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Individuals with a valid medical marijuana card or their caregiver can grow cannabis to use medicinally for their qualifying condition. 16 states have legalized medical marijuana and each one allows for different amounts per patient.

Whether grown indoors or outdoors, cannabis has the same growth requirements. The basic needs are light, air, water, nutrients, a growing medium, and heat. When grown indoors, the light needs specific intensity and spectrum and the air needs to be warm and rich in carbon dioxide.

Typically an annual plant, cannabis has distinct growth phases. They are termed germination, seedling growth, vegetative growth, preflowering, and flowering.

The Germination stage entails hormone activation in the seed’s durable outer portion. Inside the seed, the embryo expands and the coating of the seed splits. This permits rootlets to expand down and a sprout with seed leaves growing up in search of light. This stage takes three to seven days.

During seedling growth, downward growth of the root occurs and branches are created. These small branches pull in nutrients and water. The roots are able to anchor the plant in the growing medium. Lots of light, about 18 hours a day, is necessary during seedling growth.

The vegetative growth phase continues with a requisite 14-24 hours of light daily. The roots mature and develop a water transport system, and they also store food. The parts of the roots that actually absorb the water and nutrients are the single-celled root hairs, and they are very delicate and easily damaged by air, light, and careless hands if moved or exposed.

The stem also grows, producing new buds with the lateral ones turning into leaves or branches. Growth is carried upwards by the central branch. Water and nutrients are carried upward by the stem from the delicate root hairs to the leaves, buds, and flowers. Binding the stem with strings or tie downs too tightly may kill the plant.

The stem also gives support to the plant, and if the plant is situated outside then elements like rain and wind strengthen the stem by stiffening up cellulose. Indoor plants do not receive such stimuli, so they do not stiffen up and it may be necessary to place a stake for support.

The leaves undergo photosynthesis as they expand, which is how plants make food.

Pre-flowering occurs after the fourth week of vegetative growth. Pre-flowers occur between the fourth and sixth node from the plant bottom and are either male or female. Since male plants have a much lower cannabinoid content, they are often destroyed.

Flowering is triggered in most commercial cannabis varieties by 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness every 24 hours. Flowers form during the last growth stage and if the females flowers are not pollenated, they develop without seeds – called “sinsemilla”. If pollenated by a male, female flower buds develop seeds.

After a few weeks of not receiving pollen, THC production peaks in the female unfertilized sinsemilla. If the plant is fertilized, the female plant matures its seeds, which then either fall to the ground or are collected for subsequent planting.

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A gateway theory exists with marijuana which previously was called the stepping stone theory. This theorizes that marijuana is not a very dangerous drug by itself, but that using it will be a gateway to more dangerous drugs. This theory has been postulated over the years with marijuana leading to Heroin, Cocaine, or LSD. Is there any truth to marijuana actually being a gateway drug?

In reality, the theory doesn’t pass muster. People who use cocaine are in fact likely to have used marijuana, which is more popular by far than cocaine. Medical marijuana does not lead people to use LSD, cocaine, or heroin.

A perfect analogy to this situation would be motorcycle vs bicycle riding. Compared to riding a motorcycle (which in this example is cocaine use), a lot more people have ridden a bicycle (which in this example is marijuana smoking). There are a lot less people who ride motorcycles (use cocaine), than who have ridden a bicycle in the past (smoked marijuana). Riding a bicycle does not lead to motorcycle riding, though, and if bicycle riding increases it will not lead to a higher incidence of motorcycle riders. The analogy translates into saying that an increase in marijuana smokers will not lead to more cocaine users (or other hard drugs).

What this analogy means is a typical sequence in which events occur, not a causation. Just as riding a bicycle does not lead to motorcycle usage, medical marijuana usage does not lead to cocaine – it’s simply a typical sequence based on a high prevalence activity (smoking marijuana) versus a low prevalence activity (heroin, cocaine, or lsd use).

Some animal studies have also looked at a theorized association between THC and an increase in the brain’s dopamine. Researchers thought that maybe marijuana “primes” the brain for eventual cocaine and/or heroin use. However, research has never actually shown any “priming” of this nature and animals with THC injections do not have an increased desire to self-administer heroin or cocaine.

National Institute on Drug Abuse studies showed that of the seventy two million people in the US who have used marijuana (probably over one hundred million since the studies at this point), only seventeen percent used cocaine over 100 times. This means that for every 100 marijuana users, only 1 now uses cocaine.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in America.Those who have used less popular drugs, like heroin or cocaine are likely to have also smoked marijuana. The majority of marijuana smokders never use any other harder drugs and marijuana is typically an end drug, not a gateway drug.

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First of all, think of these numbers. Over 15 million individuals have sustained a spinal cord injury, and over two and a half million people suffer from MS. A lot of these patients suffer from cramping, stiff, aching, and spasm muscles. These symptoms may result in pain, limited movement, and insomnia. Medical marijuana has shown some potential for treating these diseases.

Traditional medications for these symptoms often work, but can cause weakness or sedation. Patients using medical marijuana for decreasing spasticity and pain have achieved significant relief.

It is not known exactly how medical marijuana calms spasticity. It has not been tested on a large scale, but all of the smaller scale evaluations have shown really good results.

MS entails a malfunctioning immune system, resulting in a inflamed nervous system. The insulation provided around the nerves is like that around a power cord, and unfortunately MS destroys that insulation. With MS, the insulation goes away and symptoms include blindness, incontinence, muscle spasticity, depression, fatigue, and vertigo.

Muscle spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis is really common, ninety percent of people have muscle spasms in addition to cramps, aches, and painful involuntary muscle contractions. These symptoms usually get worse over time and can leave one partially paralyzed.

