Over 12.7 million people each year discover that they have some form of cancer and this number is increasing every year due to genetics, cigarette use, chemicals, and obesity.
With so many people suffering from different forms and stages of cancer, it’s extremely difficult to know what will work for all cancer patients.
However, marijuana has been used in herbal remedies for hundreds of years. This is due to its ability to relieve pain, nausea, and even seizures.
If you are battling cancer or you have someone in your life that is battling cancer and you want to help in any possible way, marijuana might be the perfect thing for you.
Marijuana has proven to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and with the pain of cancer itself, so if you want to find out if marijuana is right for you, keep on reading.
Benefits of Marijuana for Cancer Patients
Marijuana had many useful benefits that can help cancer patients deal with their cancer and the effects of chemotherapy.
Reducing nausea and vomiting is one of the most common and well-known benefits of marijuana.
One of the side effects of chemotherapy is vomiting. This, in turn, makes cancer patients avoid eating because they want to avoid the nauseous sensation. Because they are now avoiding food, weight loss becomes unpreventable.
However, thanks to marijuana, appetite increases for users and the sensation to throw up after eating or being around food diminishes. This helps patients gain weight which can help their bodies fight cancer during chemotherapy.
Another benefit of marijuana is relief from pain.
Pain results from tumors pressing against bone, nerves or organs. Chemotherapy also causes pain from nerve damage, pain in your joints, headaches, and stomach pain.
This consistent pain affects the patient’s ability to sleep, which can result in fatigue and mood disorders. When an individual is struggling to deal with pain, all aspects of their life get affected.
Lastly, another benefit of marijuana is the ability to stop cancer from spreading.
Because marijuana is still federally illegal, obtaining supplies and research participants is extremely difficult. But even though research is still limited due to legal disputes, there is some evidence that marijuana can kill cancer cells.
Not only is marijuana helpful for reducing the symptoms that cancer patients may feel, it also reduces the side effects that they may experience from other drugs.
Side Effects
No drug is perfect and everything has a side effect, but taking a drug that has less intense side effects is beneficial for cancer patients. This is especially helpful when you already have to deal with so much due to cancer.
Chemotherapy is a type of medication that fights off cancer, but it can also cause a lot of side effects. For example, it can damage hair follicles, damages both white and red blood cells, make patients nauseous, cause numbness or tingling in your hands and feet, lead to infections, anemia, and so much more.
Then, cancer patients are prescribed more pills to help deal with the side effects caused by chemo. But some of those pills can also have side effects and it ends up becoming this endless cycle that you cannot avoid.
Even though marijuana does have side effects, they are usually milder. Cannabis users can experience lack of concentration, paranoia, and increased heart rate.
If you do experience some of these side effects, CBD-based products have been created to counteract these symptoms.
But as stated above, some of the side effects include increased appetite and euphoria which actually helps the patient deal with the effects of chemotherapy.
They are many users that do not experience any side effects from marijuana. But in case you do, starting with a lower dosage at first can usually prevent these side effects from occurring in the first place.
Cost
Fighting off cancer is not cheap. You have to pay the hospital bills, the chemotherapy, and you have to pay for the pills that are supposed to help you deal with the symptoms of fighting cancer.
But as marijuana becomes legal in more states, the cost of marijuana dramatically decreases. Since selling marijuana legally was a first for the United States and a lot of sellers did not know how to price their products.
But since time has passed and more states are accepting marijuana for its beneficial purposes, prices have plunged by nearly 50%.
Not only has the cost decreased tremendously, but the variations of marijuana choices have increased. Cancer patients can now consume marijuana in any way they choose.
Selections such as pills, chocolate bars, gummy bears, and smoking are all viable options. So instead of forcing a cancer patient to swallow large pills and inject them with needles, they have the ability to actually enjoy taking something that can help them get better.
Users also have the option to choose different types of cannabis, such as Sativa and Indica. So you can choose what type of effect you want for that day or time.
If you want to be energetic and creative, Sativa is for you. If you want to be mellow and sleepy, then Indica will be your choice.
Combinations of both have also been created for cancer patients to try.
Trying out marijuana is something that can completely change your life for the better without putting a strain on your bank account.
Contact Us
If you are still unsure about whether marijuana can help you or your loved one, we are always willing to answer any questions you may have.
We understand cancer is extremely difficult to deal with and trying to figure out what will be best to alleviate the symptoms is an added challenge. That is why we employ experts to help you with your choice.
Our dispensary is not just a job, it is our lifestyle.
We are here to help our community and to help our patients, so call us now if you need any other information on whether marijuana is something you would like to try.
