When it comes to alternative forms of treatment to deal with physical and mental conditions like pain, inflammation, and panic attacks, medicinal marijuana, or better termed as medicinal cannabis has gained a lot of popularity and trust from the community during the last decade.
Sadly, there are some people who dislike the idea of using a plant that was once considered illegal, although it has currently been legally accepted by several countries all around the world.
But why was it considered illegal, when it was used by our ancestors all around the world as a form of medication?
Its History and Current State
Medicinal cannabis was introduced to Western culture in the ’80s and was even used in ancient regions like China, Japan, Egypt, and Greece, mainly as a form of analgesic.
It was commonly combined with a beverage (wine or tea) to calm down pain caused by injuries or old age, inflammation, and anxiety attacks. Nowadays, it is used for the same purposes, and some people use it to fight sleeping disorders as well.
In this day and age, you can find different types of medicinal cannabis and they come in different presentations. Some go for the classic cannabis plant and they smoke it through a pipe or as a blunt, while others consume oils, capsules, or edibles. You can also use cannabis as a form of recreation as well.
Recreational cannabis is very normal considering that there are three types, each one capable of achieving a different effect. Some use it to boost their performance in certain activities, like painting, writing, or even coding, things that mainly require you to be creative to come up with great designs, stories, or solutions. The ones capable of this are known as Sativa strains.
Indica strains, on the other hand, are known for being relaxing and helping people achieve peace, which can help with things like stress, anxiety, or insomnia.
Hybrids are capable of achieving both effects but depend on the type of flower, but hybrids are well known for having a much strong effect than the ones mentioned above.
The Main Drawback of Cannabis
As mentioned in this article, medicinal cannabis has a psychotropic effect that can disturb some of our senses to a certain extend. This can make it an unreliable form of treatment because it might reduce our performance at things like studying or working.
It can be dangerous (and illegal) to drive a car while you are high as well, which is the reason some people prefer to stay away from medicinal cannabis.
But an alternative has been gaining some popularity to the point of getting its own national day, and that alternative is CBD.
CBD Products in Comparison to Medicinal Cannabis
CBD (short for cannabidiol) is a compound found in the cannabis plant, second to THC. Both compounds are capable of influencing our body in a way that can alter specific physiological functions, including the way our body administrates inflammation, pain, and things like stress or anxiety.
THC, though, is the compound causing the plant to be psychoactive. On the other hand, CBD is incapable of getting us high.
Thankfully, most CBD-based products are derived from the hemp plant which contains really low levels of THC. You can visit Cheefbotanicals CBD to get more detailed information.
Which One is Better?
Now, this is a very difficult question to answer since they are very similar when it comes to their capabilities to relieve some physical and mental conditions. For example, they are both used for:
- Reducing inflammation caused by inflammatory diseases
- Alleviating the pain caused by pain-inducing conditions
- Helping senior people and senior pets recover some of their mobility lost because of joint problems, a result of old age
- Calm down nervous attacks, panic attacks, anxiety problems, and stress-related conditions
- To fight sleeping disorders like insomnia and achieve a higher quality of sleep
The main difference between both is that one has a psychotropic effect while the other one doesn’t. Still, it depends on the people consuming the products. Someone who’s used to being high and doesn’t mind this secondary effect can use both, for example.
Still, CBD is often perceived as a more reliable option because it doesn’t intervene with our daily activities, and most people that seek relief from this alternative treatment will prefer it over medicinal cannabis because of this reason.
Here’s a more detailed take on the matter https://www.healthination.com/health/cbd-vs-medical-marijuana/, just in case you want more comparisons about them both.
Extra Information: Cannabidiol for Pets
Something I would like to add is that, although medicinal cannabis and all its derivations can be toxic for animals because of THC, CBD-products are viable for them because the amount of THC on the products is so low, it’s pretty much harmless for animals.
You see, the way our body interacts with these compounds is thanks to our endocannabinoid systems, a system made out of neurotransmitters located in several areas of our body. Thing is, animals have a much stronger, sensitive endocannabinoid system that can be overwhelmed by THC.
This is why pet owners go for CBD instead because animals can benefit from all the advantages of this compound without suffering from THC intoxication. This is especially great for senior dogs and cats which are very prompt to suffering from inflammatory diseases, joint problems, and even cancer or kidney problems, known for causing a lot of pain.
