A change of one letter and some switching around of a few words has never before incited such furor of excitement for those watching the political climate around marijuana legalization. The National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) official medicinal marijuana page headline changed from “Is marijuana medicine?” to “marijuana as medicine” on their website. This subtle but important difference has been a long time coming. But does it go far enough?
The website has had information about marijuana used medicinally posted for many years, but that questioning headline, “Is marijuana medicine?” has left the door open for skeptics, and provided fodder for anti-marijuana proponents. Now the denial can no longer continue as the government hopefully moves toward more of an open and legal stance on cannabis use. This comes in the midst of almost 100 days into the Trump presidency, where several of Trump’s main representatives, continue to view marijuana and opioid addiction as equal afflictions. All this while the NIDA website defines medical marijuana as “using the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions.”
The first to notice the change was Chris Roberts of the High Times publication, but it was not just the headline that was adjusted on the site. Updated information with current findings on cannabidiol (CBD) use and childhood epilepsy. CBD is one of the cannabinoid compounds found in the marijuana and hemp plant. Several studies have reported positive effects with many participants reporting large reductions in numbers of seizures with CBD oil use. In fact, some participants reported no further seizures with regular use. CBD oil is available legally at sites like Love Hemp where parents can purchase high-quality, properly sourced hemp CBD oil which has no “high” or mind-altering effect or THC, the psychoactive agent of marijuana. CBD oil has also been reported to be effective with inflammation, and for treating alcoholism and other drug addictions.
The site also included new warnings about synthetic cannabis, a dangerous and unnecessary replacement for the naturally occurring cannabis compounds like THC. Unfortunately, the profound interest from the public in the effects of marijuana cannabinoids has results in some unsavory criminal elements playing bad science to make a dollar. It is critical that consumers not be fooled by these products and only source premiere CBD oil in order to avoid unhealthy reactions.
While the NIDA changes are a step in the right direction, unfortunately, they do not make a definitive push for a legalizing marijuana across the board. Until then, for those who want the benefits of marijuana use without fear of criminal Th a legal and viable alternative.
The message from NIDA is now clearer, that the medical use of marijuana is no longer up for debate. It is medical, it is useful, and results from scientific research are starting to show what many have known all along. Currently, scientists are conducting preclinical and clinical trials to test marijuana and its cannabinoid compounds for the treatment of several illnesses and symptoms.