Medicinal dagga: Before you criticise, read here
Many users of cannabis oil swear by it.
Within an hour of the announcement on 18 September that the Constitutional Court has ruled that using dagga is now partly legal in the country, controversy has erupted on social media.
Many welcomed the decision while others expressed their dismay, expecting the worse. Unfortunately due to years of stigma surrounding the recreational use of the plant, its medicinal properties have been overlooked. Only in recent years have cannabis oil become available in South Africa, albeit on the black market, illegally and at exorbitantly high prices.
Also Read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/roodepoort-record/2018/09/18/dagga-now-legal-in-sa/
Much more research has to be done but at least two ingredients in the plant have been identified to have medicinal properties. Cannabidiol (CBD) seems to impact the brain without a high, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that has pain-relieving properties and is largely responsible for the high.
Here are just some of the medicinal uses of dagga (cannabis):
• Relieves chronic pain such as caused by arthritis
• Relieves muscle spasms
• One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that not only does marijuana not impair lung function, it may even increase lung capacity if NOT smoked alongside tobacco products
• Assists in the treatment of glaucoma. This disease increases pressure on the optic nerves which damages it. Cannabis can reduce this pressure
• Helps control epilepsy. Some studies have shown that CBD seems to help people with treatment-resistant epilepsy by reducing the number of seizures.
• California Pacific Medical Centre in San Francisco reported in 2007 that CBD may help prevent cancer from spreading
• Low dosages can reduce anxiety, but high dosages might increase it and lead to paranoia
• A study led by the Scripps Research Institute shows that it might stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, dagga may ease the painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis
• Dagga may help with inflammatory bowel diseases
• According to The American Journal of Medicine, dagga users in general are less obese and have better metabolisms
• Although not a medicinal advantage, dagga can positively impact creativity
• It can promote sleeping
• Reduces nausea and vomiting
• Helps persons trying to reduce their alcohol intake
*Please note that the Record stands neutral as to the above report. We urge our readers to consult their medical practitioners first before using dagga as medical treatment.
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