Mental Health and Marijuana

One of the biggest problems that a lot of Americans face in our world today has to do with mental health. While it seems that the quality of living seems to improve with each generation, it is fair to say that our mental well-being is taking a step in the opposite direction. As of right now, there are more people in the United States that suffer from some sort of mental illness than ever before. Can marijuana be a good treatment option for some of these individuals? We are going to talk about that today. One of the main problems with mental health is that it is not well understood and often overlooked regarding its significance in our overall well-being.

Anyone who has struggled with mental health issues will tell you that these problems can be just as debilitating as other diseases and can leave the patient who is struggling in a world of hurt. Not to mention, the current prescription medications that are commonly used to treat mental illness leave much to be desired. Many of these prescriptions lose effectiveness at some point, provided that they are actually effective at all. Plus, there are often a lot of side effects to thes popular medications that can be harmful to the patient who is already struggling with the symptoms of their mental illness. So what do I mean by mental illness?

Mainly, I am talking about conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, but there are plenty more out there that I will not be touching on. The main question we will be discussing today is how medical marijuana can actually be used to manage and treat some of the symptoms related to these mental health disorders. So if you or a loved one falls into any of those mental health categories, keep on reading to find out more about how cannabis could potentially help!

When it comes to mental health use and cannabis, depression has been studied and researched the most. This is because depression has been rampant in our society for so very long, and there is often no way to treat it for good. Many people that struggled with depression very well deal with it for their entire lifetime, and are only able to somewhat get rid of it throughout the years. Many people originally thought that depression was increased by the use of marijuana, but plenty of medical research and studies have shown that misconception to not be the case in a controlled study. It is actually suggested that, when depression is the only mental health disorder that is being addressed, THC can actually alleviate symptoms of depression and increase levels of dopamine and relaxation throughout the body and brain. MRIs that were done on patients with depression that used medical marijuana also showed that the part of the brain responsible for negative emotion was also dulled with the use of medical marijuana. This means that levels of depression can actually decrease in patients who are using cannabis with THC.

Another form of mental health disorders fall into the category of anxiety, like generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, social anxiety, and many others. While it is true that for some people, THC can actually increase levels of anxiety. However, this is not the case for everyone. Research also shows that patients who use medical marijuana with higher levels of CBD also experience less symptoms of anxiety and also feel more calm and relaxed overall. Medical marijuana could very well be the secret to living a healthier and happier life, free of debilitating mental health dissorders.

 

Using Cannabis for Arthritis Pain

If you or someone you know has had to struggle with arthritis, then you know just how debilitating it can be at times. My grandma has been struggling with arthritis for years now, and it is really hard to watch her go through that knowing there is nothing I can really do to help. Sadly, arthritis is not necessarily an uncommon ailment in the United States. In fact, there are some 50 million adults in the United States that have been diagnosed with joint pain related to arthritis. Joint pain is a huge bummer because it can really affect your day-to-day life and make it so that you are not able to enjoy things as you normally would. 

People with arthritis will tell you that the pain can be extreme. According to some research from the CDC about arthritis, a shocking 25% of patients with arthritis and joint pain have said that their pain can be extremely severe depending on the day. What this means is that there needs to be more help available to these people in order to give them hope. It is also true that people with arthritis are more likely to be impacted by some mental health problems like depression and anxiety. So, why am I talking about this today? Well, it all comes down to medical marijauna. Have you heard of people using cannabis to help with joint pain relief? With how many hours I spend typing every week, I fully expect to be dealing with some serious arthritis by the time I hit 35. Using medical marijuana may be extremely important to me down the road. 

The problem with dealing with arthritis pain is that relief can be hard to find. A lot of over the counter pain medications do not really have an effect on the pain, and using opioids that are sometimes prescribed to treat arthritis can have some pretty nasty results. The biggest problem for people with this condition is that there are not a lot of options available for them to treat their symptoms. One of the things that doctors recommend is lifestyle changes, like getting more exercise and working out. However, the problem with this is that it can be hard to do those things while you are in so much pain. So what if there were a drug that would provide more relief for arthritis pain but would not cause the same long-term problems that opioids do? 

Well, my friends, that is where cannabis comes in. Research has been done over the last few years that suggests the effectiveness of using cannabidiol to reduce joint inflammation and ultimately lead to less arthritis pain. Cannabidiol (CBD) is part of the cannabis plant that is extracted and used to create a variety of CBD products in today’s marijuana industry. The great thing about CBD is that the federal government has deemed it has a hemp-derived product, which means that it is legal to sell it and use it throughout the entire United States. It also does not produce a high that people normally associate with cannabis. CBD is much more focused on wellbeing and health benefits, rather than getting high. It is not yet known what exactly about CBD can help the body, but we know that it does. CBD reduces inflammation on a cellular level, so much so that many medical patients have begun using this type of cannabis product to treat their arthritis and joint pain. If you have been struggling with pain and have not tried using CBD before, it may be worth trying!

