Many activists are fighting to legalize medical marijuana. This plant could help so many people. We need to make it legal across the country.
Since Colorado and other states are legalizing it, their rates of drug prescriptions have gone down. I’m giving you some statistics that show how much marijuana could be helping people if it were legal everywhere in the U.S., with focus on the medical aspect of legalizing medical marijuana.
Here is a diagram to show what the medical marijuana laws are like in every state:
The spread of marijuana legalization, explained https://t.co/T1weH6vPKF pic.twitter.com/LrXBpPFrO8
— Vox (@voxdotcom) July 30, 2016
1. Decreased Anti-Depressant Use
Research found:
“Doctors in states with medical marijuana programs prescribed 265 less antidepressants every year than doctors in states without medical cannabis.”
2. Helping Nausea
Doctors in states with legal marijuana have been writing fewer prescriptions for anti-nausea medicines.
3. Anti-Seizure
Doctors in states with legal medical marijuana have written 486 fewer prescriptions for anti-seizure.
4. Doctors Support It
A majority of doctors polled, 76 percent, said that they are in favor of medical marijuana. The survey’s author said:
“We were surprised by the outcome of polling and comments, with 76 percent of all votes in favor of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes — even though marijuana use is illegal in most countries.”
5. Decrease In Suicide Rate
A study written by professors from Montana State, San Diego State, and the University of Colorado at Denver found that suicide rates for men ages 20-29 decreased by 10.9 percent. Suicides among men ages 30-39 dropped by 9.4 percent.
6. Medical Marijuana Has Been Around For Centuries
Medical marijuana use dates back over 3,000 years. It was introduced to Western medical professionals in the 19th century. It can be a great pain reliever. It can also be used to treat seizures and many other conditions.
7. It Could Help Schizophrenia Patients
Using marijuana can help strengthen a patient’s cognitive functioning. Research is being done to find out if it could help people with mental illnesses. Until the drug is fully legalized, the research is greatly impeded.
8. It Could Potentially Treat Cancer
Studies have shown that marijuana can help shrink tumors. It is also used for nausea associated with chemotherapy. Also, it doesn’t hurt your lungs the way cigarettes do.
9. People In Colorado Are Using It Mostly For Pain
A White House report on medical marijuana found:
“In Colorado, according to the Department of Health, only 2% of users reported cancer, and less than 1% reported HIV/AIDS as their reason for marijuana. The vast majority (94%) reported ‘severe pain.'”
Medical marijuana can help people with chronic pain and is a lot safer than opiods. Here is a diagram showing the dangers of opiod painkillers.
Medical marijuana could ease opioid crisis https://t.co/2t9zMmOMtU … pic.twitter.com/9US0HFiJsa
— MME (@MME_MESA) June 29, 2016
10. It Could Help Slow The Progression Of Alzheimer’s
A 2006 study in Molecular Pharmaceutics found that marijuana could be used to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by stopping the formation of amyloid plaques in the brain. Stopping this seems to help people retain their memory longer.
Here is a diagram showing the different chemicals in marijuana and what they do:
https://twitter.com/NewHeightsLabs/status/758153460235825153
11. Cannabis Helps Lupus Patients Cope With Nausea And Pain
From Dr. Sean Breen, for MedicalJane.com:
“By lowering the levels of the inflammation-promoting protein interleukin-2, and raising levels of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10, cannabis shows that it may be beneficial for treating autoimmune disorders where inflammation is the main complication.”
Here is a cool video about the health benefits of marijuana:
Featured image via Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain, Free for commercial use, no attribution required.
