Smoke-Free Ways to Benefit from Medical Cannabis

Medical marijuana involves use of marijuana as drug for the cure of various diseases and symptoms like cancer, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma, migraine headaches, pain and weight loss etc. Medical marijuana is not covered under insurance since it is not sold over the counter in pharmacies. Medical cannabis is available through dispensaries or can be cultivated at home by patients but only on prescription by doctor or on holding medical cannabis ID card.

Marijuana has many side effects and smoking it (even for medical purposes) can have serious side effects. Burning marijuana leaves or buds can produced 50% to 70% more carcinogens than tobacco cigarettes. So you can well imagine the side effects it can have on the immune system. So for patients who have never smoked or who don’t wish to smoke cannabis for medical use, there are alternative ways they can consume medical cannabis. 

Non-smoking options for medical cannabis

Before anything else, it is important to know and understand that medical marijuana is only and strictly doctor prescribed treatment and should be consumed in accordance to doctor’s instructions. Anyone prescribed with medical cannabis, but does not want to consume it by smoking can go in for the following options.

• Vaporizers

Marijuana vapors are one of the very sought after alternative for smoking marijuana. Inhaling marijuana is not as harmful as smoking it, and can be taken by patients easily. Vaporizers are available as battery powered models or as handheld device with plug in points. The vaporizer heats up marijuana leaves to vaporize the THC (without burning the plant), the patient can easily breath in the beneficial vapors without the toxic smoke. Marijuana in vapor form is healthier for the lungs than smoking and is also more cost effective. Anyone prescribed with medical marijuana can take home a vaporizer (available in various price ranges) and inhale the maximum amount of THC with least side effects.

• Cannabis in edible form

Medical cannabis can also be heated and made into butter or oil. Cannabis flowered leaves and tops can be submerged into butter or vegetable oil for a few hours. Heating cannabis in butter for several hours transfers the THC and other cannabis contents into the butter (oil). The butter/oil can then be filtered and solid plant materials can be removed. The butter available is dark greenish solution. This can be used in baking cookies, brownies and cakes etc., or can be added to sauce etc, which can then be consumed by the patient. This cannabinoid solution can also be mixed with drinks.

Consuming THC in food or drink can be a slow affecting process. THC taken with food or drink does not absorb in the blood stream very quickly (like when smoked). So, patients often don’t have control on how much drug they consume. It is important to keep a check on how much cannabis has been consumed when administering the drug in edible form. 

• Tinctures

Cannabis leaves and flowered tops are soaked in alcohol. The plant materials transfer THC and other cannabinoid to the alcohol. Patients can then consume this tincture directly (in small quantity) or can add it to food or beverage. The tincture can also be applied to the skin.

Marijuana is Effective, Deserves Research: Gupta

A prominent neurosurgeon, Gupta’s recent message was contrary to his earlier stand against the legalization of pot way back in 2009 when he even penned down an article in TIME magazine titled ‘Why I would Vote No to Pot’.

However, Gupta seemed to have changed his view completely and believes medical marijuana can help the mankind immensely. His altered stand could be observed in his latest article supporting the weed for its medical uses on CNN’s website. That’s for sure good news for all those still ‘trying’ to have their marijuana registration in Michigan completed.

It was only after he researched through the papers from smaller countries that he could gain generous idea what marijuana is exactly all about.

Marijuana has been long listed as a banned substance by Drug Enforcement Agency; stating it to be bereft of any kind of medicinal benefits. Also, the strain has been always believed to carry high potential of abuse.

Dr. Gupta realized after conducting in depth research that all the aspersions are fallacies and based on limited scientific proofs.

It’s nothing more than pure imprudence on the part of the society to keep mankind bereft of the medical uses of the drug, for such a long time. Needless to say, widespread adoption of medical cannabis in Michigan and several other states has also forced experts and journalists to take a second look at everything they’ve said over the last few years, or decades (in Gupta’s case).

Media and some of the anti-weed activists have not helped in improvement of the situation either. It’s more akin to intentionally keeping the US in dark for as long as 70 years.

Dr. Gupta further adds that it was for the basic reason that administrators in the past were unable to comprehend the chemical composition and effects of drug on human body that they proposed to list it in the category of schedule 1 substance. The lack of knowledge about marijuana led to its alienation from the society. Can you imagine today how the little world around you would be if there were no legal provisions for marijuana registration in Michigan.

