10 Surprising Health Benefits of Marijuana

Marijuana has always been doomed because of its properties. Yes, we’re talking about a plant that governments have designated as an illegal substance. Well, there is no existing evidence of anyone ever dying of a marijuana overdose, but still possession of this plant is illegal in many parts.

Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is one of the most powerful healing plants on the planet. Many studies have made pseudoscientific attempts to indicate that young people using cannabis tend to experience social problems, psychological, and mental decline. However, there is no such evidence found that the use of marijuana is directly linked with these problems, according to the results of a study published in The Lancet.

Dr. John Macleod of the University of Birmingham in the UK told Reuters Health that there is “Currently, no strong evidence that use of cannabis causes psychological or social problems,” such as relating to mental illness or school failure. He added -“There is a great deal of evidence that using cannabis is associated with these things, but this association could have several explanations”.

Marijuana is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective.  there are many benefits which marijuana carries, which makes it the best plant to be used. It has been found to reduce blood pressure, treat glaucoma, suppress cancer, alleviate pain, and even inhibit HIV. Surprised! None of us ever heard of these benefits.

Let’s discover some of the Surprising Health Benefits of Marijuana a.k.a Cannabis

1. Helps you lose weight, giving you a slim body

Cannabis helps the body in regulating insulin production and manages the caloric intake more efficiently. This is the reason why people using cannabis, on average are slimmer than non-users. Also, according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, the researchers have found that marijuana users tend to have smaller weight circumferences, lower obesity rates, and lower BMI.

Also Read: 20 Easy Ways to Lose up to 10 Pounds in 1 Week

2. Helps in Fighting Cancer

The active components of marijuana, Cannabinoids, inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animals, and also kill cancer cells. Well, it has been known to Western governments for a long time yet they didn’t allow to spread the information so that there is continuous cannabis prohibition and the profits generated by the drug industry got proliferated.

There has been a lot of research done in the US, Spain, and Israel that straightly points out that chemicals in marijuana can mean the death of cancer cells.

3. Helps in Managing seizures

Marijuana possesses “antispasmodic” qualities that prove to be very effective in the treatment of seizures and it is a muscle relaxant also. There are countless cases of people suffering from seizures. It is seen they have only been able to function better through the use of marijuana.

4. Helps in Controlling Alzheimer’s Disease

THC may help decrease the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. A study done in 2006 found that THC found in marijuana works to prevent Alzheimer’s by blocking the deposits in the brain that cause the disease.

5. Helps in Treating the inflammatory bowel diseases

The study done at the University of Nottingham, researchers have found that chemicals in marijuana, including THC and cannabidiol, combine with cells in the body that play an important role in the gut function and immune responses.

The THC-like compounds made by the body increases the permeability of the intestines, permitting the bacteria inside. These cannabinoids in marijuana (plant-derived) block those body-cannabinoids, preventing permeability, and making the intestinal cells bond together tightly.

6. Relieving from arthritis pain

According to a study was done in 2011, when a cannabis-based painkiller was given to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, there was a marked decrease in observable pain, compared to the administration of a placebo. Marijuana helps with rheumatoid arthritis pain and swelling, allowing people to have restful sleep.

RA is an autoimmune disease, meaning in effect your body is attacking the healthy cells. It can be extremely painful, as it weakens the bones, striking the joints of the affected patients. The subsequent swelling causes a reduction in the range of motion. Any age group can get affected by it, and any gender, but women are the most affected.

Also Read: 10 Natural Remedies to Treat Arthritis 

7. Have the power to fight the spread of HIV

The chemicals present within the Marijuana plant have multitudes of medicinal benefits. A recent study depicted that the active ingredient in marijuana- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can even help to stop the spread of HIV (a deadly retrovirus) which can develop into a life-threatening autoimmune disease called AIDS. It is even believed that the utilization of this chemical can assist those who are in the last stages of AIDS.

Researchers have also proven that cannabinoids, which are marijuana-like compounds, have a powerful anti-viral effect against HIV infection. These compounds also worked on bodily weakness, nausea, and neuropathic pain, in patients suffering from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), lessening their effects on the body.

Another study done by UCLA revealed that smoking marijuana could harm HIV patients because the smoke can lead to airway injury, suppressing the immune system and exposing patients to an added burden of pathogens. However, marijuana smoke versus cannabinoids is still unknown. Therefore, if you opt to use cannabis in the treatment of HIV, then it should be exercised with caution and monitored by a health professional.

8. Used to treat glaucoma

Marijuana use can be used to treat and prevent the eye disease glaucoma, and get you the best eyesight and relieve pressure from the eyes. In glaucoma, there is an increase in pressure in the eyeball that damages the optic nerve and causing loss of vision. It is a serious disease that can cause blindness. Intraocular pressure can increase in certain individuals, especially those who have diabetes.

According to the study in the early 1970s done by National Eye Institute showed that on smoking marijuana, there is a lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma.

9. Eases the pain of sclerosis

Smoking marijuana can also ease the pain of sclerosis. The THC in the pot binds to the receptors in nerves and muscles to relieve pain. A research was done by Jody Corey-Bloom where he tested 30 sclerosis patients with contractions in their muscles.

He found that these patients didn’t respond to other treatments until smoking marijuana within a few days they felt less pain. Patients that were involved in this study reported improved muscle spasms, spasticity, and quality of sleep.

10. Helps in Protecting the brain after a stroke and from the bouts of epilepsy

Research done at the University of Nottingham showed that marijuana may protect the brain from damage caused by stroke, by reducing the size of the area affected by the stroke. Moreover, some research revealed that the plant may help protect the brain after other traumatic events, like concussions. Also, some researches proved, there are anti-convulsant benefits in patients that suffer from epilepsy.

Well, despite having these health benefits, it’s also important to consider the health risks of marijuana

• If consumed in high doses, marijuana can cause anxiety and paranoia.
• Among young and first-time users, mind-altering effects are particularly evident.
• One study found that there is an increase in the risk of a heart attack within the first hour of smoking marijuana.
• Marijuana may also impair memory.