Michael Jacobs

Cannabis use and the support of cannabis use continues to grow. Most recently, Canada decided to legalize cannabis nationally, with the law going into effect on Canada Day, July 1st, 2018. In the United States, 32 states have legalized marijuana for medical use, with only a handful of states keeping the drug illegal. Proponents of legalization claim that the drug has many medical benefits for a variety of conditions. From pain relief, to relief for anxiety and PTSD, to relief for those suffering from seizures and irritable bowel syndrome, people are saying that medical cannabis is working for them. However, some people, especially those in the medical and scientific community remain skeptical. The federal government still classifies cannabis as having no medical benefit whatsoever. Some recent studies, however, say differently. Two studies recently published in the journals Frontiers in Pharmacology and Medicine respectively, point to the fact patients with chronic pain and insomnia saw “statistically and clinically therapeutic benefits” when they used medical cannabis. Releaf App The press release citing the studies came from the University of New Mexico, where researchers studied data obtained through the Releaf App. The Releaf App, which was developed by several of the authors of the study, as almost 100,000 entries of user-entered on the consumption and effect of cannabis use in the United States. The app is designed to allow the users and those gathering the data how marijuana use affects their symptoms, any side effects, as well as the type of marijuana, dosage, and consumption methods that work best. The study that was published in Frontiers of Pharmacology reported that cannabis users suffering from 27 different health conditions which had symptoms ranging from seizures to depression reported a lessening of their symptoms. The amount that the symptoms were reduced were rated on a scale from zero to ten points. A mean reduction in symptoms from 2.8 to 4.6 points on that scale was reported after consuming cannabis is various forms, including topicals and vaporizing concentrates. In the second study, reported in the journal Medicine, users rated their reduction of insomnia symptoms as an average of 4.5 points on the same scale of ten. Overall, 94% of cannabis users reported that the intensity of their symptoms was lessened after the consumption of the drug. Pain relief For those looking for chronic pain relief, a review study published in the American Journal of Surgery had two researchers confirm the impact of cannabis use on surgery patients. The researchers found that the active cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant reduced intestinal motility, gastric acid secretion, and nausea. The two researchers also confirmed that cannabis can help to control pain, reduce inflammation, and increase appetite. Addiction For those looking to see if cannabis use can help to treat other addictions, a new study may provide some answers. Preliminary findings in a study indicate that cannabidiol, also known as CBD, could effectively combat an addiction to methamphetamine. The study found that extremely high doses of CBD (20 mg/kg to 80 mg/kg) in laboratory rats reduced the motivation to consume methamphetamine in rats that had been trained to self-administer the stimulant. These doses are higher than most people consume daily, which is 12mg. The next step would be to see if CBD has any benefit to meth-addicted humans. When it comes to the ways of administering cannabis, patients have a variety of ways in which to choose. Some patients choose to smoke the dry herb via pipes or joints. Others choose what is argued to be a healthier method, vaporization. Patients can vaporize dry herb with a portable vaporizer or use a vape pen to consume concentrate oils or waxes. Other popular administration methods are topicals, edibles, and tinctures. It should be noted that as methods of consumption, the patients who utilized the Releaf App to report cannabis use and reduction of symptoms reported that vaporization gave them more relief and fewer side effects. Hopefully, as marijuana becomes more acceptable, restrictions that prevent the thorough study of this plant as a medicine will relax. Only then will medical doctors and scientists be able to fully explore the medical properties of this all-natural medicine. Author Michael is a marketing and creative content specialist at GotVape.com with a primary focus on customer satisfaction. Technology and fitness combined with healthy lifestyle obsession are his main talking points

