When discussing the subject of cannabis and its derivative products, the legal side of their sale and consumption often comes into the discussion. While the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes came into effect in Canada on October 17, 2018, in the rest of the world, this currently only concerns cannabis-derived products, containing no or very little THC, the psychoactive substance of cannabis and the main cannabinoid. The market for products derived from the plant could therefore easily overtake that of pure cannabis.
In the United States, where a dozen states already allow the marketing of edible products, sales exceed certain estimates made a few years ago. In this article, we will mainly present the benefits of cannabis-derived products, including medical cannabis and CBD oil, which are now legal in most countries.
The "medical potency" of cannabis is no longer negligible, as numerous studies on the benefits of cannabis compounds now attest. Here are some examples. Note that the list is not exhaustive, as are the listed benefits.
In medical marijuana, THC helps relieve ailments such as:
The most common use of medical marijuana is for pain relief. Although marijuana is not strong enough to relieve severe pain (example:post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is very effective against chronic pain, which affects hundreds of millions of people around the world. /P>
Part of the appeal of cannabis is that it's clearly safer than opiates (it's virtually impossible to overdose on, and is far less addictive). It can also replace certain NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen, in people who are intolerant (often due to kidney problems or ulcers).
In particular, marijuana seems to relieve pain from multiple sclerosis and nerve pain in general. These are cases where there are few other options, and those that do exist, such as Neurontin, Lyrica, or opiates, are very sedating. Patients claim that marijuana allows them to return to previous activities without feeling completely left out and disengaged.
In the same vein, marijuana is an effective muscle relaxant, and it notably helps to reduce tremors due to Parkinson's disease. It would also be used to treat fibromyalgia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and most other conditions where the last common pathway is chronic pain.
Cannabis is also used to relieve nausea and control weight loss. A very promising area of research right now is its use for PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) in ex-servicemen returning from combat zones. Many veterans and their therapists are reporting drastic improvement and calling for further studies and an easing of government restrictions on this.
Medical marijuana has also been reported to help patients with the pain and wasting syndrome associated with HIV, as well as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.
Again, please consider that this is not an exhaustive list, but rather a brief overview of the types of conditions for which medical marijuana can provide relief. As with all remedies, claims of efficacy should be critically evaluated and treated with caution.
Consumers take CBD products to treat all sorts of ailments, from arthritis to Crohn's disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis (some studies have tested the combined action of THC and of CBD). Some subjects use it to relieve anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. But so far, there is little evidence that CBD can help in any of these areas.
Recently, the FDA approved the very first CBD drug, Epidiolex. It is used to treat several severe forms of rare childhood epilepsy. CBD also has antibiotic properties, as demonstrated by a recent study.
CBD is a very current subject of study for scientists. The National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Database shows over 160 clinical trials involving CBD.
