The recent move by the government of Zimbabwe to legalize the farming and the subsequent use of marijuana or cannabis for medicinal purposes has attracted mixed responses from the general public.The negativity towards the use of marijuana can be attributed to certain trends in the Zimbabwean society whereby those associated with smoking marijuana have often been found to be societal misfits and instigators of sub cultural behaviour.
By Setfree.N.Mafukidze (RGN)
However from a medical perspective based on research carried out in various countries around the world which include the United States of America, Israel and others the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is on the rise due to some notable therapeutic contributions of the drug. The United States of America had some of its states legalising the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes while the Israeli government sponsors extensive research to identify the benefits and risks of using marijuana by human beings.
This article is centred on presenting the most common and known medical benefits of Marijuana use,however researchers have made it clear that more research work still needs to be done to conclusively give credence to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
In Zimbabwe marijuana is popularly known as mbanje and commonly used for recreational benefits though it is illegal to be found in possession of the drug. Marijuana can be used through smoking it’s dried leaves and can also be vaporized by heating to allow the release of the active ingredient of the drug without allowing smoke formation. In some cases marijuana is used in baking for oral consumption as well as extraction of its liquid for use.
Marijuana is said to comprise of two active chemicals, these chemicals are thought to be of significant contribution medicinally. The first chemical is Cannabidiol (CBD) which is said to impact the brain without a high while the second chemical is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is believed to have properties that contribute immensely in pain relief and is also responsible for the high. More chemical compounds can be found in marijuana and some have been identified as medically beneficial.
Marijuana has been to a good extend been exempted from being a cause of lung cancer unless in cases where an individual smokes both marijuana and tobacco, instead it has been noted through research that marijuana may actually increase lung capacity, however it has not been proven whether there is a chemical component that contributes to this increase in lung capacity.
With the growing number of cases of chronic diseases such as Cancer in Zimbabwe, it is no doubt that the introduction of marijuana for medicinal purposes will go a long way in alleviating those patients affected by long-term illness. Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy suffer from depression, fatigue,loss of appetite and marijuana has been noted as a major reversing drug of the said chemotherapy side effects additionally it is believed that Cannabidiol (CBD) could be of significance in the prevention of metastasising (spread) of cancer.
Furthermore Cannabidiol (CBD) has been found useful in the treatment of most neurological disorders of note being the treatment of epilepsy which is also a Seizure disorder, one other such disorder whose symptoms can be lowered through the use of marijuana is Dravet’s Syndrome which is however not very common in Zimbabwe. Marijuana has been noted as having abilities to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and of good use to patients with Multiple Sclerosis by reducing painful muscle spasms or contractions associated with the condition.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a common condition in Zimbabwe particularly among the elderly and it brings a lot of pain,inflammation resulting in lack of sleep, however if a patient with this condition is allowed to use marijuana this will help relieve pain and allow the patient good sleep.
Glaucoma, an eye condition which results in the increase of pressure in the eyeball which may lead to destruction of the optic nerve and possibly loss of vision can to a certain extent be reduced through the use of Marijuana. Research has noted that that smoking marijuana reduces intraocular pressure (IOP).
Other conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been relieved through the use of marijuana, PTSD is normally involves by fear, anxiety and even nightmares after a traumatic experience such as War.
Dependency or addiction is limited when patients are given marijuana instead of opioid based pain relief medication such as Pethidine,even those patients who are alcoholics can use the marijuana in a bid to quit alcohol, most notable is the fact that marijuana has no withdrawal syndrome issues and is far less harmful than alcohol.
On the other hand in terms of national expenditure, Zimbabwe stands to save big in monetary terms by embracing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes because it is cheaper than the commonly used opioid based medications which were or are commonly used in Zimbabwe.
At this point it is important to note that the benefits of using marijuana medicinally are not limited to what has been stated in this article and certainly those benefits outweigh the risks or side effects of using the drug. In countries where marijuana is already legal each user is licensed by a Medical Doctor depending on their condition to control the consumption of the drug.
Setfree.N.Mafukidze (RGN) is a Registered General Nurse and a Health Promoter.
