Medical cannabis is truly a magical grass. Various studies have shown that medical cannabis can help in treating symptoms related to many diseases. Many health conditions qualify for medical cannabis; like anxiety, stress, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, inflammation, chronic pain, cancer, and more. If you also suffer from any of such conditions, get a medical marijuana card in New York to buy medical cannabis for your condition.
With the rise in popularity of medical cannabis, many myths and misconceptions surrounding it also develop. These myths can be misleading and convey wrong information about medical cannabis. So, if you are new to the cannabis world, it’s important for you to educate yourself about these myths. Read along to clarify all the doubts you have. Having said that, here are some of the most common myths surrounding medical cannabis.
Myth 1: Any Medical Cannabis Can Get You ‘High’
There are many chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. But, the two main components are THC and CBD. And THC is the compound responsible for the psychoactivity or the ‘high’ people feel after consuming cannabis. THC connects with CB1 receptors in your brain and activate them, which causes psychoactive effects.
On the other hand, CBD does not connect with CB1 receptors and does not cause any ‘high’. In fact, it can reduce the ‘high’ effect. Cannabis that more CBD than THC will not get you ‘high’ too much. And if you don’t need even a little bit of ‘high’, you can buy products that have only CBD and no THC.
Myth 2: Smoking is The Only Way to Experience Its Benefits
Smoking is undoubtedly the most common way to consume cannabis. It also offers instantaneous effects. But, it is not the only way you can consume your medical herb. The method you choose to consume cannabis depends upon your condition. So, it’s always better to consult your doctor before trying a new way of consumption. These include vaporization, edibles, and oils.
Myth 3: Cannabis is a ‘Gateway Drug’
A lot of people think that cannabis can lead to using more drugs, and hence giving it the name ‘gateway drug’. But that’s not true at all. In fact, medical cannabis is widely used as an alternative to opioid-based medication for various conditions like insomnia. It is considered as a safer alternative to the pharmaceutical medicines as it does not have any severe side effects. Also, there is no definite proof of cannabis being a ‘gateway drug’.
Myth 4: Medical Cannabis Can Kill Your Brain Cells
Again, a very popular myth surrounding medical cannabis. But, it’s absolutely wrong. Cannabis has cannabinoids that are neurodegenerative. That means, they build new neurons in your brain instead of killing them. It also protects your brain from many injuries like concussions, head trauma, and stroke.
These compounds also protect your DNA from any damage that can be caused by the environment and biological toxins.
Myth 5: Effects of Eating And Smoking Medical Cannabis are the same
There are many ways in which you can consume cannabis. And every method has its own effects. Smoking cannabis can offer instantaneous effects (mostly within 30 minutes). These effects may last up to 1.5 hours.
On the other hand, if you eat cannabis-infused foods (edibles), you may start feeling the effects only after 45 minutes to 2 hours. Also, these effects can last for 8 hours, sometimes even more.
Myth 6: Medical Cannabis is Linked to Memory Loss
This is more like a piece of incomplete information. How? Well, this sentence is true to some extent. But, this is just a short-term thing. This temporary memory loss is related to THC effects. And as soon as these effects wear off, this short-term memory loss problem will also go away.
Also, medical cannabis can affect the memory only if it is abused while the brain is still developing (young age). That’s why the legal age for cannabis use is 21 years old and above.
Conclusion
All these myths surrounding medical cannabis are wrong and misleading. So, it’s better for you to educate yourself about medical cannabis before believing these myths. Medical cannabis is a natural remedy. But, remember, excess of anything can be hazardous. So, properly consume your cannabis. And consult a doctor before buying any cannabis product.