Medical Marijuana Providing Relief to HIV and AIDS Patients

In Florida, medical marijuana is becoming the talk of the town. This is because of the the growing number of private researches that marijuana or cannabis offers more health benefits far beyond the imagination of many institutional experts.

Although there is no official and complete study about the efficacy of marijuana, it has been tried and tested by many people. There are some testimonies expressing that Florida medical marijuana can provide relief to HIV and AIDS patients.

What Is Marijuana?

According to NIH, marijuana is "mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa." It is also known in several different names such as Mary Jane, ganja, bud, grass, pot, and herb. The last item is what many health enthusiasts believe it to be called since this plant is also used to prevent and cure many diseases. Cannabis is what many people want to call it today.

In the past and until recently, marijuana was considered illegal drug. It was said to have an intoxicating effect in the brain, and was used as alternative to other illegal drugs such as cocaine.

However, the claim that marijuana has some bad effects in the brain has been proven to be false by some experts. Instead, they discovered that cannabis especially Florida medical cannabis can treat HIV and AIDS.

Marijuana and HIV/AIDS

The National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted a study on the effect of cannabis on HIV and AIDS. They published the result on AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses in 2014. In the study, they found that cannabis contains THC. This component of cannabis was tested in monkeys with SIV which is their HIV version. After 17 months, researchers noticed some positive effects and improvement in the conditions of the monkeys that were tested. Florida medical marijuana doctors also supported the findings.

There was also a study made by Temple University School of Medicine. The study was published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. In this study, researchers concluded that CB2, a binding site for cannabinoids which are abundant in marijuana, may weaken HIV infection.

How to Use Marijuana

Marijuana is best used as tea because it preserves its potency and protects its healing components. However, it is recommended you consult your doctor before using it. In Florida, there is a strict regulation you should observe before you are allowed to use marijuana. Upon recommendation of a doctor, Florida medical marijuana card will be issued by the state to allow you to use marijuana to treat your illnesses.