Using Cannabis for Arthritis Pain

If you or someone you know has had to struggle with arthritis, then you know just how debilitating it can be at times. My grandma has been struggling with arthritis for years now, and it is really hard to watch her go through that knowing there is nothing I can really do to help. Sadly, arthritis is not necessarily an uncommon ailment in the United States. In fact, there are some 50 million adults in the United States that have been diagnosed with joint pain related to arthritis. Joint pain is a huge bummer because it can really affect your day to day life and make it so that you are not able to enjoy things as you normally would. People with arthritis will tell you that the pain can be extreme. According to some research from the CDC about arthritis, a shocking 25% of patients with arthritis and joint pain have said that their pain can be extremely severe depending on the day.

What this means is that there needs to be more help available to these people in order to give them hope. It is also true that people with arthritis are more likely to be impacted by some mental health problems like depression and anxiety. So, why am I talking about this today? Well, it all comes down to medical marijauna. Have you heard of people using cannabis to help with joint pain relief? With how many hours I spend typing every week, I fully expect to be dealing with some serious arthritis by the time I hit 35. Using medical marijuana may be extremely important to me down the road. 

The problem with dealing with arthritis pain is that relief can be hard to find. A lot of over the counter pain medications do not really have an effect on the pain, and using opioids that are sometimes prescribed to treat arthritis can have some pretty nasty results. The biggest problem for people with this condition is that there are not a lot of options available for them to treat their symptoms. One of the things that doctors recommend is lifestyle changes, like getting more exercise and working out. However, the problem with this is that it can be hard to do those things while you are in so much pain. So what if there were a drug that would provide more relief for arthritis pain but would not cause the same long-term problems that opioids do? Well, my friends, that is where cannabis comes in. Research has been done over the last few years that suggests the effectiveness of using cannabidiol to reduce joint inflammation and ultimately lead to less arthritis pain.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is part of the cannabis plant that is extracted and used to create a variety of CBD products in today’s marijuana industry. The great thing about CBD is that the federal government has deemed it has a hemp-derived product, which means that it is legal to sell it and use it throughout the entire United States. It also does not produce a high that people normally associate with cannabis. CBD is much more focused on wellbeing and health benefits, rather than getting high. It is not yet known what exactly about CBD can help the body, but we know that it does. CBD reduces inflammation on a cellular level, so much so that many medical patients have begun using this type of cannabis product to treat their arthritis and joint pain. If you have been struggling with pain and have not tried using CBD before, it may be worth trying!

 

What Happens if the Fed Legalizes Cannabis?

The pro-cannabis community and organizations have eagerly awaited a time like this history - a time where the majority of the states in the United States have at least some form of medical marijuana available to the public by means of medical marijuana programs or recreational usage. With each state that passes new legislation allowing the use of marijuana, we edge closer and closer to having a federal bill passed that legalizes cannabis for everyone in the United States. While it may seem like a long shot to some people, I actually have a few things to talk about that will help you see it may be closer than we think. Afterall, both our neighboring nations (Canada and Mexico) have federally legalized weed, so it only makes sense that America has its turn coming up soon. A whole lot can change in the next 5 years, so I think that it is best if we stay diligent and patient to see what happens with lawmakers and the idea of federally legal cannabis. 

It almost sounds too good to be true, but there is still a lot to think about when it comes to the idea of weed being legalized. What kind of impact would that have on our healthcare systems? What about our economy? How would it affect crime rates and incarceration rates in the United States prison system? Would prisoners be able to be freed if they were arrested for using or possessing marijuana? The whole thing leaves a lot of questions left unanswered. The important thing to keep in mind is that we have to remain patient and hope that our current administration will make some more pressing decisions. In the meantime, we can sit back in speculation as to what a federal legalization of cannabis might mean for us in the United States.

When I think of cannabis reform in the United States, one of the things that comes into my mind is pricing of weed throughout our country. Some of you that may be reading this might be thinking that weed isn’t really all that expensive right now compared to what it used to be. However, there are certain places in the United States where weed is so insanely expensive you almost would not be able to believe it. A lot of the reason for this is because of government regulations curbing the amount of dispensaries that are able to operate in one area. WIthout any competition, patients have nowhere else to go. This means that some dispensaries can just charge whatever the heck they want and consumers just have to deal with it. If weed was legalized on a federal level, we would begin to see much more competition with the cannabis industry, and this would result in prices being driven back down to what the market would deem as appropriate. In some areas, the price of cannabis would probably not change all that much. In others, the difference would be light night and day. If you are living in a place where cannabis is not very affordable, I am really sorry for you. Hopefully we can all see a day where this country fully accepts and allows marijuana.

Another thing that would happen if the federal government legalized weed is that there would be a great influx of tax revenue generated from the new marijuana programs. If you have never actually seen some of the revenue that states are raking in from their marijuana programs, I highly suggest looking into it (I’ve written about it before). It is no secret that the United States is in a bit of money trouble (to put it lightly). The U.S. federal government would see billions of dollars come into their pockets just from taxes related to growing, manufacturing, distributing, and selling cannabis in the country.

