Pot gets legalized in Washington as more cannabis health benefits are confirmed

Saturday, December 29, 2012 by: Raw Michelle
Tags: cannabis, health benefits, legalization

(NaturalNews) In a U.S. premiere, the use of marijuana for recreational purposes has been legalized in the states of Washington and Colorado. Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Seattle to celebrate the event, but not everyone is happy with the change. The new law sparked controversy as it allows the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, but not the selling or cultivation of the plant.

The many advantages of marijuana consumption

Marijuana enthusiasts in downtown Seattle carried signs saying that cannabis is safer than alcohol, but what was missing from the celebration was a clear message that marijuana, which has already been approved for medical use in 18 states, has a multitude of health benefits. One of the most important recent medical discoveries pertains to a marijuana compound called Cannabidiol (CBD for short). This compound is not psychoactive, but it possesses a series of unique health benefits.

CBD is so powerful that it can halt the spread of cancer, reduce inflammation and convulsions, eliminate nausea and anxiety, and even work as an anti-psychotic in the treatment of mental disorders. The first study to show that CBD has anti-carcinogenic properties emerged in 2007. At the time, scientists tested CBD against breast cancer cells in the lab and saw that it significantly reduced their growth. In 2012, a new study took that research even further, and showed that CBD is equally effective against several kinds of cancer.

Since the discovery of CBD, scientists around the world have started paying more attention to its unique properties. One major concern of marijuana use; however, is that the beneficial CBD has to be consumed in tandem with THC, the psychoactive substance responsible for inducing the "high." However, this may not be necessary for long.

New medical marijuana that doesn't get you high

David Sabach is a 12-year-old boy who has lost his hair and half his body weight to chemotherapy. He has cancer. Recently, he's been given Cannabidiol enriched chocolates and cakes. "I used to take morphine for pain and it would help for just a couple of minutes. When I take the cannabis it helps me all day. I feel much better. I can finally walk without crying from the pain in my legs", he explains.

In November 2012, an Israeli organization managed to develop a new strain of cannabis that has no psychoactive effects, but only the benefits of medical marijuana. The strain was obtained entirely through crossbreeding, and no genetic engineering was involved. Because of its unique properties, the new strain of cannabis is suitable for the elderly, children and people who work.

David Sabach was among the first patients to be treated with this new marijuana, and now more than 10,000 Israelis are consuming it to treat a range of conditions, from cancer, to Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and even Tourette syndrome.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.reuters.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20189347
http://edition.cnn.com

About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. >>> Click here to see more by Michelle