Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is a herbal drug derived from the cannabis sativa plant, including marijuana, hash, and hashish oil. It contains cannabinoids such as delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). 

Cannabis is also referred to as marijuana, yarndi, pot, weed, hash, dope, gunja, joint, stick, chronic, cone, choof, mull, 420, dabs, dabbing, or BHO.

Medical cannabis, often known as medical marijuana, is cannabis that has been recommended by a physician to treat a disease or ease its symptoms. Though access is strictly controlled,  several varieties of medical cannabis may be purchased (both naturally occurring and synthetically) in the form of:

• Pill
• Liquid
• Oil
• Powder
• Dried leaves

How it is used

The effects of cannabis vary significantly depending on how it is consumed – it can be vaped through a volcano hybrid, smoked, inhaled, eaten, or administered topically.

Cannabis-infused food and drinks, sometimes referred to as “edibles”, may be found in a wide variety of products, from savoury appetisers and even ice cream to breath mints, candies, and chocolate. 

People smoke cannabis in pipes or water pipes, rolling papers (joints), or other methods (bongs). They also smoke it in blunts, which are empty cigars that have been partially or entirely refilled with marijuana. 

Some individuals use vaporisers to avoid breathing in smoke. These tools extract the marijuana’s active compounds, including THC, and store the vapour they produce. Then, rather than breathing in smoke, a person inhales the vapour. Some vaporisers employ a liquid marijuana extract.

Smoking is a recently prevalent way of cannabis consumption and is advocated to be medically beneficial.

Top 4 health benefits of cannabis smoking

Cannabis comes in many forms, and there is an increasing number of studies showing its health advantages. Cannabis smoking has undoubtedly grown in popularity and given rise to a new industry.

While experts are still trying to figure out how well cannabis works as a medicine, there have already been several encouraging findings. Here are four ways that smoking cannabis has been proven to benefit health.

• Boosts lung capacity. Unlike cigarette smoking, smoking cannabis in the form of cannabis does not damage the lungs. One of the herb’s primary active cannabis oils, THC, is known to have anti-inflammatory characteristics that may help in relieving pulmonary congestion.
• Manage and prevent diabetes. Cannabis’ influence on insulin demonstrates that it can control and prevent diabetes. The American Association for Medicinal Cannabis (AAMC) has found evidence that cannabis helps stabilise blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure, and enhance blood circulation.
• Enhances treatment efficacy and decreases hepatitis C-related adverse effects. Hepatitis C therapy comes with a long list of adverse effects, such as nausea, exhaustion, melancholy, and muscular pains. In some hepatitis C patients, they may last for several months. Cannabis can assist in lessening the negative effects of the medication while also increasing its efficacy.
• Slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Cannabis may also be effective in slowing the development of and treating vascular dementia, a neurological illness that frequently co-occurs with Alzheimer’s. The hallmark of vascular dementia is the inadequate blood supply to the brain, which results in cell death. It could be feasible to restore blood flow to the brain by turning on the CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

If smoking is bad, how can smoking cannabis be good?

Although it’s often believed that smoking causes health problems, there is no evidence to support the idea that cannabis use has the same hazards as tobacco consumption. Moreover, marijuana vaporizers may further lessen the dangers associated with marijuana use.

Due to a variety of variables specific to cannabis smoking, it is more difficult to compare marijuana smoke to tobacco smoke. More dangerous substances are accumulated in the lungs of marijuana users because they frequently hold the smoke there. 

Yet, even strong marijuana users don’t inhale as much smoke as cigarette users do, thus daily exposure is often lower. 

The issue with tobacco cigarettes is nicotine, which is absent from cannabis products. Cannabis provides advantages that can exceed the drawbacks of smoking marijuana, even if burning plant material and inhaling it is bad for the lungs.

Smoking cannabis reduces bronchial secretion, which lowers the risk of bronchitis and can cause upper respiratory infections.

The bottom line

The impact of cannabis on the body is a topic of continuous discussion. Individuals describe a range of negative and positive physical and psychological responses, including impairment and discomfort as well as pain reduction and relaxation.

Cannabis may possibly provide medical benefits for a range of health issues. Yet there’s still a lot we don’t know about the controversial herb. Hence, even some US states are cautious when it comes to the level of legality of medical marijuana. Some states such as Oklahoma,  have made it possible for people who might benefit from medical marijuana to get it with their Oklahoma marijuana card, which adds a level of control to the market. 

Several people claim that cannabis significantly enhanced their quality of life. Most people who are generally healthy can take it frequently without experiencing any issues. Cannabis smoking does not come without hazards, therefore each person should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using it.

Helen Baumeister, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.