Before it was embraced by mainstream society, medical marijuana (cannabis) was shrouded by misunderstanding and stigma. Today, as its many potential benefits are becoming better known and continue to be documented by ongoing clinical research, nearly 90% of people in the United States support its legalization.
Marijuana hasn’t yet been legalized at the federal level. But As of Apr. 24, 2023, 38 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia permit the medical use of cannabis products to alleviate persistent symptoms of various physical and mental health conditions.
As a specialist in osteopathic medicine and medical marijuana expert, James O. Hill II, DO, offers medical cannabis services for qualifying patients from in and around Port St Lucie and Lake City, Florida, at Medicus Cannabus.
Here, we discuss five reasons medical marijuana may be right for you.
In Florida, medical marijuana is approved to help alleviate chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition or originating from a qualifying medical condition and persists beyond the usual course of that condition. Medical marijuana may help relieve:
Even better, medical marijuana can ease your chronic pain symptoms and improve your quality of life without the cognitive interference of conventional painkillers or the addiction risk of prescription opioid medications.
Ongoing clinical research shows that, with the right strain and at the right dosage, medical marijuana can be a beneficial therapeutic agent for mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Further, medical marijuana has been found to promote calmness, improve sleep, and reduce the frequency of nightmares.
In a recent FDA-regulated study, researchers found that over the course of a year, people who used medical marijuana to alleviate PTSD reported a greater decrease in the severity of their symptoms compared to those who didn’t use cannabis. They were also 2.5 times more likely to no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD compared to those who didn’t use medical marijuana.
There are several cannabinoid receptors within your digestive system that interact with key cannabinoids in medical marijuana. These receptors are what make cannabis so beneficial for easing abdominal pain and other distressing symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel disorders like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and peptic ulcer disease.
Researchers believe that medical marijuana helps ease irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by addressing a deficiency in your body’s endocannabinoid system. This deficiency has been linked to poor gut motility and visceral hypersensitivity, both of which contribute to the pain, bloat, feelings of fullness, and bathroom changes associated with IBS.
Medical marijuana can calm your nervous system and help relieve the severe muscle tension, persistent muscle spasms, uncontrolled movement, and chronic pain associated with a range of chronic and often progressive neurological disorders, including:
The anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving properties of medical cannabis may also make it a helpful therapeutic option for another persistent condition that’s often associated with nerve damage: complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
If cancer or its therapies (chemotherapy, radiation) have left you with persistent pain, nausea, and appetite loss, medical marijuana can help you ease these hard-to-manage symptoms and improve your quality of life. Research shows that medical cannabis use can:
To find out if medical marijuana is right for you, call our office in Port St Lucie or Lake City, Florida, today.