Even though, researchers didn’t come across any kind of evil effects (in terms of addiction playing on the parallel lines as cocaine and morphine) marijuana wasn’t still legalized.

Marijuana leads to dependence in only around 9% to 10% of its adult users in comparison to 25% of heroin users.

Also, there are no withdrawal symptoms associated with the drug in comparison to others mentioned before and therefore, it makes no justified case for the banning of marijuana on the validation that it is addictive in nature. Marijuana gives no life-threatening complications.

However, the above reasoning doesn’t rationalize complete harmfulness of marijuana and therefore, shouldn’t be used by young and growing brains for the reason that it can diminish the IQ level in them.

Medical Benefits

Marijuana’s medical uses are numerous and many patients have benefitted from the healing properties of the wonder weed. Dr. Gupta further explained how he discovered several other benefits of the drug after going through the research papers published between the years 1840 to 1930. The drug is of immense use when used in the cases of neuralgia, convulsive disorders, and emaciation.

He maintains that for the reason most of the research work on marijuana has been done with the sole objective of exploring its harmful effects, real benefits of the drug have remained undiscovered for long.

To anyone researching in the field, including those who’ve been supporting medical cannabis in Michigan, this paints a grimly distorted picture.

Challenges in The Way of Marijuana Research

There are plentiful challenges in front of anyone aspiring to bring upfront the right picture with respect to the strain. The problem arises with the easy availability of the weed. For the simple reason that marijuana is banned in most states of the US, researchers don’t show much interest in the research work. In case, you access some samples from the farms in Mississippi, approval is must before beginning with the study work.

For anyone wishing to investigate into the anti-cancerous properties of the strain, he is required to seek approval for his proposal from National Cancer Institute and similarly anyone for pain study has to visit the office of National Institute for Neurological Disorders. Lastly, it is the National institute of Drug Abuse that evaluates the proposal.

It is for the reasons that patients are left lurking for cures which can be easily provided by this wonderful weed.

Patients suffering from neuropathic pain or pain from breast cancer can be benefitted by the weed considerably.

The prospects for legalization of medical cannabis in Michigan are fairly low today but considering the improvement in situation in other parts of the US the situation will only improve.

Dr. Gupta also opines that administrators in the 18^th century categorized this drug under schedule 1 substance grouping for lack in knowledge about the product. However, with the developments in the field of science presently much can be achieved in the field and situation of medical marijuana can be improved significantly.

But, the biggest challenges that still remain are lacking infrastructure that surrounds the study of an illegal substance and multi-level approval process.

La Confidential Weed Review

Originating from OG Kush, La Confidential is a popular marijuana strain known for its ‘quick’ action. Yes, it can make you a little lazy but La confidential was never meant to be enjoyed during work hours. It’s a perfect for a long trip at home, beach or anywhere else you can lay back and enjoy. Read on to know more about this weed.

A popular commercial strain that owes its genetic origin to OG Kush , La Confidential weed is easy to grow and compatible with almost all kinds of growing media and procedures. The strains genetics is divided between OG LA Affie and an Afghani strain.

LA Confidential is by nature an indoor plant, but can be grown in the outdoors too. This plant has been known as easy for even a first timer to grow in his backyard. For its resistance to mildew, it doesn’t require much protection against weather conditions. This tasty and heavy Indica offspring is among the most saleable weeds of late.

Features

LA Confidential develops very dense popcorn like dark green buds which turn to dark color by the time of harvest. The plant is known for its speedy maturity and finishes flowering within the first 7-8 weeks, when grown outdoors. The weed is not one of the biggest yielding strains and produces average yields in the range of 300-400 grams per square meter for smaller plants. But, larger plants may produce better yields.

LA Confidential has a light green colored appearance with the surface covered with orange hair and trichomes. The bud’s inner also possesses hair and trichomes. The leaves of the plant are longer in size, as you would expect from any weed from hindu kush mountains but snow-capped in appearance because of the frost, if grown outdoors. The strain produces mellow and minty smell from distance, but when smelled from near the aroma changes to smooth piney one. The strain leaves a long lasting taste but if the smoke of the weed is inhaled after burning, you can develop cough for the allergy it gives to the lungs. You can try using an erbo water pipe for better smoking experience.

