We always try to keep you educated and informed on the latest developments in the world of medical marijuana in order for you to get the most out of your West Virginia Marijuana Card.
However, some of our readers and patients might be very new to cannabis, and we want to give those people a look at some of the more basic facts about medical marijuana.
So for those folks, we thought we’d take a look at one of the most basic, most fundamental concepts related to medical marijuana: tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
What Is THC, and What’s It Doing in Your Medical Marijuana?
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, “is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's psychological effects,” according to LiveScience.com.
Because it is the chemical compound in cannabis that causes the “high” that marijuana users experience, THC has long been demonized and stigmatized, despite the evidence of its many medicinal uses.
THC also ends up stealing a lot of attention from other cannabinoids (chemical compounds unique to cannabis) that also give your medical marijuana some of its healing properties. In fact, there are more than sixty cannabinoid compounds in medical marijuana, and, as we’ll see, many seem to work in unison to give cannabis its healing properties.
What Happens When You Use THC?
According to health website VeryWellMind.com, there are cannabinoid receptors located throughout your brain and your nervous system. THC can attach to these receptors, and by doing so give recreational users the highs they seek and medical marijuana patients the healing they’re looking for.
Even though the high of cannabis lasts only a few hours, VeryWellMind.com reports that THC is stored in the body’s fat and organs for as long as a month, and is detectable in the hair for up to ninety days.
As for how you experience THC, it can have a wide range of short-term effects, but not all users will experience all of them. For example, many users experience strong sensations of peace and wellbeing under the influence of THC, whereas others may become nervous or anxious.
While those different experiences may come down in part to differences in body chemistry, you can also select different strains of marijuana with different concentrations of various cannabinoids to minimize effects you’d like to avoid.
And of course the most noteworthy short-term effects of THC are the healing qualities its users experience.
More Than Just a High, THC Packs Much of Medical Marijuana’s Healing Power
Because medical marijuana contains so many cannabinoids (and about 400 other chemical substances besides cannabinoids!), it can be difficult to ascertain exactly what the medical qualities of THC are.
Furthermore, most studies look only at the effects of medical marijuana, not of THC specifically, so it can be hard to know just how much of THC’s healing reputation is earned and how much should actually be attributed to less well-known cannabinoids.
Still, there is ample scientific evidence of the medicinal value of THC.
THC Is a Pain Reliever
Chronic pain is the most commonly reported reason that patients seek medical marijuana, and THC appears to be the key to the pain-relieving effects of cannabis.
One large study reviewed seventy-nine different experimental studies and concluded that chronic pain patients increased their relief by about 40% thanks to THC, and other studies have confirmed THC’s anti-inflammatory properties.
THC Can Reduce Nausea
THC’s stomach-settling qualities have been known for decades. In fact, two oral drugs containing THC, nabilone and dronabinol, have been prescribed to chemotherapy patients for more than three decades to treat their nausea and vomiting.
And one study found that patients who took THC in combination with traditional pharmaceutical treatments saw a greater reduction in nausea and vomiting than patients who were on only traditional treatments.
THC Can Reduce Muscle Spasms
As a multiple sclerosis patient, this writer can personally attest to medical marijuana’s ability to lessen the severity and frequency of spasms experienced by MS patients and paraplegics.
At least two large scientific studies have supported this outcome. One study reviewed the results from sixty-three articles including an unnamed number of study participants, whereas the other looked at seventy-nine studies involving almost 6,500 participants. Both studies came to the conclusion that THC was an effective treatment for spasticity.
THC Can Improve Sleep Quality
While multiple studies have confirmed medical marijuana’s effectiveness as a sleep aid, far fewer have looked at THC specifically. However, it has been established that THC can help patients get to sleep quicker.
Beware of Imitators: Accept Only Real, Natural THC!
There are some products on the market that position themselves as alternatives to medical marijuana, ones you don’t need a prescription or card for. However, these imitators can’t stack up to the real thing.
For example, delta 8 THC products use a variety of substances, including toxic metals, to chemically alter hemp into synthetic marijuana-like substances.
CBD products are also derived from hemp. All of these synthetic cousins to THC mimic the high and healing properties of medical marijuana, but less effectively and potently. Even more concerning is all of the evidence showing that these unregulated products are often inaccurately and dangerously mislabeled.
Don’t Miss Out on THC and All of the Healing Compounds in Medical Marijuana!
To summarize, THC is the rockstar ingredient in medical marijuana, and it just cannot be duplicated by its knock-offs. THC is only one of the many healing substances you’ll get when you get medical marijuana with your West Virginia Marijuana Card!
Book an evaluation online today, and we’ll make an appointment for you with one of our knowledgeable, experienced marijuana doctors. You’ll use your computer or smartphone to discuss your condition and learn if you qualify for a West Virginia Marijuana Card, all without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home. And if your doctor finds that you don’t qualify for a card, you’ll pay only a low, nominal fee for your evaluation!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
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!
Check out West Virginia Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in West Virginia.