Every day, in every way, cannabis legalization in Canada is getting closer. But despite all the hype, noise, and publicity, there seem to be recurring cannabis myths flying around that just won’t quit.
With two days to go until federal legalization, Grow’s daily Cannabusters series tackles common myths by cutting through the stigma and sensationalism to bring you the facts about cannabis.
Myth: THC has no medical properties.
Fact: THC has therapeutic implications for a variety of medical conditions.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating compound in cannabis that is gaining popularity for its therapeutic effects without the high of THC consumption.
This has led some in the medical community to incorrectly assert that only CBD has medicinal effects, and that THC is strictly recreational.
“THC has been identified as having greater analgesic effects than CBD,” Philippe Lucas, Vice-President of Patient Research and Access at Tilray, previously told Daily Hive.
Part one of Tilray’s four-part study on the application of cannabis to treat pain associated with headaches and migraines showed patient preference for a hybrid strain called OG Shark, which has a high THC and low CBD ratio.
Lucas also stated a case for “whole-plant medicine” instead of isolated of specific compounds.
“It’s been suggested by other academics that a whole-plant product seems to lead to better tolerability and better effects in what is called the entourage effect. Different cannabinoids and terpenes play off each other to both reduce some of the potentially negative side effects associated with cannabis use but also increase the efficacy.”
Anecdotally, patients are also experiencing the therapeutic effects of THC.
Phil Kwong, founder of 3 Carbon Extractions Inc., uses cannabis to treat his symptoms associated with Remitting-Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).
Kwong tried a host of pharmaceuticals that came with many unpleasant side effects. After a particularly bad relapse, Kwong tried something drastic and took 1000 mg of THC. His symptoms were gone by the following morning.
Kwong continues to use cannabis for MS symptom relief and to control inflammation, and to reduce the effects of MS relapses when they do flare up.
Lindsey Gorman has also found relief with THC.
Seven years ago, Gorman was hit by a drunk driver, an accident that left her with multiple, daily seizures.
“When I first started this whole journey, I bought a CBD tincture and it didn’t work for me,” Gorman told Daily Hive over the phone.
“It wasn’t until I introduced THC suppositories that I experienced some relief.”
Like Kwong, Gorman started with pharmaceuticals but experienced negative side effects such as weight gain, hair loss, and trouble sleeping.
Furthermore, cannabis has also helped Gorman avert seizures by using a vaporizer, something she was unable to do with traditional medications.
While self-experimenting to find the cannabinoid ratios and doses that work best for her, Gorman discovered that when she removed THC completely, she started experiencing seizures more severely.
Currently, with THC therapy, Gorman’s seizures only occur about once every couple of months.
See also
- Cannabusters myth #6: Smoking weed causes long-term cognitive damage
- Cannabusters myth #11: Smoking cannabis causes more lung damage than tobacco
- Cannabusters myth #13: You can overdose on cannabis
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