The Health Benefits of Cannabis

 

In the past few years, there has been a drive to find alternative treatments for debilitating diseases. Western medicine relies on treating a symptom, not the disease. Sometimes, these diseases are not fully understood, so the medical industry tries to relieve the pain the only way it knows how through prescriptions.

 

Cannabis was used already 10.000 years ago

If we look at our history, and really study the many treatments that have been used successfully, we may just find out how to better relieve the pain and even help our own body eliminate the disease. But modern medicine thinks that is witch doctor medicine or snake oil.

The cannabis plant has been used for 6,000 to 10,000 years as a medicinal and spiritual herb. It has been used as a pain suppressant, for anti-nausea, arthritis relief, Spiritual reflection, as well as an anti-microbial supplement.

The following video is really interesting. You will need 1 hour, but I think it is well worth your time.

 

 

Children with epilepsy can benefit

People have heard of the benefits of cannabis through word of mouth. With only a little to go on, families of children suffering from chronic juvenile epilepsy are turning to a very controversial treatment method with very significant improvements.

The reason it is controversial is that the U.S. Government has systematically targeted cannabis as a Schedule 1 and made the use of cannabis in any form, a criminal offense and punishable as a felony, by imprisonment. In fact, within some states that still have the 3-strikes rules of law, they can sentence anyone convicted of having cannabis in their possession three times to imprisonment for life.

 

The history of Cannabis in the U.S.

Why has the U.S. Government gone this far? Before 1937, we commonly found cannabis in many over-the-counter medications. In 1937, with the campaigning by Harry Anslinger, then the Director of Narcotics, the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was put in place imposing taxes on the cultivation and distribution.

It then was categorized as a Schedule 1 narcotic (drugs that have no currently accepted medical use in the United States). At this time, the American Medical Association was supporting the use of cannabis as part of pain relief as well as a multitude of other conditions.

Anslinger intentionally used the term marijuana to confuse those knowledgeable about the benefits of cannabis and strike fear in those who were afraid of the influx of migrants from Mexico subsequent to the Mexican Civil War in the early 1900s.

The term marijuana is a combination of two Mexican names, Maria and Juana, and it offered a way to make white America afraid of the Mexican locoweed. This was a conscious effort to instill a fear of cannabis as an illegal and dangerous imported drug into the American psyche.

When the Marijuana Tax Act was ratified, the AMA was unfamiliar with the term and did not protest until it was too late.

With the assigning of Schedule I status assigned to cannabis, and with President Richard Nixon’s issuance of a “War on Drugs”, any studies on the benefits of cannabis have been dealt with harshly. Currently, the U.S. Government is obstructing scientific research in marijuana by requiring all working environments that receive government grants to be drug-free.

To be drug-free, you cannot be researching an illegal drug and maybe “blackballed”. Having your research blackballed is something that will follow the research team their entire career, impacting their ability to use their skills. This may actually reduce government funds available to that institution, so there is a lot at stake.

 

The coverup of the health benefits of Cannabis

In 1974, as an attempt to show how bad marijuana was for human health, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Institute of Health were asked to document that cannabis caused cancer.

They did not get the results they were looking for. In fact, they found that cannabis was actually responsible for reducing or battling three kinds of cancer. The DEA buried the study.

 

Marijuana Plant

Marijuana Plant image angie 3888

 

Scientific studies on the benefits of Cannabis

But studies outside of the United States have been very supportive of the idea that cannabis can be beneficial. In 1988, researchers identified the endocannabinoid system. An endocannabinoid system is a group of protein receptors located in the mammalian brain and throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. More specifically, the brain is loaded with cannabinoid receptors (sensors).

Wikipedia states that “The two most relevant receptors for cannabinoids are the CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are expressed predominantly in the brain and immune system, respectively.” There are additional receptors not limited to the CB1 and CB2 such as the 2-AG, TRPV1, GPR18, GPR55, and GPR119.

Much about the endocannabinoid system is still being studied, but this information was gathered without the help of the U.S. Government.

