Who would have anticipated the recent developments we are seeing with marijuana especially in the healthcare industry? Not many. Thankfully, medical cannabis is making strides as a treatment and reliever for many medical conditions. Due to this, legalisation is on the rise and the industry is tipped to be worth more than $6billion and potentially, anticipated to grow to $50billion in 2025.

Many developments are going on behind the scenes with several studies and products being released on the potential benefits of medical marijuana, such as portable vaporizers, which are being sold by many online stores like Smoke Cartel. A lot of doubt around its use is being dispelled by new and convincing evidence from users and the medical industry. Additionally, there are different forms it can be consumed for different users who may not prefer the smoking route. The reputation is slowly changing to a positive one given these new developments. Many people are unaware of how helpful it has become in the medical industry so here, we shall share some conditions that it is being used to treat.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia that is progressive. It affects the brain by slowly killing memory and thinking skills to the extent that the patient cannot carry out even the simplest tasks. It is a cognitive degeneration disease. Some of the symptoms it creates is inflammation that marijuana is known to alleviate through cannabinoids. Cannabinoids contain anti-inflammatory properties that help the brain fight inflammation caused by Alzheimer’s.

Epilepsy and seizures

Epilepsy is easily the most common neurological condition in the world affecting both men and women equally. It also affects all demographics and is mainly caused by an abnormal surge in electrical activity in the brain. These surges result in seizures where the patient loses control of body functions for a while. The length of the seizure may differ from person to person. CBD in marijuana is touted to be a great remedy for epilepsy because it only works on pain signals but helps the entire messaging system. It reduces seizures mainly when ingested as oil rather than smoked.

Glaucoma

This is a disease that affects the optic nerve which connects the eye to the brain. It can lead to significant loss of vision and potentially, blindness. Most glaucoma coexists with high pressure in the eyes. Marijuana has come up as a potential solution due to its capability to reduce pressure in the eye. Patients who cannot tolerate medications for glaucoma might find relief through marijuana, the downside though is that the lowered eye pressure is temporary lasting for 3 to 4 hours which means a patient will need to smoke marijuana regularly to maintain the lowered pressure.

Cancer

Cancer is one of the biggest killers of people in the world. Many lives are lost each year to many types of cancer. In the search for a remedy, many patients look to chemotherapy which comes with its own negative side effects. Marijuana has made some headway in alleviating some of the negative impacts of chemotherapy on patients including nausea, vomiting, pain and weight loss. Marijuana is known for giving users the munchies which help enhance appetite for people to eat more. Over 42 percent of breast cancer patients have used marijuana for relief from many of these symptoms. It has also been shown to slow the growth of or kill off some types of cancers.

Multiple Sclerosis and Muscle Spasms

This is another condition that affects the central nervous system. This may include the brain, the spinal cord and the optic nerves. Multiple sclerosis patients display problems in vision, balance and muscle control which are a result of information flow disruption between the brain and the body. Symptoms include muscle spasms and pain which marijuana has been shown to alleviate. Adding weight to its effectiveness, over 66 percent of multiple sclerosis patients use it, making them the second largest users of medical marijuana after chronic pain users. With modern medical developments, there is progress toward a marijuana capsule to treat multiple sclerosis.

Conclusion

Marijuana is seeing a change in fortunes especially due to its use in treating medical conditions. In the medical industry, it has shown effectiveness for cancers, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. Despite the benefits, patients need to take due diligence to ensure they are using the right strain for their condition.