There is no longer really a debate about whether or not medicinal marijuana should be used in the US anymore. Shown by the availability of medical marijuana delivery services in Los Angeles, it is clear that almost everyone now agrees that it is beneficial. So much so, in fact, that in Colorado and Washington, it is even legal to use cannabis recreationally! There may be some negative effects associated with cannabis, but the benefits clearly outweigh these. Not everybody agrees with that, but when you consider that many other countries are considering doing the same, it seems the argument is over.

The Pros of Medicinal Marijuana

The first time in recorded history that marijuana was used for medicinal purposes was in 2737 B.C., when it was prescribed for rheumatism, malaria, and gout in China. It then started to spread across the Asian continent, until it was picked up by Indian Ayurveda medicine, who used it for stress relief and pain. Soon, European countries and, eventually, the US started to take note.

You can use cannabis in many different ways. It can be smoked, vaped, eaten, and some even say it has topical benefits. It contains 60 different cannabinoids that have medicinal properties. Cannabinoids are found naturally in the body and they modulate our pain levels. The most important one, however, is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. Those activates the CB1 receptors of the human brain, releasing hormones that make us feel relaxed and stop the pain caused by damaged nerve cells or tissues. Furthermore, scientific studies have shown THC helps to relax the muscles, stopping them from spasming.

Medicinal marijuana can also help to stimulate the appetite of someone who has a treatment or condition that makes them feel less hungry. For instance, someone who is going through chemotherapy can use cannabis in order to regain an appetite. Eating is very important for the body to heal.

The Problem with Marijuana

The reason why not everybody in the world agrees with using cannabis for medicinal purposes, is because it has side effects. Notably, THC affects the reasoning and thinking skills of the user. Their judgment capabilities and attention changes as well, an effect known as “being stoned”.

It is for this reason that physicians, even in the US, can only recommend using marijuana, rather than directly prescribing it. They can provide a diagnosis to show this recommendation, with which people can then go to a marijuana dispensary and access cannabis. Many of these dispensaries now have delivery services as well.

We know that marijuana works for medicinal purposes, and that it works well. However, it is also a substance that is open to abuse, and whenever something is abused, their health is negatively affected. It is the belief system of other countries that will ultimately determine whether that disadvantage matters more than the fact that it helps people who are ill, or not. Either way, it will always be strongly regulated, as it should be, by governments.