This information has spurred a call for more studies to document the benefits of cannabis. People know that there are benefits but they do not know anything about cannabis except that it can induce a state of euphoria. It is important to know what chemicals are in cannabis, how these chemicals contribute to better conditions, and what dosages are necessary for a given individual.

 

What is in a Cannabis plant?

The cannabis plant produces two main cannabinoids, THC and CBD but there are hundreds more such as THC, CBN, CBE, and CBT. Some of these phytocannabinoids are responsible for the regulation of appetite, immune functions, and pain management. In fact, one of the most popular over-the-counter pain medications is a cannabinoid unrelated to the cannabis plant.

 

Click on the image to access the report “Non-psychotropic plant cannabinoids: new therapeutic opportunities from an ancient herb” in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences

 

480 different natural chemicals

While pharmaceutical companies will look to separate specific cannabinoids and likely patent the chemical, studies have documented that each cannabinoid works better in combination with other cannabinoids leading to the concept of whole plant medication, which is called the entourage effect. The synergy between compounds increases its effectiveness.

Cannabis has 480 different natural chemicals, and many are therapeutic. And taking one cannabinoid out of the plant will decrease the plant’s effectiveness. As I mentioned, pharmaceutical companies want to limit the use of cannabis but study its properties so they can isolate one or two specific cannabinoids to apply for a patent.

Then the new product will be theirs to control and sell, even though it is readily available in a simple plant that many places consider a common weed.

The cannabis plant has chemicals that the human body cannot function without. The human body can produce some of these chemicals independently of the ingestion of supplemental nutrients, but compromised systems need supplemental sources.

 

When to take Cannabis

Some of the newly documented uses for this amazing plant are to cure some forms of cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Lyme disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), glaucoma, degenerative disk disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

It has been used to treat chronic pain, stroke, and Parkinson’s as well as an anti-inflammatory, an anti-oxidant, and an in the case of AIDs sufferers, an appetite stimulant. Now even the government thinks it can cure cancer.

The political football that is cannabis is a significant challenge. In the U.S., a few states have passed laws making medical marijuana legal, while others have made both recreational and medical marijuana legal. But the Federal Regulations are still on the books and enforceable. This presents an abundance of legal and logistical challenges.

One can think about supply chain deliveries, but banking is a big concern. Stores that offer medical cannabis cannot bank with an establishment that is regulated by the U.S. Government. So what options does that leave a store with tens of thousands of dollars to do with the money? This is only one of the regulatory problems the medical marijuana industry faces.

 

Cancer, can cannabis help?

Statics show that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will get cancer in their lifetime. There are people who have been given the death sentence with only weeks to live, but live a good life because of cannabis.

Cancer reacts to a deficiency of required nutrients. When the body and the immune systems are not compromised, cancer cells are destroyed before they can become a problem. Proper nutrition will keep your immune system strong and prevent most forms of cancer.

However, cancer is opportunistic, and it develops when there is a deficiency of required nutrients for the immune system to function properly.

It has been determined that extracts from cannabis, at certain dosages, cause auto angiogenesis or apoptosis (triggers cancer cell death). When endocannabinoids (natural cannabinoid cells within the brain) or a Phytocannabinoids (natural cannabinoids cell within the cannabis plant) acts on a CB1 receptor cell in a cancer cell, it initiates a suicidal program within the cell, causing the death of that cancer cell.

It does not limit this process to just a few types of cancer, but works with many types of cancer.

Medical cannabis supports the natural immune system to guard against cancer. There are times when cancers may not react to cannabis alone. But when subjected to some chemotherapy treatments, the cancer cells are weakened and now become susceptible to cannabis and are induced into the cell death phase.

 

Where mainstream medicine fails

Within the United States, there is a growing understanding that mainstream medicine cannot cure cancer. Sometimes this is because of the family trauma caused by the treatment regime and the failure of that regime to cure a loved one. Watching a parent or child die from the cure is just as bad as watching that same person die from the disease.

In one case, after watching their mother’s condition slowly degenerate, a family started Myriam’s hope. Myrian’s Hope is a nonprofit origination in California that was started when the founder’s mother was diagnosed with Stage IV Glioblastoma brain cancer.

