Marijuana, until recently treated simply as a stimulant after which a person feels relaxed, is discovering its further benefits. It turns out that - this still in our country illegal stimulant - can help us with many of life's issues and problems. And even obesity!
Marijuana is called dried female inflorescences of the cannabis plant, which contains psychoactive substances (primarily: THC or tetrahydrocannabinol). Marijuana enthusiasts smoke it mainly for relaxation purposes.
Marijuana in medicine and in law
Patients suffering from cancer, various types of pain and multiple sclerosis use it for medical purposes - marijuana is able to relieve suffering, reduce spasticity (excessive muscle tension in MS), reduce nausea caused by chemotherapy.
It's worth mentioning that when it comes to pain management, marijuana has been recognized as a safer option for cancer patients than opioids, customarily used for people who are no longer able to be helped by other, weaker preparations.
More and more people, including in Poland, are using marijuana for recreational purposes. Unfortunately, when smoking "weed," they still do so illegally.
Although efforts to legalize the cultivation and use of marijuana "for personal use" are underway (there is even a special team set up in the Sejm for this purpose), it is still legal to possess only medical marijuana, prescribed on prescription by a doctor.
Why (still) people smoke "pot" - from job loss to obesity
Why do many people tend to use marijuana? (And other so-called "stimulants," we might add.) The answer in many cases is stress. We live fast, busy lives, and in the age of the ubiquitous Internet in plain sight. Everyone knows everything about us. This stresses us out.
And marijuana relaxes. Definitely.
Let's take the first highly stressful situation. Losing your job. It happens even to the best. Liquidation of a company, a change in the philosophy of its operations, relocation to another country, downsizing - the threat of losing a source of money and a familiar operating environment hangs over virtually all of us.
Can marijuana help in this situation? As a mildly relaxing substance - certainly. Only that it is still illegal... Can any other legal cannabis product replace marijuana in this case?
Yes. Instead of marijuana, we can recommend CBD oil. Fully legal, hemp-derived extract containing cannabidiol will also act as a mild sedative and anti-anxiety, helping you get through a stressful situation in peace.
Pain. It accompanies very many people in their daily functioning. Its cause is not always easily defined. When dealing with cancer, although it is a terrible disease, the patient and his doctor know where the pain comes from. There are procedures for treating cancer pain, marijuana often appears as a prescription drug.
However, in the case of fibromyalgia, for example, a disease still mysterious and ignored by many doctors, it is different. Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic, generalized joint and muscle pain. In this situation, marijuana, as a painkiller that not only reduces pain sensations, but also relaxes muscles, can be extremely helpful. It is worth discussing its use with your treating physician.
Obesity. A disease of our time, leading to many secondary health complications - not only diabetes and heart disease, also cancer and musculoskeletal problems. In general, excess pounds are unhealthy and it is better to get rid of them.
Easy to write, harder to execute.
Can marijuana help in this case as well? The results of some studies suggest that it does. A 2018 study found that women who used marijuana had a BMI lower by an average of 3.1%.
As an alternative to marijuana, which is not approved as an obesity aid, we recommend looking (again) at CBD products such as CBD oil. This is because cannabidiol has the ability to regulate our metabolism, including feelings of hunger and satiety. It may therefore prove to be an ally in the fight against excess pounds.
