Debates are still on going whether Marijuana should be legalized in some parts of the world. Also known as Cannabis sativa, the controversial leaf is believed to have medicinal advantages. However, some argue that smoking marijuana can be dangerous to any individual's health.
Recreational use of marijuana is harmful to the user and to society, Drug Free World stated.
According to their studies, working individuals who were positive for smoking pot had 55 percent more accidents, 85 percent more injuries and a 75 percent increase in being absent from work. In the Land Down Under, 4.3 percent of fatal vehicular accidents were reportedly caused by marijuana intoxication.
As for our health, The Modesto Bee stated as well that smoking weed can potentially affect our lungs. Notably, the site stated that any form of inhaled smoke, whether it is from cigarettes, burning woods and other toxic chemicals that are present in the burning process of any materials could lead to respiratory ailments.
Citing the American Lung Association, the source believed that the same toxins and chemicals were both found in cigarettes and cannabis. However, they also said that some studies conclude that marijuana can be a "viable option" to cure certain medical condition. Thus leading us to the other side of the debate.
Since marijuana is composed of cannabidiol (CBD) which impacts the brain without getting "high" and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which provides pain relieving effect, Business Insider reported that the leaf might be the answer to some chronic illness. It is noted that it might be more effective than smoking its leaves.
According to these Nuleaf Naturals reviews, CBD products can be more beneficial if there are trace amounts of THC and other cannabinoids.
However, marijuana has various medicinal benefits. Here are five important ones to take note of:
1. It can control epileptic seizures. According to a study from Robert DeLorenzo of Virginia Commonwealth University, rats with epilepsy were given synthetic marijuana, which resulted in the seizures ceasing for about 10 hours, as published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
2. It can also decrease the possible symptoms of Dravet's Syndrome. According to a documentary detailed by the Huffington Post, film-maker Gupta, for his film "Weed," interviewed a family whose 5-year-old daughter had Dravet Syndrome. She was administered medical marijuana and seizures drastically decreased from 300 each week to just one every seven days!
3. It can slow the development of Alzheimer's. Kim Janda of Scripps Research Institute revealed that "THC, the active chemical in marijuana, slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques are what kill brain cells and cause Alzheimer's," as reported by Business Insider.
4. It eases the pain of multiple sclerosis. This was suggested by a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. According to Business Insider, "Jody Corey-Bloom studied 30 multiple sclerosis patients with painful contractions in their muscles. These patients didn't respond to other treatments, but after smoking marijuana for a few days they were in less pain."
5. It lessens the side effects from treating hepatitis C and increases treatment effectiveness. The Business Insider reported that, "A 2006 study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that 86% of patients using marijuana successfully completed their Hep C therapy, while only 29% of non-smokers completed their treatment, possibly because the marijuana helps lessens the treatments side effects."