They started treating Myriam with CBD oil. They manufactured it in their own home and started with ACDC oil, which is a high CBD, low THC ratio (27/1).

They produce the oil by taking the raw product and chopping it up (this organization started by using a home food processor). It takes a lot of raw product to produce a little oil. From the video, it looked like 2 pounds of raw material was used to produce 70 grams of oil. Alcohol is used to absorb the cannabidiol, then start the evaporation process.

Because alcohol is flammable, it can be a dangerous process. Too many people attempt this without the proper precautions. Whatever process is used, it needs to be a natural extraction method, not using methanol, or butane as these are toxic. Rubbing alcohol will be toxic. Only pure ethanol alcohol is nontoxic, but it is very flammable.

 

Cannabis for Medical use

Cannabis for Medical use image usuru prabath

 

Dosing is difficult

As mentioned earlier, some states do not allow any form of cannabis consumption, some only allow CBD products and only for children with epilepsy (Utah). Some only allow a limited concentration and volume. This is problematic because some patients respond poorly to low dosages, but some do respond to low dosages.

Because doctors are subject to federal review, they are not allowed to prescribe medical marijuana. To do so would subject the doctors to federal prosecution. Even if they could, there is not enough information on the best dosages for specific diseases.

It is not uncommon for patients to know more about dosing than the doctor. Cannabis is not a one-size-fits-all. Much depends on a person’s medical history.

Having diabetes or high blood pressure may affect the dosing rate. There are a number of issues that can complicate the issue of the proper dose. Some people are hypersensitive and the first dose is too high (or low). However, as stated many times in this program, you cannot overdose on cannabis. Cannabis is not toxic at any dose. No one has ever died because of a cannabis overdose.

 

Not all plants are the same

Some plants will have a high THC and low CBD concentration, while others may have a low THC to CBD ratio, while a third may have a 1/1 ratio. More study needs to be made to determine what dosage is necessary and match that dosage to the product made by the available plant. Not all plants are the same.

Some locations have a cannabis testing lab. Make sure you get a certification documenting the THC/CBD ratio and that it is a recent test. Additionally, not all cannabis processes are green.

Some may use toxic chemicals to process the plant. They might use substitute solvents because they are more readily available but also may contain methanol, which is poison, or benzene, which is very toxic. Always investigate the production process.

New scientific studies are focusing on genetic testing of specific plants. The focus is to know which plant and plant seed will produce a plant that has a known THC to CBD ratio. Then it will be possible to have a more refined knowledge of the ratio of THC to CBD a specific plant will produce.

 

Big Pharma will not be pleased

Legal cannabis and its products will have a very large impact on the prescription drug industry. A very interesting is the fact that geriatric studies in Israel have shown that small amounts of cannabidiol oil improve memory by regenerating neurons. Individuals in their 90s can benefit from the properties of marijuana.

When one consumes enough THC to “get high”, your memory starts to degrade, but small amounts improve one’s memory and regenerate neurons. Other studies document that geriatric consumption helps with pain management, loss of appetite, agitation, and muscle spasms.

Another study is finding that THCa is a very valuable constituent and can be a much more important product. THCa differs from THC in that it is the carboxylated form of THC and is not a psychoactive form of THC. THCa is the form of THC that is available from a green plant.

THCa decarboxylates when dried, producing the psychoactive compound THC. Individuals who juice the plant to obtain cannabidiols get significant results when they use fresh leaves. You can freeze the leaves, but once they age, they decarboxylate.

Diabetes type I is an autoimmune disease and cannabis has been helpful in animal trials (no human trials are available because the DEA will not allow it). CBD can be used after a stroke or head trauma. CBD can be used for hepatic encephalopathy, a brain disease caused by liver damage.

There is no traditional therapeutic agent available to treat hepatic encephalopathy. Patients with hepatic encephalopathy have 2 to 5 micrograms per milliliter of ammonia in the blood. This can cause the brain cells to change, which in turn can lead to coma or death.

By inhibiting the CB1 receptor and stimulating the CB2 receptor, we can manage liver disease and hepatic encephalopathy. So, CBD helps to restore liver and brain function.

