medical marijuana

The Impact of Medical Cannabis to the communities

Introduction

Marijuana or cannabis is the dried seeds, flowers, stems, and leaves from the cannabis plant (Cannabis indica or Cannabis sativa). It is composed of mind-altering compounds such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which is the major psychoactive agent in cannabis. THC stimulates brain cells to release dopamine, creating a feeling of euphoria, otherwise known as “getting high.”

According to the 2020 world drug report by the UN released on the 27th of June; it is highlighted that marijuana or cannabis remains the most used drug worldwide with more than 4% of the world’s population (i.e., 209 million people) between ages 15 to 64 consuming marijuana. 

Proposals and requests have been made to legalize medical marijuana, which has been done in some states in the US, but there are a lot of concerns and speculations as to the effects legalizing these drugs will have on individuals and communities at large if it becomes legalized worldwide. 

creating a feeling of euphoria

Marijuana and its effects

Marijuana, grass, dope, and weed, all different names for the same drug gotten from the cannabis plant, are consumed differently. It can be vaped, added to food and drinks, or used conventionally by smoking. This makes it the ideal drug for recreation and pleasure purposes.

Consumption of marijuana is known to cause effects like        

  • Hallucinations
  1. Short term memory    
  2. Anxiety   
  3. Increased chances of paranoia      
  4. Heightened senses        

An addiction that can cause the consumer to be physically dependent on marijuana·        

Hallucinations

Lung irritation, amongst others.

With this being said, marijuana also has medicinal effects. In this case, ‘medical cannabis has been said to help with conditions like:     

  1. Anxiety     
  2. Pain        
  3. Nausea, an effect of chemotherapy        
  4. Dravet syndrome or Lennox- Gastaut syndrome·        
  5. Stiff muscles or muscle spasms        
  6. Weight loss or loss of appetite by inducing hunger        
  7. Insomnia and sleep apnea

Medically, only three conditions have been scientifically proven to be treatable with medical cannabis; chronic neuropathic pain in adults, multiple sclerosis, and nausea as a result of chemotherapy.

Difference between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis

Medical cannabis and recreational cannabis refer to the same drug with different legal standing and usage. 

Recreational cannabis or marijuana is the kind of cannabis stated by law that people can only buy over the age of 21 years. It is handled like alcohol and sold only at designated adult-only stores in approved states

Medical marijuana, on the other hand, refers to the type of cannabis that can only be purchased through a state medical program. It is a kind of cannabis that is solely consumed for medicinal purposes and according to a doctor’s advice and prescription.

However, neither medical cannabis nor recreational cannabis has been federally legalized, except in a few states like California, Washington, New York, Nevada, Alaska e.t.c.

Effects of legalization of marijuana in some states in the US

The purpose of legalizing marijuana in the US was to reduce the rate of drug-related crimes in terms of possession, use, and accessibility by removing penalties and prison risks, and encouraging the use and study of medical cannabis, which cannot be done when the drug is deemed illegal.

Not quite everyone agrees with this sentiment as it was viewed that legalizing marijuana could increase the level of crime rates affects educational achievement among teenagers and youth commands increase rates of traffic accidents especially due to people driving under the influence of marijuana, and increased addiction rates.

Currently, post-legalization of marijuana, there has been increased records in consumption of both medical cannabis and recreational cannabis, especially amongst people ages 21 years and above. It was also discovered that persons between 12 to 20 years of age are at most 5 to 6% likely to try out marijuana for the first time after it was legalized solely for medical use.

While the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis helped reduce adverse effects and deaths brought about by alcohol, opioids, and other illicit drugs, the risk of addiction and abuse remains constant in the US. The number of people treated and admitted due to cannabis dependence continues to rise. Click here to read more about Is It Beneficial to Give CBD Oil to Dogs?

Effects of legalization

The effects of cannabis dependency span various mental disorders, from depression to psychosis. However, it is argued that the legalization of cannabis itself is not the sole factor for this condition.

On the positive side, users of cannabis reported improved relaxation, stress reduction, and the increased social ability for food, nature, and music. It also indicated that the knowledge and preparedness people had to pay for and use cannabis reduced the harm levels associated with drugs in terms of removal of penalties and prison risk. There is also scientific backing for the use of medical cannabis in relieving muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis, reducing nausea in people undergoing chemotherapy, and pain. It is important to note that the medical side of medicinal cannabis has not been fully explored yet. 

Conclusion

From the viewpoint of reducing crime rates and criminal records due to drug use and possession, use of medical cannabis for the sake of treating certain medical conditions and to discover more beneficial ways in which marijuana can be used, to the means of revenue generation, it is understandable as to why proposals have been put in place for marijuana to be legalized and why some states legalized it.

Legalizing marijuana will allow each state control over the supply, quality, quantity, cost, and flow of marijuana and thereby reducing the risk and harm posed by low-quality and contaminated marijuana produced and supplied by the illicit cannabis market. It will also serve as a great way of eradicating the black marijuana market.

However, the risks outweigh the benefits of legalizing marijuana in the long run. In a situation where people are free to purchase marijuana anytime they want, there is a very high chance of drug abuse, cannabis dependability, and drug-induced crimes like assault, theft, and traffic negligence. The probability of increased consumption of marijuana amongst adolescents and teenagers is also something to be concerned about as this poses a high risk of a decline in academic productivity.  

In a community where the adults are at risk of suffering a decline in productivity due to cannabis dependency, the teenagers are unable to yield academic productivity, and crimes are committed under the influence of marijuana, it is safe to say that the community is one set for doom. Visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8223341/ to read about Cannabidiol use and effectiveness: real-world evidence from a Canadian medical cannabis clinic.

