Medical cannabis is consumed in different ways: you can smoke it, you can inhale it through a device called a vaporizer which turns it into a mist, you can eat it for example in a brownie or lollipop, apply it to your skin in a lotion, spray, oil, or cream, Place a few drops of a liquid under your tongue. However you take it is up to you. Each method works differently in your body. “If you smoke or vaporize cannabis, you feel the effects very quickly,” Bonn-Miller says. “If you eat it, it takes significantly longer. It can take 1 to 2 hours to experience the effects from edible products.”
