The medical use of marijuana

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The use of Marijuana as an agent for treating various medical conditions has long been debated by pro-medical Marijuana groups and medical specialists throughout the years. Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, is a synthetic chemical found in Marijuana. This synthetic chemical compound has been used for controversial medical treatment processes throughout the years. The use of Marijuana as a means for treating various medical conditions is supported by the American Marijuana Policy Project.

Being a group known all over the US as a pro-cannabis institution, the organization argues that Marijuana can be considered as a therapeutic herbal medicine which can be used by AIDS and cancer patients. This group claimed that Marijuana can be used as treatment for people who frequently suffer from nausea and clinical depression that result in weight loss all because of other aggressive medications and treatments such as chemotherapy.

Scientists in Italy who have conducted various studies on possible medical Marijuana have found out that another synthetic chemical compound present in Marijuana prevents further growth of cancer cells in various animals. This synthetic chemical compound is known as CBD or cannabidiol.

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FDA and similar institutions in the Netherlands and Western European countries have yet to consider the use of cannabis in treating medical conditions such as cancer and AIDS among others. On the other hand, the US FDA claimed that the chances of cannabis being used to treat various medical ailments depend on the capability of developing the plant’s isolated compounds into safe and effective medicine. Amongst such isolated compounds of Marijuana include the synthetic chemicals which can be derived from the cannabinoids present in the plant.

Various medical studies conducted by specialists in the field show possibilities of Marijuana being used to treat numerous ailments. For instance, elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer's and anorexia develop the capacity to control and subsequently eliminate the symptoms of anorexia after being treated with cannabis. In addition, a disease that affects the eyes that usually result to gradual vision loss, also known as glaucoma, can be treated with the use of Marijuana. After medical Marijuana treatment, patients have been found to have reduced the intraocular pressure caused by the disease.

But this has been intensely researched and subjected to debate for the past few years. This is because medical Marijuana has also been found by other medical specialists to be capable of reducing the blood flow to the optic nerve. However, these medical professionals also claim that Marijuana use can reduce intraocular pressure by releasing cannabinoid receptors on the CB receptor, which is also known as the ciliary body. This also means that Marijuana and its synthetic derivatives can be developed into medicine that can be used to treat glaucoma patients in the future.

Medical Marijuana is also used as a pain reliever. This means it is used as an analgesic. However, medical Marijuana, according to medical professionals, can only be used as an analgesic if the patients are suffering from headaches, menstrual cramps, dysentery, and depression. This is used by pro Marijuana groups to advocate Marijuana as a prescription drug.

Some medical researchers also claim that medical Marijuana can be used to control or even treat patients suffering from various neurological ailments like bipolar disorders and epilepsy among others. These specialists have reported instances where medical Marijuana had relieved nervous tics in patients suffering from Tourette syndrome and/or OCD.
Most of these patients were treated with THC, the active compound of Marijuana, and developed the capacity to control vocal and motor tics to at least 50% of all instances after being treated with THC. Furthermore, patients suffering from obsessive compulsive disorders showed reduced symptoms of the disease after being given THC as treatment. On a higher note, a few medical specialists have claimed that Marijuana can possibly prevent Alzheimer's disease.