What is Marijuana?
Cannabis is the name for the dried leaves, flowers, stalks, and seeds of the Cannabis sativa or indica plant. THC and other similar compounds are present in the plant. The cannabis plant may be used to produce extracts. Looking to try something new? Check out this.
Marijuana is the most frequently used illicit drug, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It is popular among youngsters. More than 11.8 million young people utilized marijuana in 2018, according to the Monitoring the Future survey. According to the same study, rates of past-year marijuana use among middle and high school students have remained constant, but there are more teenagers in 8th and 10th grades who claim they use it daily. Teens have started using THC (the chemical in marijuana that gives people a euphoric sensation) via vaping devices, with almost 4% of 12th graders reporting to use it daily. In addition, the proportion of young people who consider regular marijuana use to be dangerous is on the decline.
Marijuana for Diabetes
Cannabis may have the following health advantages for persons with diabetes (people with diabetes) according to one of the first major studies published by the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC):
- stabilizing blood sugars (confirmed via “a large body of
- anecdotal evidence building among diabetes sufferers”)
- anti-inflammatory action that may help quell some of the
- arterial inflammation common in diabetes
- “neuroprotective” effects that help thwart
- inflammation of nerves and reduce the pain of neuropathy by activating
- receptors in the body and brain
- “anti-spasmodic agents” help relieve muscle cramps and
- the pain of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders
- acts as a “vasodilator” to help keep blood vessels
- open and improve circulation
- contributes to lower blood pressure over time, which is vital
- for diabetics
- substituting cannabis butter and oil in foods “benefits
- cardiac and arterial health in general”
- it can also be used to make topical creams to relieve
- neuropathic pain and tingling in hands and feet
- helps calm diabetic “restless leg syndrome” (RLS), so
- the patient can sleep better: “it is recommended that patients use a
- vaporizer or smoked cannabis to aid in falling asleep”
Evidence for all of this still stands, and has in fact been corroborated and built upon in the past decade.
Research on Diabetes and Cannabis
While there is some debate about whether or not marijuana use lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, research shows that it is helpful for those who already have type 1 or 2 and especially for those who have complications.
A milestone study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2020 concluded:
- cannabis compounds may help control blood sugar
- marijuana users are less likely to be obese, and have lower body
- mass index (BMI) measurements — despite the fact that they seemed to take in
- more calories
- pot smokers also had higher levels of “good
- cholesterol” and smaller waistlines
“The most significant conclusion is that current marijuana users had better carbohydrate metabolism than non-users,” Murray Mittleman, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the study’s lead investigator, told TIME.
In 2014, a “summary of the promising epidemiological evidence on cannabis and diabetes management” published in the Natural Medicine Journal stated that past and continuing marijuana use was linked to lower fasting insulin, blood glucose, insulin resistance, BMI, and waist circumference levels in thousands of people.
The study found that cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical present in cannabis, has anti-inflammatory effects. In 2015, Israeli academics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem published a research suggesting that cannabidiol (CBD), a component found in cannabis, may be used to cure several diseases including type 2 diabetes.
There’s also a lot of scientific evidence that cannabis can help with diabetes issues, such as eye problems; cannabis lowers intraocular pressure (fluid pressure in the eye) significantly in people with glaucoma, which is caused by diseases that severely limit blood flow to the eyes, such as diabetic retinopathy.
Does Marijuana Help Diabetes?
You’re not the only one who’s asking if marijuana can help diabetes. There is a lot of ongoing study into the possible therapeutic and medical advantages of marijuana, and one of them is cannabis and diabetes. Cannabinoids are components in marijuana that have been shown to have health benefits. THC generates psychotropic effects, whereas CBD does not.
There have been numerous studies on marijuana and diabetes, which reveal that people with diabetes who use marijuana may benefit.
Marijuana can help with blood sugar levels, hypertension, and artery inflammation. It may also aid in the improvement of circulation and the mitigation of neuropathic pain, one of the most prevalent issues associated with diabetes.
According to a few research, marijuana may be able to help prevent diabetes by assisting with the treatment of symptoms. Obesity is less prevalent among cannabis users than non-users, according to several studies.
People with type 2 diabetes are unable to properly utilize insulin, and one study found that cannabis users had lower levels of insulin resistance, improved production of insulin, and lower fasting blood glucose levels. Diabetic retinopathy is a disease in which people with diabetes lose their eyesight, and some animal investigation suggests that CBD may protect against it.
One of the many reasons marijuana and diabetes might be connected is because cannabis is thought to combat inflammation, which is linked to not just diabetes but also most other chronic diseases. While there appear to be some benefits with marijuana and diabetes, it’s crucial to remember the drawbacks.
Marijuana has been shown to increase appetite. It’s such a prevalent side effect that it’s known as the “munchies,” and this may cause you to eat lots of carbohydrates and bad calories. This can lead to weight gain and raise blood sugar levels too rapidly, which can induce hyperactivity.
There are a number of potential negative general side effects that may occur with marijuana usage, including substance addiction, drug interactions, slowness in reaction time, memory and concentration issues, respiratory difficulties, and dizziness. When it comes to the legality of marijuana use in many states, there are also complications.