“Statistically and clinically significant therapeutic benefits” come from medical marijuana
Every time a study supports the claims that medical marijuana use can alleviate an ailment, it is a significant step forward toward legitimizing the natural plant as a safe alternative to pharmaceutical chemicals. If the studies, like two recently published in the Frontiers in Pharmacology and Medicine journals, show that medical marijuana use doesn’t carry with it any inherently negative side effects, it is an even bigger deal.
The studies, which were conducted by the University of New Mexico, showed that medical marijuana can provide relief of symptoms from a wide range of health conditions, such as chronic pain and insomnia. They pointed out that “statistically and clinically significant therapeutic benefits” were seen by the patients.
In one study, users suffering from 27 different ailments with symptoms from seizures to depression reported an average reduction in symptoms of between 2.8 to 4.6 points on a scale of zero to 10 as a result of consuming cannabis. Consumption ranged from inhaling to using concentrates to applying topical solutions. Anxiety and depression sufferers saw the most relief.
In the second study, cannabis buds were used to treat insomnia. According to the results, cannabis users experienced a decrease in symptom severity of an average of 4.5 points on the same zero-to-10 scale. The study showed that those who consumed marijuana through a pipe or vaporizer experienced greater relief. Insomnia sufferers who vaped also reported a greater reduction in side effects.
Following the completion of the two studies, a common theme was determined. 94% of cannabis users who suffer from a variety of health conditions saw great relief of their symptoms.
Jacob Vigil, who co-authored both studies, said, “If the results found in our studies can be extrapolated to the general population, cannabis could systematically replace multi-billion dollar medication industries around the world. It is likely already beginning to do so.”
Vigil’s words are more than likely the precise reason why cannabis has been slow to receive legalization.
