Medical Cannabis: “It’s been life-changing”

After decades of being regarded as an illicit substance, marijuana is now being reevaluated on a cultural and legal basis. The majority of Americans, according to recent research, support the legalization of marijuana for medical or recreational use. As a result, marijuana has been legalized in a number of states for medical, recreational, or both purposes.

Some experts and politicians, on the other hand, want to see more scientific evidence to back up specific marijuana benefits. There are also concerns that marijuana's potential dangers may outweigh its benefits in some situations. Are you wondering if the benefits of this medication are everything that they claim to be? Below is a true story of a person named Andrea Wright, who shared her story with the Guardian.

Andrea Wright’s Story

Andrea Wright, 39, from Bristol, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia in 2013. She was retired from her employment at National Grid "at the grand old age of 33" due to terrible persistent discomfort and unable to sleep for more than two hours at a time.

“I had to stop work because the pain was too much. It’s been very depressing; I really enjoyed my job. I tried so many different therapies and managed to get my arthritis under control but for fibromyalgia, there isn’t anything, no magical pill.”

She was taking up to 40 tablets per day, including 14 prescriptions such as opiate painkillers, sleeping medications, and laxatives to treat constipation induced by the opioids. Wright would never contemplate smoking cannabis recreationally but began inhaling medical cannabis in January as part of a research conducted by LVL Health, a private London pain clinic. She told Guardian,

“To begin with I was completely knocked out but you do get used to it. Straight away my sleep was a million times better. I probably hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since 2012. I stopped taking any sleeping pills. My pain levels have completely dropped as well.”

She also mentioned that she is able to work longer hours and go into the office. If it weren't for medicinal cannabis, she wouldn't be where she is now. It has changed her life.

What does research have to say?

A study by Erinn C. Cameron and Samantha L. Hemingway looked into the safety and efficacy of medical cannabis treatments for fibromyalgia. There were five trials with 827 people who received six different therapies. The review found significant methodological issues with generalizability and validity. Although the critically analyzed trials appear to imply that medicinal cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for fibromyalgia pain, major methodological constraints hinder a firm conclusion about cannabinoids for pain management in fibromyalgia patients at this time.

In 2018, George Habib and Suheil Artul published a report that discusses the result of the test carried out on 26 patients to understand the effectiveness of cannabis for fibromyalgia. Data on individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia who were treated with MC were gathered from the registries of two Israeli hospitals (Laniado Hospital and Nazareth Hospital). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information were recorded after obtaining patient permission. During the time before and after MC therapy, all of the patients completed the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Thirty patients were found, and 26 were chosen to participate in the research. The research group consisted of 19 female patients (73%) with an average age of 37.8 7.6 years. The average monthly dose of MC was 26.83 g, and the average duration of MC usage was 10.4 11.3 months. All of the patients reported substantial improvements in every parameter on the questionnaire after starting MC therapy, and 13 patients (50 percent) ceased taking any additional fibromyalgia drugs. Eight individuals (30%) encountered just minor side effects. Medical cannabis therapy demonstrated a considerable positive effect on fibromyalgia patients, with a few side effects.

If you want to get medical cannabis too, you’ll need to have a medical marijuana card prescribed by a certified doctor in the state you reside in. There are several options through which you can get the card. One of them is Quick Med Cards. The reason for mentioning them is that they are present in over 22 states in the US and hence if you reside in any of the states mentioned below, you can book an appointment with the doctor from the comfort of your home.