Typical conventional medications for muscle spams are baclofen and tizanadine. They are sedatives, causing drowsiness in addition to muscle weakness and dry mouth. When a patient has MS, muscle weakness already exists. So making it worse is not great.

It should be noted that no large scale study exists looking at THC and marijuana for spams. Several smaller studies have excellent outcomes for reducing muscle spasms and pain. Success was not unanimous, however, and there were some unpleasant side effects.

It can be tough to tell a satisfactory result from THC due to placebo versus real spasm decrease. Without a huge research study to separate out placebo, which may be as much as 30% with meds, it may be tough to be sure if it’s working. These bigger studies are underway in Britain, where medical marijuana is often used for multiple sclerosis.

What is it about marijuana that assists individuals with multiple sclerosis? And if it assists with MS does it also work with muscle spasms in individuals with spinal cord injury? Case reports from MS patients report very good results for spasms and pain. Is it due to the broad effects that THC gives, like anti-anxiety, along with reducing spasms? Anxiety may worsen spasms, and THC does relieve that. Also, THC does not weaken muscles. If a person has multiple sclerosis that is a problem anyway, so making it worse is not optimal.

Oral intake of THC may prove to be optimal since it has a longer duration of smoking without the potential complications of lung inhalation. Spinal cord injury patients have consistent symptoms through the day so oral intake may be better than for MS, whose symptoms wax and wane. For them, smoking or vaporizing may be better.

Currently, we know from case reports that marijuana works for muscle spasms. Larger research will assist us in learning more and how marijuana fits into treatment.

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Medical marijuana has developed into a treatment for painful gastrointestinal disorders that involve bowel inflammation and cramping. These diseases include colitis, Crohn’s disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Often with these diseases patients can suffer from cramping, inflammation, chronic pain, weight loss, and diarrhea. Medical marijuana is often able to alleviate these symptoms substantially.

Crohns disease represents a chronic autoimmune inflammatory bowel disorder that causes intense, severe pain. The cause is unknown. Digestion is adversely affected, and in very rare cases it can be fatal. The disease is destructive to the intestines. There are over 500,000 people in the US who suffer from Crohns disease. In most states who have approved medical marijuana, Crohn’s is an accepted condition for usage.

Typical medications used for Crohn’s include immunosuppressive ones such as methotrexate, Imuran, steroids, 6 MP, steroids, Remicade, and Mesalamine. These medications may cause the same symptoms as the disease including , diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and nausea, Steroids have some side effects that may include ulcers, glucose intolerance, adrenal dysfunction, and bone thinning.

Various studies have displayed excellent results for medical marijuana helping with the symptoms of GI disorders like Crohn’s.

A study from 2005 in O’Shaughnessy’s displayed cannabis worked well to reduce Crohn’s symptoms. The study was small and done at the Society of Cannabis Clinicians in about a dozen patients. They described improvement for appetite, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, and depression. There were less exacerbations and less stools daily. Also people reduced the amount of medications for immunosuppression.

Please enter paragraphAnother study from 2001 called Cannabinoids and the Gastrointestinal Tract found that the cannabinoids found in marijuana represent a potentially excellent option for the treatment of numerous GI disorders – including inflammatory bowel diseases, functional bowel diseases, gastro-esophageal reflux conditions, secretory diarrhea, gastric ulcers, and colon cancer. There are receptors both in the brain and the GI system named CB1 receptors. In animals the study showed that agonists for these receptors delayed gastric emptying and inhibited gastric acid secretion. CB1 receptors are mostly located in the brain.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Endocrinology Investigation demonstrates that activation of the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors exert biological functions on the gastrointestinal tract.

There are CB2 receptors in numerous cells outside of the brain, including in the GI tract lining. Marijuana contains cannabinoids which activate the CB2 receptor – this is thought to decrease inflammation in the GI tract along with reducing pain and swelling. There is another compound in cannabis named beta-caryophyllene which turns on the CB-2 receptors as well.

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A vaporizer machine heats up marijuana which then allows the active ingredients to be released. Burning the cannabis is not desired. The objective is to just heat the medicinal marijuana so that the active chemicals will boil and vaporize.

Inside a vaporizer are heating elements along with a fan. The vaporizer will heat up to a set temperature. Cannabinoids typically vaporize between 285 degrees F and 392 degrees F. If heated over that, the medical marijuana simply burns and unnecessary smoke is created.

A grinder may be used to break up the medical marijuana, giving it more surface area. Then it is put in the vaporizer on a basket on top. Attached to the basket is a vaporizer bag and the fan is then turned on.

Air is pushed across the heating element by the fan and into the bag of the vaporizer. Once the bag fills up, it resembles a balloon. The bag is then removed from the vaporizer and for inhalation, a mouthpiece is used.

Why is a vaporizer used? The first and foremost reason is there’s no smoke. If marijuana is smoked medicinally, the burn temperature is over 2000 degrees which can generate some cancer substances. The smoke can lose 50% of the active ingredients along with releasing tar and carbon monoxide.

When vaporized, marijuana cannabinoids see a much lower temperature so a mist is created and less carcinogens. Vaporizers lessen the production of carcinogens, and also reduce the potential chance of respiratory infection, disease, and bronchitis.

An added benefit is the minimal smell with a vaporizer. For a number of reasons, such as the social perception reasons, having no smell can be a huge bonus.

A 2004 study in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics wrote about the combustible smoke having over 100 chemicals in addition to THC along with the respiratory hazardous substances generated from smoke, not from the cannabinoids.

Another benefit with a vaporizer is that it extracts the medicinal marijuana active chemicals. Along with this, the mist goes into the bloodstream purer and faster than any other method.

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