Why Medical Cannabis Is The New Go-To Medicine In California

Medical cannabis has long been disregarded by mainstream medicine, although this attitude is slowly changing. Prior to rigorous testing, medical practitioners are extremely wary of recommending the use of any drug to patients for fear of causing more harm than good, as well as for fear of possible backlash – lawsuits, bad press etc. And anecdotal evidence has to be overlooked in the medical world. Only conclusive, clinical studies gain the acceptance of doctors and scientists and that’s the way it should be. However, often anecdotal evidence – unequivocal as it may seem – is enough for the general public and they may become frustrated with the medical world’s extreme caution and bureaucracy (in most of the world it has previously been incredibly difficult to study marijuana as it has long been an illegal substance) leading to its lagging advocacy of certain drugs and procedures.

However, there is more here than meets the eye. It is not always simply an ethos of caution that causes the FDA to deny the efficacy of certain drugs that have proven themselves time and time again to be of benefit equal to or greater than that of their legal, pharmaceutical counterparts whilst having fewer negative effects. So what does cause it? Sometimes, it’s the investments of pharmaceutical companies that slow progress. With it being so much harder to control the use and distribution of natural drugs (as they can be homegrown) it’s harder to monopolize, and, therefore, harder to charge extortionate prices. But those invested in slowing the progression of medical cannabis from illegal to legal drug could only stem the tide so long. In this article, we will discuss why medical cannabis is the new go-to medicine in California, and in a rapidly growing number of cities across the world. Make sure you’ve got your medical marijuana card online before we begin! Enjoy.

Since medical cannabis becoming legal pursuant to Proposition 215 in 1996, Californians have enjoyed the plethora of medicinal benefits found in cannabis. And as time has passed, more and more of the miasma surrounding the possession and use of medical cannabis has dissipated. So accepted marijuana has become that, as of November 2016 it has become legalized for recreational use (though this won’t come into action until 2018). This is in large part due to the undeniable, powerful medicinal properties of the drug which have been shown to be extremely effective in the management and treatment of many chronic illnesses, diseases and disorders. These include multiple sclerosis, nausea, seizures, arthritis, lupus, poor appetite and weight loss, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Crohn’s disease. Its advantages have been enough to have large pharmaceutical juggernauts shaking in their boots. Why fork out huge fees for unnatural drugs when there is an inexpensive, natural plant that proves just as effective? 

More than 15 million people abuse prescription drugs, more than the combined number who reported abusing cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants and heroin. And every day in the US, 2,500 more youths abuse a prescription pain reliever. Prescription drugs give the illusion of safety and this makes them incredibly dangerous and makes their users highly susceptible to overdose.   

Marijuana, on the other hand, is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose yet still acts as a painkiller. So patients can manage or treat their diseases and disorders without the risk of death. This makes the plant an incredibly appealing alternative to lab-based, pharmaceutical drugs. The availability of medical marijuana has reduced opioid abuse and overdose deaths because it has offered people an alternative for pain relief. Three of five opioid overdoses occur in people with legitimate prescriptions for pain pills. The replacing of prescription drugs with marijuana reduces opioid-related deaths – there were 1,700 fewer deaths in 2010 alone.

Marijuana – or more specifically, THC – has been proven to have plentiful positive effects on brain cells. THC is a powerful neuroprotectant. Remarkably, scientists have gone as far as to show that THC can promote the growth of new brain cells through a process known as neurogenesis! This effect was discovered in 2005 by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan. Medical cannabis also has anti-inflammatory, antiemetic (anti-vomiting) properties. And it staves off prostate cancer too. Cannabidiol is another major component of the plant.

So it’s easy to see why medical marijuana is the new go-to medicine in California. The next logical step is to legalize it in all states. This would have advantages far beyond the medicinal, such as dramatically increased tax revenues for the state (illegal drugs cannot be taxed), and the reduction of drug-related crime.  Make sure you have gotten your medical marijuana card online so you can start to benefit from the drug’s long list of health benefits.