Medical effects of cannabis use

What is medical marijuana?

Medical marijuana uses the marijuana plant or chemicals in it to treat diseases or conditions. It’s basically the same product as recreational marijuana, but it’s taken for medical purposes.

The marijuana plant contains more than 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Each one has a different effect on the body. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the main chemicals used in medicine. THC also produces the “high” people feel when they smoke marijuana or eat foods containing it.

Why don’t we have more research on the medical effects of cannabis?

Since the cannabis plant has been banned from use worldwide since the 1970s, little research has been carried out on this plant before the medical use of marijuana was allowed after 1996 in some area in USA. After 2000 the research on the medical effects of cannabis has increase, but not like you should expect. One reason to this is that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers marijuana a Schedule I drug, the same as heroin, LSD, and ecstasy, and likely to be abused and lacking in medical value. Because of that, researchers need a special license to study it, says Marcel Bonn-Miller, PhD, a substance abuse specialist at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, to Webmd.

The research has so far proven this medical effects of cannabis use:

Reduce anxiety

Limited reaches indicate that cannabis can reduce anxiety. In this area the researchers ar not entirely agreed, as other research shows that long-term use of large daily doses of cannabis can actually induce sosial anxiety for some vulnerable users.

Reduce inflammation

Cannabis can also be used to reduce various forms of inflammation in the body. A cannabinoid called cannabichromene have anti-inflammatory properties.

Reduce stress

Cannabis is also prescribed to reduce stress due to the calming effect and euphoria THC gives the user.

Multiple sclerosis

Short-term use of oral cannabinoids may improve symptoms of spasticity among people with multiple sclerosis, but the positive effects have been found to be modest.

Cancer

No evidence has been found that cannabis can cure cancer, but there are several findings that indicate that cannabis can prevent certain forms of cancer and counteract many of the side effects of today’s cancer drugs. For example, cannabis is used to control nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy. In addition, cannabis can in some cases be used to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor growth. However, cannabis can never replace traditional cancer treatment. Cannabis products can only be used as a supplement to the traditional cancer treatment.

Cannabis can also increase the chances of getting certain types of cancer. A study from 2018 concluded that if you use cannabis more than 50 times in your lifetime, you increase the chances of getting testicular cancer.

The evidence suggests that smoking cannabis does not increase the risk for certain cancers (i.e., lung, head, and neck) in adults.

Epilepsy

Cannabis is used to treat two rare, severe, and specific types of epilepsy — called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome — that are difficult to control with other types of medication. This CBD-based drug is known as Epidiolex.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Limited research material suggests that cannabis can have a positive effect in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). More research is required to be able to give definitive answers on how well suited cannabis is to treating such mental illnesses.

Alzheimer’s disease

Cannabis has been shown to be effective in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Diabetes

Cannabis have several good effects on diabetes. Cannabis can be used to:

• Take away diabetic neuropathic pain – tingling (sleep sensation) and pain in the fingers and toes. Cannabis significantly reduces this.
• Increase the appetite when you not are hungry, but need to eat to keep your blood sugar up.
• Keep the blood sugar stabil – cannabis removes sugar peaks when you have large fluctuations in blood sugar and keep it more stable. Cannabis raises the level of adiponectin, a protein that regulates blood sugar.
• Increase insulin sensitivity – so you get better use of insulin without constantly having to increase the doses to keep the blood sugar between 70-140.
• Lower blood pressure over time, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and other diabetes complications.
• Protect yourself from diabetic retinopathy, which is the most common cause why people with diabetes 1 losing sight after many years of diabetes.

Depression

Marijuana use and depression often go hand in hand. If you have depression, you’re twice as likely to use marijuana than someone who doesn’t have it.

Although many people with depression use marijuana, scientists don’t think the drug causes the mood disorder. Instead, recent research suggests that people with the condition use it to treat their symptoms. Relief from those symptoms is one of the most common reasons people say they use marijuana.

Although several studies show that marijuana can help you feel better if you have depression, especially in the short term, the FDA has not approved medical marijuana for the treatment of depression.

