Cannabis Revisited: How Science is Debunking the Myths
The 21st century rehabilitation of cannabis, as a valuable medical resource, is a triumph of rational science over cultural propaganda.
Cannabis and hemp have been part of the human experience for thousands of years; from India to China and Europe and then to the Americas, cannabis has been utilized for medicine, food, fabric and fiber. Until 1937, Cannabis was listed as a medicine in the American Pharmacopeia, recommended for the treatment of migraines, muscle aches and menstrual cramps.
Martin Lee’s 2012 opus “Smoke Signals'' details the outlawing and demonization of cannabis during the twentieth century and the fight to rehabilitate the plant which culminated in the breakthrough California legalization of 1996. Today, 37 American states have legitimized and reinstated cannabis for medical use and in many states, including California, recreational use is also legal.
Unfortunately the notoriety and misinformation about cannabis is taking longer to reverse than cannabis’ legal status. Although medical cannabis is a multi -billion dollar industry in the U.S. alone, many people still believe that cannabis is a dangerous addictive drug without medical value.
Since the 1960s when Dr Raphael Mechoulam began to study the chemical structures of cannabinoids, hundreds of scientific studies have proved the many health benefits that cannabis has on humans and all mammalian life forms. This extensive body of research has improved life for sufferers of severe conditions; epilepsy, arthritis, autism and anxiety disorders to name but a few.
So, for the record, and to dispel any lingering doubts, here is the science which underwrites cannabis medicine.
MYTH vs FACT
Cannabis has a reputation for making people ineffective, bluntly, stupid. The science shows the opposite, numerous studies have shown that cannabis promotes the growth and development of new brain cells. Cannabis is also inherently neuroprotective, a 2006 study on focussed on stroke victims, traumatic brain injuries and oxygen-deprived newborns, showed cannabis treatment healed injuries faster and decreased long-term sustained brain damage. The study demonstrated that the neuroprotective value of cannabinoids was higher than any other class of chemical compounds.
CBD has been recognised for alleviating symptoms associated with degenerative brain conditions including Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis and Altzeimers. THC is the only cannabinoid which has a psychotropic effect on the brain which some people find pleasurable, while others don’t. The idea that cannabis causes mental instability, precursing schizophrenia is not borne out in any existing data. In fact cannabis, especially CBD, has proved to be helpful with mental conditions, easing depression, PTSD, bipolar and schizophrenia symptoms.
Cannabis is closely associated with smoking in popular mythology and has an unfounded reputation for causing lung cancer. A large study concluded in 2006 reporting that cannabis smokers had an equal or lower rate of lung or respiratory cancers than non-users. Cannabis has proved its value in the treatment of many forms of cancer also alleviating debilitating chemo symptoms like nausea and nerve pain. In addition, research studies have proven THC shrinks cancer tumors and CBD stops the proliferation of new cancer cells.
Yet another negative stereotype is that cannabis makes you eat uncontrollably and saps motivation. Cannabis certainly has been shown to ease nausea and stimulate appetite in both HIV patients and chemo patients. For those who prefer to avoid appetite stimulation, strains high in CBD and THCV can circumvent this side effect. Some of our members claim CBD has helped them lose weight and keep it off and THCV has blood sugar regulation properties that stave off appetite. Also, take into account that in 2011, a large scale study of 52,000 individuals conducted by the American Journal of Epidemiology showed cannabis users were a third less likely to be obese than non-cannabis users. Cannabinoids can affect metabolic hormones, stimulating or repressing appetite and regulating weight loss and gain, If used thoughtfully the pitfall of the “munchies” can often be avoided.
One of the most sinister and off-putting negative claims about cannabis use is that it is a threshold ‘drug’ which leads to drug addiction. Cannabis users have a very low statistical rate of developing dependency or encouraging use of other recreational drugs. Recently cannabis has been shown to be an effective ‘exit drug’ easing withdrawal and cravings from other substance addictions. A recent Californian study of 350 cannabis users showed 40% substituted cannabis for alcohol, 26% for illicit drugs and a massive 60% for prescription drugs. CBD and THC have been used strategically to help people end addiction to opioids.
As the reality of cannabis as an indispensable medical resource is realized by an ever increasing body of users, these outdated and erroneous opinions are losing credibility and cannabis treatment is rising.
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