If you have ever been curious about medical marijuana and done any research, then you know that one of the major compounds in the cannabis plant that is medically useful is the phytocannabinoid cannabidiol. While THC does have its medical uses, THC is psychoactive and produces the “high” that some people are familiar with when it comes to marijuana. Cannabidiol is not psychoactive, but does provide relief for millions of people around the world. Here are ten frequently asked questions about cannabidiol and the answers. 1. What is CBD? Of the 113 known active phytocannabinoids in the cannabis plant, cannabidiol (CBD), makes up the majority – coming in at about 40% of the plant’s extract. Though it may be the most prevalent compound, it is unlike its partner compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in that cannabidiol is not psychoactive. CBD is the phytocannabinoid that stopped a seizure in its tracks on national television. It also helps to soothe pain and anxiety. Medical science is also looking at this compound as a neuroprotectant and an anti-tumoral agent. 2. What Conditions or Symptoms Can CBD Oil Relieve? Cannabidiol is a versatile phytocannabinoid. Though it is tough to do medical research on cannabidiol because it can affect so many of the body’s pathways at once, patients with the following conditions have reported relief from cannabidiol: cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, and various pediatric conditions. Anxiety, epileptic disorders, and psychiatric disorders are three of the top conditions medical research is using cannabidiol to treat. 3. Will CBD Show Up on a Drug Test? Drug tests for employment are a fact of life for many Americans. However, the majority of drug tests are looking for the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Though high-CBD strains of marijuana can contain traces of THC, if you are using CBD oils or hemp extracts, the drug screen should not pick up the trace amounts of THC. However, keep in mind that this is only the case with hemp-based products, since hemp contains very little THC, but is high in CBD. 4. Is CBD Psychoactive? No. CBD is the most prevalent cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, but it is tetrahydrocannabinol that is the psychoactive compound. CBD compounds are mainly derived from the hemp plant, which is a high CBD strain of cannabis. There is typically very little THC in high CBD strains of the plant. 5. Can You Vape CBD? In a word, yes! You can get high-CBD strains of marijuana buds as well as oils and extracts. So, bring out your vape pen, your mod, or your desktop vaporizer and get to it! Make sure that you are vaping the appropriate material for your machine, though. Some pen vapes and mod vapes only support the vaping of either wax, oil, or dry herb. There are some models that will support all three with a simple change of the tank, atomizer, or chamber. 6. What Forms Does CBD Come In? The most often used format for cannabidiol is oil, which patients either smoke or vaporize. High-CBD strains of bud also exist. Other popular forms of CBD are tinctures, edibles, and topicals. Tinctures are often placed under the tongue while topicals are typically used as a balm and rubbed on the skin. Edibles, of course, are eaten. 7. Can I Buy CBD Products Online? This is a bit of a trick question. Keep in mind that the cannabis plant – and all its extracts – including cannabidiol – are still illegal under federal law. This essentially makes shipping CBD products from state-to-state illegal. If a website is stating they will ship to any state, including non-medical states, they are not likely using the same CBD oil as medical therapy utilizes. They are likely deriving their CBD product from the hemp plant – which is legal to import and ship – but not to grow in the United States – and treating it with harsh processes to extract enough cannabidiol for their products. Currently, there are no standards set forth by the FDA about how much cannabidiol has to be in a product to claim the product is a “CBD Product.” So, purchase online at your own risk. 8. Do I Need a Medical Marijuana Card to Buy CBD? This is another one of those yes and no answer questions. If the CBD is hemp-based, then no. However, keep in mind that the hemp plant has relatively low amounts of CBD when compared to cannabis plants. The CBD derived from the hemp plant will be several times less potent than CBD that is derived from cannabis. To purchase medical marijuana products in states where medical marijuana is legal, you do need a Medical Marijuana Card. 9. Can You Overdose on CBD? In a word, no. Even at doses of 700mg to 1500mg per day, there was no toxicity shown for cannabidiol. There have been no known deaths reported due to overdosing on CBD or cannabis despite decades of research into the toxicity of the plant. 10. How Do I Store My CBD? What is the Shelf Life of CBD? Depending on the form you decide to take it in – CBD should be stored appropriately. For the oil, it should be stored in a dry area away from heat. Edibles should be stored as directed and eaten before their expiration date, as with any food. The typical shelf life of cannabidiol oils and products can vary by manufacturer, so check expiration dates. However, most are good for up to 2 years.