Cannabis, which was once viewed as a dangerous life-threatening drug, has now become the number one prescription medication for a variety of patients across the United States. Maybe even the world.
As legalization spreads across the states and with the recent news of President Biden pardoning thousands of people convicted of marijuana charges, it’s safe to say that cannabis isn’t going anywhere. In fact, according to a recent poll by USA Today/Ipsos, two-thirds of Americans support pardoning all prior federal convictions for marijuana possession.
While cannabis has had a history of being the pillar of the War on Drugs movement during the 1970s, researchers and scientists have been experimenting with countless studies on how cannabis can actually be a healthier and holistic option in treating a wide variety of illnesses. Depression, anxiety, chronic pain, anorexia, and even dementia are all ailments that cannabis can help with and people are starting to catch on.
During the pandemic, research showed that cannabis use increased by 16% in the United States. Medical cannabis has even surpassed other prescription medications like opiates and anti-depressants. So far it seems like cannabis can be the holy grail of alternative medication…but at what cost?
While others see cannabis as a healthier alternative in the healing arts, others are still skeptical about this new trend. While cannabis does indeed help with a variety of medical diagnoses, some are still concerned as THC in cannabis can cause some addictive behaviors.
Also, cannabis is still considered a Schedule 1 drug which includes hazardous drugs like heroin, ecstasy, and peyote. Because of this, it restricts medical professionals and researchers to go deeper into their studies on the positive effects it can have on people.
However even though it’s still considered a drug with a high potential for abuse, that hasn’t stopped the American public from embracing cannabis with open arms. The wellness industry has made massive movements by including cannabis in a wave of products like creams, lip balms, shampoos, and even water!
After interviewing a few people on their thoughts on cannabis, over 90% of them agreed that they would rather use cannabis than any other pill-form prescription. As a wellness writer and researcher, I can absolutely see the benefits of cannabis and how it can create a positive impact. There is no cause of death for taking too much cannabis whereas if you take too many prescriptions that are commonly used like opiates, it can cause some serious (and deadly) results.
So is cannabis the new wellness frontier? Possibly!
Only time will tell and once cannabis is removed as a Schedule 1 drug by the Federal government, it can make way for more research that can help the skeptics see how this drug which was once something to be feared can actually be something that can save lives.
What are your views on cannabis? Do you think this drug might be the next positive thing that can help with living a healthy lifestyle? Or do you think this might backfire and take a toll for the worst? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!
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Til next time loves,
Photo by Shelby Ireland on Unsplash