What does weed do for people with cancer?

Marijuana has been widely used among many peoples for centuries. In modern history, however, cannabis has had a bad wrap. Thought to only serve to fry the minds of teens and make adults lazy, researchers are now giving marijuana another look. 

As of this writing, cannabis is still a Schedule I controlled substance, as classified by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). However, it is legal to prescribe marijuana in many states as a treatment for various illnesses and diseases. 

One of which is cancer. Studies have shown that weed can play a big role in relieving the symptoms brought on by cancer sufferers. But what exactly does it do and how can it help

Marijuana helps with feelings of nausea

Cancer sufferers often deal with a great deal of nausea and sickness. This leads to vomiting, many times as a result of chemotherapy. In fact, some patients’ bodies are believed to “know” when chemotherapy is about to begin and will suddenly become nauseated.

The good news is that smoking weed has helped many patients get relief from these symptoms of sickness in the stomach. For this reason, we’ve seen a spike in recent years of cancer patients being prescribed medical marijuana to help relieve these feelings of nausea.

Cannabis can help relieve nerve pain

Another common issue associated with cancer is neuropathic pain. This kind of pain is brought on when the nerves in the patient’s body become damaged. Studies conducted with cancer sufferers showed that smoking marijuana led to less pain and discomfort. Giving the patient some relief with cannabis during their cancer treatments is thought by many to be safer than man-made synthetic medications.

Weed can help restore patients’ appetites

Cancer sufferers who also have HIV were shown to experience great relief when smoking marijuana. Many times, one’s appetite dissipates over time, leaving the patient despondent about eating food.

Since marijuana often leads to hunger pangs, or the “munchies,” smoking weed is an excellent way to help restore the lost appetites of cancer patients with HIV. This helps improve food intake, which is essential at all times, especially during an illness.

Using cannabis can lead to less pain medication intake

There are a lot of mixed feelings over synthetic pain medications. We know that they can easily lead to addiction, with a laundry list of other concerns that come with them. 

As such, many cancer patients would prefer to be taken off of them in favor of something more natural. And that’s where cannabis comes into the picture. 

It is shown to be a safe and effective alternative over pain medications. Marijuana enables the cancer sufferer to reduce their pain medication intake, thereby decreasing their chances of becoming addicted or having a medical reaction to the synthetic compounds and chemicals that make up the drug.

Since weed helps fight pain and keep it under control, this is an excellent resource for patients who wish to take a more natural approach to their cancer treatment.

Cancer breakthrough

Recent studies performed by scientists during early clinical trials showed that the cannabinoids that are found in marijuana are capable of slowing down the growth of certain cancer cells. And in some cases, cannabis was responsible for killing cancer altogether.

These tests were performed in Petri dishes and led to some amazing results. If scientists and researchers can figure out a way to harness the power of marijuana, it could lead to an even bigger breakthrough in the cancer study community.

As it stands, however, the test results are a huge step in the right direction as it is. Having the ability to actually kill cancer cells is nothing short of remarkable.

With that being said, it’s important to remember that certain cancer treatments are necessary for the health of the patient. Relying solely on marijuana could have grave consequences. Moreover, in some patients, cannabis can prove to be more of a hindrance than a help.

Concerns of marijuana

Cannabis isn’t for everyone. In some people, marijuana is met with a feeling of well-being, relaxation, and euphoria. In others, however, it can cause fear, anxiety, loss of motor functions, and disorientation.

Severe cases of paranoia have also been reported among some users. Similar to cigarettes, smoking marijuana delivers other chemicals to the body that can affect certain people negatively. 

The cannabinoids are considered the “good stuff” in marijuana. But there are also many chemicals that are found in cigarettes. As such, it’s important to evaluate each patient to ensure that they are suited for marijuana. 

Types of cannabis

There are many different types, or strains, of marijuana that have differing effects on each person. And not everyone responds to these strains in the same way. Whereas one person might feel happy and calm, another might experience feelings of paranoia or sadness.

How each person smokes also plays role in the delivery and effects of marijuana. The longer you inhale, the more of an effect you are likely to experience. Smoking marijuana for many months or years can lead to dependency.

This dependence is unlike a chemical dependence on medications and other drugs. But it can still be debilitating for some people.

Because of this, it is important to limit each cancer patient to the most efficient dose. This will help to ensure that dependency isn’t developed over the course of their treatment.

Medicines with cannabinoids

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has thus far approved two cannabis compounds that are chemically pure cannabinoids. These are known as Nabilone and Dronabinol.

Nabilone is actually a synthetic cannabinoid that works very much like real THC. Taken orally, Nabilone is designed to treat symptoms of nausea and vomiting among cancer sufferers. This is usually prescribed when other medications of the same purpose fail to work with the patient.

Dronabinol comes in the form of a gelatin capsule and is sometimes prescribed to patients with both cancer and HIV. It helps to restore lost appetite and reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting brought on by chemotherapy treatment. 

In addition, these medications can limit pain in cancer sufferers, allowing them to feel more comfortable throughout their cancer treatment. 

As you can see, there is a lot of evidence to support the benefits of marijuana in cancer sufferers. If you have a valid, government-issued ID and would like to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana delivered right to your door, visit Emjay today.