In recent years, a growing number of nations, Australia included, have legalised medical cannabis. But what precisely separates cannabis used for medical purposes from cannabis used for recreational purposes?
For many years, Chronic Therapy has spread the word about medicinal cannabis’s health benefits. Despite the fact that medical cannabis has been used for medical purposes for thousands of years, this information has been mostly forgotten. Fortuitously, this all-natural remedy is experiencing a remarkable renaissance right now.
Ancient marijuana uses for both therapeutic and recreational purposes
Since ancient times, people have been aware of the wide range of benefits derived from medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp. Hemp and medicinal cannabis have a long history of use that predates the birth of Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the discovery of numerous artefacts and literature.
The earliest pieces of evidence come from China, where archaeologists have uncovered the charred remains of hemp clothing and ceramics adorned with hemp rope. Using radiocarbon dating, researchers were able to identify that the artefacts belonged to the Yangshao culture and were up to 6,000 years old.
Cannabis is mentioned in ancient Chinese medicine, and it is called a “liberator of sin” and a “generator of joy” in other literature.
Hash Marijuana & Hemp Museums may be found in both Amsterdam and Barcelona, showcasing the extensive history of medicinal cannabis and hemp. Displays in these museums show that many types of use—for medicine, entertainment, religion, and industry—coexisted peacefully for a long time.
There is a political divide between medical and recreational medicinal cannabis.
Multiple hypotheses have been advanced concerning the original motivation for medicinal cannabis prohibition. After almost eight decades, medicinal cannabis prohibition is finally starting to fall apart. The political class is coming around to the idea that locking people in for using a plant that is no more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes is harsh.
Also, being rediscovered that cannabis’s reportedly have positive properties, which are supported by cutting-edge scientific studies. Thus, the plant’s numerous positive attributes are becoming even more transparent.
All of this contributes to the trend towards medicinal cannabis legalisation. However, it is still illegal to use cannabis for recreational purposes. So, while several applications of medicinal cannabis coexisted happily for millennia, contemporary regulations differentiate between cannabis used for medical purposes and medicinal cannabis used for recreational purposes.
How many cannabis strains differ in their medical and recreational uses
The two most common varieties of medicinal cannabis are referred to by their scientific names, cannabis sativa and cannabis indica. Taxonomically (and legally), all cannabis plants are considered to be cannabis Sativa L., hence there is no distinction between indica and sativa.
The medical cannabis doctor and consumers primarily utilise the two words to identify key differences between various strains and classify them along a spectrum of effects and behavioural tendencies.
This spectrum allows us to differentiate between a wide variety of development rates and tastes. The results are also distinct. Common descriptors for sativa strains include “energetically uplifting” and “uplifting,” whereas indica strains are more often associated with “calming and restful.” This is a simplification, since the impacts might overlap in endless ways, but it should help illustrate the distinction between the two.
These distinctions are due to the fact that each medicinal cannabis variety contains its own unique set of psychoactive compounds. cannabis has hundreds of chemicals that have physiological and psychological effects.
Cannabinoids are the name for these chemical compounds. Among the several cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabinol (CBN) are the most well recognised and studied.
THC is a major psychotropic component in cannabis. Many users report feeling calmer after using CBD, and CBD counteracts the psychoactive effects of THC. To some extent, CBN can be psychotropic, and it can also be used to induce sleep.
The effects of sativa strains are typically more intellectual, active, or uplifting. Sativa strains have been found to be more successful than indica varieties for alleviating symptoms such as nausea and vomiting (due to chemotherapy or HIV/AIDS treatments, for example), lack of appetite, migraines, depression, chronic pain, and related conditions.
In a nutshell, the demands of the individual consumer determine the true distinction between medical and recreational medicinal cannabis strains. It doesn’t matter what strain of cannabis you have; you may utilise it for medical or recreational purposes.
Furthermore, because CBD is not psychoactive, it is not typically utilised for recreational purposes, but rather as a medical cannabinoid. Despite its reputation as a psychoactive ingredient, THC has legitimate medical use.
The distinction between medicinal cannabis’s recreational and therapeutic uses
There are several methods for ingesting medicinal cannabis. Once upon a time, smoking a joint was the most frequent way to use medicinal cannabis, but the burgeoning business has given rise to numerous alternative techniques, some of which are equally as popular as smoking.
However, smoking cannabis (or a combination of cannabis and tobacco) is not the best method for health and wellness. With the introduction of legalised medical cannabis, researchers have begun to focus more on the various routes of absorption of the active cannabinoids.
Vaporizing medicinal cannabis is a popular option. Since there is no heat involved, just the active components are distributed, with no benzene, tar, or carbon particles to spoil the effect. By inhaling, only the active chemicals reach the bloodstream. Evaporation has a swift, highly concentrated effect.
All sorts of edibles and drinks may be made using medicinal cannabis. However, it is challenging to dose accurately, and the benefits take a while to manifest. This is when the risk of consuming too much first manifests itself.
There is medical and recreational usage of all of these practises. The choice is also based on the impact and function sought. Cannabidiol oil is the one and only exception to this rule. The medical value of this medicinal cannabis extract has led to its widespread use.
Does the body treat recreational and medical medicinal cannabis differently?
Numerous receptors in the system respond in response to both chemicals. The CB1 and CB2 receptors have been discovered to date. Both CB1 and CB2 are widely distributed throughout the body, although CB1 is more common in the brain and neurological system, while CB2 is more common in the immune system.
Studies have indicated that the endocannabinoid system affects a wide range of physiological and cognitive functions, including but not limited to endocrine function, metabolism, energy balance, pain and emotional memory, hunger, and many more.
Consequently, medicinal cannabis functions quite naturally, integrating with the body’s own mechanisms. A therapeutic herb that may ease or treat a wide range of maladies.
Homeostasis is supported by endogenous medicinal cannabis, as has been proven by research. The endocannabinoid system is thought to be activated by medicinal cannabis, leading to a positive impact on a wide range of imbalances.
The significant cultural divide between the medicinal marijuana uses and recreational.
Many individuals were strongly against the medicinal cannabis legalisation movement when it first began. Some of this stems from the fact that its potential medicinal applications haven’t been well explored in the lab, leading to widespread ignorance about its potential benefits.
Since then, scientists have devoted a great deal of effort to learning more about medicinal cannabis’s healing effects and how they may be utilised in contemporary medicine.
The public’s increased familiarity with cannabinoids has contributed to a more positive view of medical marijuana. However, this is not always the case with cannabis usage for recreational purposes.
Though recreational medicinal cannabis usage is permitted in some jurisdictions, it is often viewed more negatively than its medical counterpart. Many nations have legalised cannabis for medical use but not for recreational use, and the stigma surrounding it is highness factor.
Finally
We know you might be curios to find out more information and discuss medicinal cannabis uses, or where to get legal medicinal cannabis products in Australia, who is authorised to prescribe medicinal cannabis products to you, and we know lots of people are also worried about the use of medicinal cannabis.
For all these inquiries; including most medicinal cannabis products available on the market, prescribing medicinal cannabis, information about smoked cannabis, how to bring medicinal cannabis product on a travel, medical conditions cured by medical cannabis products, recreational cannabis, other general use of cannabis, you should schedule a consultation session today with our experts at Chronic Therapy to get medical professionals advice about any of the above mentions.