Posted by Isaac Callinan in Medical Cannabis

Is It Beneficial to Give CBD Oil to Dogs?

The Hemp plant contains the Cannabidiol compound, which is essential to the plant’s overall therapeutic value. Hemp has been used medicinally for more than five thousand years, by both humans and animals.

Now that industrial hemp and, by extension, low-strength CBD oil products, have become legal in Australia from February 2021, the hemp plant is now getting lots of attention. As more and more CBD products enter the market, demand is only expected to rise. There is a wide variety of CBD-based products on the market today, from CBD oils and capsules to infused drinks, topicals, and more.

CBD oil pet products are one of the fastest-growing subsectors of the cannabidiol market. A huge uptick in interest has been noted in canine-specific hemp-based pet products, with CBD oil for dogs being the most sought after.

CBD dog treats, CBD oil drops, and other CBD products are the newest craze on the market. More and more goods ostensibly designed for your dog or cat are appearing on store shelves, with claims that they are safe and effective for a variety of common pets.

Given that canines, like humans, possess endocannabinoid systems, it stands to reason that canine users may also benefit from CBD products. You may have heard about CBD and not considered it to be the best option for your dog, but if you have an aging dog or simply love dogs in general, you should give it another look. Perhaps CBD oil for dogs is the solution you’ve been searching for.

Give CBD Oil to Dogs

We expect CBD oil use for dogs to become more than a passing trend over the next few years. Its popularity keeps rising, so it won’t be long until we can buy it in stores.

Until then, we’d want to make sure you have all the info you need about CBD oil benefits for dogs by providing this comprehensive guide. If you’ve been debating whether or not to give your dog CBD oil, this could be the resource you’ve been looking for. You can read more about The Impact of Medical Cannabis on the communities by visiting https://mercychildrensclinic.org/the-impact-of-medical-cannabis-to-the-communities/.

To know more about where to buy CBD oil in Australia and how best it can work for your dog, you should book a consultation session with a professional from Chronic Therapy today.

How Does It Work?

One of the more than 80 Phyto-cannabinoids discovered in the Cannabis Sativa plant is cannabidiol (CBD). It does not produce any altered states of consciousness as THC does since it is not psychoactive. While THC has the potential to be helpful in alleviating some symptoms and diseases, CBD may give the same effects without the high. It’s no wonder it’s become so popular across the country now that it’s legal.

Since CBD oil in Australia does not include any psychoactive elements, it is perfectly safe for your dog to consume, unlike THC, which might have negative effects on your pet over time.

Many pet parents around the country have started giving their dogs cannabidiol in the hopes that it would help with their dog’s anxiety, sadness, and inability to eat or sleep. If you have any doubts regarding the effects of CBD oil use on your pet, however, you should consult with a veterinarian or other trained animal practitioner before incorporating it into your pet’s daily routine.

How Does It Work

Keep in mind that your dog may require more or less than the serving quantity suggested on a CBD oil product since the effects of CBD oil use vary from product to product. CBD oil benefits are not uniform and might vary greatly from dog to dog.

Is CBD Oil Safe for Dogs?

CBD oil use and the vast majority of CBD dog treats are perfectly safe for canines. Because certain dogs are sensitive to THC, a THC-free formulation is advised. Dogs, like humans, have what’s called an endocannabinoid system, which consists of cannabinoid-producing neurons and receptors.

Because dogs’ endocannabinoid systems function differently than ours, THC can be hazardous to them, but CBD can interact with it safely to offer good benefits. Veterinarians throughout the country are fighting for easier access to cannabis-derived goods so they can devote more resources to studying the plant’s possible effects on animals.

To What Extent Do Dogs Experience Side Effects from CBD Oil?

When giving your dog a dose of CBD oil, it’s important to ensure they have access to lots of water. Drowsiness is another prevalent negative effect. In the event that your dog seems more lethargic than normal, try decreasing the CBD dose until you discover the right one for them and the brand. Also, if you find that CBD oil usage in the morning leaves them too alert, you may find it helpful to shift to using it in the evening, right before bed. The most important thing to keep in mind is that giving your pet CBD oil in moderation will ensure that it feels good without becoming overly sleepy.

Tremors are a possible side effect of high doses of CBD in humans with Parkinson’s disease, so you should be on the lookout for them in your dog. If your dog starts shaking after taking CBD, which is quite unlikely, you should cease giving them the supplement immediately.

Last but not least, CBD can have the side effect of lowering blood pressure, however, this mostly relies on the dosage. A decline in blood pressure shouldn’t occur after ingesting a lesser dose of cannabidiol. However, excessive usage may only produce short-lived dizziness and lightheadedness.

How Much CBD Oil Is Safe for My Dog?

It’s worth stressing that CBD oil is not lethal at any dose for dogs or humans. However, THC can be poisonous to some dogs, resulting in a wide range of unpleasant effects. Because of the growing demand for CBD treats, there is a possibility that some manufacturers do not conduct thorough quality assurance testing of their batches, leading to CBD treats with varying concentrations of THC.

There are no outward manifestations of CBD oil overdose in canines, although there are warning signals for THC poisoning. Some symptoms of a THC overdose in dogs include hyperesthesia, ataxia, urine incontinence, vomiting, and lethargy. Click here to read about Everything you need to know about CBD oil.

Checking the lab results of everything you buy your dog is the easiest approach to avoid this problem. If available, the CBD oil’s product label should provide access to the batch’s third-party test findings. If a provider doesn’t have lab results available, you might want to look elsewhere.

To know more about where to buy CBD oil in Australia and CBD oil benefits for your dog, you should book a consultation session with a professional from Chronic Therapy today.

Posted by Isaac Callinan in CBD Oil