There’s been a lot of talk lately about the research done in recent years showing how valuable cannabis is for various medical conditions. Anorexia, emesis, pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, obesity and metabolic syndrome-related disorders — are all being, or can potentially be, treated by cannabis oils and other cannabinoid compounds.
Cannabis sativa L. preparations have been used in medicine for millenia. It was originally found in Central Asia, but today it’s grown all over the world.
Concern over the dangers of abuse led to the banning of the medicinal use of marijuana in most countries in the 1930s. Now weed is making a comeback and doing so in a big way. Here’s the latest 10 findings around the benefits of Cannabis:
- Cannabinoids Can Inhibit Growth of Carcinoma Cancer Cells, Program them to Die. A study published in May by the U.S. National Institute of Health found that cannabinoids can inhibit the growth of carcinoma cancer cells, and can essentially program currently active cancer cells to die.
- Use Not Predictive Of Lower IQ, Poorer Educational Performance. Adolescent cannabis use is not associated with lower IQ or poorer educational performance – even once adjustments are made for potential confounders such as cigarette smoking -according to a study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
- CBD Oil ‘Highly Promising’ as Treatment for Pediatric Epilepsy.The administration of cannabis oil extracts high in cannabidiol reduces seizure frequency in children with intractable epilepsy, according to clinical data published by the journal Seizure.
- Legalizing Medical Cannabis Decreases Workplace Absences. According to a study published in the journal Health Economics, the legalization of medical cannabis is associated with a decrease in the total number of workplace absences that are caused by sickness.
- Alcohol Use Increases Aggression, Cannabis Use Decreases It, Finds Study. A study published in the most recent issue of the journal Psychopharmacology has found that alcohol significantly increases aggression while cannabis significantly decreases it. The study was a random controlled trial, typically refereed to as the “gold standard” for research studies.
- Recent Cannabis Use Linked to Better Outcomes for Brain Injury Patients. The recent use of cannabis is associated with improved outcomes in patients hospitalized with intracerebral hemorrhaging (ICH aka bleeding in the brain), according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Cerebrovascular Diseases.
- Cannabinoids May Prevent Cartilage Breakdown in those with Osteoarthritis. A study published in the April issue of the journal Molecular Medicine Reports, and published online by the U.S. National Institute of Health, found that cannabinoids may prevent cartilage breakdown in those with osteoarthritis.
- Cannabis Use Can Help Treat Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. Inhaling cannabis can help treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder without any negative cognitive impact, according to a study published in the journal PLoS ONE.
- Heart Attack Patients with History of Marijuana Use Less Likely to Die During Hospitalization. Those with a history of using marijuana who suffer from a heart attack are less likely to die during hospitalization, according to a study presented in April at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.
- THC Stimulates Toxic Plaque Removal in the Brain, Blocks Inflammation. A study published last month in Nature Partner Journals found that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) stimulates toxic plaque removal in the brain, and also blocks inflammation (which can damage neurons).