10 More Things You Might Not Know About Cannabis

10 More Things You Might Not Know About Cannabis

In February we published an article titled 12 Things You Might Not Know About Cannabis. Here, we present the 2nd part to this article.

 

• The government-funded National Cancer Institute is forthright with the fact that cannabis has vast medical value, including tumor fighting capabilities.

In drastic contrast to the Drug Enforcement Administration and other government entities, the U.S. National Cancer Institute has a report published on its website which proclaims several benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids, citing numerous scientific studies to back their claims. Among the benefits of cannabis, the organization says, is its anti-tumor capabilities, its effectiveness as a painkiller, and its usefulness as an appetite stimulant.

 

• Cannabis can help stop organs from being rejected during transplants

In the U.S. (and many other countries around the world), people are regularly denied organ transplants if they test positive for cannabis, even if they’re qualified medical cannabis patients in states where it’s legal. It turns out that, beyond being a human rights catastrophe, it may be one of the most counterproductive practices in the medical world.

Recent studies – including one published recently by the National Institute of Health – have shown that cannabinoids can actually help the body accept new organs, significantly reducing the possibility of the transplant failing (which often leads to death).

 

• In 2013 alone, there were over 1,200 pieces of cannabis-related legislation filed throughout the United States.

2013 has (by far) surpassed the mark of most cannabis-related legislation ever introduced in the U.S., with over 1,000 proposals filed in various states. This trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon, with numerous lawmakers already planning cannabis reform legislation for the 2014 session, and with support for reform growing at a rapid pace.

 

• A medical spray made from the cannabis plant is legal for those with multiple sclerosis in over 20 countries.

Sativex, which is made entirely of cannabis-derived cannabinoids, is legal in over 20 countries across the globe, and is pending approval in nearly a dozen more. Canada was the first nation to approve this medication for use by people suffering with multiple sclerosis.

Despite the approval of this medication, most of the countries which have approved it retain harsh criminal penalties for those possessing, growing or using cannabis in its raw form, even for medical purposes, further displaying the ever-apparent hypocrisy of cannabis prohibition.

 

• Hemp is carbon negative.

Even when you account for its full production – from seed to product – hemp is entirely carbon negative; hemp is one of the only plants in the world that this is true of. This means that hemp production does absolutely no harm to the environment, and may actually be beneficial to it.

Given this, and given hemp’s unrivaled diversity, it’s hard to argue that hemp is a necessity for an environmentally sustainable future.

 

• Cannabinoids derived from hemp can expand the life of dogs and cats.

Recently a product labelled under the name Canna-Pets hit store shelves across the U.S. as a legal, over-the-counter cannabis medication for pets, which can help with a variety of ailments from diabetes to muscle pain. Interestingly, after 5 years of clinical studies, it was found that this new product – which is made from cannabinoids derived from hemp – can actually expand the life of pets. It does so with absolutely no side effects.

 

• Cannabis can alter genes.
  

A recent study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry has found that THC – a compound found in cannabis – can actually alter genes, which can help treat a number of conditions, such as cancers and inflammatory diseases. The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Health.

 

•  Cannabis is made up of over 400 various compounds, most all of which have intense medical value.

What the government fails to acknowledge when they use the argument that “Marinol [synthetic THC] is legal, so we don’t need to legalize medical cannabis”, is that cannabis is made up of far more than just THC; cannabis actually consists of over 400 individual compounds, most all of which can be broken down and used for a variety of medical conditions. However, these compounds are most effective when taken together, which is why consuming cannabis has such intense medical value.

 

• Cannabis legalization decreases traffic fatalities.

A study conducted by researchers at Montana State University and the University of Colorado found that states which have legalized medical cannabis have seen a significant reduction in overall traffic fatalities – an 11% reduction in total. Those behind the study claim that the reduction is due to a simultaneous reduction in alcohol consumption, which is validated by the fact that medical cannabis states have seen a large reduction in alcohol-related accidents. The study was recently updated and published in the Journal of Law and Economics.

 

• Cannabis is an antibacterial.

Recent studies – including this one funded by the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Pharmacognosy – have shown that cannabis, as well as fabric made from industrial hemp, has antibacterial capabilities, and can actually fight off deadly bacteria such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This indicates that clothing made from hemp may actually save lives.

– TheJointBlog