A guide to understanding medical cannabis

In recent years, the cannabis industry has seen a massive boom and has grown immensely since the legalization of recreational use in many countries and states around the world over the past few years ago. Prior to that, in most cases the use of cannabis was legal only to those who made use of it for medical purposes. The medical cannabis industry is reaching greater heights with so much new research showing just how beneficial, and helpful, it can be.

Around the world, many people have discovered the benefits of this plant and/or are searching for a more natural approach to their healing process. Cannabis has been studied and shown to treat many medical conditions and can potentially help with many terminal illnesses or diseases. With that, there are a handful of different methods of consumption to suite anyone and everyone who might want to try it.

There is now much information related to medical cannabis and it can be quite a lot to take in or understand, so to give you a better understanding, here is a brief guide to understanding medical cannabis and it’s potential benefits.

What is medical cannabis and where is it legal?

When people first think about the differences between medical and recreational cannabis many think one is for recreation, while the other is for medicine. However, medical cannabis and recreational cannabis are identical. They differ in that medical cannabis has been legal in many places for a long time with valid identification, whereas recreational cannabis has recently become legal in a few countries and states around the world. Medical cannabis in some form is legal in over 35 states here in America, and recreationally legal (21 and over) in 15 states and growing.

Cannabis is a safe and alternative way to treat many conditions, so it is no surprise that many places around the world are introducing new laws allowing specified use of any related products.

How to consume it?

With new technology developing every day, and new research being done constantly on the topic, there are so many different ways that have been developed in order to consume cannabis or just CBD products. Many products can be bought online at stores like SmokeCartel, or at physical shops, and most have everything that is needed for consumption. These being inhalation through smoke or vapor with the traditional cannabis joint/cigarette or vaporizers, bongs, and dab rigs, or ingestible oils such as tinctures that are placed under the tongue and absorbed into the blood stream. There are also non-smoking consumption methods like topical, through creams and gels, oral through edibles, patches and even food.

Each method takes a different amount of time in order to feel any effects and differ in how long one might make them feel. Smoking is said to be the most effective way to get fast-acting effects, but they won’t last as long as those that come from being eaten. If you are a non-smoker and don’t want to inhale anything, there are many options available to you that will still be just as effective as smoking or vaping, without any of the potential risk factors that may come with it.

Psychoactive effects and CBD

One of the biggest reasons why cannabis was illegal for so long is because of the compounds that have a psychoactive effect on the user’s brain and body. This compound is commonly known as THC or tetrahydrocannabdoil. The type of high one might feel or the intensity of the high is all dependent on the levels of THC. The higher it is the more intense for many the high is.

When it comes to medical cannabis, most people aren’t using it to feel any kind of psychoactive effect but rather to solve or help a medical issue/condition, and still be able to function normally throughout the day. This means that typically when it comes to medical cannabis, the levels of the compounds are controlled and recommended for your specific dosage.

With new research being done on cannabis, the discovery of CBD, or cannabidiol, has also come about as a result. CBD is a cannabinoid from the cannabis plant which does not have any psychoactive properties and has been shown to have many benefits when it comes to treating a handful medical issues because it allows users to carry on with their day without worrying about any inhibitions or implications.

What does it treat and why does it work?

Cannabis is known to treat a multitude of disorders, problems and just general medical issues. With the research that has been done, it has been shown to treat a plethora of conditions from Alzheimer’s, cancer, Crohn’s disease, eating disorders, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, pain, seizures, sleep and the list goes on. It is also shown to help reduce anxiety, inflammation, and depression.

Through the active chemicals in the cannabis plant, pain receptors in the brain are blocked in the same way they would be by a pain killer. The CBD compound in particular is said to be one of the safest ways to reduces symptoms that one might experience if diagnosed by any of these diseases or conditions as it is non-intoxicating.

How to get it and what are the qualifying conditions?

Since the recreational use of cannabis is still illegal in most countries around the world, one would have to go about purchasing their cannabis  through registered state dispensaries. This sounds simple enough however, in order to get access of medical cannabis from these dispensaries, you need to qualify and apply for a legal medical cannabis card in that state or country to get legal access to purchase from them.

These qualifying conditions differ from state to state but generally one would need to have one of the following conditions. Epilepsy and seizure disorders, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, neurodegenerative disease, pain that is qualifying of the use of cannabis, nausea in specific circumstances, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Please check the laws in your state or country for safe and legal access.

Post sponsored and written by SmokeCartel