Marijuana eases some ailments‚ but it poses a health risk: report

13 January 2017 - 17:12 By Nomahlubi Jordaan
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Washington legalized recreational use of cannabis last year and the first retail outlets will open this summer.
Washington legalized recreational use of cannabis last year and the first retail outlets will open this summer.
Image: AFP Relaxnews ©Yellowj/Shuttertsock.com

A recent study shows that the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes does yield positive results‚ but its continued use might have negative effects.

The report‚ titled The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research‚ was conducted by the National Academies of Sciences‚ Engineering‚ and Medicine‚ a private‚ nonprofit institution. Published this week‚ the report consolidated all evidence published since 1999 on the benefits and negative effects of cannabis use for medical purposes.

One of the therapeutic uses of cannabis and cannabinoids is to treat chronic pain in adults.

“The committee found evidence to support that patients who were treated with cannabis or cannabinoids were more likely to experience a significant reduction in pain symptoms.

“For adults with multiple sclerosis-related muscle spasms‚ there was substantial evidence that short-term use of certain ‘oral cannabinoids’ - man-made‚ cannabinoid-based medications that are orally ingested - improved their reported symptoms.

“Furthermore‚ in adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting‚ there was conclusive evidence that certain oral cannabinoids were effective in preventing and treating those ailments.”

However‚ the study reveals that there is evidence to suggest that using marijuana before driving increases the risk of being involved in a car accident.

There is also increased risk of “unintentional cannabis overdose injuries” among children.

Smoking marijuana on a regular basis can also lead to “frequent bronchitis episodes” and worse respiratory symptoms‚ the study has found.

“The evidence reviewed by the committee suggests that cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia‚ other psychoses‚ and social anxiety disorders‚ and to a lesser extent depression.

“Alternatively‚ in individuals with schizophrenia and other psychoses‚ a history of cannabis use may be linked to better performance on learning and memory tasks‚” the report reads.

Those who use marijuana “heavily” are more likely to report thoughts of suicide than those who don’t use the drug.

Pregnant women who smoke marijuana could result in a baby’s lower birth weight.

The study also found that the drug causes impaired learning‚ memory‚ and attention after immediate cannabis use.

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