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A new analysis from Leafreport has found a 3200% price discrepancy between the most and least expensive CBD products. This is about Medical Drugs Affects.
While CBD shoppers try their best to find the most legitimate products available, they could be paying inflated prices for no reason, according to researchers.
Marijuana is currently legal for medical purposes on the state level, in 33 states and the District of Columbia as of August 2019. Modern research shows that weed has an invaluable aid in a wide array of clinical applications including pain relief- particularly among cancer patients- glaucoma, nausea, and spasticity.
But despite these unquestionable health benefits, researchers and medical practitioners also highly advise current and potential patients to beware of the devastating side effects of medical marijuana.
Another key aspect that doesn’t seem to receive the attention that it deserves is the impacts that medical marijuana would have on one’s daily life- and that’s the basis for this article.
Effect of Medical Drugs on human body
Active Ingredients in Medical Marijuana
To better understand the effects of medical weed in an individual’s life, we’d need to first understand its active ingredients and whether or not it differs from recreational weed.
Medical use of marijuana simply refers to using it for medicinal purposes such as managing the symptoms of or treating a disease or condition. Since it started to be legal for medical purposes in many states across the US, medical marijuana has shown its positive effect on many diseases. In some states, it’s only legal for medical purposes, like in Missouri. Patients with a qualifying disease for marijuana treatment can speak with medical marijuana doctors in Missouri and obtain their marijuana card.
The weed plant has over a hundred chemicals known as cannabinoids. Of these, only 2 are highly studied; tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
THC is the key psychoactive compound that causes the High feel (euphoria) among recreational users. It is also widely used for its health benefits including pain relief, glaucoma, insomnia, low appetite, muscle spasticity, and anxiety.
On the other hand, CBD is a non-psychoactive compound. This means that it does not get you stoned. However, it shares most of the medicinal benefits of THC including pain management, anxiety, and nausea.
So, is medicinal weed different from recreational weed?
To a greater extent, no. These 2 compounds occur concurrently in both medicinal and recreational weed.
However, it’s good to note that CBD is thought to aid in regulating the effects of THC. That being said, strains with a high ratio of CBD to THC are much more preferred for medicinal use. It goes without saying, therefore, recreational potheads prefer strains with a higher ratio of THC to CBD.
All in all, a common saying by experts when asked about the difference between these 2 is ‘‘cannabis is cannabis’’ regardless of how you intend to use it.
How Weed Affects Life?
Reduced learning abilities
A common belief among stoners is that weed helps in focusing and getting things done. Despite this being highly popularized by weed companies and review sites too, there’s no scientific evidence to prove it.
Experts say that this perceived thought of increased focus and attention may be a result of the reduced pain and/or anxiety.
Behind the scenes, weed has actually been found to impair memory, thinking, concentration, and ability to learn.
In a highly publicized study entitled Cannabis use and Memory in Humans, researchers found out that;
- In comparison to non-users, smokers had scored lower marks in terms of recall and recognition
- Long-term weed users were also the worst in making decisions compared to light users and non-users
- Frequent weed smokers also showed poor performance in terms of attention and cognitive abilities
With impaired memory, attention, and cognitive abilities, it’s a no-brainer that cannabis would affect an individual’s performance in school as well as productivity at the workplace.
Weed alters your reward circuitry
Aimee E. Chiligiris, PsyD, a behavioral psychologist at Columbia Doctors Midtown says that one reason why weed smokers find it more pleasurable is due to the way it alters their reward pathway.
The reward pathway (also known as reward circuitry) is primarily involved with basic survival and adaptive fitness.
A reward in this context refers to anything that can attract humans (and even animals) to consume it. This could be an object, event, situation, or even an activity such as engaging in one’s favorite sports.
The thing with weed is that its consumption leads to an increase in the concentration of dopamine- a hormone and neurotransmitter with a key role in the brain’s reward system.
What this means to your daily life is that with regular use, you stop engaging in previous activities that created pleasurable experiences such as gaming, hobbies, relationships, and academics.
Regulating emotions and mood becomes somewhat difficult
Most people use weed because of its relaxing effects that detach them from reality. However, pot also has a myriad of unpleasant feelings some of which may be hard to control including paranoia, anxiety, and random thinking.
Weed induced anxiety feels like a panic attack and is accompanied by spiraling thoughts, increased awareness of your surroundings, worry, and an elevated heart rate.
Paranoia is much worse as you generally get suspicious of the people around you and their intentions. This mental condition is characterized by thoughts of persecution, judgment, and unwarranted jealousy.
For instance, it may be characterized by solid thoughts that your partner isn’t faithful or that people don’t love you back or care as much as you do. An individual may also develop unwarranted anger.
Of course, these impacts aren’t any good for relationships and friendships and may turn out to be destructive in the long run since friends and relatives may stop trusting you.
These reactions are typical of street-bought weed as it has higher concentrations of THC than CBD. Even if you are buying CBD Oil from your local dispensary, though, it’s necessary that you enquire about these ratios.
Addiction
A common myth among weed lovers is that pot does not cause any form of addiction. But recent research says that it is.
Weed addiction isn’t a common phenomenon compared to other types of drugs. But the National Institute on Drug Abuse while pregnant says that 30% of weed smokers may develop some form of cannabis use disorder (CUD) including dependence and addiction. Precisely, NIDA says that about 4 million Americans met the diagnostic criteria for weed in 2015.
Once you get hooked up, the impacts of cannabis addiction on your life and how you relate with those near you become pretty like those of other drugs choices.
Weed addiction could lead to health deterioration, sickness, and even death. Also, it causes constraints between you and those close to you. This could lead to damaged relationships, marriages, and children neglect.
Severe withdrawal symptoms
Even with chronic use, the physical dependence of weed is relatively mild compared to other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. However, the withdrawal symptoms can be quite devastating thereby making this comparison irrelevant.
If you’ve been using weed daily for some months, halting consumption tends to have exactly opposite effects that you have been enjoying. Here are some of the withdrawal symptoms of marijuana to expect;
- Insomnia or disturbing dreams
- Feelings of restlessness
- Anxiety or extreme nervousness
- Irritability, anger, and unexplained aggressiveness
- Onset of depression
Final words: Is there a safe way to use medical marijuana?
Researchers are yet to come up with a single most effective way of consuming medical marijuana for all patients. This is because weed affects individuals differently.
One thing that experts agree on, though, is starting slow and going slow. It’s also very important that you discuss with your weed provider on the ratio of CBD to THC that is comfortable for your Beauty and wellness condition.