Understanding Cannabis in Gray, Rather than Black and White

After seeing the experience with my neighbors, I have been fascinated to understand drugs and Psychedelics. You can read about my neighbor's experience on "Psychedelics and its Use in Neurology and Psychiatry". With this, I decided to do a little research on cannabis.

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Cannabis has become a multi-billion dollar industry that is sold both in illicit markets and in some states where it is sold legally. While some research has been done to show that cannabis can be used medically, there are still wrongs and a lot of division around the plant. From being smoked, baked, vaped, cooked, and even sniffed, a lot of people consume cannabis even beyond the number of people you think. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2019 about 48.2 million people, or about 18% of Americans took cannabis once. The cannabidoid receptors are scattered arounf the brain, making them the most abundant in the brain. This plant is one of the most complicated plants of use in Medcine and science. Unlike plants such as Castor which is black or white, Cannabis is gray with touches of other distinct colors. It has been said to have both beneficial and detrimental in some cases. So it would be good to understand the conditions where this plant is beneficial or not-beneficial, who should use Cannabis, would there be a time where a person would be able able to use cannabis, what dose should be injested into our system and how should it be injested are questions that would be considered if we are going to have a world where Cannabis is going to be beneficial. Before I continue, there is an ancient hindu believe that the god Shiva brought Bhang for the pleasure of man

It is no doubt that Cannabis has not been properly studied, although a lot of people have been able to do some research and test but it is not the still properly investigated to be able to draw a line. One place where Cannabis has showed a great importance is with veterans who suffer from post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) although lots of research hasn't been done on this to proove their relationship but there is a possible potential efficacious intervention for PTSD. Cannabis taking at a low dose has a potential of reducing anxiety. Cannabis is made up of over 500 chemicals, including cannabinoid. . Its high feeling when taken was discovered by Raphael Mechoulam who arttributed the property to Tetrahycrocannabinol (THC) in 1964. THC binds to cannabinoid receptors which is in the brain and in other parts of the body (endocannabinoid). Endocannabinoid functions in homeostasis and when they are binded by THC, they control both cognitive and motor activities of the body. While in small doses, THC can help to reduce stress, in higher doses it can increase anxiety.

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Cannabis has been legalized for medical purposes in some US states such as California but not federally. The FDA hasn't approved the use of Cannabis for medical purposes federally, and most countries look up to the United States to follow suite. I would say that the fact that there are more than one specie of this plant is making it more difficult to study, as Indica, Sativa, and other species including Ruderalis perform the same functions. Most people now plant hybrid species which has Terpenes. With hybrid cannabis being grown, other cannabinoids such as Cannabidiol (CBD) has been identified, and it research shows that it is helping with quelling epilepsy and seizures as it helps to increase anandamide, and seratonin interaction. While Cannabis is not FDA approved, CBD drugs like Epidiolex have been FDA approved to treat rare and severe cases of epilepsy. Another condition that CBD has been looked into is Autism Spectrum Disorder behavioral problems. A study showed that it is helpful in controlling the behavioral problems associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder .

While researches are done to see the benefits of Cannabis, it has also been proven that taking cannabis at an early age is associated with decreased white matter, and great thickening of the cerebral cortex over time. This leads to a reduction and difficulty in memory tasks, learning, and other cognitive performance. Also, taking cannabis during pregnancy has shown to affect the memory, problem-solving skills, behavior and memory of the infants as they grow. Even when mentioning these negative side, let's also remember that addiction is a negative side effect as well. Also, psychosis isn't a news when it comes to taking excessive Cannabis and as a result of THC. Immediate stop of Cannabis can cause irritation, inability to sleep, and other cannabis withdrawal symptoms.

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Reference

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/data-statistics.htm

https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/42/8250

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5209363/

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/marijuana_ptsd_vets.asp

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6397040/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8746417/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789136/

https://www.vedantu.com/chemistry/terpenes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6514832/

https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/health-effects/pregnancy.html

https://www.fda.gov

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4161693/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4925620/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6359953/

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