Medical Marijuana Candy

Edibles have quickly become one the more popular ways for patients across the United States to consume medical marijuana. While many people prefer smoking weed, as it is one of the methods of consumption that produce the most immediate results, edibles have become a great option for people that do not want to participate in the inhalation methods of consuming their cannabis. The great thing about edibles is that they have really come a long way in their production quality, making them absolutely perfect for people who want to experience a high, treat their pain and chronic disease symptoms, and all around just relax without actually having to smoke their weed.

When people think of marijuana edibles, they often think back to their weird friend in high school making “pot brownies” in their basement that basically tasted like boiled dandelion water (though it definitely got you high, am I right?) However, edibles in our current marijuana market are much more advanced in terms of their design quality and overall effectiveness. Medical and recreational dispensaries across the United States have begun selling basically any form of snack or delicious treat that you can think of in the form of a marijuana edible. One of the many forms of cannabis edibles that we want to talk about today is the form of candy.

While it is not your regular pot brownie or cookie, candies are a great way to get a very exact dosage of CBD or THC in a very small and delicious package. Depending on the state that you live in, cannabis candies are allowed to contain different milligrams of THC depending on their size. And if one is not enough to get you feeling high, you can always pop a few more! 

So when it comes to cannabis candies, what kinds of treats might one find in the dispensary? Well, the answer is pretty much any type of candy you can find in your local convenience or grocery store. Chocolates, gummy bears, gummy worms, mints, hard candies, lollipops, caramels, popcorn, pop rocks, taffy, gum, dried fruit, licorice, and even fruit snacks can all be found in dispensaries near you loaded up with a good deal of THC. So if you have been waiting for an invitation to go ahead and try cannabis edibles for the first time, this is it!

There are a lot of pros to using these edibles, and also some cons, and we are going to talk about both of those today in this article. When it comes to edibles, something I mentioned briefly already is that they are great for finding that easy dosage of THC or CBD. Many medical marijuana patients who use cannabis regularly have trouble finding the exactly correct dose when relying on regular cannabis buds or flowers. This is because it can be hard to know exactly how much you need to smoke or how high you want to be.

The great thing about edibles like cannabis gummy worms is that you need only take 1 or 2 to find the exact right dosage you need. Another pro from using these edibles is that there is a variety of products available, meaning that you won’t get bored of just using the same candies over and over again. Had chocolates last week?

Try some breath mints this time! The possibilities are basically endless. There are also cons to using cannabis edibles that come in the form of candy and other treats. One of the most prominent ones is that these edibles can often be high in sugar, fat, and calories, making it difficult for people to regularly use them that are trying to stick to strict diet plans or calorie deficits.

 

What You Need to Know About Vaping Cannabis

As you get more involved in the cannabis industry in the United States, you will find yourself following different rabbit trails of products and strains. Have you ever looked into using weed vaporizers? Vapes got really popular with the increasing trend of nicotine products. However, they are also great to use for smoking weed. You see, a lot of people love smokable cannabis, but don’t always want to deal with how complicated it can be. Smoking cannabis with a pipe, bong, or by rolling a joint is usually a bit of work to get things going and set up. Plus, it’s not as easy to take these methods of smoking to other locations discreetly. What if there was a joint that you could light once, smoke for a bit, then throw back into your pocket or bag? Sounds too good to be true right? Well, weed vaporizers can be just that and more. There is research to support vaping marijuana products to be much better than smoking in terms of health risk, and there are also experts testifying that it can have more negative effects. Today we are going to be talking about everything you need to know about vaping and cannabis. If you have been thinking about picking up a vape pen and trying to use it to smoke weed, then you should definitely read the rest of this article. So without further ado, let’s get into the nitty gritty!

So what are vapes, and what do you need to know? Well, there are basically three main categories of vapes. There are big vaporizers that are large and stationary, generally meant to be set on a table and used for smoking. Then there are portable vaporizers and vape pens. I know it can sound a little confusing, but just stick with me and it will all make more sense. 

The main thing that you need to know about using vapes for smoking weed is that you use a heated chamber to heat and burn the dry herb or oil that is in the vape, which turns it into smoke or vapor that you can inhale. Vape pens have become super popular due to what I was talking about earlier - they are super convenient, portable, and discreet. They are also fairly cheap compared to bigger and more stationary vaporizers. If you want my opinion only, portable vapes are definitely the way to go when it comes to smoking weed. Vaping is great because you can choose between different strains, products, and options for consuming cannabis very easily. Some people prefer vaping dry herbs. 

For this type of vaping, you basically just place the crushed weed into the heating chamber of the vape and click the button to heat it up - then you breathe in that sweet weed and you are good to go. Dry herb vapes are great for people who do not want to use oils or concentrates but still want to utilize the convenience and portability of a vape pen. You can also use concentrates and oils to vape with, which is probably a bit more popular among the vaping community. Some cannabis concentrates are extremely potent with THC, reaching as high of levels as 60 to 80 percent! That is a lot of THC, people. These types of vape concentrates really only need to be hit once or twice, so it is a lot different than smoking from a pipe or a joint. I hope that this article was helpful for you and that you can get yourself a nice vape for smoking weed.