Medical marijuana has positive results for certain illnesses and diseases, including pain.

August 27, 2016, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Light it Up: Medical Marijuana Benefits

What you need to know about medical marijuana, the new regulations, and how it can benefit your health

New laws will be coming into effect August 24^th for the growing and use of medical marijuana.

Back in June 2013, medical marijuana laws only allowed companies with the proper permits to produce and distribute cannabis. 34 companies across Canada were given permits, with 19 of these companies located in Ontario.

The new legislation drafted would allow individuals to a “limited” amount of cannabis in their home, and would even allow for someone to grow marijuana for another after going through a background check. Only people who are approved for medical marijuana by a healthcare professional, and home owners must specify where they will be producing and storing their weed. Seeds and plants can still be bought from licensed producers.

Marijuana is a plant which the leaves, steam, seeds and flower either are crushed, or are made into an oil containing THC. According to the website, www.drugs.com, THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a psychoactive ingredient that once it is passed through the blood stream into the brain and other organs, causes chemical reactions that lead up to a “High”. 

Medical marijuana can be smoked, vaporized, or consumed but Health Canada encourages patients to practice vaporizing. Vaporizing does not have the same health risks as smoking, and the effects can be felt almost instantly unlike oral consumption, which takes longer because it is processed through the liver. Marijuana oil must be consumed orally.

While marijuana has a bad reputation for effecting coordination, concentration, and time perception, weed has been found to have positive effects upon certain illnesses and diseases. For example, medical cannabis has been found to help patients who are suffering from multiple sclerosis as THC relieves pain in nerve endings and causes muscles to relax. Marijuana also helps to relieve muscle spasms and people who suffer from epilepsy.

 Besides allowing muscles to relax, THC also increases appetite which can help patients who are going through chemotherapy for cancer treatment, and for people being treated with Hepatitis C. Medical marijuana can also be used to treat mental illnesses such as PTSD and anxiety, and can even be used to treat the eye disease Glaucoma.

There is much controversy over the use of medical marijuana as to whether it is a safe procedure compared to traditional medicines; however, unlike street weed which is mixed with other chemicals, licensed medical marijuana is pure, and  producers follow strict guidelines for quality, safety, and security. CanniMed, a medical marijuana distributer located in Saskatoon, claims that they even follow the same standards and procedures as pharmaceutical companies for all their products.

Is medical marijuana right for you? That all depends upon your doctor’s decision. Note that under the MMPR (Marijuana for Medical Purpose Regulations) “doctor” can be your family doctor, specialists including oncologists and rheumatologists, or a general practitioner. If patients feel that they should be prescribed medical marijuana, they can do research on the effects of medical cannabis upon their condition, and then book an appointment with their doctor and talk to them about it. Patients can also ask their doctor about medical marijuana, and be referred to a specialist if needed.

Currently, medical marijuana isn’t covered under health insurance plans as it doesn’t have a drug identification number (D.I.N.) because of a lack of rigorous, clinical research done on medical marijuana which big pharmaceutical companies and doctors rely on. Without that vigorous research However, insurance companies might look to increase research and start covering medical marijuana in the future, as medical cannabis could cost less than other current pharmaceutical drugs to produce the same effects for patients.

Article prepared by Ariel Deutschmann

All information used within this article can be found within the following links:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/medical-marijuana-home-growing-law-1.3716860

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/info/faq-eng.php

http://www.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana-2014-4/#c-slows-the-progression-of-alzheimers-disease-7

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/expect-medical-marijuana-to-be-covered-by-benefits-soon-experts-say/article25714205/

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/info/list-eng.php

https://www.drugs.com/illicit/marijuana.html

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

The opinions expressed here, while intended to provide useful information, should not be interpreted as legal recommendations or advice.