“Cannabis is the single most versatile herbal remedy and the most useful plant on Earth. No other single plant contains as wide a range of medically active herbal constituents.” -Ethan Russo, MD (neurologist and respected cannabis scientist)
The flowers or buds of cannabis contain the “medicine” part of the plant. Cannabis happens to contain over 400 active chemicals called cannabinoids, which are found alongside active chemicals called terpenoids (similar to essential oils). These compounds work together as strains to produce a wide variety of therapeutic effects. Some of these effects are:
Decreasing pain, decreasing anxiety, decreasing nausea, increasing appetite, controlling muscle spasms and seizures, helping with sleep problems, migraines and generally reducing inflammation which is at the root of almost all disease processes.
The science is still being done, but cannabis is proving to be highly effective as a preventative and restorative medicine in illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and depression/anxiety. There is a new category emerging- for cannabis as a “wellness” medicine.
The beauty of this plant is that all the above can be achieved without having to endure the psychoactive effects or high that most people associate with marijuana. Additionally, the safety profile is superior to any modern pharmaceutical medicine – even aspirin. Cannabis certainly isn’t a cure-all, and it isn’t for everyone- but the science is looking very good for many common illness people face every day.
I believe we will continue to see more and more scientific research being done, and more conditions being added to the list of what cannabis can do for the body. We are getting better at learning which strains are most effective for certain conditions. For now, there is some degree of trial and error for patients to find what works best for them, but much can be learned online and through patients who are willing to share what has worked for them.
The future looks very bright for cannabis as medicine!