Medical Cannabis Quick Overview:
Medical Cannabis may be confusing……so here’s are a few quick highlights:
Cannabis is a SAFE Medicine especially if used correctly at the right low dosage.
Cannabis is a broad therapeutic medicine that works on many conditions and many parts of the body because it interacts with our body’s own Endocannabinoid System. Our Endocannabinoid System is a system of physiology that’s crucial for health and healing. We all have it inside of us and it’s active our entire life.
Want to learn more about your Endocannabinoid System?? Click on the following link to learn more?
Cannabis is unlike most other medicines because it often has stronger therapeutic effects at lower dosages.
Medical Cannabis can be administered using a number of different delivery systems:
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Inhalation (smoking or Vaporization…..vaporization is safer) has the fastest onset feeling effects within 1-5 minutes with a 1-4 hour duration. Smoking is not legal in Ohio under Medical Marijuana Law and it’s also harmful to our lungs and respiratory system.
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Tinctures are liquid extracts of Cannabis placed in the mouth or swallowed with a certain number of drops ….5-15 minutes onset when placed in the mouth with 2-6 hours duration.
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Topicals….are salves or lotions best for treating local pain and/or inflammation and itching on the skin. No systemic effect.
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Transdermal…..patches to absorb cannabis for a systemic effects.
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Edibles or Capsules….swallow and absorb through gastrointestinal tract…..longest onset of up to 2 hours with the longest effect 4-10 hours duration. Edibles require caution to be careful not to take too much at one time resulting in bothersome side effects
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Suppositories can be formulated for pelvic/low back pain conditions
Note: All delivery methods can be taken to safely achieve the therapeutic effect without unwanted side effects.
Medical Cannabis has proven safe therapeutic effects by using a “less is more” approach. Very little Medical Cannabis consisting of low dosage is all that is needed to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Conversely, too large of a Cannabis dose may have no therapeutic effect and may even worsen your symptoms.
Finding the right Medical Cannabis dose for you is THE important factor in achieving optimal therapeutic effect . Finding the right Cannabis dose must be determined by you. It cannot be determined by a doctor, healthcare professional, etc. There are a number of safe ways to determine your ideal Cannabis dose.
Strains….Below are the major Cannabis Strains (types):
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Indica….more relaxing/sedating….great for treating pain
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Sativa….more energizing / uplifting…psychoactive effect
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Hybrid…combination of Indica & Sativa
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CBD Dominate…medical properties without intoxication/euphoria (no psychoactive effect)
Varieties…..there are thousands of varieties of Cannabis. Some are quite common while others are very rare. The science of cross-pollinating Cannabis varieties among growers continually creates new varieties; each with its own unique chemistry which creates its own effects.
Below is a handy link to a Cannabis Variety search to explore all the varieties:
Cannabis Strain Explorer
It’s likely one will have to trial many different strains to find what works best. Some strains are best for daytime, while others best to help induce sleep at night.
Like another medication…don’t drive or doing anything physical until you know the Medical Cannabis effects.
Is Medical Cannabis addictive? Medical Cannabis taken in low dosages is not addictive. Taking large doses of any Cannabis may be addictive.
Does Medical Cannabis cause withdrawals? Medical Cannabis taken in low doses causes no withdrawal symptoms when one chooses to discontinue it. Abruptly stopping any Cannabis after taking large doses may produce some withdrawal effects. Keep in mind, these withdrawals are reported to be no worse that caffeine withdrawals when one suddenly stops taking caffeine.
For those that have experienced substance abuse addiction in the past and are concerned about being susceptible to Cannabis addiction, one can take Medical Cannabis under the guidance of a medical healthcare professional.
Want to know more details & specifics about Medical Cannabis from a “clinical” perspective? Click on the following link:
Medical Cannabis Clinical Overview
Source: Healer.com
