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Informationen zum Autor Mikhail Kogan, MD, and Joan Liebmann-Smith, PhD; Foreword by Andrew Weil Klappentext An essential guide to understanding the health benefits of marijuana and CBD Marijuana has been used for thousands of years as a medicine, but pot has been illegal in the United States for most of our lives. Almost all states have now legalized its medical use, and many consumers and physicians are exploring it as an alternative to conventional treatments. There’s substantial evidence that marijuana (cannabis) is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain, chemo side effects, sleep and mood disorders, MS, and Parkinson’s disease, among others. But there’s also misinformation about marijuana on social media. And most physicians have limited knowledge on the subject, while dispensary staff (aka “budtenders”) lack medical training. Mikhail Kogan, MD, a renowned expert on medical marijuana, has found that cannabinoids (THC, CBD, hemp, and other cannabis products) can often be more beneficial, have fewer side effects, and be safer than many conventional medications, including opioids and other painkillers. But different ailments require different strains, doses, and routes of delivery. Medical Marijuana demystifies marijuana and other forms of cannabis in a user-friendly guide that will help readers: • Understand how marijuana morphed from the days of “Reefer Madness” to being hailed as a wonder weed • Navigate the complex medical and legal world of marijuana • Understand the risks and benefits of THC, CBD, and other cannabis products • Evaluate the pros and cons of inhaled and other routes of delivery: edibles, topicals, and even suppositories • Find a doctor who can recommend medical cannabis • Choose a reliable dispensary • Learn how to evaluate labels on cannabis products • Discover cost-saving strategies since medical marijuana isn’t covered by health insurance With real-life patients’ stories woven throughout the book, simple explanatory graphics, and the most up-to-date information, this is the definitive guide to the wide-ranging benefits of medical marijuana and other forms of cannabis. Leseprobe Chapter one The Long and Winding Road Marijuana, which is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, has had a very long, convoluted, and controversial history. In fact, the term marijuana wasn't even used until the early twentieth century. Before the mid-eighteenth century, the plant was referred to as hemp (or Indian hemp) in English, and by a variety of names across the globe. The ancient Greeks referred to it as kannabis, which means canvas, because the plant was primarily used to make cloth. But it wasn't called "cannabis" in English until 1753-when it was officially christened Cannabis sativa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. Depending on what part of the plant was used, it was either turned into industrial fiber or consumed for medicinal or other, more controversial purposes. In fact, since ancient times, cannabis has been either revered as a sacred shrub, promoted as a panacea, or damned as the devil's weed. In just the past one hundred years, marijuana has gone from being a common household cure, to being denounced as a dangerous drug, and finally to being declared illegal. But now it's being resurrected as a wonder weed and, once again, making its way into mainstream medicine. Just how this happened is worth exploring. The past not only can inform us about the potential benefits of medical marijuana, but it also can and should inform medical research. As cannabis researcher and historian Dr. Simona Pisanti explains, "It is surprising that most of the pharmacological properties of Cannabis that only now are being studied were indeed already known and used in medicine for the treatment of numerous pathologies in ancient times."
