Many people see drug addiction as a disease that needs to be cured. Many people who suffer from substance abuse find their lives falter. However, the legalization of medical marijuana has catalyzed the use of medical marijuana to treat the untreatable. Research shows that medical marijuana can be used to treat drug addiction. The study showed that cannabis does not lead to physical dependence and is therefore superior to other drugs. Some of the drug addictions that people suffer from include addiction to alcohol and opioid substances. Therefore, the question arises as to how effective medical marijuana is in treating this drug addiction. Some of the reasons why medical marijuana is considered active are:
The lack of addictive characteristics of marijuana
Medical marijuana is scientifically known for its benefits in relieving chronic pain associated with various medical conditions. Patients therefore use medical marijuana to treat their ailments as well as opioid side effects such as nausea. These patients reported that using medicinal cannabis reduced their opioid dose or replaced the drug entirely.
Pain is the number one reason patients seek pain-relieving alternatives. Opioid substances, including heroin, are usually readily available and prescribed to patients. The consumption of these drugs is intended for shorter periods of time as prescribed by a doctor. However, some patients take them without a doctor’s prescription. Some also consume a larger amount than prescribed. This overdose, in turn, causes these patients to tolerate the pain-relieving effects of the opioids. Subsequently, patients see the need to increase the dosage and eventually develop a dependency on the drug for pain relief.
Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule 1 drug. Despite this, research does not identify marijuana with any addictive properties. In fact, the long-term effects of marijuana on the human body have not yet been identified.
Marijuana serves as a substitute for hard drugs and alcohol
Medical marijuana studies have shown that the recently legalized drug can serve as an alternative to other hard substances. Amanda Reiman conducts a case study of methamphetamine users trying to practice harm reduction in San Francisco. Amanda is the author of the Harm Reduction Journal 2009 study on cannabis as a substitute for alcohol and other drugs. In their case study, the methamphetamine users admitted that using marijuana made them mindful. Users would therefore choose to get stoned and sleep rather than take meth.
Medical cannabis use also led to a reduction in the use of other drug substances such as tobacco, opioids and alcohol. For example, alcohol-dependent patients admitted that medicinal cannabis, unlike alcohol, had manageable symptoms. Also, unlike tobacco and opioids, marijuana studies show no signs of drug addiction and user reliability.
Studies indicate that an injection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) helped the user eliminate addiction to hard drug substances. The THC also improved mindfulness and put the patient in a position to evaluate their life. Therefore, many drug addicts who started using cannabis as a treatment showed faster treatment. Many deaths caused by the use of hard drugs such as opioids later regressed in states where marijuana was legalized. Thus, medical cannabis is also an effective substitute for hard drugs and alcohol.
Marijuana helps with withdrawal from hard drugs
Did you know that the chances of relapsing into hard drug use during withdrawal are minimal for medical marijuana users? Well, some of the withdrawal symptoms that come with these hard drugs like heroin are nausea. The addicts can also experience tremors, lack of sleep, and many other withdrawal symptoms. Medical marijuana, on the other hand, is known to treat such conditions by stimulating sleep and appetite. Therefore, medicinal cannabis is highly recommended for treating drug addiction. It’s typically a move from a drug with harmful effects to one that doesn’t have addictive properties.
Medical marijuana is found to be beneficial as it contains psychoactive properties. In the absence of relapse, drug addiction is reduced. The reason why a majority of users relapse is due to the heavy withdrawals. Withdrawals can be both painful and uncomfortable for users. Medicinal cannabis therefore proves useful in treating drug addiction. In addition, when used responsibly and conservatively, medical marijuana does not present with any withdrawal symptoms.
Medical marijuana is currently legal for the treatment of many diseases, including cancer, anxiety, and other chronically related diseases. However, with the classification of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, a barrier appears to have been created. This classification limits further research into the full potential and capabilities of the ancient drug. Despite this, people are quickly realizing the benefits that come with using medicinal cannabis. In addition, people are looking forward to the implementation of recreational use of marijuana. This application is intended to ensure simplified accessibility of the amusing drug.
Thanks to Zack M