The Legendary Cannabis - True or False?

2009.05.03

There have been many studies throughout the years about the legendary cannabis that have offered a multitude of varied results, prompting many debates and unrest within the medical and scientific community. Nobody can seem to agree whether the benefits of this plant are over shadowed by its side effects.

The plants scientific name is Cannabis Sativa (meaning useful hemp) and one of the variations of this plant is know as industrial hemp, which has many commercial applications and is grown in almost every industrialized country in the world legally! This particular strain has a minuscule amount of the psychoactive substance THC (TetraHydroCannabinol) and is not to be confused with the highly misunderstood strain that produces marijuana.

I say misunderstood because, today's society has not fully recognized all the benefits of this plant even though it has been used in many applications for thousands of years for medicinal as well as spiritual purposes by many cultures and civilizations around the world. The Chinese have been proven to have used Cannabis as a medicine since before 1500 BC and some pottery was found in China and Taiwan that contained hemp fiber is dated at over 10,000 years old.

One of the biggest misconceptions about cannabis and it derivative marijuana is that it promotes the use of much harder drugs like heroin, cocaine, LSD and other psychotropic drugs to name but a few. Studies have been proven that this is false, as certain countries that have legalized the smoking of marijuana in certain areas and establishments and have seen a decrease in the use of these other far more harmful and addictive substances.

Smoking pot can give a feeling of euphoria, will make you make you laugh more and will definitely increase your appetite but has never been scientifically proven to cause any type of overdose causing death or even a recognized physical addiction even when used on a daily basis. This is contrary to the effects of drinking excessively, which has been proven to claim thousands of lives every year due to alcohol poisoning, liver complications and traffic fatalities from people who drink and drive!

Both scientists and the medical community are still debating and conducting studies on the pros and cons of cannabis use, but all agree there are many benefits to aid in the treatment of some diseases and can actually help prevent some. Cancer patients world wide have seen this drug help reduce tumors, alleviate pain and aid in treating the side effects experienced due to chemotherapy and radiation.

Marijuana is smoked by millions of people around the world and though at this point most countries still class it as an illegal drug, many governments have lessened the laws surrounding personal use for recreational purposes. Many believe the money and time spent on enforcing the laws concerning marijuana could be put to better use and should be decriminalized entirely.

Be informed and make your own choices but always remember to never overdo any habit or then it becomes a form of addiction and this is what can lead to problems down the road!