what is medical cannabis?
Cannabis has commonly been known as "marijuana" and the two terms can be used interchangeably. However, from a medical perspective, the term cannabis is more appropriate.
Humans have interacted with the cannabis plant for thousands of years all over the world and only since 1937, has it been federally illegal in the United States. Historically, cannabis has been used as an herbal remedy for a long list of ailments, but the top three are pain, anxiety and sleep disturbances.
Scientists have identified over 100 biologically active components in the cannabis plant called, cannabinoids. The two most studied and most prevalent in the plant are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These two and the other minor cannabinoids are thought to possess significant medicinal benefits. The cannabinoid THC is the one responsible for causing the "high" associated with cannabis, while CBD is not intoxicating and does not cause a high. Both can be used therapeutically in the proper doses, but CBD is gaining popularity as a natural medicine for the long list of health benefits it provides, including:
anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune system modulating, analgesic, anti-spasmotic, and anti-convulsant.
There are many cannabis products on the market with different modes of administration (oil, sublingual tincture, topical balm or cream, capsules and inhalation) which can make someone new to cannabis quite overwhelmed. I remember feeling that way myself and the key is education. Learn how cannabis can be used as medicine and how it works with our internal "endogenous cannabinoid system" (ECS) to maintain balance or homeostasis within our body.