Studies show that when you have depression, marijuana can increase your risk for some serious metal problems. These include:

• Worse depression. For some people, marijuana adds to depression symptoms. Your risk is higher if you started to use the drug as a teen, are a heavy user, or use recreational instead of medical marijuana.
• Lack of motivation. When you use marijuana, you may find it more difficult to take part in activities that are good for you. One study found that about 20% of people who use marijuana for depression said it lowered their motivation.
• Lower chance you’ll seek help. When you use marijuana recreationally, you’re less likely to seek professional care for your depression. And if you’re a heavy user and do see a mental health professional, there’s less chance their treatment will help you recover from depression.

Bipolar disorder

Daily cannabis use is believed to exacerbate existing symptoms of bipolar disorder among people who have this mental health problem. However, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report suggests that among people with no history of the condition, there is only limited evidence of a link between cannabis use and developing bipolar disorder.

What are the side effects of medical marijuana?

Side effects that cannabis use can give is:

• bloodshot eyes
• increased appetite and thirst
• lower blood pressure and faster heart rate
• sleepiness
• dizziness
• increased or decreased depression symptoms, depending on the user
• increased or decreased anxiety symptoms, depending on the user
• impaired judgement, which makes it more difficult for people to think clearly and drive etc.
• problems with memory
• reduced motor skills
• release of dopamine, which causes the feeling of being high
• withdrawal symptoms after prolonged use
• delayed reactions to stimuli
• temporary paranoia and hallucinations
• addiction, in some cases

No one gets all of these side effects, but it is not unusual to get one or more of them.

Recent cannabis use impairs performance in cognitive learning, memory and attention. Recent use is defined as cannabis use in the last 24 hours. The drug can also affect judgment and coordination, which could lead to accidents and injuries. When you stop smoking cannabis, you do not get back the impaired cognitive learning, memory and attention show a limited number of studies.

Because marijuana contains some of the same chemicals found in tobacco, there have been concerns that smoking it could harm the lungs. The effects of inhaled marijuana on lung health aren’t clear, but there’s some evidence it might increase the risk for bronchitis and other lung problems. It if unclear if cannabis is associated with asthma or worsened lung function.

People who use marijuana are more likely to smoke cigarettes and to misuse alcohol, marijuana itself, and other drugs shows research. Certain genes can raise your risk of schizophrenia or psychosis. If you have these genes, marijuana use may trigger these disorders. The higher the use is the greater the risk is.

The teenage years

When used during the teenage years when the brain is still developing, marijuana might affect IQ and mental function. Studies show that cannabis use during teenage weakens your:

• Academic performance and level of education.
• Ability to get a job and reduces the income base.
• Social relations and social roles

Studies show that if you start smoking cannabis in your teens, you develop a higher risk of developing suicidal thoughts later in life. You also have a higher chance of developing depression than others if you start smoking cannabis in your teens. For people who starts smoking cannabis in adult age cannabis use does not appear to increase the likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Pregnancy

Using marijuana during pregnancy may increase the person’s risk for pregnancy complications. When a mother uses cannabis while pregnant, the baby may develop memory and concentration issues as they grow. Pregnant and breastfeeding persons should avoid marijuana.

Driving

The above side effects mean that you cannot drive after consuming cannabis. In the United States, cannabis is the substance most often found in the blood of people who have been exposed to a traffic accident.

Cannabis testing

To determine whether a driver is under the influence of cannabis, the police today use saliva, hair, urine and blood samples.

How long does cannabis stay in the blood?

How long cannabis can be detected in an extended blood test depends on:

• how many times you have smoked cannabis
• how much cannabis you have smoked
• how much body fat you have

The more often you smoke and the more you smoke each time, the longer there are traces of cannabis. Studies show that:

• It is possible to detect cannabis use for approximately 3 days for first-time users.
• If you smoke three to four times a week, your use can be tracked for 5–7 days.
• If you smoke daily, tests can detect cannabis in your body for 30 days or more.

How far back it is possible to track cannabis use depends on which test is used. The general estimates for various cannabis tests are:

• Urine tests – can detect cannabis in the urine for approx. 3-30 days after use.
• Saliva tests – can detect cannabis for about 24 hours after use. Some saliva tests have detected cannabis for up to 72 hours.
• Hair tests – can detect THC for up to 90 days after use. However, these tests test the oil in the skin that is transferred to the hair. They can therefore occasionally show false results. A person who comes into contact with a THC user could theoretically test positive on a hair test.
• Blood tests – can only detect THC for 3–4.

Sorces:

1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: the current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2017.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604179/
3. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324315#marijuana-detection-windows
4. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320984#What-are-the-medical-benefits-of-cannabis?