Medical Effects

The Indica strain leaves you high as soon as it is puffed in. The strain is high on kick and for its pure Indica properties it affects all the parts of the body within a matter of few minutes. It can leave you heavy limbed and relaxes your muscles – also making you feel sleepy. For these calming effects, Indica lovers prefer it to all the other strains in the market. The strain is considered advantageous for anyone suffering with low appetite. The stuffs made out of the strain are high on THC percentage and provides stimulation to the brain.

For its analgesic properties, the strain is widely consumed in form of medication by patients suffering from pains. LA Confidential is greatly useful in treating back spasms and muscle cramps. For anyone suffering from anxiety and stress, this is a perfect cure.

LA Confidential As a Smoking Joint

When smoked, the strain provides an instant high, reflecting its pure Kush Genetics. The aroma that rises from the weed is hashy and hits the smoker’s brain instantly – giving heavy and trippy head effects.

Even for all its wonderful uses and the high its gives to a marijuana smoker, LA Confidential weed is categorized as a lazy that should be avoided at during working hours or you’ll find it difficult to concentrate work or even minor tasks.

Bubblegum Haze: Fruity Taste and Cerebral High

It’s a sativa dominant hybrid strain. It’s light in color and has a fairly large number of orange colored hairs on top of the leaves. A large number of crystals cover the bud area. The dominance of sativa alone is sufficient to explain the reason behind the citrus smell of the strain. However, this smell is prominent when the plant is ground up. The strain (in ready to smoke or eat form) also smells a little like the good old bazooka bubble gum!

The moment you take the strain or bubble gum seeds out of the poly-bag, you’d feel as if you’ve just opened a pack of bubble gums! That’s just about the smell; the taste too is amazing! Bubble game haze, as the name suggests, does not just have citrus smell but it tastes fruity too! Buds of the strain have glands that are filled up with syrup. The fruity taste is also because of the sativa dominance and indica effect. This strain, although known as a haze, does not have much of a ‘hazy-taste’ at all. The orange-raspberry taste simply overpowers the hazy touch the strain has got. That said, you can first enjoy consuming cannabis edibles and have a really good time shortly after that!

Bubble gum strain has been received quite well by a large number of people who use cannabis products. Medical marijuana as an alternative medicine has succeeded largely due to the reason that high-end strains such as bubble gum haze are tasty and easy to consume. Who wouldn’t like to eat up a piece of cake with some bubble gum seeds or juicy buds of bubble gum hazein it! Cannabis products made from bubble gum strain are known to have high medicinal value. They are known to provide excellent benefits in case a patient needs to combat pain, anxiety or depression. Beginning with a quick and heavy buzz, the strain produces a light and overpowering feeling of happiness and contentment, both on physical and mental level.While it can be consumed at any time, most people prefer to consume bubble gum strain medibles or other cannabis products during the night time when they’re home after spending a meaningful day with friends, colleagues, children or others. It’s a great strain but you should make it a point to buy it only when high grade quality is available. To make sure you get ‘A’ or at least ‘B-grade’bubble gum seeds or other cannabis products, you should always rely on nonprofit provisioning centers in the region.

Low Cannabis Doses can stop the progress of Brain Damage

Cannabis is a generic term used to denote the several psychoactive preparations of the main plant ---- Cannabis sativa. A well known drug, Cannabis is mostly known for its recreational uses the world over for its use in the cases of chronic ailments such as cancer and its role in post traumatic stress, insomnia, and appetite loss is well acknowledged too. As per the recent clinical researches worldwide, the medical Cannabis is found to be an effective safeguard against the various neurological disorders as well.

Brain damage can cause serious consequences that range from mild defects to serious neurological structural damages. The major reasons for the injury could be attributed to accidents, over use of toxic drugs, and hypoxia i.e. lack of oxygen availability to brain over a long period of time. Low Cannabis dose can stop the progress of brain damage considerably. As per the recently conducted clinical trials, the psychoactive component of the medical Cannabis protects the brain from long term cognitive damage.Although, Cannabis was already known to be a relief provider for patients suffering from serious neurological damage; the recent research of Prof. Sarne (Behavioral Brain Research and Experimental Brain Research) proves that an extremely low dose of Cannabis ----- almost 1,000 to 10,000 times than a regular Marijuana cigarette can lead to encouraging results.

