There are at least two active chemicals in marijuana that researchers think have medical applications. Those are cannabidiol (CBD), which seems to impact the brain without a high, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has pain relieving properties.
The following is a list of just SOME of the ways cannabis can be of medical benefit:
1. It can be used to treat Glaucoma
Marijuana decreases the pressure inside the eye. These effects may slow the progression of the disease, preventing blindness.
2. It may help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health
According to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2012, marijuana does not impair lung function and can even increase lung capacity. Tobacco smokers lost lung function over time, but pot users actually showed an increase in lung capacity.
3. It can help control epileptic seizures
Cannabinoids like the active ingredients in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, control seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation.
4. A chemical found in marijuana stops cancer from spreading
Cannabidiol stops cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1, the study found. Cancer cells make more copies of this gene than non-cancerous cells, and it helps them spread through the body. It was also mentioned that a few studies suggest the compounds in cannabis could even kill cancer cells.
5. It may decrease anxiety
Medical marijuana users claim the drug helps relieve pain and suppress nausea. It has also been suggested that that some of the benefits may actually be from reduced anxiety, which would improve the smoker's mood and act as a sedative in low doses.
6. THC slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease
The following is a list of just SOME of the ways cannabis can be of medical benefit:
1. It can be used to treat Glaucoma
Marijuana decreases the pressure inside the eye. These effects may slow the progression of the disease, preventing blindness.
2. It may help reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and improve lung health
According to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2012, marijuana does not impair lung function and can even increase lung capacity. Tobacco smokers lost lung function over time, but pot users actually showed an increase in lung capacity.
3. It can help control epileptic seizures
Cannabinoids like the active ingredients in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, control seizures by binding to the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation.
4. A chemical found in marijuana stops cancer from spreading
Cannabidiol stops cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1, the study found. Cancer cells make more copies of this gene than non-cancerous cells, and it helps them spread through the body. It was also mentioned that a few studies suggest the compounds in cannabis could even kill cancer cells.
5. It may decrease anxiety
Medical marijuana users claim the drug helps relieve pain and suppress nausea. It has also been suggested that that some of the benefits may actually be from reduced anxiety, which would improve the smoker's mood and act as a sedative in low doses.
6. THC slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease