Most medical marijuana patients approach cannabis with aims to treat their conditions and improve their symptoms. And while those priorities are often at the top of the list, there are many additional benefits that cannabis can provide along the way.
Among many of the benefits that cannabis can provide to patients diagnosed with a qualifying illness for medical marijuana in West Virginia, more and more research is being explored around medical marijuana’s ability to curb addiction to other substances.
With strong data suggesting that cannabis could play an important role in reducing addiction, preventing overdoses, and reducing substance dependence, medical marijuana may turn out to be a critical tool in addressing addiction.
In this article, we’ll cover how medical marijuana can help you wean off of cigarettes, replace alcohol, and look at a different perspective of cannabis in the conversation of addiction.
Medical Marijuana & Cigarettes
Smoking Cannabis as a Replacement for Cigarettes
Smoking is not one of the best ways to consume cannabis, though it does present several positives alongside its downsides.
Smoking anything is unhealthy because combustion creates toxic carbons and compounds that are not healthy for you to intake.
However, while smoking altogether isn’t a particularly healthy activity, there is certainly the argument that cannabis poses far fewer threats when smoked than an alternative substance such as tobacco, and especially in the case of branded tobacco cigarettes.
While cigarettes are known to have hundreds of toxic compounds that contribute significantly to health problems, those same compounds are not all found in cannabis, and cannabis smoke, although unhealthy, is not linked to the same health concerns as cigarette smoke.
Cigarettes: Habit vs. Addiction
Although you may be able to easily replace the habit of smoking cigarettes with the habit of smoking joints, addressing the addiction of cigarette smoking is a different idea altogether.
Studies suggest that cannabis, specifically CBD, or cannabidiol, may have potentially beneficial properties to treating cigarette addiction.
In one study, a control group of cigarette smokers were offered the opportunity to use a CBD inhaler when they felt the urge to smoke cigarettes over the course of a week. At the end of the week, cigarette smoking went down 40% for participants who had the CBD inhaler, while there was no reduction in cigarette smoking from the group that had been given a placebo inhaler.
Medical Marijuana & Alcohol
Cannabis as a Replacement for Alcohol
Alcohol use disorders are a serious and prevalent problem in the United States. More than 6% of American adults have an alcohol use disorder according to a 2019 study, with over 25% of adults reporting that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month.
Alcohol use disorders can be very difficult to get a hold on, and when they’re at their most severe, alcohol use disorders can even be dangerous to quit cold turkey.
Studies have shown that many patients who use medical marijuana use it as a substitute for another substance. Whether that’s alcohol, prescription medications, or over-the-counter medicines, a large percentage of cannabis patients use medical marijuana as an alternative medicine, and many of them use cannabis as a substitute for alcohol.
Cannabis Over Alcohol: The Benefits & Stats
Among the pool of patients that are using medical marijuana as a substitute, research reports strong numbers of people who are able to replace alcohol with cannabis. Among many of the benefits of cannabis use, there are more than a handful specifically targeted for alcohol abuse.
No hangovers, better control over your mental state, no terminal overdosing, less weight gain, and reduced inflammation are just a few of the benefits of cannabis that alcohol users enjoy when switching to medical marijuana.
As a psychoactive plant, cannabis can offer a lot in the way of mitigating alcohol abuse and reducing alcohol poisoning, alongside improving your baseline health that alcohol use may be diminishing.
Get Your Medical Marijuana Certification in West Virginia
Medical marijuana has undergone a lot of research to determine its efficacy in treating substance abuse disorders.
While more research is needed, studies have shown links between decreased substance abuse when substituting with cannabis, and patients with a medical marijuana certification can legally use cannabis as an alternative medicine in West Virginia.
Take the steps to schedule your WV medical marijuana evaluation appointment today and get access to legal marijuana products available at dispensaries!
Being a West Virginia medical marijuana patient allows you the freedom to take your medication the right way for you. We’re dedicated to helping patients every step of the way! Feel free to give us a call at 877-303-8424 and we can answer your questions about getting a medical marijuana card in West Virginia.
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West Virginia Marijuana Card’s mission is to help everyone achieve
wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana.
Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for
our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at 877-303-8424, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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