Cannabis Sativa

Cannabis Sativa

Other Names : Anashca, Banji, Bhang, Blunt, Bud, Cannabis, Cannabis sativa, Charas, Dope, Esrar, Gaga, Ganga, Grass, Haschisch, Hash, Hashish, Herbe, Huo Ma Ren, Joint, Kif, Mariguana, Marihuana, Mary Jane, Pot, Sawi, Sinsemilla, Weed. Avoid confusion with Hemp, a distinct variety of Cannabis sativa cultivated for its fiber and seeds, which contains less than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Marijuana is an herb. It contains chemicals called cannabinoids that affect the central nervous system. Cannabinoids are found in the highest concentration in the leaves and flowers, the parts that are used to make medicine. See also :

• Cannabis Indica
• Cannabinoids

Special Precautions of Marijuana

• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Marijuana is UNSAFE when taken by mouth or smoked during pregnancy. Marijuana passes through the placenta and can slow the growth of the fetus. Marijuana use during pregnancy is also associated with childhood leukemia. Using marijuana, either by mouth or by inhalation is LIKELY UNSAFE during breast-feeding. The dronabinol (THC) in marijuana passes into breast milk.
• In the U.S., marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, making possession illegal. Some states, such as California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and others, have legalized or decriminalized the use of medical marijuana, despite objections from the federal government. Some countries such as Canada also permit the use of medical marijuana.
• The cannabinoid, dronabinol, which is found in marijuana, is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth appropriately as a prescription medication. Dronabinol (Marinol) is an FDA-approved prescription product.
• Marijuana is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when it is taken by mouth or smoked. It is classified as an illegal substance.
• Use of marijuana can cause dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, dry or red eyes, heart and blood pressure problems, lung problems, impaired mental functioning, headache, dizziness, numbness, panic reactions, hallucinations, flashbacks, depression, and sexual problems.
• Heart disease: Marijuana might cause rapid heartbeat and short-term high blood pressure.
• A weakened immune system: Cannabinoids in marijuana can weaken the immune system, which might make it more difficult for the body to fight infections.
• Lung diseases: Long-term use of marijuana can make lung problems worse. Regular, long-term marijuana use has been associated with several cases of an unusual type of emphysema, a lung disease.
• Seizure disorders: Marijuana might make seizure disorders worse in some people; in other people it might help to control seizures.
• Surgery: Marijuana affects the central nervous system. It might slow the central nervous system too much when combined with anesthesia and other medications during and after surgery. Stop using marijuana at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
• Sedative medications (Barbiturates and CNS depressants) interacts with Marijuana.
• Theophylline interacts with Marijuana
• Disulfiram (Antabuse) interacts with Marijuana
• Fluoxetine (Prozac) interacts with Marijuana
• Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with Marijuana

The benefits of Marijuana are

Cannabis

• Improving appetite in people with AIDS. Smoking marijuana seems to stimulate the appetite of patients with AIDS. Marijuana cigarettes can also cause weight gain in HIV-positive patients also taking indinavir (Crixivan) or nelfinavir (Viracept). A cannabinoid from marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is used in the prescription-only, FDA-approved product dronabinol (Marinol) for the treatment of weight loss or appetite loss due to AIDS and for nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy.
• Glaucoma. Smoking marijuana seems to reduce pressure inside the eye in patients with glaucoma. However, it also seems to decrease blood flow to the optic nerve. So far, it is not known if marijuana can improve the way the eye functions.
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Marijuana seems to be effective when smoked, or when the cannabinoids are taken by mouth for the treatment of muscle tightness and shakiness associated with MS.
• Nausea : Cannabinoids are at least as effective as some conventional medications for nausea, including prochlorperazine (Compazine), metoclopramide (Reglan), chlorpromazine (Compazine), and thiethylperazine (Torecan).
• Pain : Cannabinoids from marijuana also appear to be similar to codeine for treatment of pain. However, extreme sleepiness and other central nervous system effects make cannabinoids undesirable as painkillers.
• Autism : Marijuana cannabinoids found to help combat autism.
• ADHD/ADD : Scientists studied 30 patients with ADHD who had minimal success with Adderall or Ritalin, another popular ADHD drug. After using medical cannabis, all 30 participants reported “improved concentration and sleep” and “reduced impulsivity.”
• Some people inhale marijuana for medicinal purposes. Marijuana is smoked for nausea, glaucoma, appetite stimulation, mucous membrane inflammation, leprosy, fever, dandruff, hemorrhoids, obesity, asthma, urinary tract infections, cough, anorexia associated with weight loss in AIDS patients, pain, and multiple sclerosis. It is also inhaled to weaken the immune system after kidney transplant to lessen the chance of transplant rejection.
• Cancer : Ever since the mid 70s, medical scientists have been well aware of the beneficial effects of cannabinoid compounds over cancerous cells. Thanks to modern science, over a dozen studies conducted during recent years have been able to partially reveal just how it works. Yet cannabis is still not endorsed by pharmaceutical companies as a cancer cure, and since it is not promoted through mainstream channels, very few people are aware of its benefits. Consequently, it is not sought after as an alternative to disfiguring chemotherapy and other harmful drugs.Laboratory tests conducted in 2008 by a team of scientists formed as a joint research effort between Spain, France and Italy, and published in The Journal Of Clinical Investigation, showed that the active ingredient in marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, can function as a cure for brain cancer by inducing human glioma cell death through stimulation of autophagy.The study concluded that via the same biochemical process THC could terminate multiple types of cancers, affecting various cells in the body. Other studies have shown that cannabinoids may work by various mechanisms, including inhibiting cell growth, inducing cell death, and inhibiting tumor metastasis.What is amazing is that while cannabinoids effectively target and kill cancerous cells, they do not affect healthy, normal cells and may actually protect them against cellular death. Moreover, cannabinoids are also researched for their pain-modulation and anti-inflammatory abilities as they bind to special receptors in the brain, much like opioid derivatives that are commonly prescribed today.Further evidence to support the effects of cannabis extract on malignant cells comes from the real life experience of individuals who have successfully overcome cancer by using cannabis oil. Examples include a patient, who managed to completely cure his skin cancer by simply applying cannabis oil onto the affected areas of the skin, as well as another, who recovered from a severe head injury with the aid of hemp oil.
• HIV/AIDS : Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient in marijuana, could help prevent HIV from spreading throughout the body, according to a recent study.
• Dementia / Alzheimer's Disease : Boosting your production of BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor) with THC compounds could inhibit the development of amyloid plaque and prevent dementia. Cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can aid the removal of dangerous dementia proteins from brain cells, according to researchers at the Salk Institute.
• Tourette Syndrome : Research has shown that THC found in cannabis can be beneficial in helping reduce the severity and frequency of the tic’s associated with Tourette’s. Sativa Dominant high THC strains are recommended for tourette’s patients because of their uplifting qualities.