Medical Marijuana: The Highs and Lows

Here at medicalmarijuanablog.com we attempt to give the full story about medical marijuana; the highs and the lows so to speak. As with everything in life, cannabis, whether used for medicinal or recreational purposes, isn’t all good. As my mother was fond of telling me, ‘all things can be good in moderation.’

Can Marijuana be Harmful?

Overdo anything and it can be harmful, so let’s be honest with ourselves and look at the possible harm weed can do to your system:

The University of Leicester in England completed a study in June last year (2009) the results of which suggest that there is 50% more carcinogenic material in marijuana smoke than in cigarette smoke. The researchers suggest that three to four joints a day had the same damaging effect on the bronchial mucus membranes as smoking 20 cigarettes a day. And, of course, we know that when you’re smoking cannabis the inhale is deeper and lasts longer. Furthermore, the researchers noted that regular cannabis users are more vulnerable to chest colds, bronchitis, emphysema and bronchial asthma.

Emotional Impact Claimed by the Anti-Weed Lobby

As far as the American Council for Drug Education is concerned, marijuana reduces learning ability, limiting the absorption and retention of new information. Large amounts of marijuana can, they say, lead to toxic psychosis and who are we to argue? I’m sure many of us know people, or of people, who have overdone the weed, sometimes becoming paranoid in the process. These problems are reversible and usually disappear within days of giving up smoking.

These hazards do exist, particularly I would think for recreational cannabis smokers. If you are using medical marijuana properly then you won’t get yourself into this situation anyway: you will be taking your herbal medicine at regular intervals and controlled dosages, and the benefits of medical marijuana are well researched and documented. And, don’t forget, there are ways to get your medicine other than smoking, what about marijuana vaporizers for instance?

Here are some of the reported not-so-good effects of overdoing the weed:

• Decreased attention span
• Poor co-ordination
• Dry mouth
• Sore eyes
• Rapid heart beat
• Impaired perception
• Loss of short-term memory
• Psychological dependency

When you believe passionately in something, it can be hard to admit that things are not perfect. The truth with marijuana, both medical and otherwise, is that there are hazards; there are hazards with everything. By being aware of the hazards you put yourself in a good space to avoid them. And by legalizing medical marijuana, the whole country puts itself on a better footing to avoid some of the nastier consequences happening.

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