VBUDZ

WHAT IS MEDICAL MARIJUANA?

Cannabis can be found in various forms, and the health benefits of cannabis is ever growing.

This page is designed to be a space for you to gain some initial information on marijuana if you are contemplating beginning your journey. By the end you should feel as if you’ve gained sufficient information to make an informed diction on how you’d like to try your first joint.

  • Uses and effects

    Medical marijuana uses the marijuana plant or chemicals in it to treat diseases or conditions. It's basically the same product as recreational marijuana, but it's taken for medical purposes.

    The marijuana plant contains more than 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Each one has a different effect on the body. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main chemicals used in medicine. THC also produces the "high" people feel when they smoke marijuana or eat foods containing it.

  • What is medical marijuana used for?

    What is medical marijuana used for?

    Researchers are studying whether medical marijuana can help treat a number of conditions including:

    Alzheimer's disease, Appetite loss, Cancer, Crohn's disease, Diseases affecting the immune system like HIV/AIDS or Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Eating disorders such as anorexia, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, Mental health conditions like schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Multiple sclerosis, Muscle spasms, Nausea, Pain, Seizures, Wasting syndrome (cachexia)

    But it’s not yet proven to help many of these conditions, with a few exceptions, Bonn-Miller says.

    "The greatest amount of evidence for the therapeutic effects of cannabis relate to its ability to reduce chronic pain, nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, and spasticity [tight or stiff muscles] from MS," Bonn-Miller says.

  • How does it help?

    How does it help?

    Cannabinoids -- the active chemicals in medical marijuana -- are similar to chemicals the body makes that are involved in appetite, memory, movement, and pain.

    Limited research suggests cannabinoids might:

    Reduce anxiety, Reduce inflammation and relieve pain, Control nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy, Kill cancer cells and slow tumor growth, Relax tight muscles in people with MS, Stimulate appetite and improve weight gain in people with cancer and AIDS

marijuana can be used to help with mental health conditions like Anxiety and PTSD

People also commonly use cannabis for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although anxiety and depression are often experienced together, research suggests that prolonged periods of cannabis use could actually make depression worse.

People use cannabis to treat many other health ailments, such as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. More research is needed to understand how effective cannabis is for these conditions. 

Strains and uses

  • Origin: Cannabis indica is native to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey. The plants have adapted to the often harsh, dry, and turbulent climate of the Hindu Kush mountains.

    Plant description: Indica plants are short and stocky with bushy greenery and chunky leaves that grow wide and broad. They grow faster than sativa, and each plant produces more buds.

    Typical CBD to THC ratio: Indica strains often have higher levels of CBD, but the THC content isn’t necessarily less.

    Commonly associated effects of use: Indica is sought after for its intensely relaxing effects. It may also help reduce nausea and pain and increase appetite.

    Daytime or nighttime use: Because of its deep relaxation effects, indica is better consumed at night.

    Popular strains: Three popular indica strains are Hindu Kush, Afghan Kush, and Granddaddy Purple.

  • Origin: Cannabis sativa is found primarily in hot, dry climates with long sunny days. These include Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, and portions of Western Asia.

    Plant description: Sativa plants are tall and thin with finger-like leaves. They can grow taller than 12 feet, and they take longer to mature than some other types of cannabis.

    Typical CBD to THC ratio: Sativa often has lower doses of CBD and higher doses of THC.

    Commonly associated effects of use: Sativa often produces a “mind high,” or an energizing, anxiety-reducing effect. If you use sativa-dominant strains, you may feel productive and creative, not relaxed and lethargic.

    Daytime or nighttime use: Because of its stimulating impact, you can use sativa in the daytime.

    Popular strains: Three popular sativa strains are Acapulco Gold, Panama Red, and Durban Poison.

  • Each year, cannabis growers produce new and unique strains from different combinations of parent plants. These cannabis hybrids are often grown to target specific effects.

    Origin: Hybrids are typically grown on farms or in greenhouses from a combination of sativa and indica strains.

    Plant description: The appearance of hybrid strains depends on the combination of the parent plants.

    Typical CBD to THC ratio: Many hybrid cannabis plants are grown in order to increase the THC percentage, but each type has a unique ratio of the two cannabinoids.

    Commonly associated effects of use: Farmers and producers select hybrids for their unique impacts. They can range from reducing anxiety and stress to easing symptoms of chemotherapy or radiation.

    Daytime or nighttime use: This depends on the predominant effects of the hybrid.

    Popular strains: Hybrids are typically classified as indica-dominant (or indica-dom), sativa-dominant (sativa-dom), or balanced. Popular hybrids include Pineapple Express, Trainwreck, and Blue Dream.

What is our goal with vbuds?

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FAQs

  • Medical marijuana received a lot of attention a few years ago when parents said that a special form of the drug helped control seizures in their children. The FDA recently approved Epidiolex, which is made from CBD, as a therapy for people with very severe or hard-to-treat seizures. In studies, some people had a dramatic drop in seizures after taking this drug.

  • The cannabidiol Epidiolex was approved in 2018 for treating seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. In addition, the FDA has approved two man-made cannabinoid medicines -- dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet) -- to treat nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

  • To take medical marijuana, you can:

    Smoke it, Inhale it through a device called a vaporizer that turns it into a mist, Eat it -- for example, in a brownie or lollipop, Apply it to your skin in a lotion, spray, oil, or cream, Place a few drops of a liquid under your tongue

    How you take it is up to you. Each method works differently in your body.

    If you smoke or vaporize cannabis, you feel the effects very quickly

    If you eat it, it takes significantly longer. It can take 1 to 2 hours to experience the effects from edible products.

  • Medical marijuana is legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia:

    Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

    States that allow restricted use only include: Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.