Medical Marijuana (Medical Cannabis)

Medical uses of marijuana include both studied and approved uses and off-label uses. In a recent research survey, the most common reasons people use medical marijuana are for

• pain,
• anxiety,
• depression,
• muscle spasticity, and
• inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease.

More research has been conducted on the compound CBD. Medical CBD is anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, neuroprotective, and anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and anti-emetic. The CBD compound in medical marijuana appears to be neuroprotective in Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease, fetal hypoxia, and other neurodegenerative conditions and movement disorders.

There are over 60 peer-reviewed research studies examining the benefits of medical marijuana. Sixty-eight percent of these studies found benefit while 8% found no benefit. Twenty-three percent of the studies were inconclusive or neutral. Most research has been conducted on the compound CBD. The benefits of medical marijuana can be attributed to binding to the endocannabinoid system. This has many effects including

• modulating the immune system,
• promoting neuroplasticity,
• emotional and cognitive modulation including learning and motivation, appetite, vascular function, and digestive function.