In all of the uproar about the NM Secretary of Health rejecting most of the medical conditions that were recommended by the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board (MCAB), many people have overlooked the fact that the Secretary of Health DID indeed approve Obstructive Sleep Apnea as a new qualifying condition. This is a bit of a miracle since our DOH Secretary has not worked well at all with the MCAB – the very doctors whom are tasked to review, research and recommend medical conditions they believe should be added to the list of qualifying conditions for Medical Cannabis use in New Mexico.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common form of sleep apneas and it affects over 3 million people in America alone. It’s caused by over-relaxation of the throat muscles that will close intermittently and block the airway during sleep. It is a potentially serious condition that may cause:
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- loud snoring and gasping for air
- episodes of breathing cessation during sleep
- morning headaches
- sore throat
- mood changes
- depression
- night sweats
- high blood pressure
- decreased libido
One of the more severe repercussions of Obstructive Sleep Apnea are cardiovascular issues. Blood oxygen levels can drop dangerously low and this can lead to:
- arrhythmia
- coronary artery disease
- heart attack
- hypertension
- stroke
You get the picture. Bad stuff that can lead to worse bad stuff.
Sleep Apnea can affect other organs as well, because most people with this problem never enter into effective REM sleep; the time when your body’s vital organs regenerate cells, so lack of REM sleep can age everything much quicker and put your overall health at serious risk.
Cannabis Medicine to the Rescue
So it’s not just about keeping your partner and anyone else in the house awake at night. If you know someone with a diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea you may want to suggest cannabis medicine. I know of several people who had sleep apnea disorders who now sleep well through the night using cannabis capsules. They have overcome this troubling disease without having to take any further steps, such as breathing devices and/or surgery. – cannagramma
For more information about sleep disorders and sleep clinical trials, please visit the Policy Lab.