 

A list of the diseases or conditions that medical cannabis has helped include the following;

• Cancer and Melanomas
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, (CTE) or head trauma
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• RA (rheumatoid arthritis)
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Endometriosis
• Stroke
• Autoimmune disease
• Inflammation reduction in Multiple Sclerosis.
• Alzheimer’s
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Memory Loss
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Lupus
• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Autism
• Schizophrenia
• Crohn’s Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Diabetes
• Insomnia and Sleeping Disorders
• Pain
• Anxiety
• Reverse Aging
• loss of appetite
• agitation
• muscle spasms

Some other short videos you may want to watch are :

Government Interference – Medicinal Cannabis as a Human Right | Part 1/4
 

 

Injustice & Dissatisfaction – Medicinal Cannabis as a Human Right | Part 2/4

 

Dutch system is failing its patients – Medicinal Cannabis as a Human Right | Part 3/4

 

Patients take control – Medicinal Cannabis as a Human Right | Part 4/4

 

Conclusion

Before being operated on, do investigate if taking cannabis could be indicated in your case.

For a discussion on the history of cannabis, please visit my post on the World and its Love-Hate Relationship with Cannabis.

Before you leave, take a look at Recommendations. It is a special page I have made for you with a collection of things you might find interesting.

 

Photos source: Pixabay

Comments

Cat

This article is so enlightening. I am highly pro-marijuana as the research is clear that it can help thousands of people. It infuriates me that the government has buried so much valuable information and research. I truly believe that it is due to the big pharma want to keep their “medication” sales high as they know that if this information was released, then they would see a big drop in sales. I also believe that we, as a society, are waking up and can now see what wonders cannabis can do. Unfortunately, there are still many that believe in popping a pill as the cure all. So sad.

Aug 25.2017 | 04:14 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Cat,

    I had to take down the original text, so sorry, will write more in the future.

    Regards, Taetske

    Oct 03.2017 | 06:14 pm

Vic Lees

wow—thank you for this amazing article
I have long been on the fence as to whether to start a chronic pain therapy using cannabis
A friend of mine uses cannabis candies-do you think that would have the same pain relieving property as say- smoking it?
I’m not sure about inhaling smoke.
once again thank you for this very informative article-I sure feel more comfortable now about trying it.

Aug 25.2017 | 04:18 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Vic,

    Sorry, Vic, I had to take down the original text, will write more in the future.

    Regards, Taetske

    Oct 03.2017 | 06:08 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Vic,

    Better late than never, the text has been updated.

    Regards, Taetske

    Mar 29.2018 | 11:16 am

Mike Gunn

Thank you for such an informative article.

Aug 30.2017 | 06:10 pm

    Taetske

    Thank you, Mike, for your comment. I had to make some changes to the original text is not available anymore, so sorry.
    Will write more in the future.

    Regards, Taetske

    Oct 03.2017 | 06:04 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Mike,

    I missed telling you that the text has been updated, perhaps it is of your interest.

    Regards, Taetske

    Mar 29.2018 | 11:15 am

Taetske

Good afternoon Cat,

I think I missed notifying you that the text has been renewed, perhaps you like to have a look.