According to similar researches in the field, the use of Cannabis (in the form of little medical doses) for a week or more can act as a catalyst in reactivating biochemical reactions in the brain region. Once these biochemical processes commence their regular schedule in the body, brain cells start functioning all over again leading to a better brain health. One of the major reasons as suggested by Prof. Sarne that makes Cannabis significantly potent in treating brain injury is that the drug causes minute damage to the brain in the beginning only, later to build resistance and trigger prevention measures to fight against the injury.

Hence, the drug assists the neurological network of the body in developing sturdy protective mechanism in wake of any kind of injury to the brain in the near future. It’s also evident from the study & many other researches that medical Cannabis has a big impact on cell signaling, preventing death of cells and promotion of associated growth factors. Apart from its use for treating neurological injuries, regular use of Cannabis in small doses can also help in prevention of injuries to brain that might occur in the future.

The positive medical effects of Cannabis are largely unknown the world over because of very limited and non-systemic research in the field. Nevertheless, with increased research work being done in the field, Cannabis would surely be established as a wonder drug for fighting the brain injuries. In addition to its encouraging effects in treating brain injuries, Cannabis also provides great relief to the people who’re at high risk of heart attack, when consumed in controlled quantities. Therefore, use of Cannabis in small limits just after the occurrence of brain injury can not only prevent further damage but also gear up the neurological framework of the body in fighting against similar challenges in the future as well.

Top 5 Favorite Wake and Bake Emerge Marijuana Strains

Wake & bake marijuana strains are perfect for medical marijuana patients who do not want to wake up every morning tired and feel wasted due to chronic pain, depression or other issues in day to day life. The day ahead can be really tiring and frustrating in case you’ve got a day job or dozens of random chores to deal with. Some fine marijuana strains can really power you upfor a hard day ahead!

Here, we’re going to list the best cannabis medicine strains that you can use for perfect morning rips!

1. Cherry AK

An excellent wake and bake strain, Cherry AK is one of the finest marijuana medicines available in the United States today. This strain does live up to its name ‘Cherry AK.’ You’d be surprised that the strain does really taste almost like cherries! Who wouldn’t want to enjoy a pleasant high right in the morning before going on a morning walk or heading to the office after feasting on a smooth and tasty Cherry AK? The cherry aroma emanating from each one of its buds and softness are two characteristics that you’ll never forget!

2. Strawberry Diesel

If you want a subtle but deep high that keeps your head clear, and in a productive mode, you should really try the tasty Strawberry Diesel strain. It’s a mix of Strawberry Cough & NYC Diesel. A little Strawberry Diesel in the morning and you can go about working, playing or roaming around the town or city with your friends for several hours at a stretch. A sativa strain, Strawberry Diesel is both potent & tasty (almost the same as wild strawberries, if you’ve tasted some). If you get your hands on this strain or Strawberry Cough, don’t think twice – stock up!

3. Couzin Itt

One of the best medicinal marijuana strains for daytime medication, Couzin Itt is known for its extremely pleasant high and fruity taste. It’s one of those strains that you can use right in the morning without having to worry about getting too stoned to work or play.

4. Sour Kush

It’s a perfect strain for morning rips if it’s chronic pain you want to get rid of through medical marijuana. Sour Kush can rightly be counted among the best cannabis medicines strains as it induces a very powerful couch lock. The ‘high’ produced by the strain is equally amazing. The strain tastes almost like a sour candy and therefore, it’s very easy for anyone to consume it.

5. Blue Pearl

It’s not a hard hitting marijuana strain. It’s one of those marijuana strains that give a slow and soft kick. Perfect for daytime (especially during the summers), Blue Pearl has an amazing fruity (blueberry) taste and smell. Try it once and you’ll never forget the aroma or the taste, really!  Blue Pearl’s pleasant high has a long shelf life. That means you need not go for another session during the day time. A crazy boss, a frustrating work place, naughty kids, physical exhaustion or chronic pain – Blue Pearl can keep you relaxed, physically and mentally, all day long! 

There are hundreds of strains out there that they may want to try at one point or the other. These 5 are among the best marijuana strains for morning use. Nearly all of these strains are clear sativa or have a dominant sativa element in them. In the morning, you want to stay positive, feel energetic and have a clear head for a satisfying day ahead. That’s exactly what these strains can help you achieve without!