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ОглавлениеThe Medical Effects of Marijuana and the Science Behind It
Why does marijuana make you feel better? Marijuana contains hundreds of natural chemical compounds, many of which possess psychoactive and therapeutic properties that work within your body to produce positive effects that support healing. Whether you inhale or ingest marijuana, its active ingredients make their way to your blood stream and interact with your body to produce beneficial effects. The chemical compounds that make marijuana an effective medication are called cannabinoids.
What is a cannabinoid?
You’ve heard the term THC in reference to marijuana. THC is short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the most prominent psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. Cannabinoids are pharmacologically active compounds. THC is one of them. When you use marijuana, the cannabinoids find their way to their target, your body’s cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoids bind to one of the receptors. This might make you feel euphoric and relieves the symptoms of your medical condition.
THE CANNABINOIDS
The major active chemical compounds found in marijuana are:
DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (Δ9-THC): THC is the most psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. THCA (tetrahy-drocannabinolic acid) is highly concentrated in the flowering clusters or buds. It converts to the more active form, THC, as it dries.
CANNABIDOL (CBD): CBD is the second most predominant cannabinoid in marijuana. This compound continues to provoke interest for its therapeutic value. It has little or no psychoactive properties. Researchers and patients have begun to focus on the beneficial effects of using THC and CBD together, as well as on CBD’s individual effect on diseases and afflictions. CBD reduces anxiety and panic in some patients. It is an anti-inflammatory, sedative, and a neuroprotective agent. Medical demand is high for CBD-rich strains so marijuana breeders have begun to producing high CBD levels plants. Entire websites (such as www.ProjectCBD.org) are dedicated to the understanding of this cannabinoid and its positive effects on human health.
CANNABIGEROLIC ACID: a chemical precursor to THC and CBD
CANNABINOL (CBN): The third most prevalent chemical compound in marijuana, cannabinol is the incidental product of the chemical breakdown of THC. You may find higher levels of CBN in improperly stored marijuana resulting in weakened, diminished medical effect.
TERPENOIDS: These plant-produced odor molecules result in marijuana’s distinct aroma. They affect the quality of the experience by altering THC’s effects. They determine whether the effect is relaxing, energizing or bubbly. The terpenoids alter the effects of the cannabinoids pharmacologically.
FLAVONOIDS: Marijuana has over 20 known flavonoids, a large class of water-soluble plant pigments that contribute to plant color. Marijuana has unique flavonoids—dubbed cannaflavins—that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Flavonoids may immobilize viruses and allergens. Studies have demonstrated their carcinogenic properties as well.
How does your body process marijuana?
The effects of marijuana are produced by a cannabinoid receptor system in your body consisting of at least two receptor types: CB1 and CB2. CB1 receptors are found exclusively in the brain. They are concentrated in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex (see illustration on p. 16), which control memory and cognition. CB1 receptors interact with marijuana’s active compounds to produce its psychoactive effects including the euphoric, blissful state that often makes pain more manageable.
CB2 receptors are termed “peripheral receptors” because they are found outside the brain, primarily in the immune system and organs, especially the spleen and in white blood cells. They may be responsible for the cannabinoids’ other effects, including the reduction of inflammation. Some studies indicate beneficial effects from marijuana on neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases.
The cannabinoid receptor system is where marijuana becomes medicine.
The cannabinoid receptor system is where marijuana becomes medicine. These receptors enable humans to obtain the beneficial effects of marijuana’s active ingredients. They regulate numerous biological actions within your body including learning, memory, motor skills, pain relief, body temperature, and heart rate. It is used medically to suppress nausea and alleviate pressure in the eye.
What is an endocannabinoid?
Endocannabinoids are substances produced naturally by your body that activate the CB1 and CB2 receptors to regulate body processes and provide relief from stress and discomfort. The principal endocannabinoid is arachidonylethanolamide, or anandamide (AEA). This naturally occurring lipid is a neurotransmitter found in the brains of all animals on the planet except insects. Researchers are working to find the correlation between AEA and human memory, eating habits, sleep patterns, and pain relief. Studies in rats show that it regulates hunger and food intake.
The endocannabinoid system has multiple functions including regulating immunity, inflammation, neurotoxicity, blood pressure, appetite, gastrointestinal function, glaucoma, epilepsy, depression, and stress. It helps regulate the body’s biological responses to maintain health and activity by restoring balance. There is no human physiological system yet investigated that is not modulated by the endocannabinoid system.
The name anandamide is derived from the Sanskrit word for bliss, ananda.
How will marijuana make you feel?
Usually pretty good. Marijuana creates an intense feeling of well-being. But it doesn’t make everyone feel good all of the time; just most people, most of the time. Your tolerance to it, its potency, and method of intake all affect the intensity that marijuana has on your mind and body.
Inhaling marijuana is the quickest route to the brain. It has a much more rapid onset than when ingesting it in food since it must be digested before its effects are felt. When you inhale, your biological responses change almost instantly. You may find that your throat is dry or that you are thirsty. Your eyes become a little red due to dilation of the blood vessels of the eye. You may look drowsy, an effect called “pseudopodia,” when the musculature of your eyes become relaxed. If you’re a glaucoma patient or suffer from tension afflictions, you may find the pressure reduced in and around your eyes. Your heart may begin to race a little bit, increasing blood flow throughout your body. The upper bronchial passages of your lungs may expand. You’ll most likely feel a relaxing sensation come over you and in a short time you will likely become hungry.