Regards, Taetske

Mar 29.2018 | 11:06 am

Jenna

Aloha Taetke!
Thank you so much for this important, informative and comprehensible article! Indeed, there is still a lot misunderstanding about Cannabis why many people who could benefit from this amazing plant, doesn’t receive its help.
The Marihuana-mythos created between the 1930s and 1970s is still considered as truth by many. We missed out decades of research!
Fortunately, there are many good active souls who is standing up for Cannabis and pushing the society to move on. You are one of them, Taetke! Thank you!
Finally, the government doesn’t have any other choice than to allow the usage of Cannabis!
I’m grateful for it! I possess a Medical Cannabis Card for almost two years. A CBD Oil helped my – after excessive weeding for two weeks inflamed hands to recover. I also used Witch Hazel several times daily. Intake of Cannabis helps me to sleep better and to smooth the challenging symptoms of the menstrual cycle. I guess I’m close to menopause, and sometimes it is tricky to deal with the physiology of the body. Also, my husband who swears on Cannabis, and uses it for years for different issues as e.g. depressive moods, pain in hands and feet, and also to regulate his high consumption of sugar. Little longer than a week ago we purchase a CBD Oil at the market. The vendor was a woman who successfully cured a skin cancer on her ear. She applied a 1:1 mixture of pure organic CBD Oil and pure organic Frankincense Oil. My husband suffers from dark spots in his face which extended with the age. He didn’t seek a doctor’s advice because he doesn’t believe in doctors. I insisted to buy the oil and to try.
Could you believe that he already has results?
One of the newer spots is almost gone after applying the mixture for only eight days!
I wonder how to improve the dosage for me and for my husband. I feel I sometimes don’t take in enough and sometimes I overdo. I understand that you cannot overdose Cannabis. But how to find out the optimum dose to take in? Can you recommend something?
Thank you again for your engagement for Cannabis! I appreciate it a lot!
Thank you in advance for your time and effort!
May God bless you and the Universe reward you for your beautiful work!
Aloha, Jenna

Jan 16.2019 | 02:47 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Jenna,

    Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
    I always say Mother Nature knows best. If only we would accept that instead of going the man-made way. Why do humans always think they can do it better. Even if “Health Care” has improved so much how come the population is getting sicker? I am convinced that our health is not important as a healthy person does not generate money.
    The big problem with CBD oil is that as it cannot be patented it gets this massive opposition. This is a real crime as so many people can be helped by it. You see this pattern over and over. Take for example Curcumin, the FDA does not give green light to its medical use.
    Your question is a difficult one and I am afraid I do not have a good answer. As every human being is different CBD oil will have a different effect. The only thing I can think of is to slowly increase the dosage and see how your body reacts. It might be a good idea to have like a diary where you write down the dosage, the time you are taking it and of course what you notice. Our body always sends out subtle signals.
    I have started with a protocol and if that is ok with you I can forward it as a PDF to your email. It is said to oxygenize all your cells. It is not expensive but one has to be precise. It takes some 60 days to do it.
    I read your husband is a sugar fan? Now that is really not good for his health. I have written a couple of posts on sugar and healthy alternatives.
    With best wishes to you both.

    Regards, Taetske

    Jan 16.2019 | 07:43 am

Roger Humbke

Thanks so much for steering me to your website. The Documentary “A Lost History” was the best I’ve seen I will be referring to this site in future writing. Thanks so much for making me aware of your website.

Feb 11.2021 | 09:57 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Roger,

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
    Nice to hear you like the website. I always say I have these websites to spread information in the hope it will be useful to my reader.

    Regards, Taetske

    Feb 12.2021 | 08:24 am

LineCowley

This was absolutely fascinating to learn about the history of marijuana in the USA. I grew up in South Africa where cannabis, or “dagga” as it was known, was very illegal and hence had a bad connotation. 

With the legalization of medicinal cannabis in many countries, more studies have become available. That, combined with looking at CBD through the eyes of my adult children, I have no doubt in my mind that CBD is extremely beneficial when it comes to many health issues. 

It is shocking how traditional herbal products have been outlawed over the years, because big Pharma is not making money from it (but I guess that is another can of worms)

When I get to a point that I need chronic pain relief, I will certainly look at using CBD first, as any natural product is better than the chemicals that big Pharma wants to force us to use. 

I have saved the post that I can come back to watch the video later. All the best, Liné

May 14.2021 | 04:44 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Line,

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment.

    I dislike the whole setup of healthcare, Big Pharma, and the FDA. It is mainly big business and the health of the population comes last. The whole thing is repeating itself at the moment. All those companies rushing to get their vaccines out, even if it is still in an experimental state.

    I have used CBD for Cindy, my dear Rottweiler lady. She developed a fist big growth in her armpit just before Christmas 2015. The vet Fransisco said he could operate and gave her 6 months. I decided against an operation and instead gave her many helpful things like vitamin D3, beer yeast, and CBD drops. She had to leave on 7 July 2018. 

    I will always try with something natural first and am happy I can say I live pill-free and am fine.

    Regards, Taetske  

    May 16.2021 | 06:46 am

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