Welcome to 2015. The era of social media, slacktivism, Donald Trump 2016, and so much more. I must say that even looking back just 15 years ago, our society has made major shifts in the way we communicate, the way we feel our lives should be led in a political sphere, etc. One of the shifts the U.S.A has made is on the topic of cannabis, both in its recreational and medical uses. And by shift, I mean anti shift, or even a reverse shift, or back track shift. Because you see, prior to the 1960’s, our culture here in the great U.S of A permitted the use of cannabis in both ways, but it was especially permitted it in the medical field. Journals from the era prior to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 had cannabis listed as treatment for ailments such as nausea, headaches, muscle spasms, etc. We understood back then how effective cannabis could be in a medical sense, but the consistent “politification” of the drug has caused the nonsense that we deal with today. Teens being thrown in jail on mandatory minimum sentences for a small amount of pot. Parents being arrested for trying to purchase cannabis oil off market to help their child with seizures. This is a sad reality we live in and frankly, I am sick of the BS.
So here are the facts:
- Cannabis can be found in some many different forms besides the typical bud form. It can purchased in oil, wax, edible, and even tea form.
- Its medical benefits are real and not just a hippie conspiracy, man. Cannabis is useful in treating nausea and vomiting due to cancer treatments, relieving chronic pain, dealing with migraines, combating seizures, and so much more.
- Cannabis leads to the arrests of 750,000 people each year in the United States. That accounts for half of all the drug arrests in this country each year.
- Endocannabinoids are compounds found within the body that modulate the nervous system and aid in processes throughout the body. So we actually have the compounds found within marijuana in our system already.
- Cannabis has no addictive effects chemical wise, but can lead to the an addiction to the feeling that the usage gives you. Any “high” side effects are virtually eliminated with most forms of medical cannabis.
- Marijuana today is stronger than it was in the past, but there are really two sides to this story. There are higher THC forms of marijuana in the market today, but they also offer THC at various different concentrations. The market is designed to cater to the user, which helps lead to safer usage.
- Recreational cannabis in Colorado raised $70 million in tax revenues in 2014. This provides the state with a more money to support state-funded programs. This helps the government do its job. THAT IS A GOOD THING.
We need to stop living in a society where we backtrack on useful information and medical treatments and embrace a future where everyone should get the treatment they need and deserve. Cannabis in the body does a lot of wonderful things via neuromodulation, and scientists are now finding new ways that it could further aid us in the medical field. Endocannabinoids could play a role in leading to cell death in cancer cells. The CB2 receptor in pancreatic cancer cells induced apoptosis by ceramide accumulation. This information could lead to a future when cannabis is used to cure cancer. I personally hope that future becomes a reality. Stop spreading the stigma. Legalize the Green.