Relaxation, reduced tension, thirst, and hunger are the effects experienced by a majority of people. Some report a comparatively minimal effect during their first few experiences with marijuana, so you may want to try it a couple of times to ensure you are experiencing the total effect. It may take your body chemistry some time to adapt to the biological changes. For this reason, it’s best not to rapidly increase your dosage during your first marijuana experiences. It is better to increase the dosage gradually over several experiences if necessary.
Some people don’t react well to marijuana and report a feeling of anxiety, panic, and dizziness. Anxieties induced by marijuana can create an unpleasant experience. A person under this type of duress will not experience marijuana’s therapeutic value. If you experience a response to marijuana intake that induces anxiety, reducing the dosage for your next exposure might be warranted or perhaps marijuana simply isn’t the right medication for you.
Another consideration is that there are many strains of marijuana. Each has its own chemical composition. One may produce a more desirable effect than another. The method of administration can also make a difference. Marijuana can be administered in a number of ways. These are discussed in detail in Chapter 6. If you experience a negative reaction, don’t panic. Marijuana is safe and nontoxic. Depending on how much marijuana you take in, the symptoms will almost always go away within a few hours.
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE.
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT MARIJUANA DEBUNKED
Marijuana has a bad rap. Decades of prohibition have left us uneducated, even scared, of marijuana. Unfortunately, this relatively benign plant is demonized and associated with the lazy, derelict, and criminal fringe of society. Here are some common, though erroneous, claims made about the people who use marijuana:
MARIJUANA MAKES YOU STUPID: This is at the core of the language used to describe a “stoner” or marijuana user. The myth that marijuana kills brain cells or causes brain damage has absolutely no basis in fact. The “stupid” theory also covers the claim that marijuana diminishes your memory.
Most of the misinformation came from one often-cited study performed on monkeys that was later fully disproved by studies on humans in Jamaica and Costa Rica by the U.S. National Center for Toxicological Research and SRI International. Studies on humans found almost no perceivable knowledge deficiency from marijuana use in humans, even after very heavy use.
Like other mind-altering medications, marijuana might temporarily affect your ability to recall facts, verbalize thoughts, concentrate, or learn effectively. These effects normally subside as the medicine wears off, but heavy users may experience more lasting effects. Within a short time all effects go away.
MARIJUANA MAKES YOU LAZY: Marijuana use is often associated with laziness or a lack of motivation in users. While some varieties of marijuana do have a sedative effect and can even cause extreme relaxation, studies have disproven the myth. Many successful, motivated, ambitious people use marijuana regularly.
Most people who use marijuana as a medicine do not experience lack of motivation and ambition. On the contrary, marijuana often serves to ease a patient’s medical symptoms, which are the real “anti-motivators” in their lives. Their increased physical well-being allows them to live more full and active lives.
MARIJUANA LIMITS YOUR ABILITY TO HAVE CHILDREN: One of the biggest myths about marijuana is that it makes men sterile or impairs reproductive ability. There is no single confirmed case of impaired fertility due to marijuana use. There is no research to confirm lowered sex hormones in men or women who use marijuana. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that marijuana has no permanent effect on human reproductive systems.
MARIJUANA LEADS TO USING HARD DRUGS: This is known as the “gateway drug” theory. There is no scientific basis to this theory. Marijuana has not been shown to lead to the use of harder drugs like cocaine or heroin. No substance or combination of substances in marijuana has been shown to program the brain to desire harder drugs.
This “gateway” claim is often made on the assumption that a person tries marijuana first before moving on to other drugs. In countries such as the Netherlands and Portugal, where marijuana is accepted and legalized, there are not elevated abuse rates for illicit drugs. Quite to the contrary, when these countries ended marijuana prohibition, teenage use declined, likely because the drug was no longer considered taboo. However, because of marijuana’s illegal status elsewhere, people may be exposed to the illicit drug market.
MARIJUANA MAKES PEOPLE VIOLENT: This fallacy began in the early twentieth century to demonize marijuana users and create fear about its use. If anything, the exact opposite is true. Marijuana’s temporary sedative effects usually makes people temporarily passive, laid-back, and relaxed. All claims that marijuana makes people violent have been firmly rejected by scientific studies including a report by the National Academy of Sciences that concludes, “…studies in human beings have failed to yield evidence that marijuana use leads to increased aggression.”
Some Real Dangers
Marijuana is not completely free from dangers or concerns. Even though most patients report the benefits of marijuana use far outweigh the inherent negatives, there are two real considerations to reflect on when using marijuana: the effect of smoking on your long-term health and dangers that may arise during temporary mental impairment. The good news is both concerns can be greatly reduced by using a little common sense.
You can avoid the negative side effects of smoking by using alternative delivery methods such as a vaporization device, adding marijuana oils, tinctures, or extracts into food or drinks, or adding them to topical ointments. Vaporizers heat marijuana to a temperature that effectively vaporizes the active ingredients without burning away most of the plant matter. Vaporizing, using tinctures, and ingesting marijuana eliminate the smoke. Chapter 6 explains alternatives to inhaling in detail.
To be safe, always err on the side of caution and never put yourself in danger by using marijuana in potentially dangerous situations.
