Why Cannabis?

Is cannabis medicine right for you? We could write a book on this subject, and many people have, so everyone is encouraged to seek as much info as possible on how cannabis may help you in your personal situation. Knowledge on cannabis medicine has been scant in the past, but more and more scientific information is being disclosed every day, all around the world. Continuing education is necessary for everyone in the medical cannabis industry, from healthcare professionals to patients, in order to to keep up with all of the newly released information and studies. It’s so much easier to find good scientific information than it was just five years ago, so don’t be afraid to explore the possibilities as far as cannabis medicine goes. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

Endocannabinoid SystemThe Endocannabinoid System

Our own bodies have a system, (like respiratory system, endocrine system, etc.), that is fairly new in its discovery and barely taught about in medical institutions, but even that is rapidly changing. This system, called the Endocannabinoid System (aka ECS), regulates many things in our body, like our digestive system and the immune system to name just a few. It has a huge impact on our overall health because it’s goal is to maintain homeostasis in our bodies. The ECS was discovered in the mid 1990s by the same man who discovered THC. He is an Israeli scientist named Raphael Mechoulam. Since then it has been found that all mammals have an ECS, and other creatures such as fish and birds have an ECS too.

So, if all God’s creatures have this system, you have to wonder why. Our bodies have receptors for cannabinoids, and our bodies produce their own cannabinoids as needed. These are called endocannabinoids, (as opposed to plant cannabinoids, called phytocannabinoids). The presence of this newly discovered system in our bodies, along with the in-body production of the cannabinoids that affect it, suggests that phytocannabinoids may contribute to our health, well being and balance.

The choice to explore medical cannabis as an alternative to traditional medications is not one to be taken lightly. However, the fact that no human has ever died from an overdose of cannabis in all of history bodes well with its safe and natural application.

Cannabis is on this planet for a reason

Our ancestors used it, and so did their ancestors, all the way back as far as we can go when gleaning through written history and archeological evidence about medicine. It’s very unfortunate that in this day and age we don’t have more formal evidence about it’s medicinal uses. What we do know as fact is that before it was made illegal in the United States the 1930s, cannabis was widely used as a medicine and relaxation tool by formally educated doctors and native healers alike, worldwide. And then it was gone, along with most of the knowledge that had been accumulated about it thus far. It makes you wonder how many of the harmful pharmaceuticals that are so commonly used today would have even had the need to be discovered if cannabis hadn’t been deemed the Devil’s Lettuce.

While we believe that everyone should have access to this powerful plant, we are convinced, through our continuing cannabis education, observation and experience, that cannabis can be of benefit to just about everyone. What we know for sure based on scientific studies is that the constituents of cannabis are:

• Neuroprotectant
(ie: stroke, spinal cord damage, neurodegenerative disease, neuropathy, fibromyalgia)
• Anti cancer
(some cancers respond better than others. basically, THC tells cancer cells they can die)
• Anti inflammatory
(any illness that involves inflammation resulting in chronic pain)
• Anti convulsant
(ie: Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS)
• Immune System regulator
(auto immune diseases like RA, Crohn’s Disease, Lupus and many more)
• Very useful for Hospice Care and all that it entails physically or emotionally
• Anti nausea

But the list doesn’t end here, and we probably won’t see the list end in our lifetimes. Even of you don’t have a serious illness, chances are cannabis can help you live a healthier, more productive life, even if you use it just to relax after a rough day or need to sleep better at night. Cannabis as medicine is for everyone, healthy or not. No one has ever died of a cannabis overdose. Ever.

CannabisLeaf and NM Zia Symbol New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program 
Qualifying Conditions

(as of 3/28/19). 

In New Mexico the following 22 conditions have been approved as qualifying conditions in the Medical Cannabis Program:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
• Cancer (must specify what type)
• Crohn’s Disease
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• HIV/AIDS
• Hepatitis C (infection currently receiving antiviral treatment)
• Hospice Care
• Huntington’s Disease
• Inclusion Body Myositis
• Inflammatory Autoimmune-mediated Arthritis
• Intractable Nausea/Vomiting
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Severe Chronic Pain
• Severe Anorexia/Cachexia
• Spasmodic Torticollis (Cervical Dystonia)
• Spinal Cord Damage with Intractable Spasticity
(proof of objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity required)
• Ulcerative Colitis

Any NM healthcare provider who can write a drug prescription may fill out your paperwork from the NM Department of Health’s Medical Cannabis Program. That means your primary care doctor, nurse practitioners, specialists and some mental health practitioners. If your practitioner won’t fill out the paperwork to recommend you to the NM Medical Cannabis Program there are Medical Cannabis qualifying specialists that will do it for you for a fee generally of $100 or less for the initial application and substantially less for subsequent renewals, since patients must re-qualify every year. It is a small price to pay for a fuller, happier life.